Hi guys,
My sister has two young sons intent on having Father Christmas bring them their first cellphones this year, and have been dropping hints like napalm about the Play being sooooo good for gaming on the move and currently sooo cheap. It looks like she will bow to their wishes against her better judgement. Her main concern is net security and limiting the access that they have to adult content and potential abuse etc on the handset. Can anyone recommend a good app that can limit the type of content a child can access on this handset?
All suggestions welcome and appreciated
I know of nothing like that per-say. But some launchers and apps give you the ability to hide applications. Your friend could just hide the default browser, giving her children no access to the internet.
I wouldn't give them that phone period if as you say it's against the mother's intentions. Children can do with a cheaper phone, and with none at all.
You can hide the internet browser (and any other app like, say, Settings) quickly and easily with Launcher Pro. The Market now allows you to protect purchases with a password... And there are apps which allow you to password-protect any app before running.
That said, shielding children from the interwebs is not exactly a great idea in the long run.
How old are the kids? I recommend them to be atleast 13/12 so they won't lose it..
Sent from my R800i using XDA App
Logseman said:
I wouldn't give them that phone period if as you say it's against the mother's intentions. Children can do with a cheaper phone, and with none at all.
You can hide the internet browser (and any other app like, say, Settings) quickly and easily with Launcher Pro. The Market now allows you to protect purchases with a password... And there are apps which allow you to password-protect any app before running.
That said, shielding children from the interwebs is not exactly a great idea in the long run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that it is at best a bad idea giving young kids a smartphone of that specification, but there's nothing I can do about that now. And yes, shielding kids from the net would be a little unfair as that is one function this thing performs well that they cannot use on, say a Nintendo DSi. These two kids, young as they are, are pretty tech savvy and love to browse the web.
They have a netbook which they share and it has a net nanny on board which has been effective thus far.
My main concern is limiting the amount of access they can have through their web browser on the phone, and keeping their information private and safe. A similar package that might be available from the Android Market? I've looked around the Market myself (X10i's rock, by the way!! ), but haven't seen anything that really serves this purpose. I thought maybe one of you might have been in a similar situation?
With the recent price drop in the Xperia Play (now well under 200 euro in Ireland on top up now), this is going to be a very popular first phone for kids this Christmas and I'm sure there are many other parents who would share the same concerns
Cat_On_Droid said:
How old are the kids? I recommend them to be atleast 13/12 so they won't lose it..
Sent from my R800i using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are both a little too young in my opinion ( one is twelve and the other fast approaching eleven) to own one of these, but that's really not my decision to make. I'm just their uncle, not their Dad, so I have little or no say. I advised my sister against making this purchase but it fell on deaf ears. So now my priority is about damage limitation and to kid proof their phones instead.
And, honestly, if one, or both of them lose their phones, then I will sleep a lot more soundly! It's a simple enough job to wipe a smartphone remotely so lost data shouldn't be an issue. It would however show they are not yet old nor responsible enough to own a phone and they would have to wait quite a while before getting another! These things don't grow on trees!
The Xperia play is not the hardiest of phones, So you may want to buy a case and put on screen protectors.
Hey man check with the service provider. Most carriers make you get the data package with android phones now, maybe they have a family setting on their end. Personally I blocked the inappropriate stuff from my nieces via our router, but seeing as 3g/4g traffic isn't routed on our end, maybe your service provider may have a setting for it on their end.
DroidWall
But to use it you need to be root and the child could disable it. The best way would be to give them a SIM that doesn't have data access enabled...
But then there is wifi.
How old are the kids ? If they are less than 10, I wouldn't give them a phone at all. If they are more than 10, chances are they have already watched porn and violent scenes so I can't see much of an issue with giving them access to the internet.
I know T-Mobile have an internet security setting... check with the provider
Sent from my R800i using XDA App
adyblers said:
They are both a little too young in my opinion ( one is twelve and the other fast approaching eleven) to own one of these, but that's really not my decision to make. I'm just their uncle, not their Dad, so I have little or no say. I advised my sister against making this purchase but it fell on deaf ears. So now my priority is about damage limitation and to kid proof their phones instead.
