The h Bar

There shouldn't be any danger on reinstalling a virus if all the apps came from Google Play.

@Kaumudi.H Oof, you got infected?

user228700

@SirCumference I think so :-(

How can you tell?

user228700

2 hours ago, by Kaumudi. H

There is a new application that shows me an add every few minutes and then downloads the app being advertised without my consent.

user228700

9:00 AM

^

@Kaumudi.H My niece has several hundred apps on her phone. When asked which ones she actually uses, the answer is about a dozen of them.

Dang, sounds like adware/spyware

user228700

@JohnRennie Several hundred?!

Hard to believe, but I have seen it with my own eyes. And she wonders why the phone is slow!

user228700

That's certainly a bit...excessive, to say the least. I am a big fan of de-cluttering so I only have minimum apps on my phone.

9:02 AM

My phone is plagued with bloatware

@Kaumudi.H I am obviously guilty of thinking that all female teenagers are like my niece :-)

user228700

I've even organised some of the apps into neat folders for maximum optimisation! :-)

Folders are just for organizing, right?

Maybe don't reinstall the exercise app for a couple of days, then install it. If the malware immediuately comes back you know the exercise app is to blame.

user228700

@SirCumference Well, yes, but it calms me so I am able to function much better.

9:04 AM

@Kaumudi.H Get a virus scanner ASAP

user228700

@JohnRennie I uninstalled it but it persisted so sigh, I guess I will have to find another way to exercise. I am not going to risk installing it again.

@0celo7 How are you still awake?

user228700

@SirCumference I installed AVG first thing after resetting my phone.

I am unconvinced that AVG ona phone does anything much apart from slow the phone down.

@Kaumudi.H Yeah, I'd hesitate from installing it again, at least from that link

user228700

9:05 AM

@JohnRennie :-| It scans every app that I install and also the phone everyday.

user228700

...but "Clean Master" has been complaining that AVG is slowing down the phone.

user228700

What other app dyou recommend, then?

You shouldn't need an anti-virus on the phone.

If you only ever install apps from Google Play you should be OK.

@Kaumudi.H Not to be an alarmist, but did you type in any passwords or private info in your phone while you had that malware?

user228700

@SirCumference Nope.

9:07 AM

That's good

Admittedly something managed to get onto your phone, but then AVG didn't stop it.

So AVG has proven pretty useless, unless of course the aim is to slow down your phone :-)

user228700

@JohnRennie Yep. Are u really sure that AVG doesn't do much?

I have never used an AV on any of my phones and I have never got a virus or malware.

user228700

Hmm, alright, then. After witnessing the slow and painful death of my mother's laptop, I am always extra cautious...

Note that apps are allowed to display adverts - for free apps that's how they make money. Some apps go a little overboard on displaying adverts.

@Kaumudi.H does your mother want a new laptop? :-)

user228700

9:11 AM

@JohnRennie I know this, but this is the first time that the ads started appearing even when the app was not even on, ffs, and also it started to download the apps being advertised without my consent!!

user228700

@JohnRennie I'm happy to inform you that her company will provide her with another one when this one stops switching on :-)

@Kaumudi.H Adware does that, also usually installs spyware to spy on you and keep track of your passwords :/

Apps can run in the background without you knowing, so that's presumably why it was displaying the ads. Are there any complaints in the reviews for the apps about the ads?

@Kaumudi.H damn, I thought I might have an excuse to buy another laptop :-)

user228700

@JohnRennie That's the trouble! It has close to 10 million downloads and 4.5 review on Google Play!

That does seem odd ...

The obvious implication is that some other app was to blame.

user228700

9:13 AM

But I haven't installed any other apps recently...

Or maybe an existing app updated and the update caused the problems.

What was the exercise app called? I might try installing it ona spare phone to see what happens.

user228700

Hmm, perhaps. But I also don't recall being asked for permission to update..

user228700

@JohnRennie Lol, you are really dedicated! :-) It's called "7 Minute Workout".

Hmm, it does say "Contains ads · Offers in-app purchases"

user228700

Well, sure, but it downloaded apps without my consent!

user228700

9:16 AM

Amazon, Facebook, Data <something> ...

The ads come from third parties, and I suppose it's possible that a hacker managed to slip malware in the form of an ad. What extra apps did it install?

user228700

^^

The Amazon and Facebook apps seem odd things for a hacker to install ...

user228700

Aah, what was happening?!

What were you trying to install?

user228700

9:19 AM

Uh, I wasn't trying to install anything. After I installed the "7 Minute Workout", these things started happening...

@Kaumudi.H Probably they were add-ons which were being downloaded automatically . One app cannot download another app from the play store. That seems impossible. Was the official FB app downloaded without your consent?

user228700

> That seems impossible

user228700

Nope, it really did happen.

