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I am not really comfortable with the idea of sharing data with Google, so I wonder how it could be possible to run Android without the Google apps.
Using CM7 as the base for my devices (SE X10 mini pro & ZTE Blade) is already a good starting point, by not installing the GAPPS package.
But then what?
How to get apps from the market without GAPPS?
Which (offline) navigation software instead of Google Maps?
Which calendar app instead of Google Calendar?
Any other Google service replacement?
Any suggestions are highly appreciated.
You could probably use amazon appstore instead of market. The real market requires google's framework. As far as the calender i'm not sure look around on the amazon market for one.
Personally i would just use gapps what could you possibly be doing where the info google collects could hurt you ? They don't collect personal data like sms or phone calls. So unless you download child porn its prob ok to use google's apps.
I am not thinking about anything illegal, but you can be identified by your (required) Google account, and once you enable data synchronization / localization service, or the background data submission required for using the Market, you are already deeply caught in the Google network.
I don't know about the Amazon Appstore. Does it feature the same apps as the Google Market? I guess not, and when I try to access it, it tells "The Amazon Appstore is only available to customers located in the United States.", so I don't think this is a suitable alternative anyway.
So the only real downside of not using GAPPS is access to the market. A possible workaround could be to use the Android emulator of the Android SDK to download apps, then package them up to APKs and copy them over to your mobile.
I am sure there are a lot of others which are not comfortable with Google as well, but do not want to surrender their Android phones.
If you just want the apps you can install them from your pc to your phone on the market website. If you don't have a Google account or want one at all maybe use 4shared to download them. You can also usually download them from the developers website.
Sent from ???
I am still testing the use of Android without GAPPS, but there are some issues I have no idea how to overcome:
There seems to be no suitable Calendar App that does not rely on the Google Calendar / synchronization with Google. My preferred app would have been aCalendar, which works kind of, but no appointment can be saved because it tells "You have no calendar". Any suggestions? How is the calendar issue solved on Android-without-GAPPS devices like the Kindle Fire?
Some apps simply can not be installed without the Google framework present. For example when trying to install the Adaffix and QR Droid apk's manually, it simply tells "Application not installed" without any error message pointing out the problem. Any idea about that?
These two issues are the main problems with having no GAPPS on the phone, and as much as I would have liked to run my Android phones without GAPPS, it seems there is no way around it, if one does not want to have it overly complicated.
I have been using android for a few weeks now with no google account. Installing a firewall and lbe privacy seems to work fine. Just dont allow any google services access to the net. Works fine for me
I don't understand why you would by a Google OS but not want google apps.
UPDATE: Android without GAPPS is a go now!
Android is NOT really a GoogleOS, it's a Linux distribution with proprietary Google apps added. You can successfully run Android without Google, which is what Amazon already proofed with the Kindle Fire on a large scale.
I am not talking about running Android without Google account, but Android without GAPPS installed, and I am happy to confirm, that it is indeed possible without too much hassle, since I overcame my initially major issues:
The calendar issue could be solved by installing Jorte, which uses its own database.
I simply omit apps which rely on the Google Framework, so I replaced QR Droid with Barcode Scanner, and just deleted Adaffix, for which there is no replacement (not that much of a loss, especially since I was not really sure about their privacy policy; would you willingly submit the phone numbers of all your callers to a private company?).
I am going to use MapQuest instead of Google Maps, a free app based on https://www.openstreetmap.org
I already installed all my apps, which I previously downloaded from the Market, on that Google-free phone, in addition to AdFree, to get rid of the advertisement in the typical free apps, as well as AmazonAppstore (just in case). Now for my kind of use I don't miss any Google services at all.
The next logical step is to install the Android SDK on a computer, run Android 2.3 including GAPPS for Market access in the Android emulator, and just download all the desired software and software-updates there, to be exported (using ASTRO) to the Google-free phone.
Some may argue that it may not be worth the hassle, but I am still in the opinion, that it's best not to share ANY data with Google ever.
BTW Don't use Google at all, not even for simple searches -> have a look at https://duckduckgo.com (they even have an Andoid app)!
