Leaving Google is not as easy as changing search engines. Often, we use one or more other services (Gmail, Google Maps, Google Calendar, etc.) that collect personal data and end up creating a very precise profile of the Internet user. This can end up disturbing those who are most concerned about their privacy. If we add to this the growing gap that American tech giants are creating with regard to European aspirations for confidentiality, many are starting to take an interest in alternatives.
A privacy-respecting tablet
The French company Murena offers a “de-Googled” Pixel Tablet. Logically, the Murena Pixel Tablet takes up the characteristics of the Google tablet: 10.95-inch LCD screen (1600 x 2560, 276 ppi), same Tensor G2 chip, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, two 8 MP photo sensors (one at the front, one at the back), a battery with a capacity of 7020 mAh, support for Wi-Fi 6, a USB-C port. All for €539, or €40 more than the original model.
However, the device stands out for its operating system: it is /e/OS, a derivative of LineageOS itself based on the open-source version of Android (AOSP) whose kernel is none other than Linux. In other words, it is an Android without Google services. Murena has added a few additional touches: internet search is handled by a home-made engine, DNS servers are defined by the access provider and not by Google's system, a widget allows you to control trackers and hide your IP address...
Exit the Play Store obviously: a specific app store has been developed, the App Lounge, which contains free apps (distributed on F-droid). It is even possible to install apps from the Play Store, without needing a personal Google account, an approach that bypasses the usual restrictions while respecting users' privacy.
Murena also offers a series of apps developed in-house, which present themselves as alternatives to Google Drive and Office 365. It is a product that is not for everyone, nevertheless it could intrigue users who want to cut the cord with Google while maintaining a certain familiarity with their habits.
Source : Murena
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