Adguard Android

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Petrovic

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Adguard Android 1.0 enters open beta testing
It’s been more than two months since the beginning of closed Adguard for Android beta testing. During this time, hundreds of bugs were found and fixed and the work of the program was greatly improved.

Finally we are ready to present Adguard for Android for everyone to see!

Please note that this is not a release yet, only the open beta version available to everyone. It may contain bugs and we would be very grateful if you let us know about them.

In this post, we’ll tell you in as much detail as possible about how it works and what it can do.
adguard_for_android_main_landskape.png


Ad blocking
Needless to say, Adguard for Android excellently blocks all browser ads. We are proud to say that before us there’s been no product for Android with such a quality of blocking.

The program includes two filtering engines. One of them is focused on quality, and is identical to the engine, which is used in the Windows version. The second one is designed specifically for Android and is focused on fastest filtering at a small loss of quality. Now, to specify for those interested in writing the rules – quick engine does not support HTML content filtering rules.

You can change the filtering engine you use in the advanced Adguard settings.

adguard_for_android_filtering_method.png


Browsing security
Browsing Security module is one of the most important components of Adguard for Android. We are aware of more than 1.5 million phishing and malicious websites, and we constantly update our database.

Adguard checks all web pages and apk files being loaded. If we have determined that a website or an app can be dangerous for you, the loading will be blocked.

adguard_safebrowsing_blocked.png


How does Adguard protection work?
Adguard provides two filtering options for your choice: local VPN or local HTTP proxy. In advanced settings you can switch to the one that suits you more.

adguard_for_android_filtering_modes.png


Local VPN mode
This filtering mode is used by default. Its huge advantage is that, when you use it, the application does not require ROOT access. At the same time VPN-server is located on your same device, so that there is no need to pass the traffic for filtering through a remote server.

When the protection is on, Android will ask you for permission to enable VPN.
adguard_confirm_vpn.png




You’ll have to confirm your permission every time you start the application. Unfortunately, this is Android limitation, and there is no way to get rid of it.



After the protection is enabled, you will see a system notification about launched VPN.
adguard_for_android_vpn_notification.png


Adguard will monitor the status of your network connection, and will automatically restart the VPN if the network connection is lost.

Local HTTP proxy mode
In this mode Adguard launch a local HTTP proxy server that process and filters traffic that is passed through. We recommend using this mode in two cases.
1. If you are using a device with ROOT.
2. If you want to use Adguard along with any third-party VPN.

If you have ROOT access, then filtering will be enabled automatically, and will not require any additional actions from you. Unlike in VPN, you do not need to constantly confirm and authorize Adguard’s work.

If your device is not rooted, then you will need to configure proxy settings manually. Configuration process is described in details in FAQ section in the very program, so we won’t be telling you about it in this post. We just want to note that you will have to change this setting for each new Wi-Fi network, which is actually quite tedious.



Another significant disadvantage of manual proxy mode is that only Wi-Fi traffic will be filtered. Configuring proxy for the mobile network is not possible.

System requirements and restrictions
Adguard will work on all devices with Android version 4.0.3 and higher.

Unfortunately, the Android platform imposes some limitations on us. We will list them all.
1. We can not filter secured HTTPS (SSL) traffic. In Android it is almost impossible to properly decrypt that traffic, so Adguard will not filter websites which use HTTPS.
2. Adguard can not filter traffic in browsers that compress traffic. For example: Opera Mini, UC Browser, Puffin Browser.

The only browser that we can filter despite its traffic compression is Google Chrome.

3. VPN module is not installed on some firmwares. In this case VPN filtering mode is impossible.

How much does it cost?
Basic Adguard for Android functional (i.e. ad filtering) is totally free. You’re more than welcome to use it :).

If desired, you can use the additional premium Adguard for Android features for a small monthly fee.

Please note that the subscription applies to all devices that are activated by your Google account, for which you purchase subscription.

What they include:
1. Protection against malicious and phishing sites.
2. Improved ad filtering. Premium users get better ad filters.
3. Premium technical support.

Also, these functions can be activated by Adguard Premium license key, which can be purchased on our website. Instead of purchasing a subscription, you can activate it with a license key.

We do not plan to divide licenses for the platforms. Therefore, our licenses will fit all versions of our product: Adguard for Windows, Android, and Mac OS X (when it’s released).

Closed beta test
Closed beta continues. Anyone can apply to join. Participants of closed beta are the first to get all the updates.

What to do if you found a problem?
If you encounter any problem, please tell us about it. This can be done right from the program using the Send feedback message in Support section. Along with the message an additional information for troubleshooting will be sent.

How to install Adguard for Android?
There are two options to install Adguard for Android.

Google Play
The standard way of installation: you can download Adguard from Google Play.

In this case, Google Play will take care of updating Adguard, and you will be able to buy a Premium subscription.

Standalone Adguard installer
Another way is to install Adguard as a standalone apk. Full description of Adguard installation process as apk is available on this page.