And, honestly, if one, or both of them lose their phones, then I will sleep a lot more soundly! It's a simple enough job to wipe a smartphone remotely so lost data shouldn't be an issue. It would however show they are not yet old nor responsible enough to own a phone and they would have to wait quite a while before getting another! These things don't grow on trees!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All networks have a 18+ policy on there networks. Now the only devices or Sims that come with the 18+ lock off is contract phones or Sims as you have to be 18+ to buy one. But on payg phones and Sims the parental lock is automatically and the only way to switch it off is to call the network provider and prove your age by credit card. Debit don't work only credit. But hate to say it. The kids would always be able to find porn by just going onto google images. Unless you turn it on to strict filtering. Now for the data protection and remote lock and wipe I use an app called NetQin. Now it costs £1.50 pm and is done through a text directly from the app. It provides virus scanner, call safety (stops people listening to your calls) web protection (hides your important information while surfing) GPS tracker from there site, remote lock and wipe, and many more. Also the main thing I like. Is if someone else puts there sim in it. It sends a msg to a designated number with the thiefs mobile number, and a msg you setup. I suggest setting it up to say the imei number.
Regards
Blackwatch
Sent from my R800i using xda premium
Blackwatch89 said:
All networks have a 18+ policy on there networks. Now the only devices or Sims that come with the 18+ lock off is contract phones or Sims as you have to be 18+ to buy one. But on payg phones and Sims the parental lock is automatically and the only way to switch it off is to call the network provider and prove your age by credit card. Debit don't work only credit. But hate to say it. The kids would always be able to find porn by just going onto google images. Unless you turn it on to strict filtering. Now for the data protection and remote lock and wipe I use an app called NetQin. Now it costs £1.50 pm and is done through a text directly from the app. It provides virus scanner, call safety (stops people listening to your calls) web protection (hides your important information while surfing) GPS tracker from there site, remote lock and wipe, and many more. Also the main thing I like. Is if someone else puts there sim in it. It sends a msg to a designated number with the thiefs mobile number, and a msg you setup. I suggest setting it up to say the imei number.
Regards
Blackwatch
Sent from my R800i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
18+ locks are useless imo. There will always be apps that get around it like opera mini. That connects to.the internet using a VPN. Rendering all 18+ locks useless
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk
Many carriers have porn blocks however if you use opera mini it bypasses it since they are 11/12 they probably already seen it I no i have by then I'm 18 now. There is a app called porn blocker on the market and net nanny hope this helps
Also you should post this in android general not a specific phone since most things for 1 things work on others
Sent from my R800i using xda premium
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.cloudacl&hl=en
or
http://bit.ly/tyDFXZ
On some routers, and you can block websites with keywords that you input from loading.
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
AndroHero said:
18+ locks are useless imo. There will always be apps that get around it like opera mini. That connects to.the internet using a VPN. Rendering all 18+ locks useless
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I know that. That is why I said that they will more than likely still be able to find porn. But it all depends what these kids are like. If there little brats (no offence to op) then I would worry about it but if they are well behaved kids and brought up well and taught its naughty and they are doing well at school then I wouldn't worry so much. Most kids aren't interested these days. They mainly want it for games. Also if they want to use the internet then I would just block the web on the phone and just only let them use it when at home. Put a password in market and browser and when at home you type the password in so they can use it indoors on the set up WiFi that stops them from searching or going on adult sites. So when they are out they can only call and play on games. No web. No browser. No market. That is probably your safest option.
Edit: just went on the market there is a browser called safe browser the porn blocker. It blocks adult content and the kids can't change the settings as they need a password so block the market with a password when they go out and then they can't download amother browser. Hope this helps.
Regards
Blackwatch
Sent from my R800i using xda premium
How old are the kids?
When my kids 3 & 6 borrows my phone for gameplaying I always turn off data traffic.
If they are older, root their phones, edit host file and ban all www and .com adresses.
That wont stop them forever but before they figure out how to fix it, they are probably old enough to find pr0n on other ways...
Sent from my LG Optimus 2x using XDA Premium App
He did say in a follow up post how old they were
Sent from my Xperia Play using xda premium
Thanks for your input guys. Plenty to consider there.
adyblers said:
Her main concern is net security and limiting the access that they have to adult content and potential abuse etc on the handset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just send the two kids to China, then they wont be able to access adult contents any more.
**** 'Great Fire Wall'.
i've been told this BEFORE so i will REPEAT it no swearing young people read this forum. and most likely you are younger than 18 aswell. i am 18 so i dont care but some people may be offended
Related
Can someone help me find an App for Android that will enable me to send advertisements to bluetooth enabled phones. I found a few for Windows etc but none on the Android system, any ideas anyone ?
Even if such an app exist, it would require the user to accept the invitation first.
I know this would require the user to accept the invite if you were sending a file but as a contact card etc there is no requirement for the receiver to accept anything.
Basicly if you could have a file sent to constantly transmit to nearby bluetooth devices so people could choose to accept the connection that would be fine.
A bit like the old sw blueminer for windows.
there must be someone on here that knows of something that would fulfil the need since XDA devs are awesome.
Cheers Guys
SPAM.
SPAM EVERYWHERE.
To be honest that would be very annoying.
well it wouldnt be spam it would be just to promote a business. Also you would have to have your bluetooth on and discoverable so if you have it set to be found you cant complain. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.
Cheers Kenny
What is so great about our country (UK) is the fact we have the freedom of choice.
Many young men and women over the years have died fighting for this fundamental right. Now, if anyone thinks this bluetooth marketing software would be annoying or even deemed as spamming, use this great option of "choosing" not to accept it.
cul8rm8 said:
What is so great about our country (UK) is the fact we have the freedom of choice.
Many young men and women over the years have died fighting for this fundamental right. Now, if anyone thinks this bluetooth marketing software would be annoying or even deemed as spamming, use this great option of "choosing" not to accept it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And with that, I choose not to accept you.
_Schizm_ said:
And with that, I choose not to accept you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You, sir, just won one free copy of the internets.
No guys this would be useful in lots of applications like fairs, malls, places with lots of people and lots of store fronts. Say your wondering a music fest, suddenly you get notified that so-in-so is giving out free autographed cds to the next hundred people, or in the mall a notification pops up for half off at radio shack for all cell phone accessories if you bring in this coupon, ect. If you don't want it, don't use it. I think it's pretty cool.
OP, is that the track of this app you were talking about?
Sent from my AOSP on XDANDROID MSM using XDA App
so you want a bluetooth bomber? that is rather useless. I tried with with my winmo phone last time and most phones just get a "do you want to accept contact card?"
cul8rm8 said:
What is so great about our country (UK) is the fact we have the freedom of choice.
Many young men and women over the years have died fighting for this fundamental right. Now, if anyone thinks this bluetooth marketing software would be annoying or even deemed as spamming, use this great option of "choosing" not to accept it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More of yours died as opposed to lived. You should do the same for wanting to bluetooth spam.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
info5i2002 said:
so you want a bluetooth bomber? that is rather useless. I tried with with my winmo phone last time and most phones just get a "do you want to accept contact card?"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I think in terms of a small scalled run (ie comic book shop), this type of marketing is rather hit or miss. Most people have feature phones. What you need more of is whats called captive marketing. Like an add on a bus or train.
And guys whats with all the hatred? In the type of format of a cell phone, it would be illegal to push something to it without the owners consent. If you don't want it, don't take it. This is the same thing as somebody handing out flyers on the street. If you take it, you have consented to it, are you gonna start yelling at the guy handing em out saying he's ruining your trip down the road with spam? If anything, I tend to say something to people throwing the leaflets on the ground, that's ruining my walk.
Bluetooth Spammer
http://market.android.com/details?id=com.smartmadsoft.bluetoothspammer
Kenneth131 said:
well it wouldnt be spam it would be just to promote a business. Also you would have to have your bluetooth on and discoverable so if you have it set to be found you cant complain. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.
Cheers Kenny
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A similar thing is already used but with sms location based marketing.
Here in the uk, co-op stores recently had a trial where customers on O2 within 0.5 miles of a store could recieve a free bottle of dr pepper.
http://www.kamcity.com/namnews/asp/newsarticle.asp?newsid=59471
Could be very interesting to recieve such messages whilst wondering around town.
Completely different to the suggestion of bluetooth marketing because sms marketing could be controlled by the networks to ensure spammy spamsters dont annoy their customers, and ads could be targeted easier due to the info the networks hold.
Never the less its a very intersting concept and I doubt many people would have a objection to recieving such messages, providing there was a optout once a message is recieved from a store which they dont use.
Personally I dont think bluetooth marketing would work as it has a very limited range, the majority of people dont walk around with bluetooth on, and those that do wont have it descoverable, and just have their headsets, earphoes etc paired to their devices.
forgot about the bluetooth bombers!!!
I used to go through a big box retail store with it on, and watch all the managers and sales staff pick up their phone and go, "what the f...."
then loop around and do it again!!! LOL, I was a ____ when I was young
Is there an Internet filter program equivalent to some parental filters? I need something that cannot be uninstalled of modified without master password. Something equivalent to k9 windows software.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
Anything can be easily uninstalled - I think you're SOL.
Sent from my Droid Charge running Infinity Beta
Here is an option for filtering the Market:
http://parentalcontrolcenter.com/content-filtering-for-android-devices/
Any internet filter is going to be useless anyway because of the countless options for bypassing them.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using xda premium
Best I've found is a monitor. X3watch emails a person of your choice a report of any suspicious websites visited on your phone. Not a filter, but it lets you know what's happening on your phone so you can catch any problems. Easily disabled, but it reports that, too. So you know if it is being bypassed.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
x3watch apparently is only for froyo and based on reviews not good on updates.
