A closer look at e/OS: Murena's privacy-first 'deGoogled' Android alternative | TechCrunch
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Murena is in the business of deGoogling Android smartphones in the name of privacy. The French/European firm has been doing this for around five years, as We recently got our hands on a Fairphone 4 running Murena's tracker-blocking /e/OS. Our curiosity was piqued to see an alternative OS running on alt hardware. Step in for a closer look...
      • essteeyou@lemmy.worldEnglish
        173·
        3 years ago

        Yeah, I have it, but I can’t install 3/4 of the apps I use on a daily basis from there.

        • ale@lemmy.worldEnglish
          181·
          3 years ago

          Wouldn’t that be the same for any other alternative? That’s what a monopoly does.

        • ale@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          3 years ago

          That’s valid. In theory, because you’re downloading open source on there, you could audit the apps you download, but don’t know anyone who does that unless it’s their job.

          • SlikPikker@lemmy.caEnglish
            52·
            3 years ago

            My main issue is everything signed with the same key, and the way updates can go through without review.

            Obviously Play store isn’t safe or wonderful, but it does have better review policies.

      • rmuk@feddit.ukEnglish
        19·
        3 years ago

        This is what really, really pissed me off about the iPhone. When it launched and they gave it a desktop-class web browser engine and told people they were going all-in in PWAs (though I don’t think the term existed at the time). Then v2 came out and they went sike! native apps, must be developed on our PCs, must be distributed by us, you must pay us to be allowed to develop, we take a cut of your income, and we’re going to cripple the PWA engine to make universal, open apps all but unusable.

        Dicks.

        • punseye@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          3 years ago

          Can PWAs perform just like native apps when it comes to smoothness and optimization?

          • rmuk@feddit.ukEnglish
            2·
            3 years ago

            Yes, if the underlying engine is designed to support it. There are standard web APIs for accelerated graphics, compute, offline storage, Bluetooth, push notification, environmental sensors, phone book access, camera, local storage access, and so on… A decent PWA is indistinguishable from a native app.

      • Carter@feddit.ukEnglish
        3·
        3 years ago

        Is there any way of “installing” PWAs to the app drawer rather than been limited to a shortcut on the home screen?

          • essteeyou@lemmy.worldEnglish
            4·
            3 years ago

            I do love Kotlin, but I work extensively with audio playback on a low level (Oboe, native) so a web app just won’t work for me.

            Also, I can’t really justify rewriting my company’s entire app because I don’t like Google’s monopoly.

  • Anti Weeb Penguin@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    18·
    3 years ago

    I built that ROM back in june and honestly, i don’t recommend it, the interface and apps are just terrible and they take almost a year to release a new android version.

  • PrincessZelda@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    3 years ago

    Can I install/update my bank apps, and pay with my phone? That’s the bare minimum I need to switch to a deGoogled OS.

    • ijeff@lemdro.idOPMEnglish
      8·
      3 years ago

      I’ve actually been enjoying OsmAnd / OsmAnd+, which was recently recommended by someone here. It’s open source and runs more fluidly than Google Maps (which is locked to 60 hz). With that said, it doesn’t have live traffic built-in (and while you can add Google live traffic overlays, it doesn’t seem to get used for routing).

    • danielfgom@lemmy.worldEnglish
      29·
      3 years ago

      I think people are going to extremes when it comes to Google and privacy.

      Google has no need to track you personally. They use the location service so YOU can get directions and have a history of where you’ve been, if you want. You can turn this off of course.

      The same with all their other services.

      I’m not saying they are innocent children, for example I don’t like their web tracking tech (cookies, trackers) and I don’t care for ads. Not a fan of them scanning my email either, even if it’s anonymous.

      But you don’t have to use Gmail and your can use as blockers and tracker blockers etc.

      Their privacy settings are quite robust and you can turn anything off your don’t like.

      But they are very convenient with all their services. Having everything synced and available on literally any device is a significant service which is not easy to replicate. Even self hosting this stuff becomes a real pain and expensive.

      I’ve tried ungoogled ROM’s and it’s simply not worth it. A phone without Google services is near useless and much harder to use.

      My neighbour has a Huawei and it has no Google apps and it’s a nightmare to get anything done on that thing. Even something simple like cast to your Google TV is impossible on that thing. He has to use 3rd party maps apps which suck, has no device backup, if he loses the phone he’s lost all his photo’s and contacts and notes etc.

      Basically it sucks.

      Just use full milk Android and be aware of what permissions you grant apps and don’t sideload anything dodgy and you’ll be fine.

      Plus I pay only €20 a year for Google One with 100GB storage which I can also share with me wife. You simply cannot beat that price even if you self host. Plus they backup everything so your stuff should be 100% safe.

  • Azzu@lemm.eeEnglish
    7·
    3 years ago

    Have been using it for a while on my Fairphone 3, just works nicely :)

  • Gunpachi@lemmings.worldEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    I hope more newer phones get supported by them.

    I have a samsung galaxy s23 and I need to scratch my de-google / custom rom itch.