Mastodawn

Joël 🍵Jan 4, 2023

I removed google account from my phone, made a factory reset, and now I look for a few more privacy-friendly apps alternatives, preferably available in f-droid, tell me what you use.

1. Maps (I often use bookmarks, routes with time estimates and transport data)
2. Calendar
3. Keyboard
4. Radio/Music
5. Audio book player
6. Photo backup/syncronization tool/service

#degoogle #foss #floss

Nikita Domnitskii Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw I use
2. Simple Calendar
3. OpenBoard

Andrew Tropin Jan 4, 2023

@krevedkokun @rishikbharath btw, what mobile OS do you use?

Nikita Domnitskii Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw @rishikbharath grapheneos

shom 🐧📷🤿🏔️🪚✊🏽Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw I'm not fully de-Google but I can comfortably recommend:
1. Organic Maps
2. Proton Calendar (I also use their mail with my own domain)
3. -
4. VLC
5. Antennapod has decent audiobook support along with the main focus podcasts
6. Syncthing

Interesting. never heard of Organic Maps before. Currently using OsmAnd+, but I am not satisfied with it

For the keyboard you might want to try florisboard

https://github.com/florisboard/florisboard

GitHub - florisboard/florisboard: An open-source keyboard for Android which respects your privacy. Currently in beta.

An open-source keyboard for Android which respects your privacy. Currently in beta. - florisboard/florisboard

GitHub

@abcdw for audiobooks if you have the files yourself, you can import a folder into AntennaPod and play the files that way, which has worked for me. Side bonus is it also works as a podcast app :)

Sandro Linux Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw I use organic maps as my mobile maps app. It is open source and quite a polished app https://organicmaps.app/

Organic Maps: Offline Hike, Bike, Trails and Navigation

Free, open-source, fast, privacy-focused, detailed offline maps for travelers, tourists, drivers, hikers and cyclists created by MapsWithMe/Maps.Me app founders

Andrew Tropin Jan 4, 2023

@sandrolinux I used organicmaps before, but IDK yet how to setup bookmarks syncronization/backup

alteropen Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw
maps - organic maps
calender - simple calendar (synced with nextcloud)
keyboard - open board (nice once you have done some config)
music - subtracks (used with a subsonic server)

note for music vibe music may also be a good option its essentially a Foss frontend for YouTube music

Arno Vanderbeke Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw I am also looking for more privacy friendly, preferably open source, apps for my Android phone.
For maps I use the free version of Locus Maps for hiking (offline maps) and for navigation I just came across Magic Earth, but I haven't used it much yet.
For calendar I use the great encrypted calendar that comes with @Tutanota email.
I recently switched to the OpenBoard keyboard and very pleased with it!
Still looking for a good photo sync service as well 😊

Tuta Jan 4, 2023

@AV @abcdw Thanks for recommending Tutanota. We are proud to say that the app is not only available via F-Droid, it is also fully functional (including notifications!) without Google services. We hope you like to hear this. 😊

enistello Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw @akib
1. Maps: MagicEarth for roads, OfflineMaps for off-road (hiking, running)
2. Calendar: SimpleMobileTools's Calendar (you can use a whole lotta SMT's apps - they're great!)
3. Keyboard: GrapheneOS keyboard - not sure if you can source this separately.
4. Radio/Music: SMT's SimpleMusicPlayer, see 2.
5. As 4.
6. NextCloud, locally-hosted server instance. All pics are pushed automatically to a designated NC folder. Backups are taken of whole server's contents, locally & offsite.

Marek Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw 1) Organic Maps 2) Etar 3) FlorisBoard 4) VLC / AntennaPod for Podcasts 6) Nextcloud or not fully-free MEGASync

PaulR 🐻‍❄️Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw
1. Organic Maps (Or OSMAnd if you are carto addicted, it has much more features)
2. stock calendar + DavX (sync with nextcloud cals)
3. stock keyboard is enough for me
4. AntennaPod (for podcasts), NewPipe (for peertube / yt videos)
5. Sorry I don't use audio books
6. Nextcloud (Hetzner has a very nice all-included service offer available at https://www.hetzner.com/storage/storage-share)

Security Check

Raimondas Lapinskas Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw Organic maps

Camel Jan 4, 2023

@abcdw
Openboard, osmand.

Philip Kaufmann Jan 13, 2023

@abcdw
To Name a few:
1. #OsmAnd
2. #Etar + #DAVx5
6. #Syncthing

@abcdw
3. AnySoftKeyboard
4. RadioDroid, @newpipe (including YT, Peertube, SoundCloud)

Primetime Jan 13, 2023

@abcdw
What alternative Android distro/ROM did you switch to? I use #LineageOS.

1. Magic Earth (via Aurora store)
2. Simple Calendar, F-droid
3. AnySoftKeyboard, F-droid
4. Music player from F-droid, music library on device.
5. -
6. Syncthing, F-droid

Andrew Tropin Jan 13, 2023

@Primetime I still use vanilla android, but recently made a factory reset and install apps only from F-droid, except bank app, taxi and my international sim app. Making habbits of using OSM, florisboard and friends. I think it's a good enough step towards future complete migration.

Primetime Jan 13, 2023

@abcdw
Using F-droid apps is a great start.
Many people say that privacy is a journey, and I have definately found this to be true. I took me years to get to where I am today privacy wise, taking small baby steps and improving a little at a time - and I will continue to do so. It can be incredibly rewarding as well, because you learn so much in the process. But it can easily become overpowering too, if you change too much in one go.

Andrew Tropin Jan 13, 2023

@Primetime True.

In my security model I always treated mobile phone as compromised device and never used it for important thing. However dependency on some proprietary and unhealthy services leaks in my daily computing experince and I decided that it's time to start gradually freeing my mobile device as well.

It's indeed can be ovewhelming, when you try to go too radical in one go.

Kurt Jan 13, 2023

@abcdw @Primetime vanilla can be anything nowadays. If you still have your device manufacturer's operating system, you can remove Google apps with adb. Bootloader can stay locked.

tommy Jan 16, 2023

Maps, definitively OsmAnd
it is very feature rich. Therefore you might need a bit patience. But the (offline available) Point of Interests are a killer feature. Also I like the navigation, especially in the mountains, where you see what slope is ahead of you.
Also public transport (stops and lines) is covered quite well, too.

tommy Jan 16, 2023

@abcdw as keyboard I use FlorisBoard.

lollonero Jan 25, 2023

@abcdw @tommy i would recommend organic maps, it uses OSM

lollonero Jan 25, 2023

@abcdw as calendar i use etar calendar.

How did you go about backing up your user data? That’s my main fear in finally installing an alternative rom and is mostly omitted in tutorials

Andrew Tropin Jan 25, 2023

@lollonero I don't have much data on my phone, I mostly use it for maps, messenger and audio player, rarely for some other things.