Related
As we all know the Google Latitude service is shutting down on 9th August 2013.
Does anyone know of a suitable replacement?
p.s I never made it to the moon :crying:
The official replacement is "Locations" in Google+. Any reason why that won't work for you?
Solutions Etcetera said:
The official replacement is "Locations" in Google+. Any reason why that won't work for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My family and friends don't use Google+, any other apps?
meyert11 said:
My family and friends don't use Google+, any other apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Come next month, they won't be using Latitude either. I don't understand why looking for another app is preferential to switching to Google+. Is it just having to add it to your account? Or is it something else?
Solutions Etcetera said:
Come next month, they won't be using Latitude either. I don't understand why looking for another app is preferential to switching to Google+. Is it just having to add it to your account? Or is it something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google latitude ran under Google maps, so users of Google maps (virtually anyone) could follow each other. Now that latitude is being moved under Google+, only people with plus accounts will be able to use it. Since my family and friends don't use Google+, if we want to follow each other we will all have to sign up for Google+ accounts, just to use latitude. Seems like an unnecessary amount of work, for a feature that is useful during vacations and trips. Hope this explains it a bit.
meyert11 said:
Google latitude ran under Google maps, so users of Google maps (virtually anyone) could follow each other. Now that latitude is being moved under Google+, only people with plus accounts will be able to use it. Since my family and friends don't use Google+, if we want to follow each other we will all have to sign up for Google+ accounts, just to use latitude. Seems like an unnecessary amount of work, for a feature that is useful during vacations and trips. Hope this explains it a bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google+ is a single option on a Google account. If they are using Maps with Latitude, the already have a Google account. IIRC adding Plus to an existing Google account is a single mouseclick.
Solutions Etcetera said:
Google+ is a single option on a Google account. If they are using Maps with Latitude, the already have a Google account. IIRC adding Plus to an existing Google account is a single mouseclick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google+ is a social media service, like facebook, that is altogether separate. Larry Page is obsessed with having everyone sign up for Google+ because most people are surfing the web via their mobile phones and Facebook is dominating the mobile ad space. My friends and family are not likely to migrate from Facebook to Google+, so I need an alternative to Latitude.
If you'd like further clarity, feel free to PM me, rather than us having a long personal conversation on a forum about Latitude alternatives.
You don't have to use it, you just need to opt in to use the location services. I don't see what the big deal is but to each their own.
Solutions Etcetera said:
You don't have to use it, you just need to opt in to use the location services. I don't see what the big deal is but to each their own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will have to open the Google+ app to follow your friends and family. It has been physically removed from the updated Maps app.
The problem is that you don't even HAVE to have a Google + "account" just because you have a Google account. I can go into my Google account right now and delete my Google + profile. So that's not even true. To have to opt into and then use the Google + app is a pretty lame alternative. ALSO, the Google + Locations really sucks right now. My boyfriend and I are in each other's circles, have shared our locations with each other, and turned on background location reporting, but he does not show up as a person who I can see his location. He showed up for 1 hour when we first set it up, but he's since disappeared, even though I've been right next to him and seen his settings on his phone as we tried to troubleshoot. It needs some serious work before it's ready to replace Latitude.
I've been trying to use Glympse for those times when I need to let someone know where I am, and for them to track me. The only down side is you can only let people see your location for up to 4 hours at a time. When you've got an active Glympse running, your GPS is in constant use too, so it will drain your battery faster than Latitude did. You can opt to turn your GPS off and just let Glympse use WiFi or cell networks to locate you, but it won't be as accurate.
Other than that, all the other alternatives are also closer to social networking or checkin apps that also happen to share your location. I just want something simple, LIKE LATITUDE.
Oh. I guess the alternative is Latitude. I don't understand why they killed it off. I hope maybe Backitude will pull a Feedly and create something neat out of this.
Solutions Etcetera said:
The official replacement is "Locations" in Google+. Any reason why that won't work for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me, three things:
1. No option to navigate to a person on the map
2. No "last update" time stamp means sometimes the locations are 5 minutes old. Sometimes an hour.
3. No accuracy bubble
It's basically useless as a way to figure out where people are at any given time. Extremely annoying to have that go away. Hopefully there will be a replacement that shows up that doesn't drain the battery. Something that automatically responds to a ping for a check-in rather than polling for locations every X minutes would be great.
ppdd said:
For me, three things:
1. No option to navigate to a person on the map
2. No "last update" time stamp means sometimes the locations are 5 minutes old. Sometimes an hour.
3. No accuracy bubble
It's basically useless as a way to figure out where people are at any given time. Extremely annoying to have that go away. Hopefully there will be a replacement that shows up that doesn't drain the battery. Something that automatically responds to a ping for a check-in rather than polling for locations every X minutes would be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, these are some valid concerns. I am not a big fan of the location tracking features so were unaware of these. Hopefully, as Google continues to unify its social services we will eventually see more granular features resurface. I miss the offline ability in the new maps more than anything else at the moment. Hangouts not showing online status is annoying as well. Its important to leave Google feedback through official channels when valued existing features go AWOL. It has always been Android's nature to throw out something half-baked, and improve (or kill ) it over time based on user feedback.
As for battery... Google announced a number of new API's that would be rolling out this year. Some of which are specifically designed to reign in apps that poll/push data. I remember location services being a big part of that.I'm willing to bet this will get better over time.
Solutions Etcetera said:
Hi, these are some valid concerns. I am not a big fan of the location tracking features so were unaware of these. Hopefully, as Google continues to unify its social services we will eventually see more granular features resurface. I miss the offline ability in the new maps more than anything else at the moment. Hangouts not showing online status is annoying as well. Its important to leave Google feedback through official channels when valued existing features go AWOL. It has always been Android's nature to throw out something half-baked, and improve (or kill ) it over time based on user feedback.
As for battery... Google announced a number of new API's that would be rolling out this year. Some of which are specifically designed to reign in apps that poll/push data. I remember location services being a big part of that.I'm willing to bet this will get better over time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've already complained to google, but I'm not real hopeful there. If Latitude wasn't being used heavily, it didn't make sense to leave it in Maps cluttering up the interface. I don't blame them.
For me, literally the only thing I want to use this for is making it easier to coordinate with my wife, or friends/family when we're on road trips. I suspect thats how most people were using it. It's great to be able to see that she's left her office or is at our kids' daycare or is 10 minutes away from a restaurant without calling her a dozen times a day. Losing the 'last update' stamp ruins that use case. Really not sure how they envision people using the G+ locations feature.
Apple's Find My Friends was great when my wife and I were on iOS. It behaved almost exactly right, only ever reporting your location when someone on your whitelist opened up their FMF app. There was no real power drain associated with it. All the apps in the Play store that fill this niche seem to report locations on their own, which is dumb *and* a redundant power drain given that Google location services is already grabbing that location.
Oh well.
ppdd said:
Apple's Find My Friends was great when my wife and I were on iOS. It behaved almost exactly right, only ever reporting your location when someone on your whitelist opened up their FMF app. There was no real power drain associated with it. All the apps in the Play store that fill this niche seem to report locations on their own, which is dumb *and* a redundant power drain given that Google location services is already grabbing that location.
Oh well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple does it right in not allowing apps to just go out and post/get whatever they want, whenever they want it. The app has to register for the info, and the system coalesces these requests for when the corresponding hardware is connected. Google is well on their way to implementing this same behavior.
Having much of this stuff better unified is a good thing IMHO, and I understand the thinking that things related to friends and family should be found in + and not maps. And based on what I saw at I/O, this will get better.
From what I've heard, the previously mentioned Glympse is a pretty decent replacement depending on what features you need. It's more aimed towards temporary location sharing between people during car trips, theme park visits, going out for lunch, etc. There's no option to leave it permanently on, though, and it doesn't appear to use intermittent polling.
Now that Latitude is dead, who knows if it will introduce this functionality to get new users?
I'm hoping that there is a location history feature in the new Google+ locations as I use this a lot, but I would love to eventually reach the moon - and maybe beyond!
It's an opening for another Feedly to come in and increase their market share. Someone like echoecho or swarmly could tweak their application to provide the same functionality, while furthering their own growth, a percentage of those new users would start using their services as result.
If I knew enough about Android development I’d quickly drop an app that pulled the Google+ location information and dumped it into maps provided by the Google Maps API with the options for satellite imagery and streetview. I'm really surprised that Google didn't merge the existing functionality into Google+, it must be available as they'll only be leveraging Google Maps anyway, certainly in regards the above.
theickleone said:
I'm hoping that there is a location history feature in the new Google+ locations as I use this a lot, but I would love to eventually reach the moon - and maybe beyond!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Location history will remain:
If you use Location Reporting and have Location History enabled, your location data will continue to be recorded to your Location History. You can view and manage Location History data on the Location History dashboard.
Note: We’re no longer supporting Google Maps for Mobile 6.14.4 and below for Location History or Location Reporting settings.
