Avast! Mobile Security – ultimate all-in-one Security & Anti-virus app
by Paul Wilks
Jan 21, 2013 7:54 AM –
Install
Avast! Mobile Security is a thorough and user-friendly security app for your Android. It comes with a wide range of features that go far beyond simple anti-virus scanning, and even offers additional functionality to rooted users. While Android is a relatively secure environment anyway, there is perhaps no harm in having an extra level of security for your mobile device.
Price: Free
Tested on: Nexus 4
Content Rating: Everyone
Pros & Cons:
Pros
- Simple to use!
- Lots of features!
- All-in-one security and anti-virus solution!
Cons
Features:
Avast! is a company perhaps best known for its PC security software but its corresponding Android app is becoming one of the most popular on the platform. At the time of writing, the app has a rating of 4.7 with some 212,000 reviews, which is no mean feat.
Once you open the app up and spend some time exploring it, it’s not difficult to see why. Avast! Mobile Security is rammed with features and is pretty much an all-in-one security solution that’s easy to install, configure and then hopefully be able to forget about it.
Many years ago, I used to work for an IT security company. While the company primarily sold to businesses, one thing was quite clear to me regarding security solutions; it has to protect you and your systems, but at the same time it needs to be pretty much invisible so that it doesn’t interfere with the productivity of those systems. I think Avast! gets this just right; you know the app is there doing its job, but it doesn’t compete for your attention with notifications. You only want to see the app when something is wrong.
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During my testing, nothing went wrong and I had no threats or issues whatsoever (to be honest I never have despite being a very heavy Android user, so I tend to view the claims by many security companies that Android is somehow rife with issues, with a pinch of salt.) If anything such flag waving is pure fear mongering- ever notice how all the research is only ever conducted by firms who can only benefit from the results revealing multiple threats on a platform? Where’s the independent research??
Therefore, as I encountered no such threats, Avast! Mobile Security just sat on my device and I never really saw it or even have to interact with it. Initially I set the app up to scan my device at 3am several times per week and it was only on one occasion when I was still awake at 3am (damn you PlayStation 3!) when I noticed it kick in.
The app has loads of functionality boasting: Antivirus, Privacy Report, Anti-theft, Network Meter, Web Shield, Widget, Web interface for remote control & locating (such as finding your device if lost or stolen; plus detect when your SIM card is replaced as you can be alerted of the new phone number), SiteCorrect, SMS/call filtering, App Manager, Battery Save and Firewall (root required). In a nutshell then, it’s a Swiss Army knife of security-related functionality. It can essentially make life very simple for your Android, perhaps cutting out the need for several apps on your device down to just one useful tool like this.
This also means that you can go to Avast! Mobile Security as an all-in-one security solution and feel well and truly taken care of. Now, the benefits of this is that you only have to deal with one app to organise your Android security. The negative of this is that you are essentially putting all your eggs in one basket- which, for the security conscious/paranoid, isn’t always good thing.
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Avast – Virus scanner
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Avast – Scanning
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Avast – Scanning SD card
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Avast – App management
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Avast – Appshield
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Avast – Privacy advisor
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Avast – Firewall for rooted devices
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Avast – Web shield
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Avast – Notification manager
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Avast – Network meter
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Avast – Log
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Avast – Notification
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Avast – Setttings
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Avast – Theme
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Avast – About
Usefulness:
If you’re worried about mobile security threats, this is a great app to give you peace of mind. If offers a variety of theft security and anti-virus protection- more if you’re rooted and several additional features for things like app management and power saving.
Ease of Use:
Avast! Mobile Security is a very easy app to use. There are lots of features to explore, but the menus are clear and the UI is relatively simple to navigate.
Frequently Used:
The app essentially runs in the background, protecting your device as you use it. The nature of the app is such that, hopefully, you are able to forget it’s even there (as in, you don’t have any issues with mobile threats, viruses, etc). The app does feature a handy homescreen widget for people who want to be more aware of it.
Interface:
The interface is pretty straight forward and, although I think it could be improved by perhaps developing a UI that isn’t just a series of menus (see apps by Power Tune-up for example), it works well and it is quite smooth and responsive.
Tags:
Android App,
Android Apps,
AndroidTapp.com App Review,
Anti-Theft,
Anti-virus,
Avast,
Avast Mobile Security,
Find Lost or Stolen Phone,
How to Block Porn on Android,
How to Retreive Stolen Android Phone,
security
Categorised in: Tools
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