Is Android for me?

[insectify]

To cut a long story short. OpenAndroidAlliance is a step in the right direction, and so is Orbot.

1. What is being tracked by google? What is being sent to google. Is there a cookie equivalent, like a way to uniquely identify an android device via the IMEI or else during browsing the web?

2. Are phone contacts really stored @ Google? Is there no way to disable this?

3. Are the Android-App sites a good alternative to the Market?

4. Is there a way to bypass the Gmail / google Account BS via root?


I want this device to be mine. I don't intend to participate in corporate clouds.


Hype on.

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

An Android device is not for you.

1. What is being tracked by google? What is being sent to google.

Of course know one but Google knows for sure, but can it really be any more than any normal internet provider, doctor's office, bank, gas station or gym ?

Is there a cookie equivalent, like a way to uniquely identify an android device via the IMEI or else during browsing the web?

Anyone ?

2. Are phone contacts really stored @ Google?

They are stored somewhere on a server I would guess.Thats the point of Android devices.

Is there no way to disable this?

Why would you do that ? What happens if you lose, break or other wise cant use your phone ?

If you don't have them stored somewhere (simcards can be damaged) you lose them all. Having them sync with a Gmail account saves you losing them.

3. Are the Android-App sites a good alternative to the Market?

I think all the "markets" have pros & cons. Its mostly up to the user. All the markets know what and where you downloaded apps. They keep track of your datta !!!!!!!

4. Is there a way to bypass the Gmail / Google Account BS via root?

I haven't seen anything about it, but I would think that you couldn't. Once again, that would defet the purpose of an Android device.

I want this device to be mine. I don't intend to participate in corporate clouds.

Then why would you buy a phone that is designed to be a "Cloud Device" ????

To me that sounds like a waist of money. If you don't want to be part of the "cloud" then you better get rid of all your e-mail accounts, medical records, bank records, legal documents, credit/debit card purchases and just about any other form of daily routine.

 

[insectify]

Wow. Your information just crushed my cardhouse. To be honest, i didn't expect anyone to reply, as most questions of this kind are getting ignored most of the time. If all this is true, I will have to look into something different as my preferred mobile OS. Thx.

 

[NowVoyager]

Privacy is dead. Film @ Eleven.

This guy is a hero of privacy advocacy: Phil Zimmermann's Home Page

There are large stakes in knowing where you go and what you do. Advertising as we know it, depends upon it. Ever ask why the grocery clerk calls you by name after you give them the little discount savings card? They are not tracking anonymously, they are tracking YOUR purchases.

I am not a fan of the seemingly innocuous "follow me, find me" mobile phone apps. You know, the ones that let your "friends" see where you are on a map? It's called tracking, no matter what its stage name is, LOL.

 

[blinky]

I would wait until next year when the really good Android phones come out.

 

[vonfeldt7]

It sounds as though a cell phone isn't for you... ANY cell phone. There's no such thing as privacy anymore, and almost anything and everything you do can be tracked. Even a "regular" phone can locate your position (via triangulation) and the carrier has all kinds of info. on you that's in "the cloud" regardless.

Just be thankful that Google is a company, and not the government. (Not that it matters, the Gov't has your info in the cloud as well).

 

[Jim W]

I kind of like the contacts and what not being stored on a server, it makes getting a new phone easier. No more paying to get contacts transferred or manually doing it.

 

[IOWA]

I like being able to sync contacts locally.

 

[NowVoyager]

Ah yes...Contacts...Contacts stored on someone else's server. Hmmm.
This info alone is worth it's weight in gold! They are going to get their hands on the personal phone numbers, addresses and emails of millions of people everywhere, LOL -

Talk about being "linked in!!!" They'll know where you are, who you talk to, where you browse, your itinerary/calendar/appointments/meetings -where and with whom, your personal notes to yourself - And they just sit there and collect it all. No wonder they wanted "in" on this industry. It's gravy.

Imagine having Donald Trump's personal phone book! Wow. Why didn't I think of that??? Remember when somebody hacked Paris Hilton's Sidekick? Now, just imagine ALL the celebs' data residing on a server somewhere...You know even the President has a Blackberry. Think he'll ante up on the remote server thingy? No?

I learned a long time ago that nothing is free. I had a guru friend who built a Linux box for me "for free." It was cool until I learned enough about the OS to discover the back door that he had built for himself to access my box remotely. I shut that door, LOL.

This whole "free" environment has a warm and fuzzy "your contacts are my contacts" kinda relationship that I am not quite into, LOL. I probably won't subscribe to remote sync. I have never liked it. But now, if "Da Donald" wants to sync his contacts, I'll be happy to let someone "share" them with me and feel the love, LOL.

I will be reading the fine print. I love the technology but I still have to maintain some control. It may be a girl thing, LOL

 

[vonfeldt7]

^ The government and/or various businesses already have TONS of info. on you (Social, credit card info, address, phone number, etc) and you're holding out giving them contacts on your phone?