If you use this version of Adguard, another premium feature will be available – ad blocking in applications. By the way, if you have purchased a subscription in Google Play, it will work in this version too.

Our future plans
We’re not going to stop here. We have many plans for the development of Adguard Android version. Here is the part of them.

1. Development of Adguard Assistant analogue for mobile devices.
2. Adding the support of IPv6.
3. Adding the function to install userscripts to Android version.
4. Adding the protection from paysites, which activate subscriptions

We are looking forward to your feedback!
We really appreciate your opinion on Adguard. As you know, we always listen to our users, and try to do what you ask us to.

Please write to us all what you think about the program. What you like and what you don’t, and what is missing in your opinion.

Thank you for your attention!
http://blog.adguard.com/en/adguard-news/introducing-adguard-android-1-0.html
 

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May 23, 2014
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Petrovic, this is our smm guys mistake. There is no official release yet, Adguard still is in open beta.
 
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NikolayfromRussia

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Petrovic, this is our smm guys mistake. There is no official release yet, Adguard still is in open beta.

Андрей, привет. А когда появится финальная версия?
Hi, Andrey. When will the final version released?
 

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Kent

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Petrovic, this is our smm guys mistake. There is no official release yet, Adguard still is in open beta.
Can you please provide a link for Adguard Beta (windows) offline installer,I am a beta tester;my small newphew uninstalled Adguard Beta from my sys without my knowledge
Thanks
Kent
 

Petrovic

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Changelog for 1.0.589:
+ Adguard in proxy mode now can be used along with Opera Max and DrWeb
+ Added new questions to FAQ
* Fixed handling of the situation when VPN is not supported
* Fixed app crash in proxy mode
* Fixed an issue with app autostart
* Minor UI fixes: added new dialog on first VPN startup
Source
 
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Petrovic

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Mobile ad filter
Recently we have announced the start of open beta testing for our Android app. During the testing, we realized that our standard ad filters are not enough to properly remove advertising that is designed specially for mobile devices.

The matter is that there are many ad networks that are specialized on mobile advertising, whether these are the ads on websites or ads in applications. These networks are basically not used for advertising on common websites. That is why we haven’t actually dealt with them, so they were absent in our filters.

After analyzing the situation we decided to create an independent filter that contains only mobile ads. This filter is very compact (in comparison with main filters) but absolutely crucial if you use Adguard on a mobile device.
http://blog.adguard.com/en/adguard-news/mobile-ad-filter.html
 

Petrovic

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Changelog for 1.0.631:
+ Added tutorial on app first run
+ Added unsupported browsers detection
* Fixed slow page load on some devices
* Fixed service restart issues
* Fixed lots of minor bugs
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Petrovic

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Official release of Adguard for Android 1.0
You’ve been waiting for it, and now we are finally ready to introduce the official release version of Adguard for Android. Many thanks to all who participated in open beta testing, we would never make it without you!

This post will be an overview for our new Adguard. Enjoy!

New hero: Adguard for Android

Adguard for Android provides internet filtering in Android-powered devices. First of all, it is an ad blocking application that can handle all types of online advertising. However, Adguard is not limited to banner removing; it is a universal app that contains all the necessary functions for the most comfortable use of the Internet. For example, blocking or warning about the phishing and other online threats, protection of your personal data on the Internet.

Functionality
The app includes two main modules: AdBlocker and Browsing Security.

AdBlocker removes all the advertising elements from web pages. Blocks video ads, popups, removes banners and other advertising. At the same time filtering takes place even before the load of the website into browser and this means:
a) no advertisements;
b) less traffic consumed/less money spent;
c) acceleration of the websites loading.

Browsing Security module protects devices from possible threats, checking all loaded web pages and apk files. If Adguard determines that opening the site or downloading the application can be dangerous, the downloading will be immediately blocked. The app drastically reduces the probability of any malicious programs getting installed to your device. Adguard uses blacklists which contain millions of hazardous websites.

Special features
Two filtering modes. Users can choose a filtering mode from local VPN or Local HTTP proxy. The first one does not require ROOT access and VPN-server is located on user’s same device, so that there is no need to pass the traffic for filtering through a remote server. Second is recommended if you are using a device with ROOT or you want to use Adguard along with any third-party VPN.

Privacy protection. Protecting your personal data by preventing the tracking of your internet-surfing history. With Adguard, nobody will be able to track your searches and websites you visited and use the data for their personal gain.

Ad blocking in apps. Adguard is able to block ads in games and other applications. To activate this feature the standalone version is needed.

Social widgets filter. Social widgets (Like, Share-buttons and such) will be removed if a corresponding filter is enabled. Don’t spend additional traffic on their load and forbid tracking with Adguard.

One button. Adguard is as functional as it is easy-to-use: the interface is user-friendly, there are as many settings as necessary for web filtering configuration, nothing extra. And to enable protection only one button is needed.