The hacker should be given an award in that case :)

I'll try downloading that app

user228700

And I dunno if the official Fb app was downloaded because I uninstalled it without checking but I'm fairly certain that it was the official Amazon app that got downloaded.

user228700

9:23 AM

@anonymous You've got a death wish, my friend.

If that is a real bug then you can report to google. They will pay you!

Uh...when all else fails

Report it here google.com/about/appsecurity/android-rewards

You'll get atleast 333 $ !

user228700

@SirCumference Thanks. For the time being, it will do to re-install my apps and restore my phone to its previous state of awesome.

@Kaumudi.H I will try on a spare phone

Nothing to worry

user228700

9:25 AM

OhK.

user228700

While we're on the topic, BTW, if u find it annoying, the process of unlocking your phone to check your notifications every time the phone buzzes, I recommend:

user228700

pushbullet.com

@Kaumudi.H on the bright side, doing a factory reset generally really speeds up a phone. Until it starts getting cluttered again you should have a faster more reliable phone.

So

HALO

do you have a virus Kaumu?

user228700

9:27 AM

@JohnRennie Yes! Also, my phone had stopped ringing for incoming calls and this has fixed that as well.

@Kaumudi.H I use something similar, it's called AirDroid

Also good for transferring files and texting

Penrose in his theorem links piecewise timelike geodesics to timelike geodesics

user228700

I see.

@Kaumudi.H well there you go then :-)

user228700

@Kenshin Don't think so.

user228700

9:28 AM

@JohnRennie Mega bonus! :-P

O'neill on the other hand defines piecewise timelike geodesics as piecewise curves that are timelike geodesics AND such that every break maintains the same time orientation

And even better, configuring phones is much more fun than revising physics :-)

Does Penrose's theorem require that condition and didn't explicitely state it???

user228700

@JohnRennie Lol, no, this is a bit annoying, actually :-P

user228700

Say, @Sir: Does Air Droid display phone notifications on PC?

9:31 AM

@Kaumudi.H Yup

user228700

Immediately?

Yep

user228700

Nice. I'mma switch from Pushbullet to that, then.

Also alerts you if you're being called (but you can't pick up from your PC)

user228700

Whoa, nice! Thanks :-)

9:32 AM

np :)

@SirCumference I had an app which allowed to pick calls on phone from pc..forgot the name

you know?

'fraid not

The main thing I would like is an app that allows me to send and recieve SMS from the PC.

@JohnRennie AirDroid does that

user228700

Pushbullet too.

9:33 AM

I've tried several apps that claim to do this and they all seem to be more trouble than they are worth.

user228700

Well, have u tried either of these?

Maybe I'll try AirDroid.

So far no problems with AirDroid, though I don't know about other people

Been using it for 2 years

I was thinking of getting one of these

@JohnRennie I dunno if that's worth the money

user228700

9:35 AM

@JohnRennie I don't have that kind of money :-P

lol

it's only 99

"only"

yea

Well we don't know how much it will end up selling for. $99 is the target but that may well change when it's released.

9:38 AM

does it work with iphone?

I think I'm comfortable the way I am. I can send and receive SMS from my computer, and it's probably a lot more powerful than a Superbook

wow how do u do that/

user228700

My main goal is to be able to dismiss away notifications from my laptop itself.

@Kenshin uh...airdroid

We just brought it up

Sir I wasn't reading mate

9:39 AM

Though it's only for Android, not iPhone

user228700

I think PushBullet might work with iPhones.

@Kenshin You use a Mac or PC?

I use PC

and Iphone

That's an unexpected combination

na it makes the most sense

9:40 AM

That so?

IPhone has the best user experience for the smartphone

and PC has the berst user experience for the computer market

@Kenshin That so?

indeed

I want an app which allows me to call to landlines and mobiles using Wifi network only. Haven't found one yet..

@SirCumference this can be verified by looking at sales data

9:41 AM

@Kenshin I beg to differ, I've preferred androids :)

na have u used an Iphone?

@Kenshin That takes into account far more than user experience. It considers advertising, marketing, popularity, etc.

Not just the phone itself

Aha, a phone war! :-)

@Kenshin Yep, a few years ago

@SirCumference you're bordering on politics mate, be careful

9:42 AM

@JohnRennie I was hoping to avoid this D:

@Kenshin "IPhone has the best user experience for the smartphone"

Who is?

I was stating a fact

No, that's an opinion.

The point is that not everyone is the same.

"That takes into account far more than user experience. It considers advertising, marketing, popularity, etc." is a fact

The iPhone does offer the best experience for some people.

9:43 AM

@SirCumference but overall Iphone is better otherwise it wouldn't hav emore sales

And Android offers the best experience for others.There is no one best experience

@Kenshin That's...not true!