I'll trade some "privacy" (nothing that they couldn't get if they really wanted anyways) for convenience. I say that, talking about a business (Google) but when it comes to the Government... I feel differently.

 

[Jim W]

I learned a long time ago that nothing is free. I had a guru friend who built a Linux box for me "for free." It was cool until I learned enough about the OS to discover the back door that he had built for himself to access my box remotely. I shut that door, LOL.

.......... It may be a girl thing, LOL

Sounds like your "friend" may have had some perverted thoughts when he did that.

 

[Android_LIFE]

Wow. Your information just crushed my cardhouse. To be honest, i didn't expect anyone to reply, as most questions of this kind are getting ignored most of the time. If all this is true, I will have to look into something different as my preferred mobile OS. Thx.

NO, YOU MUST JOIN ANDROID!!!

LoL, just kidding.

Good luck on making your decision.

If you do make the jump to Android,
Android Forums will be here waiting.

 

[KlaymenDK]

Insectify,
I too was --still am-- very weary of Google's all-knowing-ness. That just can't be a good thing, if you've any sense of self. The thing is, though, that they already have your data. Given that, you might as well have a bit of benefit back, and that might just take the shape of a modern phone.

I would recommend you read some of my first threads here, especially this and this. If afterwards you are still suspicious but intent on a smart phone, I would highly recommend getting a Palm Treo off of eBay and having it refurbished (I know a guy).

 

[ABH]

If you want a phone that won't keep your contacts stored on a remote server you could always get a Sidekick...

Zing!

 

[NowVoyager]

^ The government and/or various businesses already have TONS of info. on you (Social, credit card info, address, phone number, etc) and you're holding out giving them contacts on your phone?

I'll trade some "privacy" (nothing that they couldn't get if they really wanted anyways) for convenience. I say that, talking about a business (Google) but when it comes to the Government... I feel differently.

Call me crazy. But when my contacts entrust me with their info, they are giving it to ME...not to the world. Big brother has it, we know. But Big Brother shouldn't be everyone who offers us a service, IMHO.

Let's say that you have some high-powered contacts...most people in business *do*. You have the private mobile number of the CEO. They wouldn't take kindly to suddenly getting a rash of "targeted marketing" calls on that number. And you become persona non grata as a result of the "leak." Business suicide.

If you're a kid and the heaviest hitter on your contact list is your mother...well this isn't that important to you...unless your mother is ME!!! ROTFLOL.

Again, I am jazzed about the Android. I am a huge Google fan up to my eyeballs. I am just not a fan of remote sync and storing my contacts remotely from my personal phone.

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

1. Put on tinfoil hat.

2. Start being parinoid.

3. Stop shopping

4. Stop going to doctor.

5. Stop using banks.

6. Do not renew drivers lisnse.

7. Do not use internet.

8. Do not check out books for the library.

9. Stop using electric, gas or water.

10. Do not use a cell phone.

11. Do not file taxes.

12. Go hide in a cave.

The 12 step program to keep "big brother" from watching you.

 

[johflo88]

So well put!

@ Vonfeldt7

 

[trick202]

Why do we go back here time and time again?

It's a platform designed to take advantage of cloud computing. If you don't want that kind of thing, then look for a phone that suits you better.

easy.

Don't want a blue car? Don't buy one!

 

[NowVoyager]

It's called DISCUSSION guys...you know, different view points...conversation. It's what forums are for. Let's not get our knickers in a twit.

With the latest and greatest technology there are always trade-offs. You can opt/in to various components or not. I think that we all understand that not every single component will please everyone across the board.

I for one always ask questions. Kool-aid drinkers do not. To each his own. There is room for all opinions IMHO, LOL.

Don't sweat the small stuff...It's ALL small stuff.
​

 

[Stormin]

Big brother is watching. Big brother is going to watch no matter what or who you do business with. Get a phone you like and forget about it. I just can't wait until the flood gates open and they start making a variety of Android phones so you have something to choose from.

 

[KlaymenDK]

Why do we go back here time and time again?

Evidently the matter isn't as settled as some folk think it is.

It's a platform designed to take advantage of cloud computing.

That I can't argue with. (Tried, failed, saw the error of my ways. See my linked posts.) The reality quite simply is that this phone is what it is, and that is: 'hooked up to Google'. No sense in complaining, because it's advertised very clearly on the front of the tin.

If you don't want that kind of thing, then look for a phone that suits you better. [...] Don't want a blue car? Don't buy one!

Ah, here's a problem, though.
Have you noticed how all the cars nowadays are some shade of blue -- or, in actuality, silver? I absolutely loathe the nicely rounded silveriness of my car, and (or because of) the sameness it shares with 80% of the other cars in the lot. But I still bought it -- because they only sell nicely rounded silvery cars nowadays.