Multilanguage ad filters.Ad filters for websites in different languages will block ads in English, Russian, German, Dutch, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese.

System Requirements and limitations

  • OS: Android 4.0.3 and higher
  • Secured HTTPS (SSL) traffic is not filtered.
  • Is not compatible with Opera Mini and Puffin Browser.
  • VPN module is not installed on some firmwares. In this case VPN filtering mode is impossible.
License
It should be noted that by “default” only ad blocking feature is available for Adguard users. This is the basic program scope, and it is absolutely free.

As mentioned above, ad blocking in other apps is available in a standalone version, which can be downloaded on Adguard official website. Google Play subscription, even purchased earlier, will work for this version too.

As for the additional premium features, such as protection from malicious and scam sites (Browsing Security module), and priority technical support – access to them will be opened after purchasing the subscription at Google Play. It is also possible to activate these functions with a premium license key, which can be purchased on the official Adguard website.

Important points:

1. If you purchase subscription at Google play, it will work for the standalone version (if you later decide to install it). So you don’t have to buy separately a subscription at Google Play, and then again a license for the standalone version.

2. The subscription will extend to all your devices. This means that once purchased subscription will give you access to Adguard premium features on all devices linked to your Google Play account.

The app is already available at Google Play. Android users can download it right now.
Source
 
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FreddyFreeloader

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AdGuard works great! Have been using AdBlock Plus on my Android tablet but you gotta enable downloads from untrusted sources to use it. But you can download AdGuard from GooglePlay Store and disable the untrusted downloads bit. And, it works with Maxthon Android Browser, something AB+ wouldn't do. Excellent!
 

Petrovic

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Google Removes Adguard App From Google Play
Today, on November 25, 2014, happened something we feared and wished to avoid. Google removed our app from the Play Store for so-called violation of the terms of “Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement”,term 4.4.

Let’s face it, Google consistently continues its “banning policy” in regard to all apps that may in any way interfere with the company’s way to make money on Android users, regardless of what users actually want (or don’t want). This case once again shows how much influence one “not-evil” corporation has on the platform, which was once designed and declared as open and free.

Why was Adguard removed?
Term 4.4 which was the reason for removal of our app is as follows:

You agree that you will not engage in any activity with the Store, including the development or distribution of Products, that interferes with, disrupts, damages, or accesses in an unauthorized manner the devices, servers, networks, or other properties or services of any third party including, but not limited to, Android users, Google or any mobile network operator. You may not use customer information obtained from the Store to sell or distribute Products outside of the Store.

You can see for yourself how vaguely it is worded. In fact, too many Google Play apps meet the definition of this rule.

How to install Adguard now?
Fortunately, in addition to the Adguard version for Google Play, we initially offered a special standalone version, which does not depend on any third-party infrastructure.

You can download and install a standalone version on this page.

What shall those who use Adguard Google Play version do?
We strongly recommend that you remove your current Adguard version and install a standalone version through the link above.

If you have purchased a subscription to Google Play, be sure to write to our support via the app. Each subscription owner will receive a one-year premium license key as a compensation.

How do you know about new versions?
The standalone Adguard version uses its own update channel. The app will notify you at the same moment when the update will appear, and you will be able to install it in just one click.

We continue our work on Adguard for Android. Nothing will stop us from making Adguard the best app for ad blocking and privacy protection.
Source
 

Petrovic

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Adguard for Android version 1.1
Release notes

Added in version 1.1.805:

+ Added limited support of HTTPS requests filtering
+ Added Ukrainian and German languages
+ Tested and optimized for Android 5.0 Lollipop
+ Added support for Naked Browser
+ Added notification icon setting
+ Added new types of filtering rules (regexp-rules)

Fixed in this version:

* Resolved compatibility issues with some apps including Telegram, Handcent SMS, Dropsync, Dropbox, Bleep, PAC Console
* Fixed bug with processing UDP traffic in VPN mode (Bleep messenger)
* Fixed some app crashes
* Fixed slow protection startup in proxy mode
* Improved CPU and battery usage
* Fixed processing of certain HTTPS requests
* Fixed problem with landscape mode on devices with low resolution screen
* Fixed possible conflicts when using the same port number with another proxy server
* Fixed an issue with processing requests to some domains with multiple A DNS-records

https://blog.adguard.com/en/adguard-news/new-release-adguard-android-version-1-1.html
 

ahmad123

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Aug 31, 2014
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Is very good AdGuard works great! Have been using AdBlock Plus on my Android tablet but you gotta enable downloads:confused:
 

CMLew

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Oct 30, 2015
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Will Adguard work with Cyberghost VPN on Android? I noticed Adguard also have their own VPN setup?
 

Soorya

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Mar 3, 2015
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When I use Zenmate and then Adguard Android ,
then

Adguard Android removes zenmate vpn ...

Why ???
 
D

Deleted member 178

because Adguard needs a VPN and 2 VPNs can't coexist.
 
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