Anyone else know of any other software filter?
ChadZ,
Would you provide a little more information please? For example lets say this is your phone and when you get home from work you let your little ones use it. But you do not want them wondering into the wrong site. As long as they are on wifi you control then Open DNS would work. And that would cover all your devices over that router.
If this is over the towers then that is a different ball game. But at that point do you really think you have prevented the porn searches? If the little one is out in public all they have to do is go to a friends house or use their phone. At that point education seems like a better option.
Dave
kraisydave said:
ChadZ,
Would you provide a little more information please? For example lets say this is your phone and when you get home from work you let your little ones use it. But you do not want them wondering into the wrong site. As long as they are on wifi you control then Open DNS would work. And that would cover all your devices over that router.
If this is over the towers then that is a different ball game. But at that point do you really think you have prevented the porn searches? If the little one is out in public all they have to do is go to a friends house or use their phone. At that point education seems like a better option.
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Second that
Sent from my SCH-I510 using xda premium
kraisydave said:
education seems like a better option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Education is always a better option.
I keep trying to convince the wife about this, rather than crapping up all the computers in the house with software that's annoying at best, crippling at worst.
Do you think anyone can develope a program to prevent google from capturing this information about their users? Maybe at least on a android based platform even. This really chaps my a$$
Code:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/google-tracks-consumers-across-products-users-cant-opt-out/2012/01/24/gIQArgJHOQ_story.html?wpisrc=al_comboNE_b
Whats the big deal? Google cuts down on paperwork and the policies haven't changed, they are just merged/ It eliminated redundancies and wasted effort.
what difference does it make if you are giving your personal information to Gmail or to youtube? If google has it, Google has it, period. It is still a Google based service, combining the private policies of all of the services into one makes perfect sense.
Google has stated they still have no plans to change how they handle the data.
The big deal is I NEVER CLICK YES for gooble to collect anything on me, which means I "opt-out" now I have a contract on a phone I dont want to touch. great, a 700$ paperweight , not including the service. screw you google.
I will not tap "yes" for google
Are you sure that they are 700 $?
Rage! An ad/marketing company makes my OS and wants to show me ads relevant to me rather than random ads. A company wants to make money off of a product they've created and are heavily vested in? Who'd have thunk it?
Don't like it? There's other choices out there. WP7 is pretty hot ;-)
z33dev33l said:
Rage! An ad/marketing company makes my OS and wants to show me ads relevant to me rather than random ads. A company wants to make money off of a product they've created and are heavily vested in? Who'd have thunk it?
Don't like it? There's other choices out there. WP7 is pretty hot ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait til wp7 phones get ads lol
Have to say though to op its not like google are pushing ads to your device. If you browse net you get same problem. I think they have messed up somewhere cos on my laptop I always get ads for things I already have. But I don't get ads on my phone unless on a webpage or using an ad funded app so no different to a pc or any internet device.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
mistermentality said:
Wait til wp7 phones get ads lol
Have to say though to op its not like google are pushing ads to your device. If you browse net you get same problem. I think they have messed up somewhere cos on my laptop I always get ads for things I already have. But I don't get ads on my phone unless on a webpage or using an ad funded app so no different to a pc or any internet device.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Microsoft is a software company, Google is a marketing company.
z33dev33l said:
Microsoft is a software company, Google is a marketing company.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hence the lol
But the point is google aren't sending ads any different than on a pc. Whatever phone pc or tablet people use makes no difference, google and others can and do still collect data when you browse.
And some collect other data even when you opt out such as wp7 collecting user data that caused them to get sued last year. Its impossible to have a smartphone and not have someone collect data of some sort.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
mistermentality said:
Hence the lol
But the point is google aren't sending ads any different than on a pc. Whatever phone pc or tablet people use makes no difference, google and others can and do still collect data when you browse.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not fond of google. I use Bing and have visited YouTube maybe 3 times this year. That said, Bing does the same thing to me.
Well **** that.. i am going back to Symbian s60v3... At least i wont have the damn adds
~§~
Xxul said:
Well **** that.. i am going back to Symbian s60v3... At least i wont have the damn adds
~§~
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lmao.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
z33dev33l said:
I use Bing...Bing does the same thing to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bing probably does other things that would scare the hell out of you if you were aware of them. Google is nosy. M$ is evil.
Sent from HTC G2
Crashdamage said:
Bing probably does other things that would scare the hell out of you if you were aware of them. Google is nosy. M$ is evil.
