Related
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?showtopic=240156
By installing a small metering application on your Pocket PC / Smartphone, you can receive a £15 initial payment, followed by £5 monthly, paid every 6 months.
NO CATCHES!
Visit the above link to find out more!
Spyware for Mobiles ???
Would be interesting to see how much I 'earn' coz GPRS is permantly off on my MDA
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15 quid a month ha
Tried to sign up with my wallaby on o2 but they say they dont want to know lol
Dont Know ,not Worth it
Installed it on my xda mini s , after a while saw its trying to connect the gprs.. canceled it .
then it sent 2 text i dont know where lol, i only had it installed for less then 10 hours and it sent 4 texts from my phone using my own PAYG credit :shock:
uninstalled it , and wont try anything like this again lol
My plan has unlimited data, so as long as it doesnt F'up the phone I will try it. Figure already got the NSA checking out my phone logs and calls, etc.. whats one more
At least if they are going to track me I get paid for them being nosy.
Not to mention since I have a HTC Universal in the U.S. maybe it will give some of the companies an idea to actually offer one here that uses EDGE. Being on the bleeding edge of technology it never hurt to help them get new ideas to improve what we got either.
Charles
XDA Smart Folks! I need crowd-source thinking on this. It's something that affects many many people, and will continue to for years to come. I've searched online high and low for answers to this, analyzed all sorts of potential scenarios for one simple purpose: cutting my landline service but holding keeping that phone number in my possession (maybe a year) until I decide where to go with it.
Here's my phone "ecosystem" right now:
(1) Landline home service which also carries my DSL service. I want to cut this service but find cheapest way to keep the number, to use to call forward to wherever I choose.
(2) I no longer need a landline phone, huge waste of money, and DSL can now be delivered via "dry loop"... whereby DSL provider supplies the phone line to you, using local phone company lines, routed to you strictly as data, which you have no responsibility for. The "dry loop" phone line is built into their monthly DSL price, but it is not in any way a phone # I access or use.
(3) T-mobile cell voice + unlimited internet/data plan for past 5 years, with HTC touchscreen phone, and a phone number I like.
(4) Several SKYPE-IN phone #s local to me
(5) and now a Google Voice # local to me.
(6) A Skype-to-go # I use just for calling international #s via a phone, vs via skype app on a computer. (You call your own Skype-to-go #, using any phone, cell or landline anywhere, then press speed-dials to connect to international land or mobile phones)
====================
MY PREFERRED SOLUTIONS, but not yet available, if at all:
====================
1. Port my about-to-be-disconnected landline # to replace my Google Voice #. This recent article from TechCrunch shows that it IS possible, just not yet available for "rank & file" GV users.
How I Learned To Quit The iPhone And Love Google Voice
Want to port your mobile number to Google Voice.... and do what I've done? Google Voice's Secret Weapon: Number Portability
It's an interesting quandary that, in order to port your number you need to ...Google Voice About to Get More Amazing By Letting You Port Your ...
Jun 14, 2009 ... That means you'll be able to port the phone numberGoogle Voice and use whatever phone you want, ... you've had for 5 or 10 or 100 years to Arrington Gets To Port Into Google Voice, When Do The Rest Of Us ...
Aug 10, 2009 ... Well, yesterday I read that Michael Arrington (a new adopter to Google Voice) of Techcrunch was able to port his numberGoogle Voice ... into
2. Port to my Skype-In # ... (Not a chance. Won't happen due to USA FCC rules)
3. Possibly add a 2nd line to my existing T-mo account, with a free no-feature phone, and use it just to forward calls to wherever I choose. Perhaps in a year Google Voice will have Number Portability by then. Downside: too costly
4. NOT cut off my local landline service, but convert it to a fax/data line, and, if possible, set up voice call-forwarding to whatever phone I actually want to ring when people dial my long-time #. Problem: I really despise my local provider for its domestic spying on all US citizens every phone call and web site in cooperation with Bush Administrations blatant disregard for laws. This is the primary reason I want to cut that tie completely -- an economic statement of principle.
5. Get a cheap pre-pay cell-phone plan that i use for no other reason than to preserve my # and use to call forward. But I don't know if consumers can port a number to a pre-paid plan in USA. Can they?
6. Use a "phone number parking service". I didn't know these existed til tonight. Like domain-name parking. But it's specifically for people in my shoes. You port your # to them, they forward your calls wherever you want, $10/month. Like here, and here.
