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Malware on My Android Phone

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Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#51

Post by saagarjha »

pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

This is basically the problem I have with Windows (well, had, maybe it's gotten better): a bunch of basic tools are third-party utilities. Microsoft will even point you to them?! On macOS either the basic things are build in or easy to find from a website that isn't trying to push a new toolbar at you. On Linux you just use your package manager to install whatever it is…

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#52

Post by mackrevinack »

MrDresden wrote: post #39
Sander_Marechal wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a Pixel 2. It scans QR codes with the default camera app just fine. When it detects a QR code you get a little popup you can click. It even works with regular 1D barcodes.

Long time Pixel user here (and an Android dev for that matter) and I had no idea the camera had qr support!

just go into the camera settings and turn on lens suggestions

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#53

Post by mackrevinack »

lathiat wrote: post #48
pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

I read somewhere the native camera app also does but many including Samsung have their own app instead. Cannot vouch for that. On the flip side there are QR apps in the top 100 App Store apps because the built-in support in camera is not really obvious unless someone tells you.

i had an s10e recently and the camera app would scan them if they were in view and show a popup message.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#54

Post by FriedrichN »

ce4 wrote: post #5

I trust the F-Droid store more due to its curated (FOSS-software-only/no-trackers) maintainer based model and default to them if there's an app that I need, especially simple stuff that tends to mostly be adware on the playstore

On a side note, my bank is now forcing me to use their app which can only be downloaded from the Play Store (which I will never install). When I complained they told me it's because they think it's more secure than their current method which is a card reader, I tried to explain to them the average phone is teeming with malware, but they simply wouldn't believe me.

I am currently looking for a new bank.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#55

Post by ChuckNorris89 »

samoa42 wrote: post #35
TheChaplain wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For CalDav/CardDav there's DAVx⁵. It's on Play if you want to support the developer, or F-Droid if you don't. There is also ICSx⁵ from the same developer, works against outlook.com. I paid for both, they work great.

so there are a ton of different apps for which you can pay to get a feature that ios has builtin. great

You mean just like how on iOS you need to pay for apps to give you (almost) the same functionality and customization as on Android?

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#56

Post by oefrha »

pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

> on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used

Apple added a builtin QR code scanner to the camera app in iOS 11 due to the ridiculously widespread use of QR codes in China.[1] I guess (Google's version of) Android doesn't have that because Google doesn't derive much value from that market, and QR codes don't have as much mindshare in other major markets.

[1] They specifically called out the Chinese market when introducing the feature in WWDC 2017 keynote:

> Of course, there's much more than we have time to talk about today, but I want to highlight some features of special interest to our customers in China, like QR codes that are integrated right into the main camera, accessible from the lock screen, super use Yes, super useful for customers in China.

https://asciiwwdc.com/2017/sessions/101

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#57

Post by johnchristopher »

pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

Firefox android has a QR code reader. I also recently noticed that the Google App (Discover ?) has a QR code reader and I think the Google assistant too.

But these are all behind app, not readily accessible.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#58

Post by jimmySixDOF »

rozab wrote: post #42
oakwhiz wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was going to recommend the open source "Barcode Scanner" app also known as "zxing" on GitHub. However when looking at the app's page, I noticed that someone seems to be engaging in some kind of review-bombing with that app. There are tons of reviews claiming that it was recently updated and has highly intrusive full page popup ads. But looking at the version info, the app hasn't seen an update for over 2 years and…

If you say "OK Google, scan a QR code", it opens up Google Lens which does the job but only seems to be accessible through voice on my device

I also use Lense for QR and like any typical app just installed through Play and launch normally.

Voice Assist is yet another privacy invasion vector imho, there are too many anecdotal first hand accounts of someone talking about fishing and suddenly getting banner adds for boat trips everywhere.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#59

Post by neya »

pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

On my Samsung it's the same as well. The default camera app scans any QR code, even does document scanning on the fly which I find super useful.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#60

Post by djeiasbsbo »

slezyr wrote: post #49
prof18 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

QR Reader are load of everything. I went mad to find one a decent one for my parents’ android phone and apparently it doesn’t exists. So in a weekend I’ve created one without any kind of tracking, ads, permission, whatever. Here it is if you guys need one -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prof18.sec...

Or anything from FDroid. I use Barcode Scanner ( https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.google.zxing.client.andr... ) as it scans even damaged codes.

Same here. Generally when looking for good quality Android apps, F-Droid should come first. I think about 95% of the apps I use on my phone are covered with F-Droid. Only banking apps and public transit apps are from the Play Store.
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