Where to start?
Android is not a Linux distribution, it only uses a Linux kernel, these two mean vastly different things and should not be confused.
What exactly do you want to hide from Google?
Your email? It goes through dozens of servers without encryption. The only people not reading it are the ones who don't want to.
Your location? Your cell phone provider has it. And so does your government)
Your searches? Okay you're right on this one I use duckduckgo on my pc.
The point is that most of your data is tracked by hundreds of companies. They use your os and flash version, your cookies, user agent, screen resolution. You can run but you can't hide.
You're not on Facebook, are you?
---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 PM ----------
smokin1337 said:
You could probably use amazon appstore instead of market. The real market requires google's framework. As far as the calender i'm not sure look around on the amazon market for one.
Personally i would just use gapps what could you possibly be doing where the info google collects could hurt you ? They don't collect personal data like sms or phone calls. So unless you download child porn its prob ok to use google's apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never make the assumption that if you're not going anything illegal than you shouldn't worry about tracking. Never never never. Okay? If you do you don't deserve privacy. Read "little brother" by Cory Doctorow.
For the calendar and the contacts i use to synchronise every day my Desire S with an old version of Lotus Notes (7.xx) on my Job computer. I use MyphoneExplorer with a USB connexion. It works very well without microsoft exchange or any connexion with google agenda.
Wikipedia said:
Android is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my point of view I consider everything based on the Linux kernel a Linux distribution. Android = Linux kernel plus a bunch of open source software, the proprietary Google code does not have to be considered to be part of the base system.
What I want to hide from Google? About everything. Isn't it the same with Facebook, where the user is not the customer, but the product?
Of course everybody leaves a large track in the net, but one can at least try to prevent data sharing as much as possible, and not using Google services and not providing them any additional info is part of it.
Of course that topic is mind splitting, but I know I am not alone on this, and as shown, it it indeed possible to successfully use an Android phone completely without Google, and I do not see any disadvantage in it.
Hope this helps:
http://www.androidauthority.com/how-to-download-any-apk-to-your-computer-62153/
(apk leecher)
There are many other reasons for wanting to avoid Google. For example, let's say you have your contacts synchronized. You're using gmail and calendar and you have a card linked to your Google Play account.
You go on holiday and you card gets cloned. The criminal uses your card to do something horrendous and you wind up in jail. Because you had all your eggs in one basket your account has been disabled and your defense has no access to your emails to plan your case and defend you in court. You're utterly screwed.
By using different companies and services you at least have more chance of keeping access to those services.
Google services are pretty monolithic. They're great, but there's advantage in using separate services if you can.
Here are some alternatives to the Google apps:
- Gmail = K9mail
- Play = app leacher, sdk virtual image method. fDroid
- Maps = MapQuest. Various SatNav apps. Waze
- GTalk = Skype or Fring (though both of those aren't greatly done). Various SIP/VoIP apps like cSipSimple
- contacts = t9dialer?
- Goggles = any barcode scanner will do for me
- any others?
I use f-droid.org .
It is strictly open-source. Has all the basic apps in there (Email, Firefox, tons of Timers, AlarmClocks, etc).
randomchars said:
You're not on Facebook, are you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course ! Why not ? Facebook leaves you the choice what to upload.
i agree with this thread, i dont mind sharing my information with companies, i do it all the time, but i dont like forced sharing with no opt out, this is essential stealing. eg ics and motoblur contacts
i guess you could say the opt out is to not install, which is what the thread is talking about
i think we are lucky to have android available without the gapps bloat such as with cyanogen mod
zzerozzero1 said:
I use f-droid.org .
It is strictly open-source. Has all the basic apps in there (Email, Firefox, tons of Timers, AlarmClocks, etc).
Of course ! Why not ? Facebook leaves you the choice what to upload.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
// Puts on tinfoil hat.
Sure kid. Whatever helps you sleep at night.
haydent said:
i agree with this thread, i dont mind sharing my information with companies, i do it all the time, but i dont like forced sharing with no opt out, this is essential stealing. eg ics and motoblur contacts
i guess you could say the opt out is to not install, which is what the thread is talking about
i think we are lucky to have android available without the gapps bloat such as with cyanogen mod
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
here's my fix http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1808037
zzerozzero1 said:
I use f-droid.org .
It is strictly open-source. Has all the basic apps in there (Email, Firefox, tons of Timers, AlarmClocks, etc).
Of course ! Why not ? Facebook leaves you the choice what to upload.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually facebook track you a lot. Use your browser to visit youtube and you'll see a share button for it just as many sites have now.
Facebook know a lot about where its members visit
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk 2
randomchars said:
// Puts on tinfoil hat.
Sure kid. Whatever helps you sleep at night.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL ...
You obviously don't agree. Which is fine.
But plz don't troll
---------- Post added at 01:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:22 PM ----------
mistermentality said:
Actually facebook track you a lot. Use your browser to visit youtube and you'll see a share button for it just as many sites have now.
Facebook know a lot about where its members visit
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been using Ghostery and Adblock Plus for years. They should take care of that.
If your really worried about your privacy you should check out Orbot the Tor client for android (https://guardianproject.info/apps/orbot/)
I will revive this thread, because I also install CM10.1 and try to use withoug GAPPS.
My phone is already running much smoother than with stock rom (Galaxy S3 I9300).
No Samsung push service, Google push, Calender...
So I am already using f-droid and androidpit now. At the moment I am missing Skype and Facebook Messenger.
I know worrying about privacy + using facebook might sound strange. But most friends I can only contact by Facebook (or SMS, lol), so I have to use it.
David.
Anyone tried it ? What are the first impressions ?
http://developer.android.com/guide/google/gcm/index.html
pandata000 said:
Anyone tried it ? What are the first impressions ?
http://developer.android.com/guide/google/gcm/index.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why should anybody want this?
Well, it depends from the app, iOS has push notifications (which are almost the same), and this one will be good if you want to send messages to users app remotely - for example alerting them for event or something ....
pandata000 said:
Well, it depends from the app, iOS has push notifications (which are almost the same), and this one will be good if you want to send messages to users app remotely - for example alerting them for event or something ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But you could have done this without google... push notifications do not require a server by google (however you need one, but that shouldn't be the problem these days)
iOS and Windows Phone both have an OS dependant push notification service. That's simple because you have (or had) no internet connection from background apps on those OSs - so the only way to reach an app is via push using apple/microsoft servers - android does not have this restriction - so why give your/your user's data to google?
MaR-V-iN said:
....... the only way to reach an app is via push using apple/microsoft servers - android does not have this restriction - so why give your/your user's data to google?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To avoid having background tasks and permanent connections that would degrade the performance of the device.
However, I don't feel that sending a push message that just tells the user that there's new stuff in the app hurts or discloses any private info. Even, thanks to Android, you could use the push notification to "awake" the app, then the app connects silently to your own server to get the info it needs, without google knowing, and closing the connection right after.
mocelet2000 said:
To avoid having background tasks and permanent connections that would degrade the performance of the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not correct - you just give away the background task / permanent connection to another application, it's still needed. Moreover, with using this "service" you force your users to have gapps installed (and currently also JB, as gcm is currently only available in the newest Google APIs)
mocelet2000 said:
However, I don't feel that sending a push message that just tells the user that there's new stuff in the app hurts or discloses any private info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If its only a tickle to notify the app that there is sth to update its not a privacy problem. But gcm allows you to send 4k of payload - this could be a private or chat message. (google gives such an example: http://developer.android.com/guide/google/gcm/adv.html#payload )
mocelet2000 said:
Even, thanks to Android, you could use the push notification to "awake" the app,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, but the question is if I - as a user for now - want this. Should the app developer (and Google!) be able to start apps on my phone to do things?
mocelet2000 said:
without google knowing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not going to tell you that google will know about it - it's up to you to find this out.
I agree, being not universal is a problem. But I prefer just an open connection to a notification server than many connections and multiple background services that developers might have not optimized.