7. Establish T-Mobile @ Home local service -- but I don't know if this sets you up with a separate phone # besides your cell line; I'm assuming no.
8. And finally: Let go of my current T-Mobile cell #, and just port my landline # to my cell account. The downside here is that it is an established contact #, I like it, and porting my landline # to it eliminates it.
What sayeth XDA-dev members?
UPDATE 1: NUMBER PORTABILITY - Ways to hold onto a number in between services
I've done some ruleouts since yesterday, which reduce the options:
• Port to my Skype-In # ... Eliminated. Not possible, per Skype support email.
• Possibly add 2nd line to my existing T-mo account, : Will cost me $20/month additional, by using a Family Plan additional one line. Not a good value at all. The price threshold to meet or beat is $10/month for actual phone service; or $5/month to "park your number"
5. Get a cheap pre-pay cell-phone plan (for example Tracfone or Virgin Mobile) that i use for no other reason than to preserve my # and use to call forward. But I don't know if consumers can port a number to a pre-paid plan in USA. Can they?
6. Use a "phone number parking service". This seems like the way to go -- unless T-Mobile wakes up with item 7 below. I didn't know these existed til tonight. Like domain-name parking. But it's specifically for people in my shoes. You port your # to them, they forward your calls wherever you want, $10/month. Like here, and here.
7. Establish T-Mobile @ Home local service -- ANSWERS: Yes, I can port my old landline # to a new T-Mobile @ Home VOIP account. HOWEVER, A REALLY STUPID PROBLEM -- T-MOBILE WON'T LET YOU PAY THEM an additional $10/month for this service, in some cases:
LISTEN UP T-MOBILE, or get hurt by stupidity: T-Mobile will not let customers sign up for this service -- and pay T-Mobile an additional revenue of $10/month -- unless the customer has a voice plan of $39.99 or over. I use my cell more for data than talk, so I have the $29.99 voice plan -- and so T-Mobile says "No, we will not take your money and make from you an additional $120/year in revenue, because you don't qualify to pay us $10/month." ... Nevermind that I have an additional Text messaging plan, and on top of that a "Total Internet and Unlimited Hotspot" data plan -- adding another $40/month I pay to them. Pure beancounter mentality vs Total Customer Relationship business mentality.
(10-1-09) Right now I have a call-back due from T-Mobile's CUSTOMER RETENTION department to let me know if they will let me pay them an additional $10/month to get the @Home VOIP phone service... If they don't, I may pack up my whole account with them and switch to Sprint or AT&T, simply due to beancounter insulting stupidity. Stay tuned for the answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
====
[size=+2]mActivor - SMS Software Activation Service[/size]
BETA Version
[size=+1]Introducing a new way of selling mobile software. Now you can sell your software through SMS anywhere in the world.[/size]
[size=+1]SMS payment is the easiest payment method, especially in case of mobile content and mobile software: After all, the only thing the user needs is a connected mobile phone.
All the user has to do to buy a software through our activation system, is to press the “Activate” button on the communicator. The rest is done by our activation module!
Buying a program has never been easier!
Given simplicity of this procedure, it will be easier for the user to buy our program other than to search for a stolen registration code or a crack or to fill out a voluminous order placement form online. As a result, your software will enjoy a rapid growth in sales.
According to our information, income derived from SMS sales in many countries, such as Russia for example, exceeds that from credit card sales.
So do not waste your time, get connected to our system now!
Highlights of our services
[size=+1]Your income will increase significantly[/size]
[size=+1]Getting connected is fast and takes 1 day only[/size]
[size=+1]Activation is available in over 60 countries worldwide[/size]
[size=+1]Payments are made weekly (in most of the countries) through WebMoney and PayPal[/size]
[/size]
https://merchant.mactivor.com
System Requirements
WM5 / WM6 /WM6.1 / WM6.5
VGA / QVGA / WVGA / WQVGA / SVGA / SQVGA
.NET Compact Framework 2.0 (for settings only)
Features in development:
PC activation
ather OS
[size=+1]Frequently Asked Questions[/size]
How much do I pay to connect to your system?
Our company also produces and sells a variety of software products, and in the past the system offered now was exclusively used for the sales of our products. According to the data collected based on our sales, we can state that the use of SMS sales increases the overall product sales by 300%. Of course the exact figure may vary depending on a number of factors, but we guarantee that the sales method offered will give you a profit of at least 100%.
How much do I pay to connect to your service.
Connecting to our system is free. Moreover our representatives will assist you in any way possible in getting the system started.
How much is your commission fee?
