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Freeing My Phone from Google

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Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#81

Post by amelius »

commoner wrote: post #15
cameronbrown wrote: post #3

There's two Google apps I just can't live without: YouTube and Google Maps. There's simply no alternative to the amount of value these bring me. OSM is getting good but it's just not there yet. I'm working on this in my area. I'd suggest to anyone worried about Google tracking to use Privacy Guard built into LineageOS, which aims to make each and every request for sensitive permissions explicit. A big benefit of free…

Google Maps is fully compatible with MicroG, a free and open source replacement for the Google Play Services client. MicroG includes UnifiedNlp, which was discussed in the blog post. https://microg.org/ https://lineage.microg.org/ At the moment, I recommend the previous version of MicroG (0.2.6.13280) since the latest version (0.2.7.17455) may have compatibility issues. If you're using LineageOS for MicroG, builds on…

> Google Maps is fully compatible with MicroG

You mean it is still fully compatible with MicroG. Guess what will happen when the OS becomes popular.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#82

Post by 3xblah »

commoner wrote: post #15
cameronbrown wrote: post #3

There's two Google apps I just can't live without: YouTube and Google Maps. There's simply no alternative to the amount of value these bring me. OSM is getting good but it's just not there yet. I'm working on this in my area. I'd suggest to anyone worried about Google tracking to use Privacy Guard built into LineageOS, which aims to make each and every request for sensitive permissions explicit. A big benefit of free…

Google Maps is fully compatible with MicroG, a free and open source replacement for the Google Play Services client. MicroG includes UnifiedNlp, which was discussed in the blog post. https://microg.org/ https://lineage.microg.org/ At the moment, I recommend the previous version of MicroG (0.2.6.13280) since the latest version (0.2.7.17455) may have compatibility issues. If you're using LineageOS for MicroG, builds on…

With the phones I have tested, Google Maps does not require a working Google Play Store. It makes sense that replacing Play Store would have no effect.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#83

Post by izacus »

bennofs wrote: post #64
izacus wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be fine if they'd be clean reimplementations of an API using their own backends. But advertising services which abuse SaaS infrastructure of a company is just not ok, especially in an article that's all about not using anything from Google. I'd feel similarly about having someone advertise a way to crack Slack enterprise features instead of using something like Matternmost.

But using FCM is enforced by apps. If they would roll their own, no app would work.

Not on LineageOS or any other ROM you have MicroG installed on.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#84

Post by kbit »

mda wrote: post #79

I don't really understand how using tons of different services with probably much worse privacy and security teams and policies just for the sake of not using Google is improvement. It is actually much worse.

Are you referring to a specific recommendation? I'll gladly change or remove it if I included something with worse privacy or security unknowingly.

Overall though, Linus' law ("given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow") is a huge factor when it comes to privacy and security in my opinion. If an open source app is bad in one of those aspects, it will be noticed and fixed (or forked). Additionally, community driven projects like OSM simply don't have any reason or motivation to spy. They're a collaborative effort owned and developed by their users, not a company driven by capital and short-term profit.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#85

Post by izacus »

kbit wrote: post #63
clircle wrote: post #2

Do you really need to install UnifiedNLP to use location services? Doesn't the GPS radio work without google play services?

I was surprised as well, I do believe that default GPS should work regardless. However, I tried 3 different spots and could not get a single location after minutes of trying. I'm not an Android developer, but could it be that applications are just expecting that API? It would make sense for Google to want to route location requests through what's usually their service...

There are two sets of APIs - one provided by Android AOSP where you choose whether you use GPS, network location or other provider and handle it manually.

And then there's a more powerful version provided by Google Services, which automatically fuses all providers and talks to Google servers. Most apps these days opt for the Fused provider, since it's easier to use and automatically handles getting a reliable location in pretty much any environment. It's not available on "Google-free" phones though, since it depends on Google's infrastructure.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#86

Post by olah_1 »

VvR-Ox wrote: post #65
commoner wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps is fully compatible with MicroG, a free and open source replacement for the Google Play Services client. MicroG includes UnifiedNlp, which was discussed in the blog post. https://microg.org/ https://lineage.microg.org/ At the moment, I recommend the previous version of MicroG (0.2.6.13280) since the latest version (0.2.7.17455) may have compatibility issues. If you're using LineageOS for MicroG, builds on…

NewPipe is one of "THE APPS" that make me regret a bit that I had to move to iOS again. The possibility to just download and listen offline and also to create playlists without an account are awesome.

Just sharing Invidious (website version of NewPipe). It's amazing.

https://invidio.us/

https://github.com/omarroth/invidious

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#87

Post by izacus »

clircle wrote: post #2

Do you really need to install UnifiedNLP to use location services? Doesn't the GPS radio work without google play services?

> Doesn't the GPS radio work without google play services?

It does, but you'll have very poor reception unless you have a nice line of sight to the sky - large cities and forests are typically the most problematic.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#88

Post by maitredusoi »

Wouldn't it be simpler to just use one of this 9 alternatives ???

https://itsfoss.com/open-source-alternatives-android/

By the way PureOS seems a good shot.

I just can't understand people claming to run free of Google and stay on Android !!! ;) ;) ;) ;)

Good luck with your fight againsn't the Google devil. Me ? I am staying on Apple devil device, but I just take responsibility for that choice.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#89

Post by opinologo »

cameronbrown wrote: post #3

There's two Google apps I just can't live without: YouTube and Google Maps. There's simply no alternative to the amount of value these bring me. OSM is getting good but it's just not there yet. I'm working on this in my area. I'd suggest to anyone worried about Google tracking to use Privacy Guard built into LineageOS, which aims to make each and every request for sensitive permissions explicit. A big benefit of free…

After installing Netguard, I was dissapointing to see how OSM sends information from its app to Facebook.. So much for privacy I guess..

Just for clarification, I don't have Facebook installed in my phone, neither have a Facebook account.

Re: Freeing My Phone from Google

#90

Post by cmroanirgo »

meruru wrote: post #42
beatgammit wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My problem with Riot specifically and Matrix generally is that the adoption process isn't very gentle. Yes they have bridges, but my experience has been that they're way more pain than they're worth, especially if you're the odd one out. The thing I like about Signal is that I can use it for regular texts as well as encrypted communications. Instead of converting all of my friends at once (or even just a significant…

>The thing I like about Signal is that I can use it for regular texts as well as encrypted communications. Can you expand on that? I'm afraid I don't quite understand the advantage here. Also, have you tried Silence for sending encrypted SMS?

I presume they meant that the app sends a normal unencrypted message to clients without Signal. (The user is clearly informed when this will happen). This means you can use Signal as your default SMS app and as your friends start adopting Signal, you'll automatically start sending encrypted messages. It's how I'm using it and appreciate it.
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