Regarding what Google knows or not, it actually has nothing to do with GCM
mocelet2000 said:
I agree, being not universal is a problem. But I prefer just an open connection to a notification server than many connections and multiple background services that developers might have not optimized.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GCM does not stop developers from doing **** with their background services.
You might be right, that one connection is better than many, however it is important to see, that most traffic on android devices today is with google servers - even if your mails are not there. All this traffic is not done with a single connection, but often many parallel connections. So google should optimize thier own things, else this is useless to me, as i do not need those google apps and i would have less connections with every other app using their own connection than with google apps installed.
Questions or Problems Should Not Be Posted in the Development Forum
Please Post in the Correct Forums & Read the Forum Rules
Thanks ✟
Moving to Q&A
MaR-V-iN said:
GCM does not stop developers from doing **** with their background services.
You might be right, that one connection is better than many, however it is important to see, that most traffic on android devices today is with google servers - even if your mails are not there. All this traffic is not done with a single connection, but often many parallel connections. So google should optimize thier own things, else this is useless to me, as i do not need those google apps and i would have less connections with every other app using their own connection than with google apps installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However GCM is just an additional option for developers, which itself is good. The C2DM was a poor try to make things done. I hope this time its better
pandata000 said:
However GCM is just an additional option for developers, which itself is good. The C2DM was a poor try to make things done. I hope this time its better
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GCM is just an additional option for developers who want to make their apps incompatible with AOSP. However as there still are developers out there that do not know what AOSP is, they do not know that using GCM makes them incompatible. So GCM is not good at all, because it may be used "accidentally" by those developers.
So GCM is even worse than the pendants for iOS or WP, because there the push service is available for everyone.
MaR-V-iN said:
GCM is just an additional option for developers who want to make their apps incompatible with AOSP. However as there still are developers out there that do not know what AOSP is, they do not know that using GCM makes them incompatible. So GCM is not good at all, because it may be used "accidentally" by those developers.
So GCM is even worse than the pendants for iOS or WP, because there the push service is available for everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree ! But without any other alternatives, it's still an option
pandata000 said:
Agree ! But without any other alternatives, it's still an option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is an alternative: write your own stuff. A push server is not that complicated. As you propably already got a server (because i dont think you want to send GCM pings from your home ) you got all you need, to not use GCM.
Hello
Google Cloud Messaging apparently not working on my device. Reported by a web service (not from Google but using GCM). Why?
My Google account fully configured and all used services assigned and working.
Where's the problem??
This is used by a few big developers. In their own apps. One of the biggest being AOKP with their AOKP push app.
Wayne Tech Nexus
In new Cyanogenmod Google CloudMessaging been used. CM 10 encodes SMS and these SMS been send per Google Cloud Messaging. CM is Open Source so you can get tipps from there
Hi. I want to use Google Maps in my app to show location of friends around. I m planning to sell the app on playstore, or may be I will add ads in it for earning. Does google allow to sell out an app in which Google Maps are used?? Do I need to purchase any kind of license? Or is it free and I can use maps for making my earning...
L(o.O)Z3R said:
Hi. I want to use Google Maps in my app to show location of friends around. I m planning to sell the app on playstore, or may be I will add ads in it for earning. Does google allow to sell out an app in which Google Maps are used?? Do I need to purchase any kind of license? Or is it free and I can use maps for making my earning...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure you can use them, for free!
You can start to see how it works here
I'm sorry, but why the funk should I use an app that FORCES me to login with stupid Facebook or Google +??
Funk ur application!
I've rooted my phone just to get rid of that brain washing Facebook!
This app is for sheep! Baaa..
Just login with your normal google account or simply stop trolling us.
Gesendet von meinem GT-I9505 mit Tapatalk
This app is simply letting you login because of their connection to their website. go back to 9gag or 4chan or whatever troll corner you come from, XDA is not the place for it.
