While in #Telegram you have to opt-in into secret chats, in #ArcaneChat all chats are secret and encrypted out of the box, even groups and channels

No phone numbers required. No spam, no scammers.

#europe #android #autonomy

@Tutanota

@GrapheneOS

#DiDay #Android

My next phone will be a #Linux

RE: https://mastodon.social/@Tutanota/117381579772667732

it was never about freedom, if you thought Android was magically 'freer' than other platforms, you were deluded.

As someone who currently has an iPhone I was always bemused about the cries of 'walled garden' and 'closed source' when Google had an iron grip on Android phones, sadly...and where it didn't, it allowed a LOT of malware and dodgy apps, hence I guess this update.

Given my experience of both, I now trust Apple way more than Google, who sells data and allowed all kinds of spyware....

Full open source OSes is the way - but the problem is jailbreaking/rooting etc. It's gotten easier from when I used to break open my old LG/Samsung devices. but it needs to be standard.

But also a way of vetting/upvoting/peer reviewing the apps you run...most folks can't download from Github, let alone review code!

#android #google #iphone #apple

Tuta » 🌐 2026-10-04
@Tutanota@mastodon.social

🚨 GOOGLE IS KILLING ANDROID FREEDOM. 🚨

This #DiDay we call on you to take action & sign the petition:
https://www.change.org/p/keep-android-open-stop-google-from-limiting-apk-file-usage

Because Google must not decide what you can & can't download on YOUR Android device.

This undermines one of Android’s defining features: the freedom to install software from wherever you choose. 😤

#Android is supposed to be open, & your phone should be yours → NOT GOOGLES.

It’s time to support open alternatives like @GrapheneOS ✊

More: https://tuta.com/blog/android-side-load-apps-google

Alt...

Screenshot from Keep Android Open website: Your phone is about to stop being yours. 92 DAYS UNTIL LOCKDOWN Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID. Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt- out.

@Tutanota @GrapheneOS

#Android is supposed to be open, & your phone should be yours → NOT GOOGLES.

YES, BUT we need legislation to force release of Bootloader unlock codes for all phones.

Until we can controll a phone and its software it is not fully our property.

🚨 GOOGLE IS KILLING ANDROID FREEDOM. 🚨

This #DiDay we call on you to take action & sign the petition:
https://www.change.org/p/keep-android-open-stop-google-from-limiting-apk-file-usage

Because Google must not decide what you can & can't download on YOUR Android device.

This undermines one of Android’s defining features: the freedom to install software from wherever you choose. 😤

#Android is supposed to be open, & your phone should be yours → NOT GOOGLES.

It’s time to support open alternatives like @GrapheneOS ✊

More: https://tuta.com/blog/android-side-load-apps-google

Alt...

Screenshot from Keep Android Open website: Your phone is about to stop being yours. 92 DAYS UNTIL LOCKDOWN Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID. Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt- out.

#CalyxOS 8.0.0.0 - #Android17 rollout begins, with more devices to follow

https://calyxos.org/news/2026/10/01/android-17-is-here/

#Calyx #FOSS #Android #DeGoogle #privacy

PSA: While our update cycles get faster, updates come sooner, sometimes too soon 😼

#OpenVPN for #Android 0.7.66 has a bug where profiles get wiped. Check your MyApps Updates section in #FDroid client, touch OpenVPN details, upper right corner "ignore this update".

Carry on...

Did you know you can mute the whole profile in #ArcaneChat while you keep receiving notifications in other profiles?

You can mute your work profile during the weekend while you keep receiving notifications in your family profile

#android #privacy #europe #european #eu

F-Droid 2.0 ist da: Android-App-Store erhält kompletten Neustart https://fosstopia.de/f-droid-2-0/ #Android #FDroid #FDroidAppStore

What feature in Conversations are you looking forward to the most?

#XMPP #Jabber #Conversations_im #Android

dropping the meme in the group chat through thick and thin

#ArcaneChat #european #europe #eu #decentralization #android #OpenSource #chat #messenger

Android’s openness is facing a major change.

The Keep Android Open campaign says Google’s planned 2027 developer verification requirements could restrict apps from being installed unless their developers register with Google.

The campaign’s open letter has been signed by 71 organizations from 23 countries, including F-Droid, GrapheneOS, KDE, EFF, FSFE, Nextcloud, and others.

Learn more: https://keepandroidopen.org/

#Android #OpenSource #FOSS #Privacy #FDroid #DigitalRights

Alt...

“Your phone is about to stop being yours,” a red countdown box showing “94 days until lockdown,” and text below stating “Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.”

F-Droid 2.0 brings a redesigned Android app store experience with a new UI, improved search and filtering, background updates, and smoother app installs.
https://linuxiac.com/f-droid-2-0-android-app-store-launches-with-new-ui-improved-search/

#android #opensource

Alt...