google is forcing us to use their G+, first was gtalk converted to hangouts, now latitude
i have yet to find a map of people in G+ on the PC, i can only see people on the phone
now they have a universal "location tracking" setting in android, the new maps v7 is garbage, hopefully someone is able to mod the old maps apk to push and pull data from their new location service, reformat it and keep latitude working in the old maps
laur3n.newm4n said:
Other than that, all the other alternatives are also closer to social networking or checkin apps that also happen to share your location. I just want something simple, LIKE LATITUDE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi laur3n.newm4n, I'm currently building location sharing app for many of the same reasons you mentioned. We're still in private alpha but if after you checkout the features and it's sound like we're solving your problem you can signup for the beta
Hope it will help: yougy.co
I did a factory reset before submitting my device to Samsung repair. But before doing it, to not have any trace of my online/offline data after reset I had to take care of ‘Factory Reset Protection’ (FRP) so that it won't ask to enter my email after reset. I removed the device security locks including fingerprints and also any Google account associated as said by 99% articles over internet (at least in my 30 mins of read thru of Google searches specifically for Samsung & also generally for android). Also had checked necessary options for all of my datas to be synced to Google. But in order to reinforce my knowledge about FRP and how it’s getting triggered I went thru some YouTube videos and articles specifically for Samsung & also generally for android prior to reset. And finally everything was good to go and ready for repair
Got my device after repair and did a reset again for Google to ask to restore my apps from previous backup of the same device. But it didn’t as you can see from the pic attached.
So what could be the reason you ask. When I removed the Google account (primary) for reset process, all the ‘App datas’ (thankfully not my contacts and other stuffs) were cleared from Google servers. Simply to say, the ‘Remove account’ option will tell Google that this device is no longer associated with this account and to delete all Android related datas associated and there is no way you can get this back.
So I don’t know whom to blame. The hundred’s of article over Internet about FRP (example: http://www.androidcentral.com/factory-reset-protection-what-you-need-know )
OR Samsung for not giving any information anywhere in internet or even in the Software (as warnings) [Their only website related to FRP is still down here in my country at least]. OR Google? For not giving any clear information regarding this action.
Anyway there is no use in crying over spilt milk. All I have to do now is manually install all my 83 apps one by one that were previously installed and who knows whether their respective datas can still be synced. There were even circumstances which most of us should have gone thru when the Google not showing yesterday app restore list but 1 week ago in the setup process.
Things like this can very well frustrate anyone if they are heaving depending on cloud. This is just one of the many little things(software, H/W dependent) in Android that may frustrate a user very much. NO WONDER WHY PEOPLE MOVE TO iOS. Because over customizability and all there are some stuffs that matters the most and iOS still excels in that. We geeks know that but it’s the freedom and exploration that makes us forget all those important stuffs.
For those of you gonna say “YOU SHOULD HAVE USED SMART SWITCH, ADB BACKUP, TITANIUM BACKUP OR SOMETHING ELSE” -- when something is meant to work it should work. I even had bad experiences with Titanium backup, could be device specific but whatever it is.
Welcoming all POSITIVE and NEGATIVE comments. LOL.
Running stock TouchWiz with the April patch. Tried a reset without removing Google account and it didn't ask for the mail ID to be entered for verification during setup process. So basically something have changed recently on how FRP works and whatever I've wriiten is what you have to take care of. regarding backup and all. Please share this thread with you friends. .
Will appreciate a thanks.
Thanks for sharing. Seems like a good warning for all of us.
Sent from my SM-G930V using XDA Premium HD app
Sorry to hear of your difficulties. My own frustrations have been building with Android as well. It is ridiculous how much we have to eff around with hidden settings and tweaks to get decent battery life. I am keeping an eye on the iPhone 7 to be honest.
Though apple ecosystem has its own share of frustrations.
Thanks for the info. I too had experience of some backup apps not working as they intended to be. Even Titanium Backup had given me tension when new android version comes or sometimes for no reason. But my go to solution(even without root I believe) is always have been Tasker+AutoInput combo. When nothing works out I just program them both to install apps from PlayStore based on the app list I manually backed up with another app. That's it. Don't know whether that will cause any bad effect on device hardware. Does it?
xxaarraa said:
Sorry to hear of your difficulties. My own frustrations have been building with Android as well. It is ridiculous how much we have to eff around with hidden settings and tweaks to get decent battery life. I am keeping an eye on the iPhone 7 to be honest.
Though apple ecosystem has its own share of frustrations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree as i mentioned in OP. Sad to see Snapdragon 820 users struggle with battery life by removing un-wanted system packages. This even exists to an extent in my unlocked DUOS version. Google gotta have more control over Android. Hope with Android N this is not just gonna be with updates but also else where. Come on Google it's 2016.
OH gosh. This is an important piece of information. Somebody should link to this info by posting an article in xda-developer.com . Is there any way to reuquest?
Thanks BTW for a warning
Sheryl John said:
.Simply to say, the ‘Remove account’ option will tell Google that this device is no longer associated with this account and to delete all Android related datas associated and there is no way you can get this back
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Disable Internet connectivity (wifi, data)
2) Remove accounts, then
3) Factory reset
Google doesn't know that about the removal so app data is still in your account, yet the device no longer has any link to the Google account so it's safe against FRP.
That said, with multi devices (and household members sharing 1 common account as the base account), I don't back app data to Google at all. TiBu has its quirks but I've yet to lose anything with it. On the contrary, I probably have too much back up (who needs Gingerbread apps back ups??? yeah, I still have them LOL).
lost_ said:
1) Disable Internet connectivity (wifi, data)
2) Remove accounts, then
3) Factory reset
Google doesn't know that about the removal so app data is still in your account, yet the device no longer has any link to the Google account so it's safe against FRP.