Sent from HTC G2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Color me intrigued, what makes Microsoft more evil than google?
What would be the best way to avoid this?
a problem I could see is if like, I have my son over on a weekend and he jumps on...idk, nickelodeon. com or something, will it show ads for all the porn sites I visit?
I sure as hell wouldn't want him reporting that to his mother and even possibly the appropriate authorities...
just curious but in what way is this different, if not dramatically worse, than everything CarrierIQ was accused of a few months back.
I wonder if this will affect things like StartPage which bills itself as being completely private but is "enhanced by Google"
This is why I have dead email addresses. I've got one for Gmail just for my phone. Never use it for anything else. Just the phone.
Don't Be Evil, just make lots and lots of money.
The real problem is the internet. There are always the spammers that get a kick out of just breaking someone else's things, and that's why almost all websites log things. It also creates privacy concerns for those trying to follow the rules. So if it bothers you so much that Google knows you search for a laptop, and it suggests that there is a better, cheaper one, next time you use gmail, then you have problems. I personally love this, now when I go between Google services, I don't have to log in again. Google provides you with great services for free, why not give them the ability to advertise to you? The world is dangerous, get over it.
Or you could do the most practical thing, ad block. Its on Firefox and chrome, so that should cover almost everybody. If your stuck with ie, well, god help you.
Sent from my Bad-Ass Acer Iconia Tab a100
dead78 said:
just curious but in what way is this different, if not dramatically worse, than everything CarrierIQ was accused of a few months back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Carrier IQ records keystrokes, text messages and other private stuff Google does not. And without even telling anyone it was there.
Sent from HTC G2
nazsa said:
The big deal is I NEVER CLICK YES
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You agreed to their terms of service. As has been pointed out, the information is used so they can show ads that pertain to you specifically. I view this as a good thing.
If you don't want a company to know your browsing and purchasing habits, you should buy a cabin in the woods and live off the grid, no electronics, no grocery stores, completely self sufficient.
Good luck!
A very Powerful Anti-Theft App
The app is always free to download and comes with a 1 week free trial, but a lifetime license is normally $4. I say normally because, as you have likely deduced from the title, the developer is offering free lifetime licenses in celebration of hitting 100,000 users.
To get the license, just download the app and register an account (it requires a username, password, and email address - nothing tricky), then fill out the form and hit Submit. The developers will take care of the rest. The promotion ends with the month (by GMT standards), so better move fast - you only have a few days left!
App: http://goo.gl/12Oye
Website: http://goo.gl/I58Ke
Source: Android Police
I've just reinstalled this. I tried it out back in the early days but was never too impressed. It has come a long way since then though.
The only issue I have with apps like this, including Lookout, is how much information is available to it. Not only does it require permissions to just about everything but if you wanted to (and have root), you can also grant it root access.
You place a lot of trust in the developers of apps like this that your information wont get misused in anyway.
Only 2 more days until its over! Fill out the form now!
hey I filled out the form but didn't get anything in my email do I have to wait more or what?
Do you need to wait for a license to be activated? Filled out the form and haven't received an e-mail and the license status hasn't changed.
Really glad I saw this thread. Was looking for a good security app and I am really impressed by how well cerberus can control your phone.
Edit: sorry I need to slow down a bit. From the website:
All licenses will be activated on March 1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It says licenses will be activated March 1st. Read it before you post.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
qccoles said:
It says licenses will be activated March 1st. Read it before you post.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol!
Posted with SwiftKeyX on my CM9 Motorola Photon!
I hopped on this. Was looking for a good standalone app that provided web based methods of access. Thanks. I shared this post on my facebook profile as well to get the word out. I know a couple of co-workers that could of used this including one who did actually lose their phone.
The browser interface is pretty awesome. Couldn't believe how accurate this app is. I'm glad that I finally decided to get on this at the right time!
Just curious if there were any other apps that offered the SMS control that this app does. It's probably the defining feature, since no data = no way to reach your phone. The SMS idea is honestly amazing.
However, I'm curious to see the battery hit (since I would assume it's constantly active). Battery's the main reason why I leave something like webkey off by default...
2hvy4grvty said:
Just curious if there were any other apps that offered the SMS control that this app does. It's probably the defining feature, since no data = no way to reach your phone. The SMS idea is honestly amazing.
