AdBlock Plus Has An Android Version Not In The Play Store
AdBlock Plus is one of the leading ad blocking programs on the internet that is currently causing a bit of a stink in some circles over the loss of advertising income caused when users no longer click on adverts.
What isn't so well known is that the AdBlock Plus team actually have an app for the Google Android market. It used to be in the Google Play Store but it was summarily booted out of the app store (along with other ad blocking software) because of a violation of the terms and conditions.
The company wrote a blog post about it at the time of the removal of the app which provides a little more background on it. And yet, the app remains available for Android users to install directly from the AdBlockPlus website should they wish to do so.
Installing AdBlock Plus on Android
By default the only store that has approval to install apps to a smart phone or tablet running Android is the Google Play Store. This is to protect unsuspecting users from being able to accidentally install malware apps from another location.
AdBlock Plus web browser extensions have been available for years and is malware and virus free so no one should have a concern about this software. In order to install AdBlock Plus it is necessary to turn off this block (at least until the software is fully installed).
To do this we need to following these steps:
- Download the software on your Android device
- Open Settings and go to Unknown Sources option (under Applications or Security depending on your device)
- Tap the check-box and Confirm OK when the message appears to verify the change
Once installed, AdBlock Plus will be set to startup when the Android device does. The EasyList filter list is offered as the best list of ad networks to subscribe to when first starting the app. This can be changed later to a different list provider if needed. For most users it is best to auto select this option.
The main app provides the choice whether to block ads altogether or to show the friendly ads and block only the malicious or unstable ones that can cause a web browser to crash. This option can be changed in the settings later as well.
The ABP logo is shown in the notification area at the top of the Android screen. Pulling down the tray will reveal a confirmation that AdBlock Plus is running.
How Effective Is The Ad Blocking on Android
The adverts were seen to be blocked in Chrome and Firefox web browsers under Android 4.x versions. This will be adequate for people who mostly use Droid devices for web browsing through a browser.
Adverts shown in between posts in sub reddits in the reddit is fun app which reads Reddit.com content were covered over so they could not be read rather than removed entirely. Apps like Gallery Lock (Lite) which have a tendency to make added photos jump down unexpectedly when a late banner ad is inserted above scenery photos is no longer a hassle because the ads no longer show.
However, ad supported apps like MX Player still display graphical banner ads over video content when it is paused. Therefore, AdBlock Plus for Android is a hit and miss affair when it comes to blocking the display of banner advertising from inside app themselves (presumably a harder trick to accomplish).
For anyone who is frustrated at the lack of control over the many ads that display throughout the Android user experience, AdBlock Plus for Android could well be a good solution to consider.