That said, with multi devices (and household members sharing 1 common account as the base account), I don't back app data to Google at all. TiBu has its quirks but I've yet to lose anything with it. On the contrary, I probably have too much back up (who needs Gingerbread apps back ups??? yeah, I still have them LOL).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the only way it seems for hard reset. But as I mentioned in my OP there is no need of removing the Google account for soft reset. FRP won't be triggered.
Hi everyone. I'll explain you. After i watched the documentary about Edward Snowden, i feel that someone is spying on me. I found the blackphone online, and his PrivateOS is awesome! I'm not a porter, so if someone may port the PrivateOS to our OnePlus X, it would be awesome!! Some guys, wanted to port it on xperia (sauce: http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/privatos-rom-1-0-1-t2833178)
If you want privacy buy a BlackBerry.
Hi, I had it on my Wiko Wax. I didn´t like it because de UI it´s not nice and it has a lot of security apps that I think it´s unnecessary for users like us. We have decent protection with security patches and the best security is the user. Maybe the blackphone rom is very secure yeah but if you want 100% security with this ROM just buy the blackphone, I don´t think it will be useful on our OPX. And yeah someone is spying on you. Google.
Exodusche said:
If you want privacy buy a BlackBerry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Respect his idea, don't make fun.
sheraz1015 said:
Respect his idea, don't make fun.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much sheraz1015!
Yesterday, i found a video on youtube. This guy was explaining how to get your search history of Google.
I found that Google, was spying on me...they recorded with microphone of my OnePlus X my voice, every 2h!!
I was surprised that they recorded me also when i was sleeping!!!
I found also that they tracked my position, but my gps is always switched off!!
I didn't know that, but everyone who has google play services on the phone, they keep in history when you open
or close any app that you have. I'm pissed off!
Will someone try to port it, or make a secure rom, maybe not based on google apps?
WithoutValorFreedomDies said:
Thank you so much sheraz1015!
Yesterday, i found a video on youtube. This guy was explaining how to get your search history of Google.
I found that Google, was spying on me...they recorded with microphone of my OnePlus X my voice, every 2h!!
I was surprised that they recorded me also when i was sleeping!!!
I found also that they tracked my position, but my gps is always switched off!!
I didn't know that, but everyone who has google play services on the phone, they keep in history when you open
or close any app that you have. I'm pissed off!
Will someone try to port it, or make a secure rom, maybe not based on google apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you send me the link please..
sheraz1015 said:
Can you send me the link please..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here it is dude
Sauce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtmR9L0ITlM
Go to minute 2:03 also
Wasn't trying to be rude just herd blackberry has best security. But In this case I don't think it would matter. Thanks for sharing this don't think too many people know about it.
okay first: appreciate, that obviously there are other people concerned about their privacy.
second: there are people even more concerned about their privacy, like i.e. German's chancellor, making them pay 10,000$ for a cell phone - hacked. so how secure can som cell phone for some 100$ be?
next: about BlackBerry: where is ur privacy when all ur communication is routed through a private companies servers? As long as u do not fully trust such a company i'd call that surveillance too...
that being said: what do u consider to be secure regard ur privacy? first answer urself this question before making any progress. keep in mind, that ur cellphone is basically a full featured tracking system (which isnot a bad thing per se).
What do I mean?ˋWell for instance personally i don't consider photos synced to dropbox/google drive/microsoft's whatever to be private. they're located on servers inside the use, and as such accessable by officials whenever there's desire. also I do absolutely not consider my passwords to be safe when synced to my google account. Next i will not consider any call to be secure in a matter of "no one can listen"- that wont change unless u use end-to-end encryption which requires the called person to have an according setup. etc etc
i came to the conclusion that my phone simply is NOT secure! So if u do not intend to just keep ur hands off any device connected to the internet/gps u can be tracked. Just a matter of the effort to achieve that....
Now how can i just keep calm with all that. well i actually don't. its a compromise for me, as i just don't want to miss certain points which are provided by smartphones.
However I totally disagree with just handing over my private data making it needless to spy on me cause i instafacetweet**** whenever i'm at starbucks taking a coffee or sending private photos using services, that claim property of such (needless to call it by name..)
finally, to shorten this and maybe give u one or two hints especially regarding google apps etc:
- y handing google my actual name (u certainly won't be able to hide ur identity just because of this!! but referring to the last paragraph above this is step no1)
- personally i use opengapps pico which shrinks the amount of spyware down a bit (however there are some packages included safe to uninstall)
- regarding the "google tracks my app usage": well this is because u grant playstore/play services permission to do so (settings-->security-->app ausage access)
- also i have restricted access to pretty much anything for google apps as i only want playstore running(privacy guard or similar)
- using greenify (xposed required i guess) u can "uncover hidden synchronizations" which will (what a surprise) a HUGE list of syncs to be disabled in settings -->accounts-->google-->whatever
- also take a look in google settings (ads/"security")
- system administrator
etcetcetc...
if u want to minimize the chance one can create location profiles: mac spoofing (i guess thats the english term). also when u use buetooth headset, u ar visible for any near device. same goes for wlan search, nfc bla.