F-Droid 2.0 brings a redesigned Android app store experience with a new UI, improved search and filtering, background updates, and smoother app installs.

Hey, @delta what's the difference between the version of the apps on Google Play and F-Droid? Curious Pixel 11 user here wishing to know. #DeltaChat #Android #GooglePlay #FDroid #Question

So mein bester Freund hat sich nun ein Fairphone 6+ bestellt.Was wäre jetzt eure Empfehlung bzgl. eines möglich schmerzfreiem, möglichst Google losen Android für das Telefon? Schmerzlos bedeutet vor allem das Banking Apps oder Apps die halt DRM nutzen (WOW TV etc.) problemlos funktionieren.

Bitte boosten wenn es nichts ausmacht.

#fairphone #customrom #android #pleaseboost #boostok

⛓️ Today, Google has taken the next step in enclosing the #Android ecosystem by starting to enforce its developer verification program in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

No better time than now to recommend the best apps from everyone's favorite #FOSS app store, F-Droid.

We'll start: Librera Reader, Image Toolbox, LocalSend, AntennaPod, FMD, Capy Reader, Unexpected Keyboard, Voice Audiobook Player, Aegis Authenticator...

Useful notice about F-Droid 2.0.0: on my phone, F-Droid stopped working after the upgrade. When I run the app, the phone remained stuck on a black screen or the F-Droid splash screen.
I fixed the issue by cleaning the app data (not only the cache), thus I had to add again the external repositories I was using.

#FDroid #Android

F-Droid 2.0 is finally out. The biggest update in a decade, and the first one that actually does not look like it was designed in a shed.

The whole app is a Kotlin Compose rewrite now. Navigation is down to three tabs: Discover, Search, My Apps. Updates are automatic in the background by default, and the new session installer finally makes the install flow on par with the Play Store (thanks, EU DMA).

The trade-offs?
- No more Privileged Extension support
- Tor auto-detection is gone, you now need a Tor VPN for that
- The panic wipe feature and the fake calculator disguise are also dead
- Android 6 support has been dropped

This a massive step forward for FOSS Android. But do read the release notes before updating if you relied on those privacy tools.

https://lwn.net/Articles/1096444/

#foss #android #fdroid #privacy #opensource

F-Droid 2.0 segna una delle più importanti evoluzioni dello store Android dedicato al software libero: nuova interfaccia, ricerca potenziata, aggiornamenti automatici e maggiore attenzione alla privacy. #FDroid #Android #Linux #OpenSource #FOSS #Privacy https://www.linuxeasy.org/f-droid-2-0-cambia-volto-nuova-app-android-ricerca-migliorata-e-piu-controllo-sulla-privacy/

New Attack Can Track You Across Operating Systems Without Elevated Privileges

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/09/28/new-attack-can-track-you-across-operating-systems-without-elevated-privileges/

#privacy #cybersecurity #Linux #Windows #Mac #Android #iOS #Apple #FOSS

📱 The #PeerTube mobile app is now available in version 2.3.0! 🚀

Along with many new features, you can now enjoy picture-in-picture mode and the ability to choose video quality.

Check it out now on #Android (via F-Droid or Google Play) and #iOS (via Alt Store or the App Store).

Alt...

Illustration made by David Revoy. CC-By-SA

Protect your digital peace of mind with #ArcaneChat:

All your private data lives only in your device, independent of any server! you own it!

No one can discover you or know you are using the app, no spam, no scammers!

#privacy #android #European #Europe

Von der Leyen erklärt Alterskontroll-App für „fertig“
Gesichtsscan und Handy-Zwang

‚Mit einer Handy-App für #iOS und #Android sollen Menschen in der #EU künftig ihr Alter gegenüber Plattformen nachweisen. Doch der Nutzen zum Schutz von Kindern und Jugendlichen ist fraglich. Nutzende sollen zudem ihr Gesicht scannen lassen….‘

https://netzpolitik.org/2026/gesichtsscan-und-handy-zwang-von-der-leyen-erklaert-alterskontroll-app-fuer-fertig/

#Europe #Altersverifikation #Überwachung #Kontrolle #Datenschutz #Gesichtserkennung #Biometrie

In Anbetracht der Entwicklung von Überwachungsgesetzen und der digital-autoritären Transformation, kann davon ausgegangen werden, dass die einmal etablierten Praktiken auch in diesem Fall rasch über den ursprünglich kommunizierten Zweck hinaus erweitert werden sollen und ein Maximum an Kontrollmacht und Datenextraktion erreicht werden soll.

https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/eu-app-altersueberpruefung-100.html

#IOS #Android #Altersverifikation #Überwachung #Kontrolle #Datenschutz #Daten #Privacy

🔐 Your private conversations don’t need a phone number, account or central messaging server.

