05-20-2003, 06:18 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Mobile Device Spamming: What's the Solution?
We've talked about this issue before, but I wanted to focus more on it. Lately I've been using my SPV (Microsoft Smartphone) to check my Pocket PC Thoughts email. I have to say I'm totally addicted! The size and one-handed operation, for me, is light years beyond checking email on my Pocket PC. The problem is the spam. SO MUCH SPAM! 8O I'd estimate that a full 25% of my PPCT email is spam, and it's much worse on my main email address (over 50%). In this regard, I suppose that the silly limitation that the Smartphone has of only having one email account seems like somewhat of a blessing.
So this got me to thinking about anti-spam solutions on the Pocket PC. There aren't any that I'm aware of. On the desktop side of things, I've started using a new solution called POPFile. It's an ugly, ugly solution that I could never recommend to my mom or anyone other than a hardcore geek, but it's amazingly effective at blocking spam - over 93% accurate now, and climbing daily. But back to the topic at hand...
I've heard of server-side solutions for email on the desktop PC, but the few I've tried were utterly horrible. Being the control freak that I am, I also have a hard time giving control of my email over to an external party. I'd much rather have a client-side solution that allows me to confirm with absolute certainty that the email I'm deleting really is spam. Now as this relates to the Pocket PC, what sort of solution do you think would work best? A client-side tool that would somehow plug into Pocket Inbox and would let you tag spam if the filter didn't catch it (think Spamnet or POPFile), or would you want a server-side solution that would take care of the spam blocking, giving you the filtered mail?
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05-20-2003, 06:32 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,878
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At home, I have tried sooo many solutions...
Unfortunately, until they become 100% accurate, I still wind up having to go through the "filtered" messages to see if any legit emails were intercepted...
So, at home I just don't use anything - I delete as I go...
Anyway, back to the question at hand:
On the Pocket PC, Pocket PC PE, or Smartphone, I would tend to think the best solution is a server side app (especially if you are paying for the amount of data you download). But I would still want all intercepted messages saved so that I could go through them later...
Steve
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"My eyes are rolling back in my head so far I can see my grey matter bubbling and frothing from reading this thread....bleh." JD
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05-20-2003, 06:33 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 42
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I prefer a server-side solution for my PPC mainly b/c the less email I have to receive, the less data I eat up via GPRS... Now on the desktop, I prefer a client-side tool... Might be interesting to ask what type of spam-killing tool people prefer on the desktop to contrast with the PPC...
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05-20-2003, 06:36 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 12
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I have a similar problem with my T-Mobile Sidekick. I never use the T-Mobile-provided email for any thing. I simply use the device's POP3 polling features to access my regular e-mail.
Now... I get literally 150 to 200 spam messages per day. I have stripped that down to about 5 per week using McAfee Spam Killer. It runs on my PC at home 24/7 (DSL at home), and is by far the most effective anti-spam tool I have ever used.
I personally hate anything from McAfee... they love to shove their own nagging software down your throat when you install some of their stuff (their Security Center applet, for example), but this tool is SO effective, I live with that.
I have it poll and filter every 2 minutes, so the liklihood that my Sidekick will poll the account with any amount of spam in it is pretty slim (the Sidekick polls every 15 minutes, or on demand).
It works like a charm. And, often times Spam Killer can be had for $10 or less (even free) after rebates at CompUSA.
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05-20-2003, 06:37 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 333
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Server side is the only way to go, but I control the mail server. I do occassionally go through the filtered mail, and usually have to pass a few messages through manually. A few mailing lists my wife is on reguarly get caught, and they keep changing the from address, so whitelisting them doesn't help much.
For a mobile device, server side is the only way. If you had a client side solution, you would only be able to filter based on headers, and I bet you'd still get a lot of spam. One possible solution (for a normal person) would be to only allow mail from people in your contacts through to your mobile device.
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05-20-2003, 06:37 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 67
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I would also vote for Server Side when on a remote device.
If you're on DSL/ADSL/Always On, I use my own mail server for downloading my email, it filters out spam (to about 90% accuracy, but it's better than nothing) then I just collect mail from my home server if I am out and about.
That way I get my mail, with very little spam....
Of course you need to run a mail server, but Mercury (www.pmail.com) is free, and a dynamic dns solution - again free, so it's really not that difficult.... plus you stay in control of your own mail.
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- spacerace -
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05-20-2003, 06:48 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 56
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castration sounds like the best solution to me.
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05-20-2003, 06:59 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 276
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by MooseMaster
castration sounds like the best solution to me.
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Quote from Ripley and Lt. Hicks:
"I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."  nfire:
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05-20-2003, 06:59 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,133
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I think server-side is critical for checking email over a cell phone. But I think it's best if it's user-configurable, not a one-size-fits-all solution. I don't like other people deciding for me what I do and do not want.
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05-20-2003, 07:25 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 103
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Spamcop.net
All my mail goes through a Spamcop.net server which holds back the spam for me to review when I want to and delivers everything else to my inbox. I probably only get around 10 messages get though that shouldn't, it doesn't get many false positives, I can only think of one and it's a newsletter from a DVD shop that I should just unsubscribe from. Anything it does catch that it shouldn't I can whitelist. All in all it's reduced my spam incredibly and it's only a few dollars a month.
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