However, I'm curious to see the battery hit (since I would assume it's constantly active). Battery's the main reason why I leave something like webkey off by default...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the developer claims there is no battery drain until you activate the app via web commands or sms commands, it's no different than any dormant app on your device. since Cerberus isn't broadcasting anything or doing anything until you tell it to, it's logical that there is no impact on CPU or battery.
i've been using it for a few days now and i can't say my battery drains any faster than usual.
as for another "find my device" app that takes sms commands, avast! mobile security does. i use it regularly for the lost device protection and firewall capabilities. if you don't have google voice, avast will also take care of blocking calls and sms for you too. i have only recently switched to Cerberus because of the free life time service and web interface, avast does not offer a web interface for finding your lost device yet. also, avast will run constantly, due to it's more robust nature. you can install the theft aware portion of avast! and discard the main app though, putting it on par with Cerberus' offering.
really really thanks, I was just looking for something like this!
My free trial ended about 2 months ago and since I am 14 and parents don't trust a 14 year old with a credit card. I couldn't get the life time license but this might be my chance.
Thanks for this awesome offer. Really powerful app. Hope I don't have to use it...
Love this app! I had been using Mobile Defense beta for quite some time as it had a great web UI with options. But this has a lot more options. Personally, it didn't pinpoint my location as great, but that could just be my device (rooted Thunderbolt). Still, it was close and I'm sure with some extra work I'd be able to find my device if it were ever lost.
I like the extra options for rooted users. Mobile Defense had this. The ability to embed it in the ROM is very helpful.
This is feature rich and even without free license offer, I still purchased this because I appreciate all the work that the dev put into this! For that 14yo kid on here, you need to tell your parents to purchase this for you. Any smartphone nowadays is worth $$. My kids have lost phones before and for $4, it's better insurance than having to buy a new phone! So tell your parents this..."buy me the $4 app and keep my phone, that you bought, safe...or pay full/partial price if it gets lost or stolen." To me, as a parent who buys his kids' phones, this is a no-brainer. Not to mention the fact that as a worried parent, I can login and creep my kids' phones to see where they are. Yeah, I do that. Don't judge. When you have teenagers some day, you'll understand.
As far as gripes, the only one I have is that a better How-to/Help section could be way better. I like the Q/A type, but it's short on useful information such as exactly how to use the wipe features. Yes, these are no-brainers, but do I get a chance to cancel if I accidentally hit it? What's the process? Is it like the government nuke big red button? Once you hit, you can't undo? Maybe a better tutorial would be better. Also, exactly how do you use the SMS feature? I found a number embedded in the menu within the app, but the Help section on the website just mentions SMS commands. If I never looked at that number, how would I know how to use this function?
When you write how-to sections, you have to write it from the perspective that you're explaining to someone who has NO IDEA how to use this. If you know the app inside and out, and then create a how-to section, most likely you're going to leave a lot of information out.
Keep up the great work!!
so this is just a general message to all android users. something everyone SHOULD know about but most (non-tech) smartphone users fall short and victim to... the reason im posting this is because the wifes phone has been acting wierd lately, by wierd i mean apps have been opening up by themselves, internet browsers opened to websites that she would never go to, wallpapers keep getting changed, phone randomly being turned off, all of this happening most of the time while shes at work. now just so we know her wasnt rooted till two days ago which i did to see if maybe there was just something wrong with the stock crap that she had. turns out this wasnt the case. so i decided to post this just to make people more aware and hopefully prevent this from happening to anyone else.
what you can do to prevent this invasion
first and foremost PUT A PASSWORD ON YOUR PHONE!!! even if you have nothing to hide this will help from major things like bank accounts and passwords from emails getting stolen!
make the password hard to guess by this i dont mean use your kids names or birthdays but something no one would ever guess and use a combination of numbers and letters and never use the same password twice!
change your password atleast once a week! this will help to keep potential hackers guessing and make it harder for them to figure it out and hey if they figure it out this week they may not next week.
try to stay off of unsecured wifi networks, most routers these days have a firewall built in and if the network is protected by a password this will make it that much harder for a hacker to get into your files!
make sure you have your bluetooth set up so that other devices can only see you if they are paired or just keep it turned off when its not being used! same goes for NFC, Smart Beam, Bump, things of that nature...
dont let browsers like firefox, google chrome, e.g. save password this will also help to prevent the hacker from getting access to your email's and bank accounts! also a good idea to make sure you sign out of apps when you close them instead of leaving them open.
i hope this helps anyone else who may have had or has a problem with this from it ever happening again!
Common sense, that's all you need.
Changing your password once a week is a bit drastic in my opinion.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Just don't install wonky apps and dont connect to public networks. As simple as that.
Does setting a password really block remote access to your phone? I thought it only blocked a user from operating the device. I think you have to set up full encryption to protect yourself from invasions. Also. Google offers 2 step verification from the play store, which makes your accounts more secure.
