Author Topic: Companies 'waking up' your devices  (Read 5844 times)

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Offline Finvarra

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Companies 'waking up' your devices
« on: January 05, 2017, 02:30:44 PM »
Yesterday I preordered a kindle book on Amazon, using my ipad as usual. I have a kindle and download the books to that, not the ipad usually. The confirmation email,said the book will,automatically downloaded to your kindle upon publication (today). Went to bed yesterday, the wifi was switched off on both the kindle and the ipad. This morning I opened both devices to,find the wifi switched on, the book downloaded to the kindle, and an email telling me it had been downloaded.

I find this quite worrying. Amazon obviously woke up the ipad and the kindle, and it makes we wonder if any,other companies can do this. What are the security implications? It's the first time I've preordered a book, don' think I,will,do,that again.

Book by Phil Rickman BTW, if you like crime involving spooky goings on with the lady CofE exorcist, I can recommend. Great dialogue, interesting and sympathetic characters, and deep multi-layered stories. I'm on book 14!

Lesley and Dylan
Remembering All the dogs of my life, especially Milo

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2017, 04:31:54 PM »
HMmmmmmm :huh: sounds a bit strange! I don't know a lot about it but might it be an idea to check with your internet provider re the security aspect? I was always under the impression that the ipads and Apple devices were pretty safe from external interference, although I suppose nothing is 100%. What I have noticed with Amazon, is that I only have to look at something once and everytime I log into facebook or my emails I'm bombarded with adverts for the same thing. OH's Xmas surprise was spoilt because I'd accidently used his account to look at presents and so all the adverts came up on his pad, it was dead giveaway!!! >:D.
Would be interested to know how its happened, if you do find out!  ;)

Offline MIN

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2017, 04:38:01 PM »
If you clear your browsing history just before you switch off it will stop the adverts.
 on the down side it will log you out of any sites you have open
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Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2017, 04:42:58 PM »
Good tip Min! Thanks! 👍

Offline Londongirl

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2017, 04:44:48 PM »
Are you SURE you turned the wifi off on your iPad? I can't see how Amazon could wake a device not connected to the internet. It would not be able to see it or communicate with it to turn the wifi on... because the wifi's not on.

If your Kindle has 3G it will be connected in the same way as a mobile phone when the wifi is off and downloads will come that way.
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Offline Blueberry

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2017, 05:34:14 PM »
Does your iPad not connect immediately to the internet when you open the cover?  Mine does, and Kindle books download extremely quickly.
I don't believe Amazon can wake your devices.

Offline Finvarra

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2017, 05:46:52 PM »
I'm 99% sure that the wifi was turned off on the ipad, and absolutely positive it was off on the kindle. I never leave the wifi switched on unless I am on the net, I always switch it off in Settings (it drains your battery if you,leave it on). Ditto the kindle. On the ipad you just swipe up to bring up the settings to switch it on or off, it's one of those automatic things like locking the door when you go out. Although how many of us have had that sinking feeling when you can't remember shutting or locking the door  :005:

The kindle is old, it was the first version out, so,doesn't have 3G. You have to go to the menu to switch wifi on or off.  OK it's possible I had left the ipad on, but definitely not the kindle. Very puzzled.

Lesley
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Offline Londongirl

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2017, 06:20:22 PM »
Wifi doesn't drain your battery. Apps drain your battery. Turn off 'background refresh' in settings if you want to save battery and do a double tap to see what apps are open. Close ones that you don't often use by swiping up. Exiting an app by pressing the home button doesn't close the app, it just switches the screen to the home page. All apps keep running unless you actively close them. Even turning your device off and on again doesn't close all apps as some automatically reopen. Turning off your wifi makes no difference to your battery at all. I have an iPad running that I haven't used for ten days. Still on wifi, email etc running as normal. Battery still over 50%.

Now, it is not possible to turn on your wifi remotely. Just not possible. Just think about it. With no wifi on, there is no way for Amazon or anyone to communicate with the device. Even Apple can't do it. If your device is lost and not connected to the internet in any way, all the features of Find My Phone (or Find My iPad) are unavailable. You can remotely lock it, but the lock only takes effect if the person who has the device connects it to the internet. If Apple can't do it, I'm pretty sure Amazon aren't routinely doing it just to send downloads.

As for your Kindle - my first gen keyboard Kindle had 3G, so you never know. It's not obvious in the settings.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline Finvarra

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2017, 09:38:01 AM »
Hear what you are saying, Londongirl. I thought it was impossible too, but when you hear what hackers get up to it makes you wonder  ph34r.   :lol:

Next time I buy a kindle book via the ipad I will tell it to download without switching on the kindle and see what happens. Watch this space!

Lesley and Dylan
Remembering All the dogs of my life, especially Milo

Offline PennyB

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2017, 01:47:14 PM »
I switch my wifi off at the wall so there's no chance of anything like that happening here but something could download I guess once I wake my system up and switch the wifi back on.
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Offline MIN

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Re: Companies 'waking up' your devices
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2017, 06:01:22 PM »
we have noticed that even though we switch off the  wifi on our Samsung Tab e before shutting down   it is on when we switch the tab on  :dunno:
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