Android Banner ads inside apps...nobody knows how to stop them ?!?

[smallhagrid]

My example for this is TextNow; it is very useful but very annoying too.

I have been using TextNow on my Wifi-only phone for a little while now and it is pretty good.

This app & service solves a sticky problem for Wifi-only users=> no phone number.

It is 100% free, and they do give you a number & so that you can text & get calls free.

It also works via their site from the PC.

BUT:

Unless you pay them not to, they drive you nuts whenever it is open with all kinds of ads, IAPs and sometimes they even text ads to you.

The constant flickering of the changing ads in the phone really bothers my eyes.

Tried looking for a medicated release of it and found nothing; tried LP to clean it up and did not succeed.

Has anyone gotten this app fixed up nicely without having to pay them ??

Doesn't anyone here know how to eliminate banner ads in Android ?!?

(If so I'd love to learn how to do that, please ?!?)

Example app's details:

TextNow 3.4.6
Enflick, Inc. - May 21, 2015

TextNow gives you your very own dedicated phone number with which you can text and call your friends, family, significant others, neighbors, or anyone else you would like!

DEDICATED PHONE NUMBER

Give your friends your very own phone number they can call!
UNLIMITED TEXT AND PICTURE MESSAGING
You can send as many texts and picture messages as you want.

IS IT REALLY FREE?

There is no catch. No yearly or monthly fees! It is completely free!

HOW CAN ALL OF THIS BE FREE?

The app comes with a few ads. If you don't like ads, you can purchase a subscription to remove them.

HIGHLIGHTS:

- Make and receive voice calls
- Earn credits towards calling by completing partnered offers or purchase minute packs!
- Free & unlimited voice calls with other TextNow users as well as for incoming calls!
- Full picture messaging : send, receive and save pictures!
- Voicemail and Call Forwarding
- Emoticons :-)
- Signatures: add your own signature to each text
- Customizable text-tone, ringtone & vibration
- Customizable backgrounds
- Assign individual contacts their own ringtone & background
- Quick Reply to easily (and quickly) respond to friends
- Home screen widget to launch TextNow, compose a new message or quickly make a call
- Unified inbox: send and receive your texts directly via TextNow - use TextNow as your one-stop SMS texting app!
- Real SMS texting and calling: text and call ANY phone that accepts SMS texting, and ANY phone for calling.
- TextNow.com - text from your computer too! All messages seamlessly synchronize with your mobile device.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.enflick.android.TextNow

I know it competes with TextPlus - which is not quite as good even though there are fixed releases of it.

It'd be great to keep using this app somehow minus the crazymaking ads, for free.

Thanks for any help with this !!

Edited June 23, 2015 by smallhagrid

[smallhagrid]

BTW, I've searched for solutions numerous times and all I have found is folks debating about which ad blocker app & method is good vs. which one they say sucks.

Here is one useful bit of info; it is a comment that I found below such an argumentative article:

I tried ad blockers in the past, but gave up them as being too much hassle.

Then I was speaking to someone about the health ruining effects of flashing banner crap and how I could no longer use some apps because of it (they don’t always have a pay version), and they said I should try Mobiwol.

So I looked at it in Google Play and thought, “No way! Too many suspicious permissions.”

Then I carried on through the list and decided on NoRoot Firewall by Grey Shirts, which not only has no permissions (except perhaps Internet), it has no ads itself, there’s no blank space where the ads used to be (unlike with some ad blockers), and I can download any app that doesn’t want access to the dialler and texting because my privacy is assured.

I’m telling you guys, use a selective firewall and you won’t want an ad blocker ever again.
Plus the fact that Google can’t kick firewalls off of their market because ad blocking isn’t the only reason for them. ;)

(http://dottech.org/149088/how-to-block-ads-on-android-with-or-without-root-guide/#comment-1028618)

The app that comment points to as being good is here:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.greyshirts.firewall

Has anyone here used this app with success in blocking ads ??

Thanks.

Edited June 23, 2015 by smallhagrid

[SURbit]

Have you tried Adguard, from the very first version for android it has had "" Ad blocking in apps. Adguard is able to block ads in games and other applications. ""

 

It's been updated a few times and since it does do Ad blocking in apps google play store kicked it off the site.

 

I don't recall if there is a free trial for android but if you like, then PM me, and I'll tell you a way to get a 1+1 lifetime premium

license for under $10. USD.

EDIT: Jan.30th

I forgot to tell you Adguard for Android gives you a Firewall - With the help of Firewall, Adguard can manage apps access to the Internet, as well as their filtering.

 

Adguard can use two modes of traffic filtering.

— Local VPN mode.

— Local HTTP proxy mode.

Local VPN mode

If you are using this mode, Adguard does not need ROOT privileges to carry out filtering. At the same time, a VPN-server is located on your device, so that there is no need to pass your traffic through a remote server in order to filter it.

Local HTTP proxy mode

In this mode Adguard launches a local HTTP proxy server on your device. This mode is recommended, if you use a rooted device.

Otherwise, manual adjustment of an HTTP proxy will be needed to use this mode, the filtering in mobile networks (Edge/3G/4G) will also be impossible.

Edited January 31, 2016 by SURbit

[VileTouch]

AdAway. you need root for it, though. (or for any global adblocker for that matter)

 

oh, make sure you UNroot after you have it up and running.

[smallhagrid]

I finally gave up on the freebie calling/texting things - mostly because they tend to nuke your number from time to time without warning which is even more annoying than the ads.

 

The good news is that in place of that silliness I got into VOIP and even more into Android stuff.

Getting a (Kodi) TV box has really shaken up my world seriously...Android on the big screen ?!? Wahoo !!

I can also text back and forth all day long via google voice on the bigger screens, so fighting with the ads & teeny phones for me is...over now.

 

Thanks for the replies folks.

 

PS:

Sorry it took me so long to chime back in.

I don't come here so much anymore since they changed it - I seriously do not like what has been done to the format here.

 

Best Wishes to All.