So how did someone get remote access to the device? Maybe if you told us the cause and how it happened it would help the rest of us to not get caught in that situation.
if this is happening mainly at work is it possible she's using there wifi and if she is how do you know a fellow employee is not hacking in to her phone.
phatmanxxl said:
So how did someone get remote access to the device? Maybe if you told us the cause and how it happened it would help the rest of us to not get caught in that situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunatly I dont know the answer to this question as its her phone. I know she doesnt have any "remote access" apps installed.
biker4033 said:
if this is happening mainly at work is it possible she's using there wifi and if she is how do you know a fellow employee is not hacking in to her phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no she has confermed that she doesnt use the wifi at work doesnt even have it in her connection list so no fellow employee is doing it even though I suspect this one guy that seems to sit up there all day just for the free wifi, even though wifi isnt the only way a hackwr can get into ur files its just easier.
sauprankul said:
Just don't install wonky apps and dont connect to public networks. As simple as that.
Does setting a password really block remote access to your phone? I thought it only blocked a user from operating the device. I think you have to set up full encryption to protect yourself from invasions. Also. Google offers 2 step verification from the play store, which makes your accounts more secure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
setting a password doesnt block total access no but it would help to detur hackers and yes encryptions would prolly be better! Disnt even thing about that!!!
Da Kine said:
Common sense, that's all you need.
Changing your password once a week is a bit drastic in my opinion.
Exactly common sense... unfortunatly the world is filles with retards which was the main point of this post. Smartphones where made for "unfortunatly" stupid people... yes changing the password may be a bit drastic but maybe it would detur said hacker long enough to bore him with trying to figure it out and make him leave u alone... :/
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
Most of it is just common sense. Who leaves open connections unattended, anyway? Bloody hell, I turn 3G off when I'm not using it... (Mainly for battery life and the near border, but the fact stands.)
As for the passwords. Once a week is more than a bit paranoid, once every three months is a better aim.
And Don't use ridiculous sentimental passwords, such as your pets or family names and birth dates. A quick Facebook search and some logical thinking is all that's needed to figure out your password. You do not wish to know how many times I've had to do it for people who've forgotten theirs or when I needed access to a computer without the owner present. It's laughably easy, people are far too simple for their own good.
Another stupid thing I've seen people do: Leave their phone unattended in good faith or sheer negligence. Leaving your phone on your desk, or in your bag near your desk, when you go grab a new cup of tea, print something, speak with someone or visit the loo is just asking for someone else to mess with your phone. People can't be trusted. Nobody! Also, do not lend it to someone without supervision, Do Not Let It Out Of Your Sight!
I suspect that is also how your wife got her phone hacked; she probably left it in her bag or on her desk for a few minutes as she went to do something out of the line of sight.
I don't know if someone has stated this already but something that can also help out a lot and I know that a lot of people do it including myself on one or two occasions is staying legit. Meaning do not go online looking for an app for free to save yourself a dollar or so. Just pay for the app because it took time to develope and the creator deserves the donation, not to mention the apk could contain malware!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium
ShadowLea said:
Most of it is just common sense. Who leaves open connections unattended, anyway? Bloody hell, I turn 3G off when I'm not using it... (Mainly for battery life and the near border, but the fact stands.)
As for the passwords. Once a week is more than a bit paranoid, once every three months is a better aim.
And Don't use ridiculous sentimental passwords, such as your pets or family names and birth dates. A quick Facebook search and some logical thinking is all that's needed to figure out your password. You do not wish to know how many times I've had to do it for people who've forgotten theirs or when I needed access to a computer without the owner present. It's laughably easy, people are far too simple for their own good.
Another stupid thing I've seen people do: Leave their phone unattended in good faith or sheer negligence. Leaving your phone on your desk, or in your bag near your desk, when you go grab a new cup of tea, print something, speak with someone or visit the loo is just asking for someone else to mess with your phone. People can't be trusted. Nobody! Also, do not lend it to someone without supervision, Do Not Let It Out Of Your Sight!
I suspect that is also how your wife got her phone hacked; she probably left it in her bag or on her desk for a few minutes as she went to do something out of the line of sight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was already stated.... you basicly reiterated
what I already said but made it sound smarter... and she works at a fast food joint so it stays in her pocket or in the locked car when charging...
XBearingArmsX said:
I don't know if someone has stated this already but something that can also help out a lot and I know that a lot of people do it including myself on one or two occasions is staying legit. Meaning do not go online looking for an app for free to save yourself a dollar or so. Just pay for the app because it took time to develope and the creator deserves the donation, not to mention the apk could contain malware!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must admit I am one of rhose people that downloads the .apk but not to one up google play or the dev but simply cus google doesnt give u but 15 mins to get a refund and lets face it thats no where near enough time to test an app to see if its something that will suit ones needs, so I download the apk file to see if its something that I would wanna keep and if it is then I go back whrn I have the extra cash to buy said apps...
