Home > Paid Traffic Sources > Mobile

Best Android Phone for Spying (16)

02-17-2015 01:16 PM #1 Tonysg (AMC Alumnus)
Best Android Phone for Spying

Hi,

I was thinking of buying an android phone for spying ads in my country. Which are the top phones that have the most ads for Android? Looking to spy for common app installs and pin submits.

02-17-2015 01:26 PM #2 caurmen (Administrator)

I'd recommend trying to use an emulator rather than a real phone - that way you can set it to mimic a variety of handsets. There was a really good thread on using an Android VM a while ago, but irritatingly I can't track it down now - anyone?

Having said that, my guess would be that any modern Android phone is likely to have access to most of the same apps and ads as any other. Your chief problem will be the eternal issue that a lot of ads don't run on Wifi, but only on carrier, and it's hard to spoof carriers (although there are some great threads around here about that).

02-17-2015 01:27 PM #3 erikgyepes (Moderator)

Just choose one you like.

Samsung seems to be the most used brand when I look into my campaign stats.

Just for the record - few weeks ago I bought Sony Xperia Z3 Compact.
Actually I wanted some low end, but finally I ended with opposite.
Anyway I'm happy with it as I use it now as my main phone next to my old iPhone 4S.

02-17-2015 01:40 PM #4 qureyoon (AMC Alumnus)

Quote Originally Posted by caurmen View Post
...There was a really good thread on using an Android VM a while ago, but irritatingly I can't track it down now - anyone?...
These ?

02-17-2015 01:42 PM #5 peterpan (Member)

Why not use Opera Mobile Browser (it will trick sites to think you are using a mobile phone ) with Hidemyass VPN? That is good for spying


Or you can use developer tools in Chrome and select maybe 15-20 different android phones and browse the web using android device and tricking websites thinking it is phone

02-17-2015 02:45 PM #6 InnerWinner (Member)

Quote Originally Posted by caurmen View Post
I'd recommend trying to use an emulator rather than a real phone - that way you can set it to mimic a variety of handsets. There was a really good thread on using an Android VM a while ago, but irritatingly I can't track it down now - anyone?

Having said that, my guess would be that any modern Android phone is likely to have access to most of the same apps and ads as any other. Your chief problem will be the eternal issue that a lot of ads don't run on Wifi, but only on carrier, and it's hard to spoof carriers (although there are some great threads around here about that).
If we use emulator, I don't think we will be able to install the apps for spying in app advertisements. Is this possible? I am interested to know as I am also thinking of running some mobile campaigns.

02-18-2015 08:30 AM #7 Tonysg (AMC Alumnus)

I'm also curious if it is possible to spy on in-app ads using Android emulator. Anyone has any ideas on this?

02-18-2015 10:15 AM #8 caurmen (Administrator)

Important note: when franco12 and I are talking about Android emulators here, we don't mean Developer Mode in Chrome or similar - we mean the kind of emulator that app developers use to test their apps.

Essentially you need a Virtual Machine on your computer running Android - an entire simulated computer. That will run apps fine, because there's no way for the app to tell it's not actually running on a physical phone.

GenyMotion is the usual go-to option: it's free for personal use (cough) or cheap with a bunch of additional features: https://www.genymotion.com/#!/

Parallels apparently does an excellent job if you have it (and you can use it to run other Virtual Machines too, for pop spying etc) - http://log.paulbetts.org/parallels-t...ive-ever-used/ .

02-18-2015 11:57 AM #9 franco12 (Member)

Quote Originally Posted by caurmen View Post
Important note: when franco12 and I are talking about Android emulators here, we don't mean Developer Mode in Chrome or similar ....
Excellent point "caurmen" - thanks for clarifying.

02-18-2015 01:01 PM #10 nt2000 (Member)

Quote Originally Posted by caurmen View Post
Important note: when franco12 and I are talking about Android emulators here, we don't mean Developer Mode in Chrome or similar - we mean the kind of emulator that app developers use to test their apps.

Essentially you need a Virtual Machine on your computer running Android - an entire simulated computer. That will run apps fine, because there's no way for the app to tell it's not actually running on a physical phone.

GenyMotion is the usual go-to option: it's free for personal use (cough) or cheap with a bunch of additional features: https://www.genymotion.com/#!/

Parallels apparently does an excellent job if you have it (and you can use it to run other Virtual Machines too, for pop spying etc) - http://log.paulbetts.org/parallels-t...ive-ever-used/ .
I have Andyroid Android emulator. If I use HMA will it show international app ads?

02-18-2015 03:29 PM #11 caurmen (Administrator)

@nt2000 - I've not tried that one, but it should do. Give it a go and report back! If you set HMA to Turkey, Russia or similar you should pretty quickly be able to tell if it's working!

02-18-2015 03:46 PM #12 nt2000 (Member)

Quote Originally Posted by caurmen View Post
@nt2000 - I've not tried that one, but it should do. Give it a go and report back! If you set HMA to Turkey, Russia or similar you should pretty quickly be able to tell if it's working!
Will do.

Excuse me if I'm being dense. What use is the emulator unless you want to see in-app ads in your own country?

02-18-2015 07:56 PM #13 franco12 (Member)

Quote Originally Posted by nt2000 View Post
I have Andyroid Android emulator. If I use HMA will it show international app ads?
In my experience, HMA doesn't work with POF. Otherwise HMA is fine.

02-18-2015 07:58 PM #14 franco12 (Member)

Quote Originally Posted by nt2000 View Post
Will do.

Excuse me if I'm being dense. What use is the emulator unless you want to see in-app ads in your own country?
You ain't dense, mate! I know people who've spent 100h+ on just getting this right ....(me included)

It does work in your own country.

02-18-2015 08:15 PM #15 rubenskitchen (Member)

Anyone using Overplay on Andyroid? I don't seem to get it working.

02-18-2015 09:07 PM #16 nt2000 (Member)

So I tried HMA with the emulator. In the emulatror's browser it redirects to BR sites but in the apps its not working. Maybe because it's using the google account location?

Home > Paid Traffic Sources > Mobile