Meet Zerion private messaging over Tor with post-quantum encryption on every message.

No ads. No tracking. Open source.

Download Zerion on Google Play and try it with your friends and family.

#Zerion #Privacy #Tor #OpenSource #CyberSecurity #PrivacyTech #android

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.professor.zerion

Meet #ArcaneChat

No phone numbers required for registration.

No strangers discovering and contacting your family members.

All your conversations end-to-end encrypted.

it is magic! ✨️

#europe #android #autonomy

Question for my fellow blind Android users... What Mastodon client would you recommend I try on my Pixel? I'm not exactly happy with my current client as it feels like it's missing some features, such as the ability to delete posts that I've bookmarked and the ability to set replies as unlisted by default. Maybe I got spoiled by Mona when I was on iOS, but I do miss all its little nice to haves that it included. #A11Y #Accessibility #Blind #Mastodon #Android #MastodonClients

F-Droid 2.0 is here! A major redesign of the open-source Android app store after a decade.

The new version brings a modern interface, improved search, expanded app categories, better filters, easier installs, and automatic app updates.

Built with Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, it makes discovering and managing free and open-source Android apps easier without tracking your activity.

Read more: https://www.digitalescapetools.com/2026/09/f-droid-2-0-android-freedom-redesign.html

#FDroid #Android #OpenSource #FOSS #Privacy #DeGoogle

in #ArcaneChat you can have several profiles separating private life from work!

you can mute your work profile while you keep available for family and friends, ex. during weekends or vacations

#privacy #anonymity #family #Europe #European #android

Pay for your #Tuta subscription via the #Google #PlayStore!

https://tuta.com/blog/tuta-supports-google-play-payments-on-android

#email #FOSS #cybersecurity #privacy #Android

#HIROH Phone now shipping with #Android 16 (Physical mic/camera kill switch for Android users)

https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/hiroh-phone-now-shipping-with-android-16-physical-mic-camera-kill-switch-for-android-users/40985

#privacy #cybersecurity

#FDroid 2.0: A New Chapter for #Android Freedom

https://f-droid.org/en/2026/09/24/f-droid-2.0-a-new-chapter-for-android-freedom.html

#FOSS #privacy

#veilamp for #Android lives!

Playback over veilid over LTE is a bit… spotty. But it’s first pass and we’ll get it dialed in!

Alt...

Screenshot of Blink182’s Dammit playing on VeilAmp Android.

Two things happened this week, six days apart, and they point in opposite directions.

On September 24, 2026, F-Droid shipped version 2.0 of its Android app. The project calls it the largest update in 10 years, and the numbers back that up: more than a year of work, 14 test releases, a complete interface rewrite, and an independent security audit. It hit the top of Hacker News with hundreds of points and hundreds of comments within hours.

On September 30, 2026, Google's developer verification goes live. In Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, any app installed on a certified Android device must come from a developer who registered their identity with Google. In 2027, that requirement goes global.

You do not have to take a side to find this interesting. But if you have ever wondered what the alternative to the Play Store actually looks like in 2026, this is the best week in years to look. Here is the comparison, source by source, plus a decision checklist at the end.

I have not used F-Droid 2.0 myself. Everything below comes from the official F-Droid release post, Google's developer documentation, and coverage from Ars Technica and The Register, with links at each claim.

What F-Droid 2.0 Actually Fixed

For a decade, F-Droid's biggest problem was not politics. It was that the app felt like a decade-old app. Version 2.0 attacks that directly, and the changes fall into four groups.

The interface was rewritten from scratch. The team rebuilt the client with Kotlin Compose, the standard toolkit for modern Android UI. Navigation is now three tabs: Discover, Search, and My Apps. Settings and Nearby Swap moved to the top bar instead of competing for space in the main navigation. After 14 test releases, the rollout is happening in stages over the coming weeks.

Search finally works the way you think. The old client searched app names. The new one searches descriptions, categories, and translated content, so you can find an app by what it does instead of guessing what it is called. The project also rewrote search handling for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and search now remembers recent queries. Categories expanded dramatically too: the Games section alone now distinguishes 17 different genres instead of lumping every game into one list.

Installing apps got dramatically less painful. This is the change nobody expected. For years, installing from F-Droid meant downloading an APK, tapping it, and confirming the scary sideloading warning. F-Droid 2.0 uses Android's new pre-approval API, which exists largely because of pressure from the EU's Digital Markets Act. You now confirm the install before the download starts, one confirmation like a normal store. Ars Technica tested it and counted the difference: one extra tap compared to the Play Store. That is it. F-Droid also consolidated everything into a unified installer, so the experience is the same whether the app came built into your phone's OS or you installed the client yourself.

