
Adblock Browser for Android - angel_007
https://adblockplus.org/blog/adblock-browser-is-here
======
mcescalante
I've been testing a number of Android ad blockers. Mainly because I feel like
every single app under the sun is plastered with obnoxious advertisements.

Tried out AdBlockPlus (not the browser) for a month - horrible experience.
They actually firehose/stream all of the data your phone uses through their
app to block the ads, so for that month my data usage doubled because most
major US carriers consider "app data" as separate usage. Really, most apps
available (now) on the Play store related to removing ads just really don't do
it right, and sketch me out mainly because Google has taken a much more
proactive approach recently to removing "real ad blockers."

So far the best solution IMO is to root your phone (necessary for this),
install F-Droid, and install AdAway (which was once in the Play store). It
uses the hosts file to block advertisements (the default list is great) and
has worked wonderfully, without changing my experience at all (other than
removing all the ads).

~~~
JohnTHaller
Or you could pay for apps so they don't have ads in them.

~~~
ianlevesque
That's crazy. Apps materialize out of thin air and nobody needs to eat.

~~~
bobajeff
I don't think it's smart to sustain yourself on money from mobile apps
considering all of the data published about that recently.

------
Aissen
Or you can use uBlock Origin on Firefox for Android and never look back.

~~~
yAnonymous
Too bad the main developer left, but uBlock Origin is the best ad blocker
available. The speed difference is very noticable, especially on mobile
devices.

~~~
Nadya
Gorhill returned to it as a fork of the previous "given-away-ownership".

The whole situation is trife with drama from people expecting (rather:
demanding) Gorhill to add certain features or support certain browsers.

------
rockdoe
It's just a recompile of Firefox for Android with Adblock Plus installed by
default and I presume some changes in branding.

(Edit: Actually they explicitly say this in the "technical details" post that
is linked)

------
okasaki
There's already Adblock Plus for Firefox on android.

------
nabaraz
I use AdAway from F-droid repository. It supports custom hosts files and
exception. The only gimmick is it requires root.

------
tiffanyh
Not to be a naysayer, but why would anyone use this browser given that Adblock
Plus is paid [1] by Google/Microsoft/Amazon etc to NOT block their ads?

[1] [http://www.businessinsider.com/google-microsoft-amazon-
taboo...](http://www.businessinsider.com/google-microsoft-amazon-taboola-pay-
adblock-plus-to-stop-blocking-their-ads-2015-2)

~~~
Raphmedia
A lot of people will say that they don't mind ads that are quiet, targeted and
relevant.

It's popups for viagra that they don't want. Hell, even those that are
correctly targeted by the ads end up being scammed.

The extension should really more be called "malware blocker" or something like
this, since they are not really against ads.

~~~
rm999
It sounds good in theory, but large websites cannot be added to the whitelist
without paying. This implies to me that revenue is higher on ABP's priority
list than encouraging "good" ads. If ABP really wanted to make the biggest
impact they would actively encourage the largest websites to get whitelisted.

[https://adblockplus.org/en/acceptable-ads-
agreements#payment](https://adblockplus.org/en/acceptable-ads-
agreements#payment)

~~~
hahainternet
> large websites cannot be added to the whitelist without paying

The link you provided does not actually say that. It simply implies that a
payment _might_ be required.

------
Raed667
Adblock Plus is getting creepier, I wouldn't trust it with my data.

------
interdrift
Next step is to make an ad blocking OS.

~~~
kmad
Just going off memory, but something like this seems to work for me on rooted
Android (or wherever your hosts file is):

curl
[http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts](http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts)
> /system/etc/hosts

Of course all the normal disclaimer stuff, make sure you look at what you're
putting in there, etc. But Mr. Pollock's list has worked wonders for me

------
mike-cardwell
You can now use uBlock on the Android version of Firefox as well as the
desktop versions. Works well for me.

------
mknits
I have Firefox for Android. So, thanks but no thanks.

------
ck2
Is there a direct apk download?

