LauncherPro can read Gmail and SMS. Is this safe?

[RW-1]

Ok, without it getting out of hand, the OP made a reasonable assumption that everyone should be doing when installing an app.

You can be as paranoid as you desire, however after the likely description of the function is given, and most likely on target, anything else it could be used for is up to anyones imagination/ devs execution.

It then becomes a matter what Skull one outlined. If you still have worries, then don't run that app.

Most dev's in the vein of launcherpro and ADW are not going to be doing anything devious, with the huge following these two apps have, anything happening out of the ordinary would be found out very quickly.

That's my .02 ...

 

[Skull One]

Well it did sound snarky, I absolutely hate snarky comments...

Although the disclaimer says it can read e-mail I don't think it actually reads the data, just whether or not there is new mail. Ask the dev himself and if you still don't trust him perhaps you should learn how to code/understand Java and look at the code yourself. Better yet make your own apps just to be extra sure.:blink:

Your answer is snarkier than anything the original OP has typed so far. And with that out of the way.

You are making a "hopeful" "best situation" "assumption". And if I was a dev and you asked me "Are you stealing my data", do you really think I am going to say "Why yes I am!" when I am actually trying to steal your data?

The OP is very correct to be concerned. The very fact that you are not is why one day your data will be in someone else's hands.

 

[Detonation]

Although the disclaimer says it can read e-mail I don't think it actually reads the data, just whether or not there is new mail. Ask the dev himself and if you still don't trust him perhaps you should learn how to code/understand Java and look at the code yourself. Better yet make your own apps just to be extra sure.:blink:

What's up with the attitude? The OP asked a legit question regarding privacy and both your responses have been rude and unhelpful. None of the OPs comments were criticizing of Launcher Pro or the Dev, he just raised a concern that the program has access to your private information.

While its more than likely the dev has no malicious intentions, it doesn't mean someone else out there doesn't. As the OP said, one small bug in the program and someone else could exploit it and now have access to that same data...and they won't just use it to read a count.

Back on topic though, this is the kind of risk you have to be willing to take if you want to use third party apps. Fortunately, as RW-1 mentioned, most of the popular apps out there have a big enough user base that anything devious would have likely been caught had it existed.

 

[Larry Mahnken]

Is it safe?