WILL BE UPDATE OFTEN Last update : 1/05/24
THE GUIDE FOR DE-GOOGLED APPS
(🏆 = just the best app ; ❤️ = a more than excellent app)
REMEMBER : Do not install every apps you find, for your security and privacy only install needed apps.
ANDROID
1- Phone and messaging
Phone --> Fossify Phone 🏆
Messages --> Quik SMS 🏆
Contacts --> Fossify contacts 🏆
Whatsapp --> Molly (Signal fork) ❤️ Briar (For advanced users, maximum privacy concerns)
2- Networking
Chrome (browser) --> Cromite ❤️ (must be configured) Mull (slower but not chromium-based, must be configured)
Discord --> Element (matrix.org client)
Reddit --> Jerboa (a Lemmy client)
3- Multimedia
YouTube --> Libretube 🏆
Spotify --> RiMusic 🏆
Google podcasts (podcasts) --> Antenna Pod ❤️
Gallery --> Fossify Galley ❤️ (Basic app) Aves ❤️ (Advanced gallery)
4- Tools
QrScanner --> Binary eye 🏆
Gboard --> HeliBoard ❤️ (OpenBoard fork)
IME keyboard --> Sayboard
Local sharing --> LocalSend ❤️
Google authenticator (2FA) --> Aegis ❤️
Lastpass (password manager) --> Bitwarden 🏆 (Self-hosted) KeePassDX 🏆 (local storage)
Gcam --> Open camera
5- Others
Clock --> Clock You
Google calendar --> Etar ❤️
PDF viewer --> MJ PDF
Office --> LibreOffice Viewer ❤️ (Only for reading)
LINUX
For more convenience, you can download your apps using the command line and flatpak (Flathub.org)
1- OS
Some Linux distributions recommendations :
- Linux Mint and Pop OS (for all levels)
- Arch (mainly for gaming but you can use it as working OS)
- Debian (for productivity (greatest compatibility) )
For most basic users I recommend using Gnome desktop environment
2- Softwares
Browser --> Firefox 🏆 (It’s recommended to tweaks and the settings and use custom user.js (Explanations about user.js)) Librewolf ❤️ (For an out-of-the-box great experience)
Office --> The LibreOffice Suite ❤️
File sharing --> Local Send ❤️
YouTube --> FreeTube
Adobe Illustrator --> Inkscape
Lemmy --> Photon
Matrix --> Element
That’s all, hope you enjoy, do not hesitate to save the post for future updates and comment your recommendations below ⬇️⬇️
I’ve been using this open board fork: https://github.com/erkserkserks/openboard
Mainly because it comes with trace/swipe type input. Is there anything else out there that’s better and more up to date? Probably not up to modifying the above to include libraries.
I was a long term Swype user prior to getting a pixel 7, which it can’t be installed on due to it being 32bit. I’ve not found anything else FOSS or otherwise that comes close to being as good as Swype’s trace predictions. Sadly Microsoft bought the company that made Swype so the odds are it’s never going to see the light of day again. They have their shitty Swiftkey app instead.
I’m still using Swype on my OnePlus, even 5 years after it was delisted. I’m dreading updating to Android 14 because of this.
But from what I read on the xda-dev forum, it’s not the 32 vs. 64 bit architecture being problematic, but rather than Android 14 enforces a minimum version of the android sdk, and for an app that hasn’t been updated for so long, they are now falling behind the requirements.
There’s an ongoing discussion where people have posted recompiled apks with current sdk api though, that appear to be working: https://xdaforums.com/t/any-way-to-run-swype-dragon-keyboard-on-android-14-on-pixel-6-pro.4640113/page-5
If you decide to give it a try, please report back! :-)
I’ll try it when i get spare time. Based on post #79 in that XDA thread, it won’t work on my pixel 7 as it also won’t install 32 bit apps, same as pixel 8.
I run Graphene, but as far as I’m aware it has the same 32bit restriction.
Hello, I’m going to search an alternative with swift writing. I’ve seen that you can use gesture typing with my recommandation (HeliBoard), have you tried it?
Yep. Works very well.
So its alright
I’ve used AnySoftKeyboard for years now as it supports a lot more customization & alternative layouts.