Living without Google 2.0 - A Google free FP2

[Linda_CH]

@paulakreuzer

if you installed Open OS then “rooting” is super easy

I know - I have developer options enabled because I need USB debugging for some apps. But I’m afraid that if I root the phone, I’ll do stupid things…

[Linda_CH]

@paulakreuzer

Enabling root is not a bad thing, but never allow root rights to any apps you don’t trust. In doubt it’s better to decline and then do some research on the app or ask on the forum. You can always allow root rights later.I vouch for microg.

Are you saying that if the phone is rooted, I can still say that it’s rooted only for 1 or 2 apps (xposed and microG) and it will behave as if it wasn’t for anything else?

I was also wondering whether I should enable root only while I am installing that stuff - but that probably won’t work, will it?..

[paulakreuzer]

@Linda_CH

Would adding that to the forum dictionary make sense?

Probably, but someone with better knowledge than me would have to do it.[quote=“Linda_CH, post:355, topic:11587”]
Are you saying that if the phone is rooted, I can still say that it’s rooted only for 1 or 2 apps (xposed and microG) and it will behave as if it wasn’t for anything else?
[/quote]

Yes, pretty much. If you enable root you still have to allow root to the apps that need it, if you decline they won’t be able to use root. There are two buts:

• some apps (e.g. banking apps) can detect root on your device and can refuse to work “out of security reasons”. On the other hand it’s not secure to bank on your phone anyway.
• If you open attachments of mails from strangers or visit shady internet sites you may involuntarily download malware which can use root to do very bad things on your phone. On the other hand these apps can often get root rights even if the phone wasn’t rooted.

@Linda_CH

I was also wondering whether I should enable root only while I am installing that stuff - but that probably won’t work, will it?

I’m not 100% sure, but I guess xposed and microg will need root rights constantly. But you could try.

[M_Dammer]

Yes. It will work the moment you have a new file.

[paulakreuzer]

“Bricked” existst in the dictionary, but it may need some elaboration.

[schept]

No Voice Guidance in the navigation tool of OSMAnd.

Until now, I haven’t found a way to make the voice work in navigation of OSMAnd. I have disables all google-services. Until today I haven’t looked into it much, but it seems, no TTS (Text to Speach) module was enabled (toegankelijkheid - uitvoor voor tekst-naar-spraak / accessability - output for text to speech). Could it be that this was disabled due to the disabling of google-services?

The F-droid app ‘espeak tts’ does not seem to work…

Any thoughts on how to fix this?

[Roboe]

Yes, TTS is a service included in some Google app

[paulakreuzer]

On FP Open OS voice navigation with OSMand works flawlessly. I hope that’s not a hidden Goolge Service?!

[M_Dammer]

I think it’s not a hidden Google Service, because OsmAnd stores the voice prompts in its own data directory. However it might be a Google library that is part of the OsmAnd build. Google has created a whole bunch of libraries that developers can use in their applications - and not all of them “phone home” to Google for data mining reasons. You can download, update or delete voice prompts via the “Manage Map Files” menu where you find a section "Voice prompts (TTS-synthesized, prefer).

[Roboe]

and not all of them “phone home” to Google for data mining reasons

Well, I can’t believe that. I’ve keeping a close eye on Google’s technologies for a long period of time (read: years before moving out of their services) and even their open source ones call home on one way or another (note: even a single connection to one of their servers IS a home call).

I’m just being cautious; maybe you’re right. I’ll investigate further this matter (I’ve never been a fan of talking/beeing talk by a machine…)

[paulakreuzer]

Well if OSMand had any Google Library included that called home, all of F-Droids alarm bells would ring and - if at all - the app would only be available plastered with anti-feature-alerts. The only anti-feature OSMand has is that it contains non-free elements (artwork and layouts).

[Roboe]

I guess the FDroid version is not the Google Play version (why is the FDroid version called with a virgulilla at the end, if there are no differences?). You can trust the FDroid version, of course (could we call it then OsmAnd~ to distinguish them?)

Android apps have a system of flavours to build different products from the same codebase. It is common to have a normal flavour (with proprietary dependencies) and a fdroid/libre flavour (without any non-free).
An example is Twidere (build.gradle), whose GPlay version uses Google Services but whose FDroid version is fully libre.

I have no time right now to investigate the OsmAnd build.gradle, but it does have flavours, including one called free (as in freedom or as in free beer?):

osmandapp/Osmand/blob/master/OsmAnd/build.gradle

[Loesje]

@Loesje

Erat & aCalDav
> syncing with my Blaucloud Owncloud calendar - CalDav sync error all the time
> now using this setup to sync with Google Calendar - ironically
> does anyone know a good - free or cheap - alternative for Google Calendar?

I have a kind of important addition to my previous post here. Soon after setting up my Google Free FP2 as described above, I started experiencing battery drains (the bad ones: 50% in 3 hours), overheating of the CPU unit and random reboots.

After quite an extensive search, involving plenty CPU monitor and wakelock detector apps, I finally figured out my problems were all due to aCalDav. Since I deleted the app, I’ve been able to use my battery for >30h again, instead of just 6. Quite the improvement.

Right now, I’m using the CalendarSync app:
http://ntbab.dyndns.org/apache2-default/seite/index.html

It’s paid, but the developer provides a link to the .apk file for a 2-week free trial and if you pay €6 via bank transfer or PayPal (thus avoiding Google Play and the likes), you get a license code. Pretty awesome.

[StephanK]

DAVdroid does the job for me free and battery friendly.

There are two German email providers I know of that only charge a sixth of what you pay per month and have a clearly better reputation than United Internet (GMX, Web.de).

[M_Dammer]

I fully agree. DAVdroid works excellent on my system.

[TobiasF]

@StephanK

There are two German email providers I know of that only charge a sixth of what you pay per month and have a clearly better reputation than United Internet (GMX, Web.de).

Do you mean Posteo and mailbox.org?

[gilZ]

stupid question: how did you log in to your google account (I do need STAVA too !!) ??

I have just install FPopenOS, so i m really google free right now !

[StephanK]

Indeed, but I didn’t mean to do unnecessary advertising.

[Loesje]

I usually get the “no unneccessary advertising”-thing, but in a topic where people help each other out configuring their Google-free life, I think actually mentioning the providers might be helpful.

I’m pretty sure DAVdroid would work just as well for me.

However, after getting rid of aCalDav, I ran into someone appraising CalendarSync first, and when using the trial I was so happy I didn’t look any further. Figured the developer had earned a 6 euro one-time payment.

Your remark on GMX’s reputation made me wonder though. What about it? Not being a German it’s easy to miss these things. Anyways, what you said made me realize the app I’m using isn’t made by GMX at all. I had never heard of it and figured the developers mail address ending at @GMX.de would mean that it’d be the company she works at. Turns out it’s just a free e-mail provider. Makes sense.