Hello I use GOS have for almost a year and finally removed sandboxed play services in my main profile and only use Aurora for my bank app and Apple Music in my main profile still have Google Voice in private space but seperated from my main profile all my apps are only FOSS other than the 2 apps from aurora and it feels so good to finally say that. I just wanted to share my big news with you and hope you can all ditch Google apps/services as I have its amazing how my spam calls/texts have stopped or become less the more I degoogled.
I hope everyone has a great Degoogle/privacy enchancing experience
Any better replacements for Google Voice welcome in the comments if there is any.
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Recently I too have made a huge change in move towards degoogling and replaced Gboard with Heliboard. I never thought I’d be able to replace Gboard because I use gesture typing a lot. Heliboard doesn’t come inbuilt with gesture typing but you have to import from closed source(?) data which is just a one time import (would like to know more on this one from someone more knowledgeable). So far, it has been great!
Unfortunately I can’t access my banking app without a “certified virtual keyboard”. I have to flip back to gboard whenever I want to check my bank balance
I learnt to just use my PC for all banking. Double check my balance before leaving the house for groceries.
I’m an idiot for not thinking of that. Fuck I’m so dependent on my phone
That sucks my bank app doesn’t seem to rely on it for anything other than notifications and I can live without those.
To be fair, android custom keyboards are ridiciously insecure. They have access to effectively everything on the screen and what you’re typing while also having access to make external requests.
The solution is for Android to allow you to select keyboards per app
Yup
Man can you tell me how to import the gesture typing Library?
It is explained in their github.
“Glide typing (only with closed source library ☹️) library not included in the app, as there is no compatible open source library available can be extracted from GApps packages (“swypelibs”), or downloaded here (click on the file and then “raw” or the tiny download button)” https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard#:~:text=Glide typing (,tiny download button)
In the app, you go Advanced > Load gesture typing library > Select your downloaded library.
Thanks man
Congrats! Do you use Android Auto? If so, how does it work for you without Google play?
I’m on CalyxOS with microG, and as far as I know, Android Auto does not work here. I understand this is a deal-breaker for a lot of people, but I have personally never seen Android Auto to be of particular interest, so I am completely fine with it.
I have significantly reduced my usage of Google and Apple services for a couple of years now. Sometimes I wonder if I should go back, but then I see the enshitification of it all and it reminds me why I did so in the first place.
For which services are you sometimes wanting to go back for?
I guess it’s less the services and more the updated hardware that tempts me. I don’t do anything that requires a lot of computing power, so I get tempted to get something with Samsung Dex or Motorola Ready For to use it as both mobile and laptop/desktop.
I do use the Librem 5 with convergence, but storage is becoming an issue. I have a few things I can try to maximize storage before seriously considering something else.
Congrats. I’ve moved away from using Google other than for school/work (I have no choice there). Although I still haven’t deleted my personal account yet.
I have a work gmail as well with works apps with Google Play but it’s in a work profile so separate from. Main so I understand that.
Ummm, why were you using Google, Boimler? Why didn’t you just use the systems Star Fleet provided on the Cerritos?
Because I am trapped here and have to use current tech and you know I dont do off the grid! 🖖