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
Rookie407 said:
I must admit I am one of rhose people that downloads the .apk but not to one up google play or the dev but simply cus google doesnt give u but 15 mins to get a refund and lets face it thats no where near enough time to test an app to see if its something that will suit ones needs, so I download the apk file to see if its something that I would wanna keep and if it is then I go back whrn I have the extra cash to buy said apps...
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is probably where your malware came from. I'd suggest doing a factory reset and stop downloading pirated apps. If you want a refund after the 15 minute trial period just email Google or the developer, they are usually pretty good at giving refunds.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app
gc84245 said:
This is probably where your malware came from. I'd suggest doing a factory reset and stop downloading pirated apps. If you want a refund after the 15 minute trial period just email Google or the developer, they are usually pretty good at giving refunds.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know it wasnt the downloading of apps as my wife is one of those non-techy people ive been talking about... it could have however been from her dl'ing music from unreliable websites.
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
If anything suspicious was happening to my phone I would immediately wipe/flash a new rom.
Banking apps are pretty risky too if they are easily logged into.
nmur said:
If anything suspicious was happening to my phone I would immediately wipe/flash a new rom.
Banking apps are pretty risky too if they are easily logged into.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly if you were hacked you would need to do alittle more then just wipe and reflash, u would need to delete all email accounts tied to said phone and apps used in the past + get a new number basicly start EVERYTHING new!
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
If u happen to know the hackers ip address and or phone number you could always call your provider and have them block it also
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
I could recommend to you wifi protector against hackers via wifi.. and also an antivirus for safety purpose
Wifi protector is available here in xda..
Sent from my A618 TV Duo using xda app-developers app
FROST_wyrm said:
I could recommend to you wifi protector against hackers via wifi.. and also an antivirus for safety purpose
Wifi protector is available here in xda..
Sent from my A618 TV Duo using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didnt know there was an app like that ty for this post! And we have lookout so we are covered on the anti virus part...
This message was sent from the a satellite in the sky.
That app was actually an anti.wifikill and for other apps that will try to access your phone just like hacking your fb account and others.
Sent from my A618 TV Duo using xda app-developers app
Thanks
nice tip..gona take ur advice
Talking about being hacked, I fell victim to this too a year ago and I was able to put a stop to it. But first I'll explain my ordeal. One night I started getting calls from friends very pissed off that I kept calling them at 1 and 2 in the morning and waking them up and hanging up the phone. I kept telling them I swear I never called you. This went on to the point I lost a few friends until I saw it happen right before me eyes. Bet I know what your thinking, Pocket dialing? NOPE. My phone was dialing on it's own while sitting on the table at night charging.
So here it is 1 AM in the morning and I notice the light on my LG Optimus's screen coming on. I walked over and took a look, and to my surprise!! The darn thing was opening up the dial pad, moving to callers on my list and calling each one. This freaked me out. I thought I had ghost in the house. haha.
I reported this to Virgin and yea right, not much help. They must of thought I was on drugs. I decided to research this and low and behold, others were having this same problem with all models of phones. So someone did something about this and written an App called, "Called Confirmed Code." Nice thing was every time my phone attempted to make a phone call on its own, a password box appears asking for the pin number. Wrong pin rejects the call and closes the dial-er.
So I installed in hopes to find out if this is a glitch in Froyo 2.2.1 or a hacker. It happened once again. Phone woke up on its own that night and I watched in horror as the password box came up and someone was attempting to guess the pin number. each time he failed, the dial-er closed. I knew now someone was in my phone.
Did more research and read that there are open ports used a remote OTA Virgin uses to update your software over the air was being exploited and allowing hackers to fool my phone into thinking I had updates and allowing software to install on the phone. I took my phone to my local police dept and have a detective look into it and sure enough, it was a piece of software that got into the phone through the OTA port. Another words, What I though was a legit security update was nothing more then a backdoor installed.
So, I made copies of the police reports and faxed everything to Virgin's headquarters and weeks later, said there is no proof such a thing can happen.
WHAT!! Weather or not this is possible guys, it happen to me and that's what pushed me to root and flash my phone. Never did update through the OTA again. That's o.k. because Virgin Mobile did away with OTA updates because why??? Exploits. They still wont admit it today. And it doesn't stop there. That's my story how I got hacked. Maybe your's is different.
Do you always turn your wifi on?
hackers can only hack you if you are connected
No harsh feelings please, smile ka din