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Anyone know of some sort of Android app review site (beyond the Google Play store itself) where people can freely post their opinions on any app? One that isn't influenced by the software's author(s) or whatever Google gives preference to on any given week.
It really looks like the Play Store's download figures and user ratings are turning into completely irrelevant data points when it comes to trustworthiness. Whether they ever were or not is besides the point. Something could have been downloaded tens of millions of times, and rated 4.5+ out of 5, but a given app's actual real-life behavior can still raise some serious questions. I'm seriously beginning to think the Play Store itself is turning into a cesspool of...well, I'm gonna keep this kid-sister friendly as per lounge rules. If Google's ranking can't be trusted, then whose can?
Specifically:
I've have a QR code scanner app, which shall remain nameless, installed on my tablet for years. I honestly can't recall the last time I've used it however. But, I do let the Play store update installed apps regularly.
According to the Settings/App Data Usage applet, which only goes back to June, this is this one app's usage:
Jun: 0 (no surprise - it hasn't been launched since at least that many months ago)
Jul: 10.44MB
Aug: 721MB
Sep: 506MB
Oct: 558MB (so far)
According to the App Info applet, the app only has permission to access the camera (makes sense, as it's a QR reader). So it shouldn't be able to access my videos, pictures, contacts, or upload any data back home. Even if it was explicitly given permission, the tablet is hardly ever used; it's spending most of its time in sleep mode. Or running, but with the screen powered down.
WTE can such an app be doing, transferring over half a GB a month, when the tablet itself is essentially idling 24/7?
People incessantly complain about whatever "unknown things" Windows is constantly doing behind their backs in the background. This is a drop in the ocean IMO when compared to the Android ecosystem (to borrow one of MS's favorite terms)...
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Could it be a bug with the updates?
Not saying this is the case since QR reader apps are some of the worst when it comes to sleazy permission abuse. However, the Google News app has a rather nasty bug which chews up data, even if it is set to Wifi only. Ref: ZDNet article[^].
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RJOberg wrote: Could it be a bug with the updates?
As I understand it, when it comes to updates, the data usage would be attributed to the Play Store app, not the app itself.
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The bug with the Google News app is because the app itself is pulling down absolute loads of data after a recent update. Curious if the QR reader you use is doing the same thing.
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Depends how "recent" that is. Based on the numbers I posted in my original message, this goes back a few months.
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Original reports were from June of 2018, but it appears to still be an ongoing issue. The only way to 100% prevent it was to disable background data use for the news app.
Doesn't happen to everyone, for instance I haven't noticed it on my phone and I have data limits set up to warn me about high usage.
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Great. The app I have is on the list (near the top), and there's some claims it asks for a lot more permissions than an app like needs. OTOH, as I mentioned, Google's own Permissions app under Settings/Apps claims it only needs to access the camera.
Somebody's lying. Given the data usage, I have to think Google's app might not be as accurate as it could be.
The only reason an app like this can remain near the top of the list must be that people don't care that an idling app is still chewing through half a GB worth of data over a month.
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dandy72 wrote: ...and there's some claims it asks for a lot more permissions than an app like needs.
While technically possible, I would lean toward doubtful at this point, at least until more empirical data was provided.
Does the app have ads? If so, whatever permissions those ads require will look no different than the ones actually used by the app.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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The app apparently does have ads, but if it hasn't been launched in months...does it actually sit around and download ads in the background, that you're never going to see?
Over half a gig in a month would be a lot of ads that all manage to circumvent the DNS-level ad-blocker I'm using (Pi-hole).
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dandy72 wrote: ...but if it hasn't been launched in months...does it actually sit around and download ads in the background...
If the app or the ads have launched any services that start at boot-up, they could be doing most anything (with respect to the permissions granted). Hundreds of MBs seems a bit much, though.
Check the list of running services to find out. If any are present for that app, stop them and let the app go unused for several weeks to see if the usage goes down.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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Where's this list of services? I can see the app list, but nothing in there that really distinguishes apps from services (if that's where they're listed).
This is on Android 6, if it matters.
[Edit]
Found it, under Developer options, Running Services. It contains:
- Settings
- Equalizer+ (a music player)
- AcerCare Core
- Google Play services
- InMobi Services (?)
- MTKLogger (?)
- Gboard
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dandy72 wrote: Where's this list of services?
Under Settings --> Developer options --> Running services.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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Thanks - see the edit to my previous post.
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dandy72 wrote: - InMobi Services (?)
I suspect this one.
dandy72 wrote: - MTKLogger (?)
I personally would stop this one, too, albeit for different reasons.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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InMobi Services
Interesting. It says the service ..."was started by its app", then shows its app as "Media / android.process.media", and has the standard Android logo.
MTKLogger
Same idea, and it shows MTKLogger / com.mediatek.mtklogger as the associated process.
Both have been killed.
I've probably tried to root this tablet a long time ago, and--reading about MTKLogger--this is probably how I ended up with it. Sounds like something I should get rid of...if I can...?
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That doesn't sound good at all 
But if an app hasn't requested (and hasn't been granted) permission to read storage, does it REALLY mean it can't access storage? I read about some malware that don't request these permissions (so they don't even show up on the Play store in the permissions section) but once downloaded, they 'phone home' to download more executable code that has a malicious payload, which includes access to, say, storage that the original app didn't have. How tight is the sandbox really?
I just wonder if your app might be doing something like this. One thing you can do is install a firewall and see what IPs the app connects to. I've used NoRoot Firewall by Greyshirts (who came up with that name?  ) in the past that can do this.
Cheers,
विक्रम
"We have already been through this, I am not going to repeat myself." - fat_boy, in a global warming thread
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Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: NoRoot Firewall by Greyshirts (who came up with that name? )
Someone who is married.
Michael Martin
Australia
"I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible."
- Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
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Do people make jokes about the apocalypse like there is no tomorrow?
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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it's only Tuesday and OG's already hitting the kool aid
Message Signature
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There was quite a debate about that at the pub just last night.
Four guys at the next table arguing vociferously until they could hardly speak.
After an hour they were four hoarse men.
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Not me...I'm Ragna-rocking it 
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In mah judgement, day would certainly put an end to it.
Definition (joke about apocalypse, sort of):
Apocalypse: what an Italian says he does before a kiss.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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We're actually living in a matrix, the end of the world was on December 21, 2012.
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart
I forgot where I was going with this but I do know I love bacon!
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