Well, as per the OP's handle, I've said "Sayanora" to them as well. In fact, say "konnichiwa" to my ignore list! :highfive:
Aside trolling, I would like to use this launcher without an authentication or at least an anonymous mode or something... It looks like very nice launcher and more people would probably try it but don't want any personal info involved.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A
slimslim said:
Aside trolling, I would like to use this launcher without an authentication or at least an anonymous mode or something... It looks like very nice launcher and more people would probably try it but don't want any personal info involved.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The devs have stated, in other threads, that they do not store your personal data. They use either your Facebook or Google account to verify that you are who you say you are in order to have access to the servers to download the themes. It's to prevent people from having spamming their servers which they provide to us for the themes. This is much easier than having to register ANOTHER account and password. Rather, use the Google or Facebook account as a way to authenticate you to have access to their servers.
They do NOT store your personal information on their servers nor store it nor send/sell it out to other parties. It's authentication and that's it. Period. No malice is being done to you or your information.
Heck, just having a smartphone alone is putting more PI out there than this app would.
And all those permissions it needs access to? You do realize that the majority of the stock apps you have loaded already have access to one or more of those services? Since Themer acts as a one-stop-shop for all those different apps (notifications from text messages, email read count, weather (which needs GPS), etc), and gives you access to different widgets to provide that information, then yes, it does need access to a lot of the services within Android. But, no one complains that Gmail needs access to that and your contacts, or that the weather app needs access to GPS info, etc. But, when they see one app have all that permission, they freak without actually researching.
Paranoia sure does run rampant in these parts! :laugh:
SaySayonara said:
I'm sorry, but why the funk should I use an app that FORCES me to login with stupid Facebook or Google +??
Funk ur application!
I've rooted my phone just to get rid of that brain washing Facebook!
This app is for sheep! Baaa..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
As mentioned above, it's for security reasons on our side. We'll soon be implementing Facebook's 'anonymous login' feature.
I haven't used Themer for few months because of poor performance with my Optimus 2x(512 mb RAM), however this thing with Google account seems to be a much bigger problem than the slow performance. I simply do not want Google servers messing around my phone, I don't use sync or Play store. Is there a chance for Themer team to reconsider this decision?
Troll thread cleaned and now will close.
Many ways to be respectful...the opposite ways kind of jump out at us moderators.
hi guys,
i got my mx4 thursday and i ve been using it for few days, and there is some good things and bad things
because i had android for years, i am used to google services, and i have to admin i ve been surprised to not see any app for google services, i thought there were standard in mobile world
browsing mobile version looks so outdated in this world of apps. take a picture/ share/ gmail (oh not possible)
so in fact it s google mobile version, any reasons for that? i d like to know why it is this way, if real apps are in preparation (i can test if needed)
part of that, really like the interface, very nice, light and fresh, if you have tips for be able to use google services, to have photo sync on g+ and a real solution for have share services to drive, gmail, g+ would be great
any good calendar app to recommand ?
best regards
Info
nocomp said:
hi guys,
i got my mx4 thursday and i ve been using it for few days, and there is some good things and bad things
because i had android for years, i am used to google services, and i have to admin i ve been surprised to not see any app for google services, i thought there were standard in mobile world
browsing mobile version looks so outdated in this world of apps. take a picture/ share/ gmail (oh not possible)
so in fact it s google mobile version, any reasons for that? i d like to know why it is this way, if real apps are in preparation (i can test if needed)
part of that, really like the interface, very nice, light and fresh, if you have tips for be able to use google services, to have photo sync on g+ and a real solution for have share services to drive, gmail, g+ would be great
any good calendar app to recommand ?
best regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course you cannot compare Ubuntu with Android
Ubuntu is on early stage of development
and also Google Play Service is Only for Android Devices (However some android not supprt it like Amazon Phones)
If you want Stable Apps for your Ubuntu phone search and look for Developer name that include canonical or Ubuntu Core App
There is Calendar App By Ubuntu Core App Developers
:good:
yeah i fully understand that no prob but i ve seen image of ubuntu touch goin on for long time now, i thought these basics were more achieved.
no prob, i am patient, i am more interested in the terminal function anyway, i d like to get native classic linux app like nmap and other working
There is actually a Google calendar sync.
Sent from my awesome Ubuntu Touch device using the Forum Browser app