My point is that if you want a sensible phone these days, you really don't have a lot of options, and that's why you'll see a number of people coming to Android that don't really want to be here; they just want to be wherever else less. I freely admit that Android is currently the very best phone OS, but from that it does not automatically follow that it's actually good. It's just the best of what's available. In my very humble opinion, PalmOS was in many ways better by leaps and bounds, but it's not available any more so now you guys are stuck with me. Sorry.

(Also, I'd rather have a jagged pastel-coloured chromed slab of a car, but they stopped making Nomads in '57. )

 

[FupaDroid]

To cut a long story short. OpenAndroidAlliance is a step in the right direction, and so is Orbot.

1. What is being tracked by google? What is being sent to google. Is there a cookie equivalent, like a way to uniquely identify an android device via the IMEI or else during browsing the web?

2. Are phone contacts really stored @ Google? Is there no way to disable this?

3. Are the Android-App sites a good alternative to the Market?

4. Is there a way to bypass the Gmail / google Account BS via root?


I want this device to be mine. I don't intend to participate in corporate clouds.


Hype on.

i would really like more of these questions to be answered.

2) i really wouldnt like my contacts stored on anywhere but my devices. personally, i wouldnt give a damn if a lost all my contacts. in fact i would rather me lose all my contacts than be tied up to a corporation. couldnt you just back them up on your own computer?

4) couldnt you just give them a fake gmail? i dont have an android device so i dont know.

there are alot of places that rip off your privacy, but why give them more is where i stand? come on, are we really that dependant on other people/companies/services. i like the idea of being independant rather than having someone hold my hand so i dont fall. especially when that person just happens to be the most untrustworthy entity ever made (corporation)

there are lots and lots of reason to get android. people dont get android just because there contacts will be easily secured, and there email is synced with there phone, come on. i am planning to get a android/smarthphone simply to use it like a little laptop/phone(internet/games/gps/multimedia/phone). i dont care about all the facebook, twitter, trackme here there BS. i can do with out that stuff.

so i would definately be interested in any info on getting an android device and taking some of the chains off. simply dont need or want those services. more simply put, the only company that should be involved with my phone is my phone company/cell carrier. anyone know how to accomplish this?

@kabbie_mcfeely: "war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength"

 

[KlaymenDK]

i would definately be interested in any info on getting an android device and taking some of the chains off. simply dont need or want those services. more simply put, the only company that should be involved with my phone is my phone company/cell carrier. anyone know how to accomplish this?

Well Fupa, it's certainly possible to get an Android phone, and not ever use any of Google. But it'd be difficult to get hold of apps (even the innocuous local-running ones); due to the existence of the Market there's no great motivation for other repositories (although various developers are likely to serve their own apps for a while).

From time to time I have considered reimplementing the classic Palm PIM apps in Android, relying on local storage (and desktop syncing) instead of connecting to a (non-personal) server. My main drive for this would be to remedy the lack of local searching (ostensibly fixed in Android 2.0), proper backups, and per-record privacy settings, but also to eschew the whole 'cloud' thing.

It'd be quite a bit of work, especially getting a calendar working with sensible data formats, but it would be worth it. I'm a luddite, I know.

 

[FupaDroid]

Well Fupa, it's certainly possible to get an Android phone, and not ever use any of Google. But it'd be difficult to get hold of apps (even the innocuous local-running ones); due to the existence of the Market there's no great motivation for other repositories (although various developers are likely to serve their own apps for a while).

From time to time I have considered reimplementing the classic Palm PIM apps in Android, relying on local storage (and desktop syncing) instead of connecting to a (non-personal) server. My main drive for this would be to remedy the lack of local searching (ostensibly fixed in Android 2.0), proper backups, and per-record privacy settings, but also to eschew the whole 'cloud' thing.

It'd be quite a bit of work, especially getting a calendar working with sensible data formats, but it would be worth it. I'm a luddite, I know.

well i dont even have any type of smartphone yet, so i dont understand how the market works. i was hoping that you just go onto the market, get an app, store it on your microSD card, then pay for it on your next phone bill. but i keep hearing that isnt the way it works. as far as syncing calenders? dont really need to. i would just use the calender on the phone and thats it. no computer syncing or anything. i just made a fake Gmail account today and will use that to sign in when i get my android(even turned off that web/search history function, dont need it). i will probably use some other hotmail account that i have had for years now anyway. seems like the only thing i have to address about is the google backup of all my contacts. dont really need or want that service. unless i am missing something that seems like the only thing i have to deal with. but still no big deal.

 

[vonfeldt7]

there are alot of places that rip off your privacy, but why give them more is where i stand?

Because you're being nonsensical about it, that's why. We are talking about Google stealing your contact info. (which I believe is illegal, anyways). If they really wanted it that badly, and were going to break the law to get it regardless, do you think they would give two shits about whether or not you had "sync with Google servers" enabled? The answer is no.