Phone Apps

Anything and everything about gay life anywhere in the world, especially Asia, other than Thailand.
Jun

Re: Phone Apps

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Sat Oct 15, 2022 6:38 pmNothing at all similar to your experience.
If you don't mind me asking, how old is your Android device ? The only ways I can get acceptable levels of advertising on Hornet are viewing it via a browser, or on my 6 year old tablet, with an earlier version of Android. From memory, there is some restriction on use that eventually kicks in on the browser.

Just in case anyone thinks I'm alone with the advertising issue, here are some recent Hornet reviews from the Playstore:

"This app gets worse and worse everyday. Its glitchy all of the time, it drops sent messages whenever it wants. The ads are intrusive and not specific to the user,instead of closing the ads out when its tapped the app opens the ad. Sniffies,and adam4adam never drops messages like grinder and they're more user friendly. We expect more from the #1 gay dating app in the world. Use some of the money for the business and do better grinder...or call it greedy or glitchy instead"

"Too many ads, and after ads kicking out from app. So wherever I am chatting ad pops up and I need to wait till it app opens again and go through all of it to send 2 more messages and here is the cycle loop"

"Used to be okay. Now you constantly get 30 second shouty adverts yelled at you every few clicks. Virtually unusable now."

"Guys really? Are you kidding? Sure I understand that advertising brings you income etc etc, but it's absolutely unacceptable to have advirtisng every 3-4 seconds, and beeng unable to close it even when it's over (the only way is pressing "suscribe" for stupid meaningless game or betting company). Let your marketing team think about really important issue: if trash is buying so much ads time and place from you it means that you have really serious problems with your image and role on the market"
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Re: Phone Apps

Post by Gaybutton »

Jun wrote: Sat Oct 15, 2022 7:05 pm If you don't mind me asking, how old is your Android device ?
3 years
Jun

Re: Phone Apps

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Sat Oct 15, 2022 8:45 pm
Jun wrote: Sat Oct 15, 2022 7:05 pm If you don't mind me asking, how old is your Android device ?
3 years
I don't think that's the answer then, so I have no idea what is different.

6 year old tablet + Android 7. Hornet shows ads which don't make a noise and can immediately be shut down. So OK. (Except this doesn't show the profile text)
On newer products, Hornet is a problem:
4 year old phone + Android 10 - lots of intrusive video ads.
New tablet + Android 12 -lots of intrusive video ads.
Jun

Re: Phone Apps

Post by Jun »

Update:

Hornet advertising is worse than ever, particularly the Lazada adverts, which run for ages, have fake close window buttons and open the Lazada app without my permission.
I have reported Hornet to Google, as fake close window buttons do not comply with Google T&C. I don't expect much action. I've also decided to only shop with Lazada when I can't find the product elsewhere and have left a suitably scathing review on the Google play store.
I've got a browser add on which at least blocks sites I select, like Lazada within the browser, but not outside it.
I've resorted to using the browser version of Hornet more, as the app is almost like malware.
I suppose I could subscribe, but that needs to be short term as no one uses this any more back in the UK.

Grindr. Remains my preferred app, at least in Pattaya and BKK. In northern Thailand and Laos, hardly any boys are on it, but those who are on it are very likely to be looking for customers, since they know it's popular with farang.
Recently, more filters are available for free.

Romeo and Jackd. Commendable for almost no nuisance advertising, but fewer boys. Ideally everyone would move to one of these apps.

Blued. Possibly worse than Hornet for ads. I think it's several years since I met a boy on this.

My phone is up for renewal this year.
I'm getting annoyed with Android for allowing apps to open other apps without my consent. However, at least one Apple phone owner has a similar experience with Hornet, so I'm not sure that's the way to go.
Windows remains a far better operating system.
They never open applications without my consent.
My PC remains fast at 7 years of age, whereas Google and Apple would have software updates to downgrade performance at 3~5 years.
Finally, I can still buy ad free software with a one off fee for Windows. But sadly, Microsoft were too late to the mobile market and had to quit.
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Re: Phone Apps

Post by Gaybutton »

Jun wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 11:04 am Hornet advertising is worse than ever
I use the paid version of Hornet (which I won't do again - I like Grindr better) and get no ads at all and no re-directs. My guess is that's why you get so many ads - in hopes you'll get frustrated and use their paid version. Of course, if you're using their paid version, but still getting ads, that would be beyond me.

One of the reasons I don't like Hornet as much as I used to is because it's always the same boys locally. I see very few new faces. So, I'm bored with Hornet. Any boys regularly appearing on Hornet - if I was interested then I would already have made contact quite some time ago. Grindr seems to have much more variety, but their paid version is much more expensive than Hornet. I might give it a try, but I haven't decided yet.
Jun

Re: Phone Apps

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 12:50 pm I use the paid version of Hornet (which I won't do again - I like Grindr better) and get no ads at all and no re-directs. My guess is that's why you get so many ads - in hopes you'll get frustrated and use their paid version.
I don't use the paid version of Hornet. If I did, it would have to be when in Thailand only, as back home, almost no one uses Hornet any more.
I almost subscribed to Hornet for a month, but for information on how to cancel the recurring sub, they refer me to the T&Cs. Within that, I couldn't find the part on cancellation.

I'm near certain they run intrusive ads to try and force subscriptions. In Laos, where Lazada and Shoppee clearly don't want to advertise on Hornet, they just run ads pushing Hornet upgrades. Admittedly less intrusive.

Just to be clear, I understand they need to earn a living. I just expect reasonable advertising.

I'm not sure Lazada get much value, when their ads leave me determined to only shop there as a last resort.
Jun

Re: Phone Apps

Post by Jun »

On the Google play store, the Lazada response to critical reviews claims that the ads are run on third party sites without their consent.
What a load of bullshit.
Who runs adverts if the company advertised isn't paying for them ?
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