Hey all. Lately I've been on a mission to "cut the Google" cord and have now worked my way down to my Nexus 4. I was wondering if anyone else in the Nexus 4 community runs a Google free device.. Maybe we can share our setups and suggestions.. Android for me isn't what it was when I first got involved.. More and more Google seems to want to dig deeper and deeper into tying everything on a phone into their servers.. I'm sorta over it and Google itself at this point with their hamfisting of their apps and services .. I love the OS, not the company.. Hence.. AOSP without Gapps..
My Google free setup right now is the following
ROM: Raskat (without any Gapps or Google Play Services obviously)
I use the following as my software sources.. Main one being 1Mobile Market which is one of the largest (and legal) Play Store alternatives.. Even has Chrome, Maps, Play Services etc if you actually want Google apps. (which would defeat the purpose but they are there)
Amazon App Store
F-Droid
1Mobile Market
Slide Me
Mail: I haven't ditched gmail yet as I have 3 gmail accounts and it's going to be the largest move away from Google and saving it for last. I connect with the AOSP email IMAP client for now though.
Browser: Cleared all my saved bookmarks and passwords off Googles Dashboard and manually create a list of bookmarks saved locally only in AOSP browser. Passwords all saved locally in KeePass
Contacts: I exported my contact list from the Google servers as a Vcard (then deleted them all from Google) and imported it to my contacts app. I keep a backup on a cloud service and locally if I update them.
Maps: I use MapQuest as it doesn't rely on the Google Maps API.
Calendar: is my only missing link right now as most all calender apps I found rely on Google Calenders framework to sync etc.
So far I'm enjoying it. I lost a lot of payware from the Play Store I've bought over the years but I'm learning to live without it. I'm thoroughly enjoying knowing my device is truly Google free at this point.
styckx said:
Hey all. Lately I've been on a mission to "cut the Google" cord and have now worked my way down to my Nexus 4. I was wondering if anyone else in the Nexus 4 community runs a Google free device.. Maybe we can share our setups and suggestions.. Android for me isn't what it was when I first got involved.. More and more Google seems to want to dig deeper and deeper into tying everything on a phone into their servers.. I'm sorta over it and Google itself at this point. I love the OS, not the company..
My Google free setup right now is the following
Raskat (without any Gapps obviously)
I use the following as my software sources.. Main one being 1Mobile Market which is one of the largest (and legal) Play Store alternatives.. Even has Chrome, Maps, Play Services etc if you actually want Google apps. (which would defeat the purpose but they are there)
Amazon App Store
F-Droid
1Mobile Market
Slide Me
Mail: I haven't ditched gmail yet as I have 3 gmail accounts and it's going to be the largest move away from Google and saving it for last. I connect with the AOSP email IMAP client for now though.
Browser: Cleared all my saved bookmarks and passwords off Googles Dashboard and manually create a list of bookmarks saved locally only in AOSP browser. No more syncing.. Passwords all saved locally in KeePass
Contacts: I exported my contact list from the Google servers as a Vcard (then deleted them all from Google) and imported it to my contacts app. I keep a backup on a cloud service and locally if I update them.
Maps: I use MapQuest as it doesn't rely on the Google Maps API.
Calendar: is my only missing link right now as most all calender apps I found rely on Google Calenders framework to sync etc.
So far I'm enjoying it. I lost a lot of payware from the Play Store I've bought over the years but I'm learning to live without it. I'm thoroughly enjoying knowing my device is truly Google free at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I, too, have cut off most of my links to Google. I would like to know if there are any more alternatives out there....
Scheherez said:
I, too, have cut off most of my links to Google. I would like to know if there are any more alternatives out there....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice to see I'm not the only one here so far.. There are a lot of options out there and 100% completely possible to run a 100% completely Google free device.. AOSP is beautiful without Googles apps and Play Services hamfisted into it data mining god knows what. I also don't miss the Play Store and everything and anything having a price tag attached to it regardless of quality.
It's nice looking into the accounts section and not seeing Google or them even being an option.
Another great Maps alternative is OsmAnd Maps and Navigation
Is there also an increased battery life using your phone this way without all the processes running in the background?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Probably but I haven't really focused on that so I can't give any sound feedback. Running your device this way is more of a personal choice to get rid of "big brother Google". I liken it to dumping Ubuntu for pure Debian instead.
Sent from my Nexus 10
I have thought about doing this many times but for me it is all about the ease of the items I use from Google that make my life easier. Also, the play store has me hooked in because I have spent quite a bit on there.