Our commission fee is only 10% of the profit you make, or 5% of the software cost to the end user.
To illustrate, if the cost of your program is $8 and charges of the cellular service provider are 50% of this amount, our commission fee will amount to only 10% of the $4 you make in profit, or $0.40, so that you receive $3.60.
Do not be upset that charges of cellular service provider may sometimes exceed half of the cost of the program. Keep in mind that dozens of times more of customers prefer to pay through SMS than with a credit card.
How long does it take to get connected?
It takes no more than one business day to get the system started. Sign up and you may be able to start making significant money today!
What you need to do to get connected:
1. Add product parameters (price, key generator etc) to your control panel
2. If needed, install an online key generator for our server
3. Add a Pay by SMS Button to your program. This button launches the activation module.
4. Add the activation module and its configuration file to the program installation.
After the registration, you will be given an access to a step-by-step instructions how to connect.
Why using our software is better than developing your own software?
Developing your own software and connecting and adjusting it to the system may take several man months. To compare, by getting connected to our system, you will begin to generate income practically instantly.
Moreover having developed your own system, you will have to spend time on its maintenance. Why not let us take care of this job? Given that our commission fee is only 5% of the program cost, or 10% of the profit you make, it certainly makes sense to do so.
[size=+1]Key Functionss[/size]
Activation Module
• All the user needs to have to buy the module is a connected mobile phone.
• To activate, the user needs to take only one step and press the Pay by SMS Button. The activation module will send the registration key automatically.
• Windows Mobile platform is used. Modules for BREW, Android, Symbian, PC and iPhone will be available shortly.
• Key restoration is easy. Registered users can restore the key themselves by using a hard reset device.
Seller’s Control Panel
• Allows to add your products fast and provides step-by-step instructions and examples
• Provides various reports and graphs
Description of the Program
In a nutshell, this is how the system operates:
Logistics of the software:
1. User will see a dialogue box for the program activation on the device screen
2. User has to press the Activation Button
3. Activation dialogue will appear on the screen, and the user will receive a confirmation of the program activation
Structure of the software:
1. If needed (for example, after the Buy by SMS Button has been pressed, the trial period has ended or an unregistered program has expired), your program will launch the activation module by sending it, through the command line switch, all the data required to generate the key.
2. The activation module will bring up a sales confirmation dialogue, indicating the price effective for the buyer’s country.
3. The activation module will renew price information and if the price has increased, will request an additional confirmation from the buyer.
4. If the user agrees, depending on the program, the activation module will send one or more paid SMS message containing information required to generate the key to the corresponding short numbers.
5. The cellular service provider will withdraw money from client’s account and forward the messages received to our activation server.
6. Having received a sufficient number of SMS messages from the user, our activation server will request the key from your online key generator and forward it in the reply SMS message.
7. Having received the reply SMS message with the key, the activation module will save it, depending on your setting, in the register or the file and notify the program that the key has been received.
8. After your program has received the notification from the activation module, it will read the key from the register or the file (note that notification methods vary depending on the type of the platform).
After the registration is complete, you will receive detailed instructions describing how the system works and how the activation module interacts with your program.
Okay, so, I summed up some 5 articles on this subject - in the hope of starting a discussion about device security. I hope you will find this interesting and meaningful and perhaps you will find out about some of the risks of using Android.
2 months ago Juniper Networks, one of the two biggest network equipment manufactures, published a blog post (1) about an intensive research their mobile threat department had on the Android market place.
In essence they analyzed over 1.7 million apps in Google Play, revealing frightening results and prompting a hard reality check for all of us.
One of the worrying findings is that a significant number of applications contain capabilities that could expose sensitive information to 3rd parties. For example, neither Apple nor Google requires apps to ask permission to access some forms of the device ID, or to send it to outsiders. A Wall Street Journal examination (2) of 101 popular Android (and iPhone) apps found that showed that 56 — that's half — of the apps tested transmitted the phone's unique device ID to other companies without users' awareness or consent. 47 apps — again, almost a half — transmitted the phone's location to other companies.
That means that the apps installed in your phone are 50% likely to clandestinely collect and sell information about you without your knowledge nor your consent. For example when you give permission to an app to see your location, most apps don't disclose if they will pass the location to ad companies.
Moving on to more severe Android vulnerabilities. Many applications perform functions not needed for the apps to work — and they do it under the radar! The lack of transparency about who is collecting information and how it is used is a big problem for us.