Updates happen automatically now. The old F-Droid made you pull-to-refresh to check for updates, which meant most people never updated anything. Version 2.0 fetches and installs updates in the background by default, while keeping manual controls for people who want them. The release post puts it well: the best refresh button is the one you never have to press.

One more detail worth knowing: the Open Technology Fund's Security Lab, working with Convocation, ran an independent security review of the new app, and the team says it addressed all findings relevant to the release. The full audit report is pending publication.

What the Play Store Does That F-Droid Will Not

Google Play is a genuinely good store. The selection is enormous, installs are one tap, payments work everywhere, and Play Protect scans apps continuously. If the comparison ended at convenience, Play would win most categories outright.

The difference is what happens around the apps.

Account and identity. Play requires a Google account, and the store ties your app activity to that identity. F-Droid requires no account at all. The project states plainly that the store does not track you or log what you download, and that its goal is the opposite of trying to keep you in the app.

What apps are allowed to contain. Play Store apps can include advertising SDKs and tracking frameworks, and a large share of free apps on Play are free because your data pays for them. F-Droid has a hard rule: apps in the main repository must be free and open source, which means no proprietary tracking libraries can hide inside them. Every app in the main repo is built from source code on F-Droid's own servers, so what you install corresponds to code that is publicly reviewable.

Who has to register with whom. This is where this week's news lands. To distribute through the verification system at all, a developer creates an Android Developer Console account, pays a $25 fee, provides their legal name and address, and may need to upload government ID. Organizations add a D-U-N-S number. Even the free tier for students and hobbyists, which skips the fee and the government ID, still links a Google payments profile with your legal name and address, and caps distribution at 20 authorized devices. F-Droid's model needs none of that: no registration, no fee, no identity linked to the apps you publish or install.

To be fair to Google: its stated goal is killing malware and scam apps, and identity checks do raise the cost of throwaway malware accounts. The trade-off is structural, not evil versus pure. Google gets a registry of who distributes what. F-Droid gets a catalog where nobody has to identify themselves, and accepts that some people will use that for things you would not like. Which trade you prefer depends on how much you trust a single company with the gatekeeping role.

The Timing Problem Google Created

Here is why the F-Droid release landed with such force this week.

Google's verification requirement starts September 30, 2026 in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, on certified Android devices running Android 7 or higher, delivered through Google Play services. Participating stores include Google Play plus the Galaxy Store, the OPPO and Honor markets, Xiaomi's GetApps, and others. In 2027 it expands globally.

There are pressure valves. Power users can complete a one-time "advanced flow" to install apps from unverified developers, though reporting in August found it includes a mandatory 24-hour waiting period. ADB installs stay unchanged. And Google created a separate, free "limited distribution" account for students and hobbyists, with no government ID required, capped at 20 explicitly authorized devices.

But F-Droid's position, stated in its open letter opposing the program, is that this still converts Android from an open platform into one where installing any app phones home to Google for approval. As the open letter puts it, a developer registering means accepting Google's terms, providing identity, and registering every app. For hobbyists who publish under a handle and want to keep it that way, no government ID and anonymous are two different sentences.

The Register's headline on the F-Droid release said the store is thumbing its nose at Google's crackdown, and the framing is accurate: F-Droid timed its biggest release ever to land six days before the first enforcement deadline. A store that spent years being hard to use just fixed its usability problem, right before the rules for alternative stores get strictest. Whatever happens with the policy, F-Droid 2.0 is a statement that the alternative is not going quietly.

The Honest Weaknesses

A comparison is only useful if it includes what the underdog is bad at.

The catalog is small and mostly unfamiliar. F-Droid carries thousands of open source apps, not millions, and you will not find Instagram, your bank's app, or most mainstream games there. Many people use it as a second store for a handful of FOSS apps, not a Play replacement.

Third-party F-Droid clients lag on security. A recurring point in the Hacker News discussion: some alternative clients still used the older index-v1 format, which is signed with SHA1, while the official infrastructure has moved to index-v2. If you care about the security properties, use the official client.

Independent analysts still flag the signing model. PrivSec's analysis, cited in coverage of the release, documents that F-Droid signs every app in its main repository with its own keys rather than the developer's keys, and reproducible-build coverage is partial. That design has real anti-tampering benefits, but it means you are trusting the F-Droid signing infrastructure the same way Play users trust Google's. The model predates 2.0 and the UI rewrite did not change it.

Updates can lag Play. Some apps publish new versions on Play weeks before they reach F-Droid's build pipeline, because F-Droid builds everything from tagged source, which takes time. In 2.0 the app now flags issues like a changed signing key, which helps, but the pipeline is inherently slower than a developer uploading a binary.