These are just a few things that make me personally feel a bit more comfortable using such devices. a huge part in this takes NOT using whatsapp/facebook or anything like that. i'm convinced computers don't understand social interaction, and as such they should only take a minor "transmitting" role in this and not tell me who/what i might like or what the f***
I actually do have friends and they will know if theres sth worth to know, which works the other way round too.
I hope I somehow stuck to the read thread (do u really say so? ) and maybe there were 1 or 2 points of use for u.
Whats most: the more u use/rely on such technology, the more of ur life can/will be exposed OR the more effort u will have to put into it to prevent that. (with the only result u increase the effort in spying on u/whatever).
Gesendet von meinem ONE E1003 mit Tapatalk
tet-bundy said:
okay first: appreciate, that obviously there are other people concerned about their privacy.
second: there are people even more concerned about their privacy, like i.e. German's chancellor, making them pay 10,000$ for a cell phone - hacked. so how secure can som cell phone for some 100$ be?
next: about BlackBerry: where is ur privacy when all ur communication is routed through a private companies servers? As long as u do not fully trust such a company i'd call that surveillance too...
that being said: what do u consider to be secure regard ur privacy? first answer urself this question before making any progress. keep in mind, that ur cellphone is basically a full featured tracking system (which isnot a bad thing per se).
What do I mean?ˋWell for instance personally i don't consider photos synced to dropbox/google drive/microsoft's whatever to be private. they're located on servers inside the use, and as such accessable by officials whenever there's desire. also I do absolutely not consider my passwords to be safe when synced to my google account. Next i will not consider any call to be secure in a matter of "no one can listen"- that wont change unless u use end-to-end encryption which requires the called person to have an according setup. etc etc
i came to the conclusion that my phone simply is NOT secure! So if u do not intend to just keep ur hands off any device connected to the internet/gps u can be tracked. Just a matter of the effort to achieve that....
Now how can i just keep calm with all that. well i actually don't. its a compromise for me, as i just don't want to miss certain points which are provided by smartphones.
However I totally disagree with just handing over my private data making it needless to spy on me cause i instafacetweet**** whenever i'm at starbucks taking a coffee or sending private photos using services, that claim property of such (needless to call it by name..)
finally, to shorten this and maybe give u one or two hints especially regarding google apps etc:
- y handing google my actual name (u certainly won't be able to hide ur identity just because of this!! but referring to the last paragraph above this is step no1)
- personally i use opengapps pico which shrinks the amount of spyware down a bit (however there are some packages included safe to uninstall)
- regarding the "google tracks my app usage": well this is because u grant playstore/play services permission to do so (settings-->security-->app ausage access)
- also i have restricted access to pretty much anything for google apps as i only want playstore running(privacy guard or similar)
- using greenify (xposed required i guess) u can "uncover hidden synchronizations" which will (what a surprise) a HUGE list of syncs to be disabled in settings -->accounts-->google-->whatever
- also take a look in google settings (ads/"security")
- system administrator
etcetcetc...
if u want to minimize the chance one can create location profiles: mac spoofing (i guess thats the english term). also when u use buetooth headset, u ar visible for any near device. same goes for wlan search, nfc bla.
These are just a few things that make me personally feel a bit more comfortable using such devices. a huge part in this takes NOT using whatsapp/facebook or anything like that. i'm convinced computers don't understand social interaction, and as such they should only take a minor "transmitting" role in this and not tell me who/what i might like or what the f***
I actually do have friends and they will know if theres sth worth to know, which works the other way round too.
I hope I somehow stuck to the read thread (do u really say so? ) and maybe there were 1 or 2 points of use for u.
Whats most: the more u use/rely on such technology, the more of ur life can/will be exposed OR the more effort u will have to put into it to prevent that. (with the only result u increase the effort in spying on u/whatever).
Gesendet von meinem ONE E1003 mit Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your dedication on a precise answering. All that you said.....you are right. Damn
I'm just trying out Nameless ROM. I noticed it has privacey guard as mentioned above. Whether it actually does anything who knows.
I'm paranoid about google services aswell.
Hence i installed a fresh build of CM13 / AOSP CAF
Installed F-Droid as primary market and replaced apps with open source replacements. (Replaced Chrome/AOSP browser with chromium etc.).
I also installed Firewall, adblocker+ and system manager for monitoring malicious apps and processes. Privacy guard & app ops also works wonders together
this not only gives u ability to customize android your way but also provides good level of security.
If you are still paranoid about identity, u can use orbot and tor network for anonymous identity. (Both found on F-Droid).
