Random Thoughts Thread

[Anapan]

Android TV devices only - SmartTube appears to work still:
https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTube

[Ziggy]

I believe that's by design. It's one of the many reasons I refuse to get an iPhone.

Then what the hell is this app even doing? LOL. I might as well uninstall it.

To be honest, it doesn't really matter a whole lot to me on a mobile device. I don't often browse the web on my phone. When I do, it's on the rare occasion that I need to look something up and I'm not around a desktop. When that happens, and I hop on random sites, the ads are crazy annoying. But it's so rare that I do that anyway. I'm not glued to my phone like people. That said, Android has been having some serious issues recently and I got fed up with it. Enough to try an iPhone. And you know what? I can nitpick a few things I like better on Android, but overall it's been a pleasant experience. I'm glad I made the switch. And that's coming from a long-time Android user.

Or maybe the ads are WHY I don't use the web browser more on my phone?

[marurun]

Well I'm on iOS now. Norton has a separate Ad Blocker app for iOS, so I installed it, but it doesn't seem to block any ads in Safari. I've yet to look into it, or for alternatives.

I believe that's by design. It's one of the many reasons I refuse to get an iPhone.

No, it's not by design. Developers can craft somewhat robust ad/content filters for Safari (though not for in-app instances of Safari, only for the stand-alone browser app). But there is the matter of finding one that works for you in the App Store. They aren't handled like straight downloadable extensions. They have to be procured through the store to be implemented via an app (but activated in Safari as an extension). The one I use that was cheap and is effective in most cases is Wipr. There are others. There are also other browsers (really, app shells for the Safari rendering engine) that serve the same purpose. Brave and Duck Duck Go can block ads and serve as your daily browser, but the app is supplying the filtering on top of the Safari engine, basically, instead of via extensions.

[REPO Man]

Plus you can't sideload apps on iOS without modding.

[marurun]

Plus you can't sideload apps on iOS without modding.

That is complete irrelevant to the current discussion.

[Anapan]

Ready for the Trick or Meat'ers

[o.pwuaioc]

Plus you can't sideload apps on iOS without modding.

That is complete irrelevant to the current discussion.

It's probably in response to my comment about disliking iOS. Also, making all browsers a skin of Safari is absolutely by design. And Safari "neutering ad blockers" is also by design. I'm not sure what you're arguing against.

[Limewater]

Plus you can't sideload apps on iOS without modding.

That is complete irrelevant to the current discussion.

It's probably in response to my comment about disliking iOS. Also, making all browsers a skin of Safari is absolutely by design. And Safari "neutering ad blockers" is also by design. I'm not sure what you're arguing against.

And it is the "Random Thoughts Thread"...

[Ziggy]

Ready for the Trick or Meat'ers

Damn! Is it customary in Canada to give trick or treaters beef jerky?

Speaking about trick or treating, I came to a realization this year...

Me in my 20's: I'm going to get only name brand candies to hand out, because that's what I wanted when I was a trick or treater.

Me approaching 40: I worked all day and don't feel like getting up every few minutes to answer the door. I'd leave a bowl of candy out with a "take one" sign, but you know eventually some kid will take the entire bowl. Literally the bowl, I had a bowl stolen. Maybe I should rethink this name brand only strategy. If I get garbage candy that no one likes, maybe they'll stay away from my house!

[marurun]

Also, making all browsers a skin of Safari is absolutely by design. And Safari "neutering ad blockers" is also by design. I'm not sure what you're arguing against.

I’m arguing against the idea that Apple has made ad blocking ineffective. Yes, some more advanced and complex forms of content blocking are definitely impaired. This affects the desktop more since many more complex web interfaces for mobile are already deliberately hamstrung vs desktop to drive people to apps, where ad-blocking can be more effectively countered anyway. Further, Apple’s motives are arguably quite different from Google’s. Additionally, even with other browsers on iOS having to use the Safari rendering engine, those browsers can subsequently alter display and add features. If uBlock Origin wanted to release a uBlock Origin browser for iOS they could do much of what they can’t via extensions after the fact.

In top of this, Apple does already have robust privacy protections in the OS and the browser for trackers, so ad blocking can focus more on ads.

tl:dr Yes, Apple has degraded ad blocking some, but it hasn’t created an issue for my browsing experience and the existing tracker blocking and privacy tools are robust enough that it’s not an issue. The biggest loss is complex coding to circumvent ad-blocker blockers.