The Decision Checklist

Here is how I would frame the choice, depending on who is asking.

• You just want your phone to work: Stay on the Play Store. Nothing in F-Droid 2.0 changes the fact that mainstream apps live on Play.
• You want fewer trackers on your phone: Install F-Droid alongside Play and migrate your everyday utilities first. The FOSS replacements for keyboard, gallery, weather, and notes apps are genuinely good now, and 2.0's search makes them findable.
• You live in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, or Thailand: Update your F-Droid client to 2.0 before September 30, and if you sideload anything directly, learn the advanced flow now rather than during a broken install.
• You are a hobbyist developer publishing small tools: Look hard at the free limited distribution account, but read its limits first: 20 authorized devices, no previously-used package names, and a payments profile with your legal name attached.
• You are a privacy maximalist: F-Droid only, plus ADB for anything else, and pair it with the Tor options the new client supports through its proxy settings.

The one-line takeaway: the Play Store is a mall with security guards at every door, and F-Droid 2.0 is a library that just got renovated. The renovation removed every excuse to dismiss it, and the timing made sure everyone noticed.

I write about developer tools, AI, and the platforms we build on every week. Subscribe if that sounds useful, it is free.

Have you used F-Droid, either the old client or 2.0? I am genuinely curious whether the new install flow feels as close to the Play Store experience as the reviews claim, especially on devices where the pre-approval API is supported.#android #opensource #privacy #comparison #software #coding #development #engineering #inclusive #community
F-Droid 2.0 vs Google Play Store: Two App Stores, Two Completely Different Ideas About Your Phone

New #RemControl #Android #banking #malware targets users in #Europe and #Canada

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-remcontrol-android-banking-malware-targets-users-in-europe-and-canada/

#cybersecurity #PersonalFinance #finance

Conversations is now permanently available for free on Google Play.

Google doesn’t deserve me and my money anymore.

https://gultsch.de/posts/breaking-up-with-google-play/

#XMPP #Jabber #Conversations_im #Android #FOSS #OpenSource #Google #GooglePlay

when other platforms add age verification, governments throttle the network or block centralized chat services, etc.

#ageverification #enshittification #autonomy #privacy #decentralization #encryption #digitalindependence #ArcaneChat #europe #european #android

Last week in #FDroid is live and short in news:

* more ways to add a #Android #ReproducibleBuild to apps #Catima #Conversations_IM #ShatteredPixel #Taler Wallet
* #LibreraReader fixup
+ 46 more apps
& 418 updated
- 2 archived

Browse: https://f-droid.org//2026/09/18/twif.html

Oh, BTW, hi from the #ReproducibleBuild Summit 2026 in #Goteborg 👋

Alt...

Several stickers on a table: F-Droid, Reproducible Builds, Read Code else bugs party, Copyright is theft, Don't panic crab, and more.

Just installed this open source launcher for my #android TV and it's SO much nicer than all the BS in the default launcher that Google made me use.

https://github.com/leanbitlab-org/LtvLauncher

So #Telegram is now sharing your messages with a 3rd party #AI service when you use certain features in the app

over the years Telegram has become worse and worse, right now it looks like a crypto-scam lottery-something, with ads in-chat and requiring you to buy premium for basic features

centralized platforms are bound to enshitification, it is a time trap, don't fall for it, choose #decentralization, choose #autonomy, choose #freedom

#ArcaneChat #Europe #genai #llm #android #Eu

Meet #ArcaneChat

No phone numbers required for registration.

No strangers discovering and contacting your family members.

All your conversations end-to-end encrypted.

it is magic! ✨️

#europe #android #autonomy

Bringing safety and peace of mind to your life 💜✨

In ArcaneChat you are protected from spam and scammers, only people you give your contact invitation can reach you.

Setting it up takes seconds, give it a try!

#Arcanechat #europe #privacy #android #autonomy

New #RatHat #Android #malware uses #AI to automate device control

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-rathat-android-malware-uses-ai-to-automate-device-control/

#cybersecurity

Happy Saturday!

The weekend is here: a nice opportunity to recommend #ArcaneChat to a friend or #family and help them get in contact with you there

Spread purple love 💜✨
Keep the family safe 🤗

#europe #european #android #OpenSource

Enjoy the discretion and peace of mind of using #ArcaneChat:

no one can discover you or know you are using the app, no spam, no scammers! only people you share you invite link or contact QR with can message you

https://arcanechat.me

#privacy #android #European #Europe

Today, the next review in our #FreeYourAndroid series on #Android distributions is going live! 🚀🤖

This time, it's about #eOS from @e_mydata.
/e/OS is based on #LineageOS and its app suite syncs with your choice of #Murena, #Nextcloud, or Google out of the box.