This also greatly improves battery life and keeps the phone snappy.
Hope this helps
In all honesty, just use Sailfish and remove everything you find funky. Private OS isn't worth porting. Another alternative would be to just flash any ROM without flashing GAPPs
---------- Post added at 04:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 AM ----------
At the end of the day though, you are still at the mercy to some company... We have already lost this fight.
karan5chaos said:
If you are still paranoid about identity, u can use orbot and tor network for anonymous identity. (Both found on F-Droid)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree... in theory. however if u assume to be under surveillance, u better assume that u are not the only one inside the tor network to be under surveillance. u just need to observe a not too small amount of tor servers (which is still a relatively small amount, taking the capacity of todays intelligence services into consideration) to be able to reconstruct the whole path of any communication routed through that network. now also seeing that bandwidth is just lousy, there's just no point in using tor (except u want to access services, that require u to do so).
To cut a long story short, if u want ur internet traffic to be secure, u'll have to go for a vpn provider! (of course u have to trust that provider, as they are able to read anything u pass through that gate)
regards
t
P.S.: if u're interested in vpn service, pm me and i'll tell u my hoster which i think is one of the most trustworthy around and also provides some advanced methods other just don't.
(just to stick to the rules and not advertise here )
I just purchased the Amazon Moto G4 edition for my son who is 8yrs old, and I understand he's a little young for a phone. However, a few of his buddies have phones and I thought it was a great way to help him read and type better through texting. I'm also not planning on paying for Cell service but rather use Wifi for SMS and Calls through hangout. And maybe get him freedom pop for in an emergency.
Now, with that said I created a gmail account that I control (my password, my recovery email/phone #, etc.) and then used this to setup the Play store. I set up all the restrictions in the play store to what I believe is appropriate and of course I locked it by setting up my own PIN code so he couldn't change them.
I also setup his own google voice number and tied it to google hangouts/dialer but I can also monitor what he is doing on my phone periodically if I wanted. I'm not interested in him using Snapchat, WhatsApp, or any other kind of social network.
I've also setup OpenDNS on the wifi account he uses at home. So I think I have things pretty much locked down with the exception of installing from Unknown sources. And although he probably isn't computer savvy enough yet, at some point he will be.
So, with that said is there anyway I can build a rom that disables installing from Unknown Sources? Also, any other recommendations and tips from others are welcome.
Thanks.
He can get rid of everything you did if he could factory reset
seth.dean02 said:
He can get rid of everything you did if he could factory reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course he could, but he's 8! He's probably not savvy enough to circumvent my efforts yet and when he is I'll change my approach.
pabdaddy1995 said:
Of course he could, but he's 8! He's probably not savvy enough to circumvent my efforts yet and when he is I'll change my approach.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try one of the apps that allows you to lock apps. One is Applock and you may be able to lock down settings. That would prevent him from changing anything. You've probably thought of it already but some type of tracking app is a necessary safety measure for a child's phone. LOL, when he becomes a teenager you'll need the tracking for many more reasons.
According to Samsung customer support and some members of this forum, this device does not have a built-in way of blocking Internet access for specific applications!
Many of those apps have permissions like "storage", "phone ID", "contacts", "calendar", "camera", "microphone", etc...
Therefore, when those applications are given Internet access they will be able to send all our data via the Internet...
That's why it would be of crucial importance and vital to have a built-in way of blocking Internet access to those apps.
For example, if an application has access to your data, to your storage or your contacts, it stands to reason that it should not have Internet access...
The only explanation for the lack of such an integrated system of blocking Internet access for specific applications can only be explained by the fact that Samsung and Google intend to have all our data and info sent over the Internet ... probably for specific domains ...
Google, Samsung or any other companies should not have, simultaneously, access to our storage data, contacts, calendar, camera, microphone..., and Internet access to send out all those data and info...
Besides, most apps are proprietary... so nobody knows what info or data the app is really sending out...
(Curiously and as a side note, my son has a Huawei P10 and that device allows the user to block Internet access to specific apps).
Therefore, given that this Samsung device does not have a way to limit specific applications from reaching the Internet, the phone is a spyware device!
Niccolò Paganini said:
The only explanation for the lack of such an integrated system of blocking Internet access for specific applications can only be explained by the fact that Samsung and Google intend to have all our data and info sent over the Internet ... probably for specific domains ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its google that doesn't want to implement an internet permission, we can block apps from access to storage/location/contacts and whatnot but not the internet, blame google not samsung.
peachpuff said:
Its google that doesn't want to implement an internet permission, we can block apps from access to storage/location/contacts and whatnot but not the internet, blame google not samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, blame them both. Samsung is knowingly 'accepting' the Google 'flaw' on it's phone. So Samsung is also culpable.
Talk about an Over the Top Melodramatic 1st post!
Stay off the internet - Get rid of your Smart TV - Live in a box... SMH
Sent from my SM-G955W ??