Ugh

user228700

@Sir: Uhhh, the website is so cluttered!

yes, it's just like the capital assets pricing model

@Kaumudi.H Ignore the website, it's useless

The app is way better

9:44 AM

the most popular product is the best (Assuming rational consumers)

user228700

@SirCumference Wtf?!

user228700

How am I to use it on my PC, then?! Isn't that the whole point?

@Kaumudi.H I was talking about the app...

Not the online version

user228700

There is an app for the PC?

Yeah

airdroid.com

"Get AirDroid 4"

user228700

9:45 AM

Ooh, thanks!

@Kenshin ~Logic?

user228700

Some people like stationery. I like great apps like these.

@SirCumference actually to determine the best product, one would need to work out how much money is spent on Iphones vs. how much money is spent on purchasing another brand

I like the look and feel of iphone. But I can't mess with the settings like I do with android phones. Android is fun while iphone is more on the reliable side.

the more money spent on a product, the better that product is (assuming people don't spend money on things they don't want)

9:47 AM

@Kenshin A phone that's made a bigger name for itself or is better advertised may have better sales, regardless of how well the actual product is.

That's just how marketing works.

@SirCumference whether the people are brainwashed or not, the people are happier with that product even if it is because of the brainwashing

the advertising has done them a service by making them happier to have the product

@Kenshin Nobody is brainwashed! People are often content with what they have.

then the advertising isn't why they bought an iphone

@Kenshin @SirCumference People have been arguing over this topic for over a decade now. Take a break!

if people aren't brainwashed, then they bought the iphone because it was a superior product in other aspects

user228700

9:48 AM

@Sir:

Would you give up your iPhone temporarily to test out the top Android phone of 2016?

@SirCumference yeah for sure

@Kenshin Bull

user228700

@Kaumudi.H the hell

9:49 AM

@SirCumference I buy a new phone every 2 years and I'm always open to getting android or iphone whatever has more bang for the buck and is superior quality

user228700

Yeeeah, OK, I'm switching back to Pushbullet.

Q: Why was Muze suspended for a year?

so far the IPhone has always been the best

Physics Meta

1

He was suspended for a year: What he did? Only low-level contributions isn't a reason to suspend anyone. Particularly not for such a long time. And he had a lot of interesting questions, too. He is a young titan. I would like to citate @Plutarch: The mind is not a vessel to be filled but ...

discussion

@PhysicsMeta, please don't bring up taboo topics

@anonymous just because there are two sides to the debate doesn't automatically mean each side's argument has equal worth

user228700

@JohnR: Did u see that screenshot that I just posted?

9:50 AM

@Kaumudi.H Hold on, I'm looking this up

Almost certainly a false alarm, unless someone has hacked the AirDroid web site.

user228700

@JohnRennie How are u able to tell?

I suspect AVG has noticed that a downloaded program is running setup.exe and thinking uh, oh, that looks suspicious.

@Kenshin No comments XD

@Kaumudi.H there is no easy way to tell, and the safe option is not to install.

Let me try installing here ...

user228700

9:52 AM

Alright then, I am sticking to Pushbullet, thank you very much!

@JohnRennie I think you also need the Android app

user228700

Does anybody here use a cleaning app that is not "Clean Master"?

cleaning app? what's that?

It's fine here, but when it gets to:

@Kaumudi.H Most people don't use an antivirus on their phones

9:54 AM

Untick the Yahoo search bar option.

David Z

@Kaumudi.H oh yeah, pushbullet is sweet ;-) That is all from me for now

user228700

I am not exactly happy with it; Eg: Sometimes says "Junk notifications are slowing down your device" when that message from Clean Master is literally the only notification.

I don't use a virus protector on my phone

I don't visit quesitonable websites on my phone tho eitha

@Kaumudi.H The best option is to forgo an antivirus program on your phone and just stick to the Play Store for apps

@Kaumudi.H play.google.com/store/apps/…

9:55 AM

You'll be safe that way

user228700

@SirCumference It's not an anti-virus program.

and make sure to delete your history

user228700

It removes junk files to free memory.

@Kaumudi.H Oh, a cleaner

Yeah, no one uses those

user228700

What?

9:56 AM

At least that I know of

user228700

This app, "Clean Master", has 500 million downloads.

DenisKa

You don't need a cleaner for android. It has a built in

user228700

@anonymous:

user228700

@JohnR: No problems so far?

9:59 AM

@Kaumudi.H Ya..I saw that. I looked at the average rating of 4.4 out of 5. You'll never find a popular app with all positive comments.

That was just a suggestion

Feel free to ignore

@Kaumudi.H t installed fine. I'm just trying it now.

user228700

@anonymous Yeah, that's true. "Clean Master" has a slightly higher rating--4.7 :-P Thanks anyway :-)