Curious?🤔 Check out our review!

https://fsfe.org/activities/android/eos.html

#FYA #FreeSoftware #CustomROM

Alt...

A robot inside a wrench

How I spent my afternoon: #wireguard #android clients require PersistentKeepalive or they will fail silently.

A Phone Call Can Now Spread a Zero-Click Worm

via @endingwithali

#iOS #Android #WeChat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp959e8GFT4

#Google fixes actively exploited #Android zero-day on #Pixel devices

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-fixes-actively-exploited-android-zero-day-on-pixel-devices/

#cybersecurity

If you would like to join Unet a privacy centric social media platform.

Its run by one developer and he doesn't have any marketing ploy and its a very small 600+ users as of writing.

It reminds me of a better alternative to Threads.

It also just got connected to the fediverse so you can now follow people and like and reply to accounts on the fediverse and vice versa.

Go check it out.

Its on iOS and Android.

https://unet.social

#UnetSocial #iOS #Android

https://tintotint.eu/whacky-corner/f-droid_slop/

Only apps from one #FDroid cycle were analysed? Was that easy? What will it take to follow each cycle or scan all >4.3K #Android apps?

And a poll: How did you find the report conclusions?

Happy Friday #fediverse! I have a new #askfedi conundrum I would like some help with if possible. I own a couple of blank #NFC tags (still in packaging, unused) and would like to write some data to one of them. Specifically, the equivalent of a #vcard.

The caveat is that I need to install whatever app that a #degoogled #android can run. #fdroid does not have any apps that will do the job. I don't have access to any other phones, nor do I have access to a non-linux machine.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks!

By the way, thanks for all the #Android player suggestions. In the end, I'm going to stick with #SicMu Player, because it's the only one I've found that's got interface that's not annoying.

https://gitlab.com/souch/SMP

What Is #Obtainium?

https://theprivacydad.com/what-is-obtainium/

#Android #sideloading #privacy #cybersecurity #DeGoogle

In #Telegram and #WhatsApp you have to pay for pinning more than a handful chats.

With #ArcaneChat you can pin as many chats as you want completely FOR FREE!

remove the limits: switch to ArcaneChat ✨

#opensource #android #european #europe #family

Hackers abused #Claude to extract secrets from 1.8M #Android apps

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-abused-claude-to-extract-secrets-from-18m-android-apps/

#cybersecurity #AI

resilient and overpowered 🧙‍♂️✨

with #ArcaneChat your profile, groups, etc. live in your pocket, server work as blind relay, several can be used in parallel and they are disposable, bringing decentralization to the next level!

#resilience #europe #privacy #android #autonomy

Current phone decided to have a spicy pillow.  It was the flagship model four years ago, which means that it wasn't exactly cheap when it was new, and, again, that it's ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD.  I think about the people who buy the new phone every year, and yeah, they spend more money than I ever will on phones, but I can't say I'm much better.  I'll never buy a phone brand new for the same reason I wouldn't a car, and while it obviously doesn't feel as bad as it would if lost value instantly, it still feels somewhat bad because it's still some amount of money worth mentioning.  I've gone through six of them over the last ten years, including this one, not counting its replacement which I don't have yet (and I won't count that until it finally dies, hopefully not nearly as soon).  So that's a new phone every 1.666666667 years, for me, which is still better than one per year but not by much.  I've probably spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 on phones over the last two years.  It feels so wasteful; I can't stand it.

#Android #Enshittification #FuckCapitalism

New #Android #malware encrypts files, steals data, and harasses victims

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-android-malware-encrypts-files-steals-data-and-harasses-victims/

#MantaxOtax #cybersecurity

#Google is making it easier to switch between password managers on #Android

https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/10/google-is-making-it-easier-to-switch-between-password-managers-on-android/

#PasswordManager #cybersecurity #password

No phone numbers or any personal data required for registration with ArcaneChat

(A staff and purple robes is highly recommended tho)

#ArcaneChat #europe #android #autonomy #privacy #decentralization #WhatsApp #Telegram #Signal #alternative

Another way to leak traffic on #Android has been discovered

https://mullvad.net/en/blog/2026/9/10/another-way-to-leak-traffic-on-android-has-been-discovered

#cybersecurity #privacy #VPN

#TorVPN Beta: What we've learned building our own #VPN for #Android from scratch

https://blog.torproject.org/tor-vpn-beta/

#Android #FOSS #privacy #censorship

7 #privacy tools experts actually use

https://proton.me/blog/privacy-tools-experts-use

#guide #Android #GrapheneOS #Graphene #Qubes #OrganicMaps #FDroid #RSS #Cape #Tor

The next review in our #FreeYourAndroid series on #Android distributions just went online! 🤖

This time, it's about #iodéOS from @iode. iodéOS is based on #LineageOS and comes with a built-in network blocker, call spam blocker, and parental controls. How does it fit your daily life?

