Android Full Screen Ads

[dantilley]

I've been getting infested recently with full screen adverts on my Galaxy S3. They probably came as a result of some game or other that I installed, no idea which one though. To say they're annoying is an understatement - they take over the whole screen no matter what you're doing: browsing the net, writing an SMS, searching contacts, etc. Does anyone know of a reliable ad-blocker, or another way to get rid of these ads? I've seen a few on Play Store but they all seem to require the phone to be rooted - whatever that means...???

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

[lomatopo]

You may have to identify and delete the original program which is popping these ads up. You should be able to figure it out.

I use AdAway, but my phone is of course rooted.

Maybe provide a screenshot? Or long press on the home key to which apps are running? Or settings, apps, running.

Edited November 5, 2012 by lomatopo

[dantilley]

Will try to do a screen shot when the next one comes. NB they are usually accompanied by a green android-like icon in the notification bar.

What does it mean for a phone to be rooted? Any possible side effects of having it done?

[spacemunk]

Rooting a S3 is the same as jailbreaking a iphone.

[lomatopo]

Will try to do a screen shot when the next one comes. NB they are usually accompanied by a green android-like icon in the notification bar.

What does it mean for a phone to be rooted? Any possible side effects of having it done?

Can you just close all applications using the app manager, long press on the home key, slide all apps off to the side to close - not this is how you switch apps on the fly in case you did not know about it.

Rooting most likely voids your warranty.

Pull down the "green android-like icon" and press it, that may reveal all?

[dantilley]

Here's an ad:

Edited November 5, 2012 by dantilley

[dantilley]

And the android-like icon:

[lomatopo]

What apps are currently running? Chances are that the game initiating the pop-ups is running, Maybe de-install it? Or see if it offers a way to turn off ads via its' settings.

How about Settings, Accounts, Google, Ads? (I have JB so your menu structure may be different.)

[dantilley]

No game running. This happens daily, regularly, with no games running or having been run.

I stopped Google Messaging service, let's see if that helps. The settings -> Google, etc. steps don't work for me, I don't get those same options.

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[lomatopo]

What applications are currently running? He asked again.

Settings, Apps, Running - there should be a long-ish list.

[dantilley]

Yes a long list, too many to post here. I stopped a few more that had the green android icon. Hopefully that will help.

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[lomatopo]

Well ideally you would review that list to try and determine which one is causing the pop ups and then de-install it.

[Chicog]

Try "Lookout Ad Network Detector".

Get rid of anything using AirPush.

[tw25rw]

Have you installed any live wallpapers? They usually come with ads.

[dantilley]

Try "Lookout Ad Network Detector".

Get rid of anything using AirPush.

Great app, thanks for the tip. Only about 200KB too.

Nothing uses AirPush but quite a few use networks which can use ads from other networks - which sounds very dodgy to me. Those will all be wiped...

Edited November 5, 2012 by dantilley

[dantilley]

Have you installed any live wallpapers? They usually come with ads.

I did have one - uninstalled it though and still got some full screen ads.

[Chicog]

Look for an app called Addons Detector as well - it lets you filter by type, e.g. Push Notification.

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[dantilley]

Addons Detector worked like a charm. A great feature of it is that it monitors your running apps to see if any still serve full screen ads after your initial scan. So after my first purge, an ad still persisted in appearing - opened Addons Detector again and the culprit was identified and removed.

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[lomatopo]

Addons Detector worked like a charm. A great feature of it is that it monitors your running apps to see if any still serve full screen ads after your initial scan. So after my first purge, an ad still persisted in appearing - opened Addons Detector again and the culprit was identified and removed.

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So which application was the culprit? It might help others to avoid it.

[Chicog]

Addons Detector worked like a charm. A great feature of it is that it monitors your running apps to see if any still serve full screen ads after your initial scan. So after my first purge, an ad still persisted in appearing - opened Addons Detector again and the culprit was identified and removed.

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So which application was the culprit? It might help others to avoid it.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[bobl]

Addons Detector worked like a charm. A great feature of it is that it monitors your running apps to see if any still serve full screen ads after your initial scan. So after my first purge, an ad still persisted in appearing - opened Addons Detector again and the culprit was identified and removed.

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So which application was the culprit? It might help others to avoid it.

Eish... If an app did that to me I'd not sleep until I hunted it down and annihilated it, closely followed by a blistering review on the app store (assuming it didn't warn me during install and give me the option to say "f off")

So yeah, Dantilley - what app??

Edited November 7, 2012 by bobl

[dantilley]

It was a game called "Anti-Terrorism Task Force". Ad Network is "Custom PushAds (Letang)".

I think there may have been an Olympics 2012 results app doing some before too but I can't be sure.

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[Chicog]

Ah yes, I had an London 2012 app that pushed ads, not the Beeb one. I got rid of it.