Adguard makes this phone as smooth as an iPhone 7!

[TheOpusFuller]

So I've been a user of PIA (Private Internet Access) for a couple of years. I just purchased two Galaxy S8's two days ago. An S8+ for me and an S8 for my wife. I was using both chrome and android internet and stumbled upon this thread about VPN's. I decided to download the mobile app. What does this all do besides hide your internet identity? Does a VPN do a good job at blocking ads? When I go to slick deals or a website forum I still get those little ads in the middle of the page sometimes where it is showing a sponsored product or a sponsored ad. Shouldn't these be blocked if I'm running a VPN?

Also, if running a dedicated VPN app, is there any issue by downloading and installing ad blocker extensions in the Android Internet app? Will this just help the cause of blocking ads or does this screw thing up because it's combating one another with the ad block extensions and the dedicated VPN app?

Thanks in advance!

 

[TylerLV76]

So I've been a user of PIA (Private Internet Access) for a couple of years. I just purchased two Galaxy S8's two days ago. An S8+ for me and an S8 for my wife. I was using both chrome and android internet and stumbled upon this thread about VPN's. I decided to download the mobile app. What does this all do besides hide your internet identity? Does a VPN do a good job at blocking ads? When I go to slick deals or a website forum I still get those little ads in the middle of the page sometimes where it is showing a sponsored product or a sponsored ad. Shouldn't these be blocked if I'm running a VPN?

Also, if running a dedicated VPN app, is there any issue by downloading and installing ad blocker extensions in the Android Internet app? Will this just help the cause of blocking ads or does this screw thing up because it's combating one another with the ad block extensions and the dedicated VPN app?

Thanks in advance!

PIA uses "Mace" still right? That should be taking care of your ad blocking needs.

 

[TheOpusFuller]

Mace, yes. You can enable it in the app settings. Okay so i'm covered... Does running a VPN hypothetically speed up your device or make things smoother? Any reasoning behind that?

 

[Doug Moffat]

Thus far Adguard has functioned like Google's AMP. I still get some embedded ads but no popups or other junk. Makes for very smooth reading. Couldn't be more satisfied.

By the way, I bought the Android version and not the premium package which includes your computer. I trust there is no substantive difference? If so, I'd like to know about it.

 

[TylerLV76]

Mace, yes. You can enable it in the app settings. Okay so i'm covered... Does running a VPN hypothetically speed up your device or make things smoother? Any reasoning behind that?

The VPN itself isnt going to make a difference but the adblocking will since its preventing ads from loading.

 

[anon(5719825)]

Thus far Adguard has functioned like Google's AMP. I still get some embedded ads but no popups or other junk. Makes for very smooth reading. Couldn't be more satisfied.

By the way, I bought the Android version and not the premium package which includes your computer. I trust there is no substantive difference? If so, I'd like to know about it.

There is a difference between the Android and computer version. I use MacBook Pros so I have the Mac version.

With the Adguard computer version, you can actually cut out parts of websites that you just don't want to see. On AndroidCentral (sorry guys) I have the entire right hand column GONE, it doesn't exist anymore. With the right column gone along with all the ads, the forums fill my entire screen now. I've done the same thing with Facebook. The entire right column is gone, that part the contains ads and trends. I've also been able to cut out the friend suggestions block that appears between friends posts.

It's just amazing what you can do with it.

 

[Almeuit]

PIA uses "Mace" still right? That should be taking care of your ad blocking needs.

Yep.

 

[Doug Moffat]

There is a difference between the Android and computer version. I use MacBook Pros so I have the Mac version.

With the Adguard computer version, you can actually cut out parts of websites that you just don't want to see. On AndroidCentral (sorry guys) I have the entire right hand column GONE, it doesn't exist anymore. With the right column gone along with all the ads, the forums fill my entire screen now. I've done the same thing with Facebook. The entire right column is gone, that part the contains ads and trends. I've also been able to cut out the friend suggestions block that appears between friends posts.

It's just amazing what you can do with it.

Thanks very much. I can live with that because I use my phone almost exclusively to browse.

Just don't want some missing feature like the ability to use other than a stock browser.

 

[anon(5719825)]

Thanks very much. I can live with that because I use my phone almost exclusively to browse.

Just don't want some missing feature like the ability to use other than a stock browser.

No problem. I use my computer to post on forums and other places most of the time when I'm at home so that's why I bought both.

Hop you enjoy your phone more now.

 

[Doug Moffat]

My Adguard app shows 16,000 blocked ads in less than 24 hours. That's both crazy and amazing.

Anyway the protection has actually improved over time. Invite people to go to junk sites like TMZ and experience the difference.

 

[anon(7894520)]

10 minutes into using it and I can't create a folder on Google Drive without disabling the app. So I don't think this will suit my needs. //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170726/dad9ca4e147de595fff97561cc92f588.jpg

https://forum.adguard.com/index.php?threads/adguard-for-android-v2-9-136.23372/

 

[blaine07]

After installing AdGuard this afternoon my battery life "feels" like it has tanked. Had phone fully charged and in amount of time to read and reply to a few emails and SMS battery dropped 10%. Anyone else have experience such as mine?

 

[Doug Moffat]

No battery problems as yet with Adguard. I'm stoked so far.

 

[anon(5719825)]

After installing AdGuard this afternoon my battery life "feels" like it has tanked. Had phone fully charged and in amount of time to read and reply to a few emails and SMS battery dropped 10%. Anyone else have experience such as mine?

I've been using Adguard for nearly two years now. It's never affected the battery life on any phone that I've used it on as much as you've mentioned here. I have noticed just a slight improvement but not by much if I kept Adguard off for a day. It never was worth shutting it off and using it only when I used certain apps.

 

[Tim1954]

Initially I was reticent to trust them since they are from Russia, but they have a good reputation so I got it. It's a great app, on every phone I get and it does the job. I block all the bloatware and everything I don't want connecting...

 

[TheDonJ77]

Battery life and the app performance had been more than exceptional.

 

[blaine07]

I've been using Adguard for nearly two years now. It's never affected the battery life on any phone that I've used it on as much as you've mentioned here. I have noticed just a slight improvement but not by much if I kept Adguard off for a day. It never was worth shutting it off and using it only when I used certain apps.

Maybe it was just a fluke. It's a new day, phones fully charged. Will continue to watch it.

I was having problems with a few apps not cooperating with VPN, particularly work email so in app I figured out how to turn it off for certain apps, perhaps one of the apps having issues with VPN was the culprit. Like driving a car through a brick wall and unable to but spinning the tires.

 

[jejb]

So I'm not bagging on AdGuard, or any other paid app mentioned. But I'm just wondering why folks are not using a free VPN blocking app instead? I use an app called Block-This, from this website:
https://block-this.com/

Been using it for quite a while with no issues. It does a great job of blocking ads.

I guess what I'm asking is, is Adguard a better product in some way? If so, what exactly makes it better? I'm not averse to buying it if it offers something Block-This does not have.

 

[dunamis]

wished there's a way to rid of the notification on the notification bar and on the lock screen?

 

[anon(7894520)]

wished there's a way to rid of the notification on the notification bar and on the lock screen?

There is, just disable lock screen notifications from android system.