Niccolò Paganini said:
According to Samsung customer support and some members of this forum, this device does not have a built-in way of blocking Internet access for specific applications!
Many of those apps have permissions like "storage", "phone ID", "contacts", "calendar", "camera", "microphone", etc...
Therefore, when those applications are given Internet access they will be able to send all our data via the Internet...
That's why it would be of crucial importance and vital to have a built-in way of blocking Internet access to those apps.
For example, if an application has access to your data, to your storage or your contacts, it stands to reason that it should not have Internet access...
The only explanation for the lack of such an integrated system of blocking Internet access for specific applications can only be explained by the fact that Samsung and Google intend to have all our data and info sent over the Internet ... probably for specific domains ...
Google, Samsung or any other companies should not have, simultaneously, access to our storage data, contacts, calendar, camera, microphone..., and Internet access to send out all those data and info...
Besides, most apps are proprietary... so nobody knows what info or data the app is really sending out...
(Curiously and as a side note, my son has a Huawei P10 and that device allows the user to block Internet access to specific apps).
Therefore, given that this Samsung device does not have a way to limit specific applications from reaching the Internet, the phone is a spyware device!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't worry about it the NSA and Google already know everything about you.
without permissions 99% of your apps won't work. want to stop tracking ?dig deep into your account, real real deep to cut off a lot of privacy issues
then when you have time, google your name
pltctytc said:
....then when you have time, google your name
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not much came out for me, just a Google+, Twitter, Photobucket and my company activity...
But: I must agree with OP to some extent...at the end it is weighting between functionality vs privacy.
Gregzi said:
Not much came out for me, just a Google+, Twitter, Photobucket and my company activity...
But: I must agree with OP to some extent...at the end it is weighting between functionality vs privacy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreeing to ANY extent with the OP's RIDICULOUS and ABSURD post & a Thread Title that is Entirely Misleading and Uninformed!
While everyone is entitled to their opinion - This Thread & Particularly it's Title are perilously close to warrant being Reported to the Mods!
It's a simple process to Disable Background Data for each and every Application that you decide to disable in Settings - Apps - Permissions - Data - Background /Toggle Off.
I made reference to Smart TV's as they are constantly "listening" in order to provide functionality - Then there's Laptop cameras which could be equally used to "spy" on their users... Are we to disable the functionality offered by Ok Google - Which is also "listening" to provide the functionality that we have come to expect from our technology?
Two Tin Cans and String are the bastion of the Paranoid & Conspiracy Theorists.
Sent from my SM-G955W ??
**** this I'm going back to a Palm Pixi so the NSA can't spy on me!
What if.....
The NSA IS Google?!
Seriously? You're downloading things from F-Droid and Yalp and you're concerned with what data individual apps are sending? If you don't trust an app to have an internet connection, why on earth are you using it? If you don't trust the company behind an app to use your data appropriately, whey are you using that app? Do you shut off all data so your internet/mobile provider can't sniff out what you're doing? Tin foil is relatively cheap.
Niccolò Paganini said:
The only explanation for the lack of such an integrated system of blocking Internet access for specific applications can only be explained by the fact that Samsung and Google intend to have all our data and info sent over the Internet ... probably for specific domains ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Surely this is "the only reason", surely. I'll assume you have thought through the entire process of creating a mobile phone operating system as complex as Android, and also every detail involved in creating an application ecosystem that scales to millions of user created applications access by billions of people that worldwide probably generates over a trillion dollars in overall economic revenue (including employment by business built around it, advertising money spent, etc). Surely you saw a foolproof way too easily do all of this AND follow seemingly arbitrary privacy rules? You MUST have also COMPLETELY ruled out every other innocent explanation using this model, including showing conclusively that it wouldn't cause ANRs, app crashes, or anything else. Right?
You also have data showing more than just you would revoke this permission right?
Right?
Mr. Orange 645 said:
What if.....
The NSA IS Google?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean you only just realised this NOW???!
I have to say, I'm always amazed how little people care about the spying that's being done through their phones. Saying "live in a box" or "just don't use the app" is a stupid response. You can still want to be part of society (which nowadays REQUIRES using whatsapp/facebook/google) EVEN THOUGH you're uncomfortable with the privacy implications. Someone acknowledging and being aware of this, and trying to improve upon it (or even simpler, just demanding improvements by the companies you pay a thousand dollar for a new phone) is often ridiculed as if it wouldn't matter, or people accept it as an something that is required for the systems we use. Social networks could work totally fine without being centralized, google maps doesn't actually need to send your location to google to function, and no app that i know of needs to send your usage of the phone to their company to do whatever it promises to do. Yet many apps do. It's not so much about that it is possible, the problem is that it is allowed. It shouldn't be allowed, much of the data collection should simply be outlawed. But, since hardly anyone seems to care, I don't see that coming anytime soon. I've tried to find people interested in this, but not even on reddit /r/privacy/ this seems to be a major concern.
