Prevent apps quietly draining data plans?

[trajikka]

In the process of figuring out why Kies wasn't finding my Ace anymore on both PC and notebook (I had USB debugging turned off), I noticed something troubling. The Ace is my 1st smartphone, and I know very little about 3G/4G voice/data connectivity.

I have no 3G/4G data service, and I disabled my wifi connection while testing the Kies problem. At one point I launched Astro File Manager, and this was weird. Astro started, but immediately a message popped up in the default 'Internet' browser telling me I didn't have a data plan, and had no Internet access. I assume it was a T-Moble file stored locally meant to encourage me to buy a data plan. I found that I was being locked out of using Astro File Manager by the Internet popup every time I tried to access it.

I realized Astro was trying to access the net, and it has no settings to disable it. Now I'm wondering how many other free apps I've downloaded since I got the Ace last week have been pulling data off the net via my wifi connection without my knowing it.

How do you folks with data plans deal with that? Are there some good methods for making sure apps aren't sucking data off your 3G/4G data plans without letting you know?

EDIT: Could someone also fill me in on what the status is of getting official OS updates is over the air or via Kies? My Ace came with 2.3.4 loaded, and I read where 2.3.5 and 2.3.6 have been officially released in some areas of the world. But neither Kies or the Ace checking OTA finds any new updates at all.

Thanks for any feedback.

GT-S5830L
Android 2.3.4
Baseband S5830LUBKP7
Kernal 2.6.35.7-perf-CL366939
se.infra@SEI-27 #1
Build# GINGERBREAD.UBKP7

 

[trajikka]

I'm wondering if I ought to root my Ace and install a firewall to be able to tell what apps are downloading data without my knowing. I know with Zonealarm on my PC, it'll stop anything trying to access the net and pop up an alert to ask me to allow or deny the process.

Does anyone know any other ways of determining what apps are silently accessing the net and downloading data? Graham talked about going to "applications" > "manage applications" and checking each app to make sure syncing isn't set too often. But I don't see any mention of syncing in any of the settings for m apps there.

 

[socrates0]

I had posted an article on this forum about free apps draining the battery/data plans as they use ads which are constantly trying to connect to the net. I keep the data option switched off & start it only when reqd also the option of updating in the background is 'off' Socrates?s experience: Samsung Galaxy Ace Useful points

 

[trajikka]

Socrates?s experience: Samsung Galaxy Ace Useful points

That's a fantastic article socrates0. It really ought to be a sticky in this forum. I only scanned the info quickly before a more in depth later when I have the time. But I didn't see any mention of installing a firewall like DroidWall or Avast (an informative article on Android antivirus programs here.)

It seems you have to root your ACE for that, and until I have more experience with the phone, I'm not all that comfortable with doing that yet. But I really love having ZoneAlarm on my PC where it blocks everything going in and out and alerts you when something not authorized is attempting to reach in or out.

I also wonder if someone has written an app to monitor apps activity and offer a GUI like TaskInfo for PCs that displays second to second CPU use of all OS and apps functions.