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CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

calyxos.org

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Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#211

Post by yusi-san »

new_stranger wrote: post #198

I purchased a Pixel phone to test this stuff on. I installed LineageOS and found I couldn't run some google apps. I reinstalled LineageOS with https://opengapps.org added during the install and made the mistake of transferring from my old phone which brought all the google services and everything back to the phone (mostly). I then installed CalyxOS - much easier install process than lineage. Really liked the defaults…

You can try lineage with MicroG[0][1], it replaces Google services. If you want stores there is the F-Droid store for FOSS app or Aurora Store if you want casual apps.

YouTube can be replaced by NewPipe and these days I'm trying Organic Maps (a layer for OSM with nav and offline maps) to replace Google Maps.

[0] : https://microg.org/ [1] : https://lineage.microg.org/

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#212

Post by cdesai »

joecool1029 wrote: post #205

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this met…

I've said this in another comment, but I'll duplicate here:

The microG creator goes into more detail about signature spoofing at https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/issues/1467#issuecomment-8... The concerns usually raised against that are due to the "default" patch included in their repository, which has a specific purpose.

We don't use that, https://calyxos.org/about/tech/microg/ are the precautions we take to try and prevent "weakening overall package security"

In addition, microG is optional and can be disabled on first install, see https://calyxos.org/features/microg/#1-microg-disabled

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#213

Post by collsni »

josh_today wrote: post #207
joecool1029 wrote: post #205

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this met…

Funny that you’re using “tin foil hat crew” the day after Apple announced snooping on everyone’s pictures

Yeah more like a "baseball cap crew" these days.. lol i dont trust corporations.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#214

Post by alfiedotwtf »

cdesai wrote: post #117
flas9sd wrote: post #50

Calyx made an effort to sponsor and integrate the backup tool Seedvault ( https://calyxinstitute.org/projects/seedvault-encrypted-back... ) into their ROM - and other AOSP distributions benefit from this effort. Handhelds are tethered devices, its essential to have contacts and precious photos stored at a second place (online or offline) and easily restored or used when changing devices. A user friendly full backup s…

Thank you for bringing this up. We're continuing to fund work on it, both ourselves and also through applying for external funding. Full Storage backup support (Files / Photos) was recently added thanks to a grant from NLnet - https://nlnet.nl/project/Seedvault/index.html https://github.com/seedvault-app/seedvault Contributions welcome!

Does Seed Vault backup the whole device? Last time I used it, I found out that apps can opt-out of being backed up, along with their settings. In other words, every app i installed didnt get backed up :(

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#215

Post by alfiedotwtf »

spinax wrote: post #41
m12k wrote: post #24

As someone who knows quite little about Android (currently in the Apple ecosystem, but considering jumping ship): When you use these privacy-focused Android versions without Google Play, is there a consistent way to get apps from the Play store to run on there? (e.g. download the APK from somewhere and sideload it). I'd really like an OS that doesn't spy on me, but there's e.g. some goverment ID apps, transit apps an…

One of the most popular ways is to use the F-Droid repositories, which if you know a little Linux concepts it's like plugging in another software repository to the same package manager. (see f-droid.org) It can be confusing though because F-Droid is both an app, and the name of the primary software repo which is pure FOSS software (no ads, no trackers). The F-Droid app supports adding more repositories (think like ap…

Just note that there's a tonne of apps on F-Droid that haven't had updates in years

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#216

Post by commoner »

dyndos wrote: post #149
kelnos wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the trade off that I hate having to make, and I'm glad to see something like Calyx here. I want a phone that respects my privacy and is secure, but I also want to use apps like Google Photos (my favorite app that I use more than anything, aside from Firefox), Lyft, Netflix, Slack, banking apps, airline apps, and, critically, Google Pay. I get that using many of those apps might increase my exposure to trackin…

Note that the GrapheneOS developer has indicated they are working on getting the Google Play Services apps to run sandboxed like normal apps, without extensive system permissions. This could be quite promising.

This is very interesting. Do you have a link to the post or discussion?

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#217

Post by phendrenad2 »

joecool1029 wrote: post #205

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this met…

If signature spoofing is confined to apps that I designate as spoofed (such as microg), then I'm okay with it. No security problem as far as I'm concerned.

I'd like to see people make their own apps that don't rely on Google services (or faked Google services) of course, like the Linux ecosystem.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#219

Post by b112 »

fitblipper wrote: post #28

The thing which always makes me hesitant about these projects is that they don't receive frequent security audits and not having an expensive brand behind them makes them more at risk to being willing to trash their name at the cost of my privacy and security. I consider these to be a fairly critical part of any project which claims superior privacy and security. I think about it this way: Should I trust A. The compa…

To be fair, Samsung is a bloated hell of their own spyware, with endless phone homes for the keyboard, and all their apps.

Google endlessly spies on everyone.

I really don't think anyone could be worse, than a big corp.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#220

Post by abawany »

mark_l_watson wrote: post #218

It is asking a lot, but this would be nice: if the developer organizations behind CalyxOS and GrapheneOS could sell new phones with software installed, sort of like System 76 for Linux laptops.

I believe CalyxOS sells a Pixel 4a preloaded with membership (https://calyxinstitute.org/membership/calyxos).
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