@the_toast
There's a difference between being responsible for the amount of privacy you have and the amount of personal information that has already been made available... long before people were even aware of the amount of personal information that was already gleaned from the Products and Services that you have been using for years. To some extent trying to reign in your personal information is like closing the barn door after the horse is long gone.
The guy who originally posted this Thread is focusing his "panic" on one device and THAT is naive and Grossly Misleading!
Whether it's FB (which I don't use) or signing up for a Loyalty card - Your personal information is everywhere! Using common sense going forward is the only rational approach, but standing on an imaginary mountain top and shouting to the world that one device is "spyware" is ridiculous and deserves to be called out ?
Sent from my SM-G955W ??
Ahh, the time of the Internet where everyone knows who you are, what you're doing, what you're buying, what sites you browse, your fetishes, etc. Most importantly, here in the U.S., your IP now can sell your internet history to anyone they please, even that time you looked up 2 girls and a cup. Sorry, Charlie, your life is no longer a private one and never will be again.
MiMtnBiker said:
Ahh, the time of the Internet where everyone knows who you are, what you're doing, what you're buying, what sites you browse, your fetishes, etc. Most importantly, here in the U.S., your IP now can sell your internet history to anyone they please, even that time you looked up 2 girls and a cup. Sorry, Charlie, your life is no longer a private one and never will be again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if you Travel into the USA... Did you know THIS?
https://www.google.ca/amp/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4494371#ampshare=http://www.cbc.ca/1.4494371
Sent from my SM-G955W ??
@shaggyskunk True, the OP is alarmist and uninformed. I was just put off by many of the answers, which basically said "why do you use Internet then". With respect to your post about searching phones - we can easily make this a scare thread (and people would be scared for good reasons). Let me continue:
- apps that want to use your microphone without apparent reason (of course also the ones WITH a good reason to use the mic) can track you through high-pitched sounds you cannot hear, which are emitted e.g. by some retailers to track you through their store.
- You talk about 1 in 13.000 people arriving in the US getting their phone/laptop looked at and potentially copied? How about knowing for 1Bn people (1 in 7 on earth) who they talk with, when they talk with them, and in which location they are whenever their phone has internet. That's Whatsapp.
@MiMtnBiker Gnn that's exactly my problem, people just accept it and believe it's never going to change. I'm not happy they know what kind of porn I'm looking at, and even less happy that they could sell the information (although I don't live in the US). If it is that way, it CAN be fixed, you CAN prohibit selling this information. Or to collect it at all. It's definitely better to know the big 5 have all my information but won't have all future information about me than to know they can continue like this forever
@the_toast
Many of the answers - including "live in a box" - "stay off the internet" were in direct response to the careless & irresponsible comments by the OP - like = like?
Not only your phone has the potential to gain access to your personal information - But your Laptop camera - Your Smart TV (that is "listening") But this technology is something that most people appreciate and expect their tech to provide them with the functionality that they want - Being aware of the capabilities of your Tech is prudent - being paranoid & frightened by it is just sad.
The issues of Privacy are extensive and if someone decides to pull on that thread - it's going to be never ending.
Common sense & being informed is the most appropriate way to go ??
Sent from my SM-G955W ??
the_toast said:
@shaggyskunk True, the OP is alarmist and uninformed. I was just put off by many of the answers, which basically said "why do you use Internet then". With respect to your post about searching phones - we can easily make this a scare thread (and people would be scared for good reasons). Let me continue:
- apps that want to use your microphone without apparent reason (of course also the ones WITH a good reason to use the mic) can track you through high-pitched sounds you cannot hear, which are emitted e.g. by some retailers to track you through their store.
- You talk about 1 in 13.000 people arriving in the US getting their phone/laptop looked at and potentially copied? How about knowing for 1Bn people (1 in 7 on earth) who they talk with, when they talk with them, and in which location they are whenever their phone has internet. That's Whatsapp.
@MiMtnBiker Gnn that's exactly my problem, people just accept it and believe it's never going to change. I'm not happy they know what kind of porn I'm looking at, and even less happy that they could sell the information (although I don't live in the US). If it is that way, it CAN be fixed, you CAN prohibit selling this information. Or to collect it at all. It's definitely better to know the big 5 have all my information but won't have all future information about me than to know they can continue like this forever
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm afraid the only way you are going to change it is to completely get off the grid. Many people are oblivious to the fact that they are willingly giving up their personal information when they have their noses buried in their smartphones pert near all day. What's worse is that the politicians only seem to cater to the wealthy, and since they are salivating at the idea of getting their grubby hands on your info, this will continue. Unless there is a huge uprising and people assemble in protest of this, it will not stop. Heck, I don't even think it will stop, then. Nope, money is the reason as to why this won't change and, unfortunately, you have no say in the matter. Unless, that is, you do get completely off the grid.