Yeah I'm in the process of doing the same thing. I'll be honest Google wanting to access more and more of my data has gotten to me a little. It's okay for them to manage my mail (I've come too far), but when I get notifications about flight itineraries it goes from being convenient to conveniently creepy. To be frank, I have no doubt that Google is as responsible as any other company is with my information. And given their user base, the occasional slip up is to be expected. But the bottom line is I don't really enjoy a multinational corporation having that much access to my personal data. And no, they're not harvesting all my information and selling it to other companies to spy on me, like some think.
I just feel like they ought to be reined in a bit. And F Google+ and uploading my photos without me having ever asked. Do you, Google. Just do it without me.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
1Mobile Market? Don't they take your information too?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Nope.. I never created an account. it is optional or sign in with your Google account. Nothing to buy there really anyway. Has everything I need that is normally carried on the Play Store. Just the freeware versions.
Sent from my Nexus 10
You mentioned you use the aosp browser. Just so you know, that is a google app, and if you allow it, it will sync to your google account.....just sayin' I personally think firefox would be the first choice if you don't want anything google. It allows firefox account syncing, plugins, etc. And the plugings aren't cheesy like dolphin's. They have real ones like ab+, and all.
AOSP Browser without Google Services Framework will not sync to anything, it can't. It's Impossible. It is a plain as day web browser with local bookmarks being the only thing available. If I go to add an account in settings there isn't an option for Google because nothing Google related is on my build. It's AOSP as AOSP gets.
Sent from my Nexus 10
styckx said:
AOSP Browser without Google Services Framework will not sync to anything, it can't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right....no gapps package. I forgot
hp420 said:
Right....no gapps package. I forgot
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Click to collapse
No problems. This has been fun and not something most actually do so.. It's out of the typical routine of things. :laugh:
Sounds interesting to try cuz I don't understand why android system is always searching for location in app ops although I have all location off
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Do not forget the article on the XDA main page:
Remove the Google from CyanogenMod with Freecygn
I would mostly/only miss Google Maps.
user822 said:
Do not forget the article on the XDA main page:
Remove the Google from CyanogenMod with Freecygn
I would mostly/only miss Google Maps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but. No way..
I refuse to touch Cyanogenmod with someone elses devices let alone my own devices. Cyanogenmod has been dead to me for years.
styckx said:
Thanks but. No way..
I refuse to touch Cyanogenmod with someone elses devices let alone my own devices. Cyanogenmod has been dead to me for years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mind elaborating as to why? Purely curious lol. I personally only do AOSP builds, myself, but I'm interested in why you are so anti-CM? I assume nowadays it has to do with Cyanogenmod, Inc.?
EnMod said:
Mind elaborating as to why? Purely curious lol. I personally only do AOSP builds, myself, but I'm interested in why you are so anti-CM? I assume nowadays it has to do with Cyanogenmod, Inc.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you asked and I'll keep it short.
What Cyanogen Inc is now isn't a surprise to many.. Most purist (read: Fans of AOSP) Android users after CM7 saw the direction CM was heading and abandoned ship at ICS/CM9. I've said many times.. Cyanogenmod 7 was the last good Cyanogenmod. Instead of just making a cool AOSP based ROM with features they started trying to make Cyanogenmod a "thing". It all started with that terrible File Manager they shoehorned in and snowballed from there. It's laughable at best to pitch Cyanogenmod on the "AOSP Derived" line that so many still use.. At this point it's like saying the Ford Fusion is derived from the Model T (ok, that's an extreme example but you get my point). Add in everything they did when the Cyanogen Inc company was formed.
Nope..
Wow.
I could never imagine doing this.. I use Google for contact and calendar sync and email, bookmarks etc... even on my Lumia 520.
MameTozhio said:
Wow.
I could never imagine doing this.. I use Google for contact and calendar sync and email, bookmarks etc... even on my Lumia 520.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah.. It's a personal thing. It hit me just how much data Google hoards when I randomly looked at my Google Dashboard one day and saw the Chrome Sync stats. Seeing in pictures just the sheer amount of data they have on me was a "moment". Then I started just piecing everything together about how many sectors of technology they've got their hands in all based around "providing services" over the internet. I just decided that was the end for me. I deleted all my dashboard data, went back to Firefox, deleted my Google+ accounts. I'm just going back to the old school days.. Limiting what is given to companies and lowering my online profile. For now keeping Google just for email and nothing more. It's just not per-say Google.. It's just the current trend of everything "needing" to be online and "synced" in some cloud. I don't need my entire livelihood and trends online.. No one should.. But... That's just my opinion. I can't stay away from everything (I mean I have a Facebook account) but I can do a lot to minimize what is given.
