How do I stop random downloads to Lenovo K3 Note

[hal55]

Have just received this phone and I love it. Great display, really, really great audio (JayJay headphones) and even the camera I reckon is very good. What is driving me crazy though is all the garbage that it keeps displaying. I'm getting a lot of what seems advertising material, everything from ads for 50 shades of grey to some Viking game and employment agency stuff. It's chewing thru bandwidth like it's going out of fashion and just on garbage that is of no interest to me. How do I stop this phone bombarding me with unwanted content?

Thanks,

Hal55

[Sniper47]

This is a tough call. If you like the OS, first thing to try is a factory reset. Sometimes these apps are part of data, not system. If that doesn't work and you like the ROM, then you can try to root and remove the apps you think might be causing it.

If you don't mind losing the ROM and want to be on the latest China 5.1.1 build, you can flash that, but you will need to flash gapps too because CN build doesn't come with Google.

[Twotems]

Download Adguard from XDA Developers and it doesn't need root. I had the same issue and actually identified the apps causing it but didn't want to get rid of them or pay to upgrade each app individually. So I used the 7 day trial period for Adguard, liked it and paid. End of ads from apps AND on websites.

[hal55]

Download Adguard from XDA Developers and it doesn't need root. I had the same issue and actually identified the apps causing it but didn't want to get rid of them or pay to upgrade each app individually. So I used the 7 day trial period for Adguard, liked it and paid. End of ads from apps AND on websites.

Sounds excellent, does anyone else have recommendations for this product, or any other similar ones.?

[Bacon_Puffs]

Can not recommend AdGuard or anything like it. This blocks ads from legitimate hardworking webauthors as well. Of course it's your choice, but I'd recommend getting rid of the offending apps as said by Sniper47. They're still sitting there and possibly doing other intrusive stuff even if you block the ad popups.

[Twotems]

Whilst I appreciate the efforts to give us apps free of charge and ads are a large part of that, developers are starting to go too far. Some of the popups are 5-10 second videos and that's taking too much of my data. I pay for data and should have the right to restrict how, when and how much is used. I don't really mind popups or banner ads but videos cross the line. This only applies to my phones. I don't have an ad blocker on my tablet since it's wifi only.

[Bacon_Puffs]

Whilst I appreciate the efforts to give us apps free of charge and ads are a large part of that, developers are starting to go too far. Some of the popups are 5-10 second videos and that's taking too much of my data. I pay for data and should have the right to restrict how, when and how much is used. I don't really mind popups or banner ads but videos cross the line. This only applies to my phones. I don't have an ad blocker on my tablet since it's wifi only.

Understandable (frustration with videos taking up data) and commendable (not using adblockers on WiFi units)

[hal55]

I'm not going to be a large online user of the phone and intentionally opted for a fairly basic plan, knowing that I just wouldn't need a large download limit. Hence my surprise at seeing 220% of m daily download limit chewed thru, largely on stuff I have no interest in. I'll be putting Adguard on and thankyou to the user who recommended it. I would be really annoyed to incur excess download charges on content I don't want.

Hal55

[IMgroot]

I've never blocked ads, and never will. Here's an interesting take on the situation, but I think the main point they're making (that this is forcing advertisers to make less obtrusive and data intensive ads) is moot, as once people block, they'll rarely go back to not blocking.

[Only registered and activated users can see links Click here to register]

[hal55]

I had enough of the bloatware, malware ridden OP the phone came with and had it rooted with "Nexus by Dr Root". Way better, fantastic phone, and would recommend it to anyone, withe the proviso to get rid of the crap OP it came with straight away. I found the following link interesting reading, and agree totally with it:

[Only registered and activated users can see links Click here to register]

Hal55