Go check it out! 🚀
https://fsfe.org/activities/android/iodeos.html

#FYA #FreeSoftware #CustomROM

Alt...

a robot inside a wrench

Do you know what I truly love about #FDroid? When you need an app for something, you can just search, get a few results, and amongst them, find one that looks about right, if a little bland. Then you install it and discover it has all the features you needed, and is just about perfect for what you need it do.

On Google Cesspit Store I'd surely get a hundred scam results instead.

Oh, yes, YAACC is now my go-to DLNA player.

https://github.com/tobexyz/yaacc-code/blob/develop/README.md

#Android

GrapheneOS plans its own messenger solution with RCS and E2EE

GrapheneOS plans its own messenger solution with RCS support and end-to-end encryption. In addition, outdated AOSP default apps are to be replaced.

https://www.heise.de/en/news/GrapheneOS-plans-its-own-messenger-solution-with-RCS-and-E2EE-11445618.html?wt_mc=sm.red.ho.mastodon.mastodon.md_beitraege.md_beitraege&utm_source=mastodon

#Android #Datenschutz #GrapheneOS #IT #Messaging #Motorola #Security #news

Meet #ArcaneChat: a secure and decentralized private messenger

Anonymous: No phone number or any data required for registration!

Private: All your conversations end-to-end encrypted

Discreet: No one can discover you, no spam

It is magic! ✨

#european #europe #android

#GrapheneOS Will Overhaul Default Apps and Implement a Secure Clipboard

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/09/06/grapheneos-overhauled-default-apps-and-secure-clipboard/

#cybersecurity #Android #FOSS

Keep family and friends up to date with your adventures in the intimacy of a secure and private chat with #ArcaneChat

No need to trust any service provider, you literally own your data!

Enjoy the peace of mind: no spam, no scammers!

#android #European #Europe #PhotoMonday

fun fact: just migrated a family member remotely from #Telegram to #ArcaneChat

In Telegram when you are in a videocall if you leave the app, you can't see the video anymore! only listen, while in ArcaneChat you can still continue seeing the other person in a floating bubble while you move and work in other apps, which helps if you are assisting someone remotely

#privacy #europe #european #android #chat #messenger #diday

the first #prototype of ordfkey, the #android #keyboard using #adb , has been released. fare warning, there are a few bugs that needs fixing. if you're anyone that knows about android, I invite you to help me fix this project . for instence, standard #talkback command keys do not work yet. so it would be fantastic if you could help me with this project.https://github.com/averlice/ordfkey released under the #gpl v3 public license.

#Signal #Android Beta Has Support for Numberless Accounts

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/09/03/signal-android-beta-has-support-for-numberless-accounts/

#privacy #cybersecurity #FOSS

in #ArcaneChat you can have several profiles separating private life from work!

you can mute your work profile while you keep available for family and friends, ex. during weekends or vacations

#privacy #anonymity #family #Europe #European #android

so tell me, has this ever happened to you? you had a #bluetooth #keyboard for your #android #phone , but your keyboard dies and you can't do shit with your phone, or it's just fucking inconvenient. but, your PC keyboard works fine? well i'm making a new project called ordkey (ordinary keyboard) though I might also call it ORDFK (ordinary fucking keyboard) that uses android ADB to pass standard keys (like windows, alt tab) as android recognisable keys like a Bluetooth keyboard would using #adb .
yes, I have tried out scrcpy, which is fine, but it's not good enough for my needs. I need standard android / TalkBack controls as I would get on a normal keyboard.
I don't wonna wait to get a dedicated Bluetooth keyboard and need a temporary replacement, and my keyboard might just be the perfect thing to do that

#Google Messages Bug Sends Old Texts to Random People

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/09/02/google-messages-bug-sends-old-texts-to-random-peopl/

#SMS #RCS #privacy #Android

Meet #ArcaneChat

No phone numbers required for registration.

No strangers discovering and contacting your family members.

All your conversations end-to-end encrypted.

it is magic! ✨️

#europe #android #autonomy

#Android is a cornerstone of #FreeSoftware on phones, but only community distributions, sometimes called #CustomROM, put you in control. Which distribution suits your use case? Which one respects your freedom and supports your daily life? As part of #FreeYourAndroid, we took a closer look at several of them and today we release our report about @LineageOS https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260904-01.html

#LineageOS #FYA

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Droid which in a wrench with red background

@guilhem_allaman @fdroidorg

#fauxx #batteryDrain #android

I'm not happy with this. 17 mins screentime after 7 hours and fauxx is already the main culprit 🫠 uninstalling for now

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Android Screenshot of Battery consumption.