Hi guys. I'm new to all this WP stuff and I've searched high and low for a (native?) google+ app that's capable of providing location sharing (to circles) and (less of a priority) hangouts. I've read somewhere that Google gave access to its API so that there's a chance of google apps emerging on WP. Is there any such thing?
Thanks in advance
sinbrkatetete said:
Hi guys. I'm new to all this WP stuff and I've searched high and low for a (native?) google+ app that's capable of providing location sharing (to circles) and (less of a priority) hangouts. I've read somewhere that Google gave access to its API so that there's a chance of google apps emerging on WP. Is there any such thing?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not really into google ecosystem so maybe i'm wrong but i doubt such apps exist on WP store as google historically is trying to hunt down all that is WP related, closing API's and not allowing google services on this OS.
Okay, I know this is going to sound stupid, but bear with me. I love my p20 Pro, I recently bought it and haven't had any issues with it. However, I don't like having Google apps or services on it. I don't want to put a custom rom on the phone (unless it's a modified version of emui 10 with Google apps and services removed) but I just don't want any Google related stuff on it. I haven't signed in with any of the Google apps, I've disabled most of the main ones like YouTube, chrome, etc and uninstalled docs, slides and those apps because they're able to be uninstalled. I know it may seem stupid to remove the Google apps and services, but I've done it on older phones with custom roms and have come to feel more comfortable with them gone. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on how I can do this, please let me know thanks in advance!
Maybe uninstall them via ADB
Tutorial here
List of bloatwares
Hi, as confirmed : https://www.huaweicentral.com/harmonyos-eligible-devices/amp/
Will a user be able to opt out from installing the Harmony OS Update?
It appearently won't be running android and many of my favorite apps are Android such as my Google apps.
Your feedback is appreciated,
Thanks
might be able to block system updates from development options. at this point i will take the update if by some weird chance i get it before i can buy a p50 pro, sadly i dont trust google anymore than i do the CCP
Harmony OS IS in fact Android as much as I know, but there is no google apps and no Play store.
As far as I read, normally Android apps should work if installed as apk.
Harmony OS could have an advantage in fact: It will be OpenSource!
So it is not much different from any custom rom as far as I see it. The only thing will be that there are no google apps and some apps which need google services won#t work as banking apps etc.
Maybe there will be a workaround or Huawei will get together with the most needed apps and will support them in their own App store.
hello with the new way of these phones andriod and others plus spyware .im wondering how do i know what apps samsung etc are spying on my phone maybe uploading my numbers and other infor without me knowing any of you guys got any idea whats the best way to stop it. tbh i hate even google assist even turning on by itself even when i diable it
Hello, first of all, please write in easily readable sentences, that way more people are going to help you.
Second, it is important to be and stay suspicious of the software you use, especially with android. But you shouldn't be worried too much as most of the data that is sent from your phone isn't sent with "evil intentions" or anything like that, it is often rather aggressive diagnostics.
Warning! The following paragraphs are filled with very radical means of removing suspected spyware! Almost all of these require root and knowledge in modding your Android! Beware!
As to how you can spot "spyware" or suspected spyware, there isn't one easy way.
First of all, you could use a custom ROM, so that your system is more open source and there isn't any suspected spyware (or any "ware" at all) from Samsung.
To go one step further, you could try to live without Google services:
Use a different search engine, for example DuckDuckGo or any other really
Use Firefox or any non-Chromium browser
Instead of using opengapps to install Google Play Services (when you install a custom ROM) you could use the replacement project "microG" (microg.org).
Get as many apps as you can from Open source app stores (F-Droid)
Don't use the official Play Store unless you really have to - it is a power hungry data collecting app (that can theoretically install any app without asking, just like the Google Play Services or any other /system/priv-app app with proper permissions) - Alternative for installing Play Store apps: Aurora Store
Replace Google Maps with OpenStreetMap (OSMand)
Use a anonymous YouTube client, for example NewPipe
etc.
These are of course only suggestions, I don't recommend doing them all at once, but if you really don't want any unnecessary data sent from your phone, these are the first steps.
For actually seeing which apps send what data you could either analyze the app bytecode with App Warden or look at all detailed permissions with AppOpsX.
Methods to neutralize spyware are rejecting the permission for the app to use internet access or even run in the background, disabling the suspected app or removing it with system app removers.
Be very careful with actually disabling or removing system apps! Many system apps are needed for the system to work and one can easily misjudge an app by its description and diagnostics! Before disabling an app you should research whether anyone else knows anything about the app and only remove it if you are really sure about it. You have been warned.