Juniper warns, that some apps request permission to clandestinely initiate outgoing calls, send SMS messages and use a device camera. An application that can clandestinely initiate a phone call could be used to silently listen to ambient conversations within hearing distance of a mobile device. I am of course talking about the famous and infamous US Navy PlaceRaider (3).
Thankfully the Navy hasn't released this code but who knows if someone hadn't already jumped on the wagon and started making their own pocket sp?. CIO magazine (4) somewhat reassures us though, that the "highly curated nature of [smartphone] application stores makes it far less likely that such an app would "sneak through" and be available for download."
A summary by The Register (5) of the Juniper Networks audit reads that Juniper discovered that free applications are five times more likely to track user location and a whopping 314 percent more likely to access user address books than paid counterparts. 314%!!!
1 in 40 (2.64%) of free apps request permission to send text messages without notifying users, 5.53 per cent of free apps have permission to access the device camera and 6.4 per cent of free apps have permission to clandestinely initiate background calls. Who knows, someone might just be recording you right now, or submitting your photo to some covert database in Czech Republic — without you even knowing that your personal identity is being compromised.
Google, by the way, is the biggest data recipient — so says The Wall Street Journal. Its AdMob, AdSense, Analytics and DoubleClick units collected data from 40% of the apps they audited. Google's main mobile-ad network is AdMob, which lets advertisers target phone users by location, type of device and "demographic data," including gender or age group.
To quote the The Register on the subjec, the issue of mobile app privacy is not new. However Juniper's research is one of the most comprehensive looks at the state of privacy across the entire Google Android application ecosystem. Don't get me wrong. I love using Google's services and I appreciate the positive effect this company has had over how I live my life. However, with a shady reputation like Google's and with it's troubling attitude towards privacy (Google Maps/Earth, Picasa's nonexistent privacy and the list goes on) I sincerely hope that after reading this you will at least think twice before installing any app.
Links: (please excuse my links I'm a new user and cannot post links)
(1) forums.juniper net/t5/Security-Mobility-Now/Exposing-Your-Personal-Information-There-s-An-App-for-That/ba-p/166058
(2) online.wsj com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576020083703574602.html
(3) technologyreview com/view/509116/best-of-2012-placeraider-the-military-smartphone-malware-designed-to-steal-your-life/
(4) cio com/article/718580/PlaceRaider_Shows_Why_Android_Phones_Are_a_Major_Security_Risk?page=2&taxonomyId=3067
(5) theregister co.uk/2012/11/01/android_app_privacy_audit/
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Now I am proposing a discussion. Starting with - do we have the possibility to monitor device activity on the phone? By monitoring device activity, such as outgoing SMSs and phone calls in the background, the camera functions and so on we can tell if our phone is being abused under the radar and against our consent. What do you think?
.
I am finding it sad and troubling but even more so ironic that nobody here cares about this stuff.
Pdroid allows you to tailor your apps and what permissions your device actually allows on a per app basis. Requires some setup, and the GUI is nothing fancy.. but for those worried about permissions, it is quite ideal.
Edit : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1357056
Great project, be sure to thank the dev
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
DontPushButtons said:
Pdroid allows you to tailor your apps and what permissions your device actually allows on a per app basis
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds good for a start, I'll look it up
pilau said:
Sounds good for a start, I'll look it up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, so I looked it up, and Pdroid does look like a fantastic solution to control what apps have access to what information on your droid.
However, it doesn't cover monitoring hardware functions such as texts being sent, calls being placed etc. as described in the OP. Besides, it only works in Gingerbread as far as I could gather.
EDIT: looking at PDroid 2.0, it does exactly what I originally asked
pilau said:
Okay, so I looked it up, and Pdroid does look like a fantastic solution a control what apps have access to what information on you droid.
However, it doesn't cover monitoring hardware functions such as texts being sent, calls being placed etc. as described in the OP. Besides, it only works in Gingerbread as far as I could gather.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually first found out about it on an ics rom, so it's definitely not just gb. As for monitoring, no clue. Any sort of extra process logging would likely bog down resources or space eventually.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
DontPushButtons said:
Any sort of extra process logging would likely bog down resources or space eventually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I definitely wouldn't know. This solution looks very complicated in first impression but on the Google play page it says 100% no performance effects.
