The refrain often seen or heard when you hear of Android malware is that the offending apps were "side-loaded": Not installed from Google's Android Play Store. "I should be safe, then, because I only load apps from the Play Store," Android users might be inclined to think.

Not so fast.

quote:

April 26, 2017
FalseGuide malware hits 600K devices via botnet on Google Play

by Greg Masters, Managing Editor

A new strain of malware was detected on Google Play that mobile threat researchers at Check Point dubbed FalseGuide and said was hidden in more than 40 guide apps for games.

Game players downloaded the malware from Google's official app store more than 50,000 times and the contagion reached as many as 600,000 devices, according to the report on Check Point's blog.

Check Point notified Google about the malware and it was swiftly deleted from the app store, but two new variants appeared at the beginning of April. Another notification went out, but it was unclear at press time if Google had removed the two new malicious apps.

Full story: FalseGuide malware hits 600K devices via botnet on Google Play

My wife and I cannot afford to just toss our Android stuff, and no way can we justify replacing it with iThings, but, all unnecessary apps are, or will soon be, deleted or disabled. I'm probably just going to give up on the tablet thing entirely. I'm thinking I may go back to a "dumb" phone, if I can, when my current not-so-smart-after-all phone is ready to be retired.

Meanwhile: I've had it with Google. As far as I'm concerned they're easily as evil as Microsoft--if not more so. I was already avoiding their search engine. I've now removed Chrome entirely, everywhere. I've deleted/purged my Google+ and YouTube accounts. Deleted the Google Voice number. I'll be removing the ChromeCast from the one TV when I get home. Gmail will no longer be used other than as necessary for the Google account necessary to use my existing phone and tablet. Never used any other Google things (Drive, Docs, Photos, etc.), and, now, can fairly confidently say I never will.