Christmas is a busy time for MagicSolver, not least because we are readying our Advent 2013 calendar app. While we are poised to launch our festive app next week, around the same time shoppers in the U.S will be gearing up for the post-Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza known as ‘Black Friday’. For those unaware of this special day, it is where retail outlets slash the prices on their goods and wares and American citizens go crazy trying to pick up amazing bargains to put under the Christmas tree.

Shopping via mobile is already on the rise but this year the smartphone will play a big role in the way people buy gifts for Xmas, according to a survey conducted by technology protection specialist Asurion. 58% of smartphone owners said their device will be very important to them on ‘Black Friday’, with 49% claiming they will make purchases via the device.

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A news story on Mobile Entertainment today has revealed that 99 per cent of mobile malware attacks are aimed at the Android platform. It’s no surprise to see Google’s open source OS an easier target for malware violations but what is also surprising is the lack of concern from Android users: 40 per cent of smartphone and 42 percent of tablets users fail to take action to prevent attacks, according to research from Kaspersky Lab.

Mobile malware comes in many guises including malicious apps waiting for unsuspecting users to download them. And this strain of malware is growing at a rapid rate: last year, Kaspersky Lab discovered 35,000 malicious apps; in the first half of 2013 47,000 have already been detected.

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We know that Apple and its trusty iPhone transformed the smartphone landscape and created an unrivalled app ecosystem but have you ever wondered what goes behind making one of the most popular phones in the world? The sprawling infographic below, commissioned by FinancesOnline.com,  goes into some detail about the iPhone’s supply chain, the cost of making one of the iconic gadgets on the planet and the widgets and electronics fitted under the bonnet to make it purr. It makes for a very interesting and occasionally eye-opening read.

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This week The Independent newspaper in the UK published a list of its top travel apps.  You can see the top 10 here.

Far be it for us to disagree with such a learned publication, but we honestly felt there were so many good travel apps that it would be worth adding five more to their list that tickle our fancy and help us when we are out and about.  So below you can find our additional five travel apps for those that are hungry for the best and easiest experiences on the move.

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One of the defining trends since smart devices arrived in our pockets has been the quest for the perfect sized screen. With buttons being chucked out of the window at the same time as the “dumb phone”, device makers have been trying to get their display size just right to tempt in the consumers and help developers to make great apps for them.

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It’s time again for another App Show and we managed to escape the confines of Cambridge again to head out to Cologne for GDC Europe. There we caught up with a number of interesting people from the apps industry showing off their wares.

We had Anders Jepsen from Blackberry explaining to us why Blackberry OS should be considered by developers, even with the company’s difficulties. Alistair Aitcheson, an indie guru and developer of Greedy Bankers, chatted to us about multiplayer tablet games. And Andrew Smith of Appy Nation talked to us about the reboot of legendary App Store game Transport Tycoon.

But that wasn’t all we found out about on this month’s show. We chatted to Richard Bates of Kick it Out! who talked to us about how the anti-racism organisation is hoping that cloud based apps will help fans to report racist abuse.

And, of course, we had time for the mainstays of The App Show: all the news from the app world this month, reviews from our resident critic Beth about the best apps for Summer and the all important Free App Magic Chart.

Check the show out at 9pm tonight on http://www.star107.co.uk/resources/radioplayer/ or catch up with the podcast tomorrow http://bit.ly/msappshow

MagicSolver, the app discovery and user acquisition specialists, have been named one of Mobile Entertainment’s Top 50 Mobile Innovators in the UK for 2013.

The ME Top 50 has been going for three years and recognises excellence within a number of mobile specific sectors. MagicSolver has been recognised for its continued success in the Apps sphere after it amassed more than 30 million downloads for its portfolio of mobile app discovery platforms.

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The MagicSolver sales team are in Cologne this week at GDC Europe and GamesCom, ready to provide you with great advice on boosting your app downloads.

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This month’s App Show offers an in depth look into mobile monetisation and marketing, providing great practical tips from some of the industry’s leading experts into how to make a success of marketing your mobile app.

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