Anyway, I looked up PDroid 2.0 here on XDA, which is the rightful successor of the original app. It does everything the original app does and also monitors many device activities! Here is the full list of features. I would add a working link but I'm still a n00b and I am restricted from doing so. Sigh....
forum.xda-developers com/showthread.php?t=1923576
PDroid 2.0 allows blocking access for any installed application to the following data separately:
Device ID (IMEI/MEID/ESN)
Subscriber ID (IMSI)
SIM serial (ICCID)
Phone and mailbox number
Incoming call number
Outgoing call number
GPS location
Network location
List of accounts (including your google e-mail address)
Account auth tokens
Contacts
Call logs
Calendar
SMS
MMS
Browser bookmarks and history
System logs
SIM info (operator, country)
Network info (operator, country)
IP Tables(until now only for Java process)
Android ID
Call Phone
Send SMS
Send MMS
Record Audio
Access Camera
Force online state (fake online state to permanent online)
Wifi Info
ICC Access (integrated circuit-card access, for reading/writing sms on ICC)
Switch network state (e.g. mobile network)
Switch Wifi State
Start on Boot (prevents that application gets the INTENT_BOOT_COMPLETE Broadcast)
I've always had the luxury of someone else integrating it into the Rom, then I just had to set it up through the app. It is time-consuming, but not very difficult at all. I say give it a shot and see if that's what you had in mind. Maybe the logging is less detrimental than I had previously thought.
I'm sure you could get your post count up by asking for some tips in that thread. Every forum on xda has at least one person that's EXCESSIVELY helpful, frequently more. So have a ball
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
moderators, if there is a better place to put this, please move accordingly.
situation:
my employer will pickup $95 of my cellphone bill if i get a smartphone for work - so that i can check emails while traveling to job sites, meetings, etc. i travel about once every other week now. they will put me on the company account when i am traveling every week. so this might only be a 2 year stop-gap till they are paying for all of my phone and this isnt an issue at all. at that point, i can port my GV number to ATT and the company account.
i currently have a dumb or "feature phone" and cant justify spending the monthly data rate to get a smart phone for personal usage, but if my business pick-ups most of the tab, it is worth it. personally, i make less than 200 minutes of calls and 200 texts (mostly to my wife who is on the same plan, that is all negated as part of the "shared"
if i stay on my current family's plan and convert it to a family data share plan (ATT), that actually saves me about $15 a month on my phone bill
downside - i have an out of area phone number and my office wants me to have an in-area phone number for business
in short, what is the best, long term way to have 2 numbers call/receive on a cellphone, without having to pay extra, or minimal, for the convenience of being able to call from the different numbers. if the telecom carriers would just drop their stupid tax limitation for having different tax / area codes on the same account, i wouldn't have this issue. realistically - if everyone in the USA had free nation wide calling via cellphone, land-line, etc - we would all just have 10 digit numbers and this wouldn't be a problem b/c we wouldn't need all of these hacks and tweaks for porting numbers, move voice over sip/voip, use 3rd party programs that use txt over data rather than it just all being easy and cheap / rant over.
GV number
it appears i am receive / call from an in-area number - i already setup a number and tried a iphone and it works great.
not concerned that it uses minutes b/c family share plan has unlimited minutes (i keep searching for google voice alternatives and i either come up with VoIP / SIP options to avoid using minutes and use data OR business plans that use voice, but charge for minutes)
my concerns / reason for looking for other options / alternatives
1. every year google says that US calling is free for the next year. and their rates page shows the same.
since i will be using default GV iphone/android app that will use minutes rather than VoIP to make the calls, will that ever be a concern of mine (e.g. if google makes a call $0.01 a minute in the future, i don't want to have to find another option really quick b/c it does not suite my needs anymore)
2. GV closing - everyone was "up-in-arms" about reader closing this year. most of us have moved to other programs / clients that allow us to continue reading news
3. GV says that you shouldnt use it for business b/c they don't have enterprise support. the company i work for is far from an enterprise, but i still have some an uneasy feeling that if google doesn't like GV anymore and drop it, im scrambling to find something fast and dont want to do that. e.g. is this the best long term solution?
option 2: long time listener to leo laporte / twit and they are advertising ring central.
looked at their features and not only will it cost more than i am saving, but also, it has tons more features that what i need.
other options? someone on the GV forums called GV a "call management service" and i have searched for alternatives and most of the business oriented services seem to want to offer more features than i need and to change for it. most of the personal alternatives are an attempt to reduce voice minutes, but use data.
a lot of our contractor clients have project managers and job-site supers have completely random area codes and call from other named business's when they call us, so it might not even be an issue. trying to do all my research before i go back to my boss and give him some options and see if having an in-area number is required or just something that they would want.
thanks for the help and advise.