Private Apps

Started by james03, December 22, 2020, 01:48:50 PM

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james03

https://f-droid.org/en/

Allows you to install open-source apps on an android.  This allows you to get apps that don't spy on you.  For example, there is an app to use with fitness trackers.  Another one for smart scales.

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.health.openscale/

https://gadgetbridge.org/

I've never used any of this, but it looks promising.  If you use it and it doesn't trash your phone, report the results.
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diaduit


Lambda Phage

As I understand it everything on f-droid is vetted. You have a better chance of bricking your phone from something on the apple store than you do on f-droid.

Lucy_Helene

Quote from: Lambda Phage on February 11, 2021, 10:08:54 PM
As I understand it everything on f-droid is vetted. You have a better chance of bricking your phone from something on the apple store than you do on f-droid.

Actually, it's precisely Apple's high security standards that have contributed to their monopolistic practices...

Hat And Beard

Be careful with f-droid- in order to install anything in android you have to open up your device too much for my tastes. Also, there's no guarantee these apps are being updated by people that know what they're doing- a lot of these apps were written by hobbyists who aren't interested in maintaining them for the long run. Even apps that have a more active community behind them(firefox, nextcloud, vlc, etc.) aren't updated as timely as they are on google play/apple appstore.

I think if you're interested in avoiding surveillance from companies like google and facebook, ios is your best option. I use android with the full knowledge that google knows when I forget to brush my teeth before bed, but I can understand why someone would be apprehensive. Apple doesn't monetize your data and the new SE is relatively cheap and powerful- just be judicious in which apps you install on your phone.

Lambda Phage

If you don't think Apple is worse than Google you're doing it wrong.

You don't even own that iPhone that you're paying Apple to let you use.

Lucy_Helene

Quote from: Lambda Phage on February 13, 2021, 04:33:05 PM
If you don't think Apple is worse than Google you're doing it wrong.

I'm not denying that both are monopolies and bad in their own way. But at the very least, Apple's business model is primarily based on selling hardware, rather than selling data--though I don't deny that their data collection is also pretty absurd, if you've ever requested the data from a single Apple ID. Most of the time I've seen privacy ranked as follows: Stock Android < iPhone < Custom ROMs.

Now, security is another story. I hate how locked down the iPhone's ecosystem is, to the point where you can't download any apps unless you create an Apple ID (at least this isn't required on Mac computers), but I can't deny that the locked down state is part of Apple's security practices. This is why we hear of malicious apps being removed from the App Store less frequently than we hear about apps being removed from the Play Store. This is why I said Apple's security practices have contributed to their monopolistic practices.

And for the average person who doesn't have a high threat model, and who isn't tech-savvy enough to use a custom ROM, then the iPhone provides a trade-off, and it "just works." Sometimes people just need that. As for myself, I'm willing to trade some convenience for more control over my data, which is why I prefer open-source projects, but not everyone's into that.

Hat And Beard

#7
Quote from: Lambda Phage on February 13, 2021, 04:33:05 PM
If you don't think Apple is worse than Google you're doing it wrong.

You don't even own that iPhone that you're paying Apple to let you use.
It depends on what your worries are, I think. If your biggest worry is who has access to your data, I think Apple is probably the better of the two because they have less incentive to misuse your data and a better track record. I like my Google Pixel and I think the software on it is as good as it gets, but I know Google/ad agencies/the government know me better than I know myself. Plus, your iphone is going to last 2+ years longer than the android phone with the longest firmware support window, so if you're worried about getting hacked there's less to worry about.

Quote from: Lucy_Helene on February 13, 2021, 05:47:27 PM
As for myself, I'm willing to trade some convenience for more control over my data, which is why I prefer open-source projects, but not everyone's into that.
I tried this route a while ago(Lineage), and I hated the fact that upgrading my phone was a brickable event. I heard too many stories from people who were better at upgrading their phones than me who lost phones to this- it's been stock android ever since.  :laugh: