[gibodean]

I'm going to Japan next week, and I'm taking my Bold. I'd like to make sure I use as little data as possible while there. I want to be always online receiving email and sms, and I know that will cost me, but I want to make sure that the other apps on my phone aren't leaking data (except through wifi).

Does anyone know how much data third party applications use even when I'm not opening them ? I'm particularly concerned with the applications I have loaded such as gmail and facebook, which are able to receive notifications, and hence must have some sort of data connectivity continually going. How do I stop them leaking data ?

I have google maps, but I assume I just shouldn't use it, and it won't consume any data. Same as the browser, the "Handango InHand" application, blackberry maps...

Is it enough that I go into the "applications" setting, and disallow the facebook and gmail applications to access the "internet", while leaving it allowed to use wifi ?

I don't seem to be allowed to edit the permissions of the facebook application. The option doesn't appear. One thing I notice though is that facebook notification emails don't appear in my inbox on the blackberry. Is that how the facebook application gets the notifications, by monitoring the inbox, and maybe doesn't actually use any data of its own ???

Thanks for your help.
Chris

[Stinsonddog]

Well firewall wont' work for you since you want wifi access. I suspect that changing your permissions should do it. I don't understand why facebook is blocked out. Did you click Menu>Expand to see your choices on Connections?

[gibodean]

Thanks.

When I go to Options->Advanced Options->Applications, I get the list of apps. If I'm on top of "google mail" and press the menu key, one of the options is "Edit permissions". Doing the same thing over facebook, that option is missing.

[Treatz]

I dunno about your network but on Rogers we have internet.com in the TCP settings. you may have something similar for 3rd party apps.
By going to options / advanced options / TCP and clearing that out you should effectively stop most 3rd party apps that do NOT use the BIS data connection.

you shoudl also set newtork data to "off while roaming"

However, if you connect to wifi and it authenticates all your email and apps that use BIS will work again via WIFI.

[gibodean]

Funny, all my apps seem to work without anything in the TCP section...
Turning off the network data while roaming is a good idea, except I do really want to continue to get emails. Maybe I'll turn it on intermittently.

Is there any type of network activity monitor which I can run which will tell me how much data my phone is downloading ?

I notice there's an option in the gmail app to report the network usage, and I set that option, but I've never seen it tell me about the usage...

[bogman]

Originally Posted by gibodean

Funny, all my apps seem to work without anything in the TCP section...
Turning off the network data while roaming is a good idea, except I do really want to continue to get emails. Maybe I'll turn it on intermittently.

Is there any type of network activity monitor which I can run which will tell me how much data my phone is downloading ?

I notice there's an option in the gmail app to report the network usage, and I set that option, but I've never seen it tell me about the usage...

I don't use facebook, but my underrstanding is that GMail and Google Maps won't download data unless you start them up (in Gmail's case you also have to login). Thus, a battery pull should ensure they're not downloading data as long as you don't start them up after the battery pull.

[gibodean]

Good advice, I'll pull the battery on my flight....

Answering my previous question about an activity monitor, I found minimoni which looks pretty good, and free too.

[cowombat]

I am in Japan these last 2 days with my Bold. Tried using Google Maps (got a bit lost in Shinjuku....) but all text is in Kanji. I know Google has a project to release Japan names in English, but I can't figure any way to pull the English version. Anyone know how to do this?

[gibodean]

Be careful of the data charges there.
I've just arrived in Japan too, and haven't been brave enough to try google maps.
But even google maps on the internet has most of the place names in Japanese. I don't think there is an English version.

[ryusoma]

I'm going to be in Japan for a few weeks with my Bold too, I'm not concerned about data usage as I've rented a Blackberry (really just for its SIM card) to use while there. Unlimited data and incoming calls, banzai. (also, f*** you and your $400 international roaming Rogers)

My intent is to swap out my SIM for theirs so I can use my email, my bookmarks, my apps, etc. My phone will simply be forwarded to the Japanese rental number. (another big f*** you Rogers for blocking international forwarding.. but I beat that too. Thanks, Skype!)

1 - Will I need to reconfigure any of the data access providers etc, or resend service books or will that be pulled automatically when the DoCoMo/Softbank/whatever SIM boots?

2 - what is the current state of Google Maps? Do I need to force downloading, or manually load something, or will it simply pull them when the GPS detects where I am? I'm less concerned about the language, I can decipher it but having the maps themselves is the important part.