Alt...

Android Screenshot of Battery consumption.

I don't have #WhatsApp, I prefer to keep mystical and esoteric

#ArcaneChat #Europe #European #android

#Pixel11 Has Hardware #MTE Support, "May Still Be Usable" for #GrapheneOS

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/09/01/pixel-11-has-hardware-mte-support-may-still-be-usable-for-grapheneos/

#Android #Google #cybersecurity #FOSS

preparing to move the whole folk dance course's #WhatsApp group to #ArcaneChat

#european #europe #android #family #privacy #encryption #OpenSource

Porting issues: GrapheneOS advises against buying the Pixel 11

The GrapheneOS team advises against buying the Pixel 11 if users want to flash the custom ROM onto the device. An important security component is missing.

https://www.heise.de/en/news/Porting-issues-GrapheneOS-advises-against-buying-the-Pixel-11-11435208.html?wt_mc=sm.red.ho.mastodon.mastodon.md_beitraege.md_beitraege&utm_source=mastodon

#Android #Datenschutz #Google #GrapheneOS #IT #Mobiles #Security #Sicherheitslücken #news

#GrapheneOS Unable to Complete #Pixel11 Port Due to Cut Security Feature

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/08/29/grapheneos-unable-to-complete-pixel-11-port-due-to-cut-security-feature/

#MTE #cybersecurity #Android #Google #Pixel

Meet #ArcaneChat

No phone numbers required for registration.

No strangers discovering and contacting your family members.

All your conversations end-to-end encrypted.

In-chat mini-app, video calls and more!

it is magic! ✨️

#europe #android #autonomy

Google is adding more network privacy features to Android 17. That’s good news, but privacy shouldn’t stop at the operating system.

Zerion is an open-source messenger for Android. No phone number, no account and no central server. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and routed over Tor.

We’re still early, building in public and improving step by step.

Try Zerion and tell us what you think:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.professor.zerion

#Privacy #OpenSource #Android #Tor

only mages with strong willpower manage to cast this

#ArcaneChat #decentralization #android #Europe #European #signal #telegram #family #encryption

I'm getting a bit frustrated with the various Mastodon apps for Android.

Tusky doesn't support quote posts, and scrolling is janky.
Fedilab scrolling also stutters.
Pachli doesn't group notifications.
Mastodon official doesn't let you swipe between the tabs or customise them much.

I'm on a Pixel 8 Pro - so scrolling performance shouldn't be this bad!

What's your favourite #Android app for the Fediverse that you personally use on a regular basis?
(Not interested in websites / PWA thanks.)

Why Tor Button? 💪🏻

Imagine living in a country where Tor is allowed and reachable, but some apps or services are blocked and you don't want, can't, or don't trust a commercial VPN.

Install Tor Button, press one button, and your Android apps' TCP traffic goes through Tor.

No per-app proxy configuration. No VPN provider to trust.

https://github.com/bashcore/tor-button?tab=readme-ov-file

#Tor #Privacy #Android #CensorshipResistance #OpenSource

in #ArcaneChat you can have several profiles separating private life from work!

you can mute your work profile while you keep available for family and friends, ex. during weekends or vacations

#privacy #anonymity #family #Europe #European #android

Gosh I love android and Linux container apps for it, especially nix-on-droid. It's so nice to have a subset of my home-manager config available on mobile devices.

I think the main thing that would make using android for general computing difficult is just how crappy mobile Firefox is and how it just lacks so many of the shortcuts and extensions of full fat Firefox.

#nixos #linux #android

Alt...

Android tablet with a keyboard running nix-on-droid. Has a terminal file manager and neofetch open showing the stats

Alt...

Screenshot of android tablet.

#Google is going to close down #Android platform, making installing "unverified" apps almost impossible for a regular user. This would completely kill #FDroid, something I rely on to get apps that don't track me, don't show me ads and don't try to exploit me.

If you care about #FreeSoftware, you should care about this. Maybe with enough public uproar, Google like many other corporations before it will back off from this plan. But it certainly won't happen on it's own.

https://keepandroidopen.org/

Protect your digital peace of mind with #ArcaneChat:

All your private data lives only in your device, independent of any server! you own it!

No one can discover you or know you are using the app, no spam, no scammers!

#privacy #android #European #Europe

#Android17 adds #ECH support to make web browsing harder to track

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/android-17-adds-ech-support-to-make-web-browsing-harder-to-track/

#Android #privacy #cybersecurity

I am doing my part, fighting #BigTech

#ArcaneChat #european #europe #android

ok #infosec #browser #android folks: i have a weird thing happening with #localization:

even though i have android set to EN_CA, it looks like sites are reaching for info of my keyboard to set ―what they think― is my actual language.

this is a multilingual keyboard that i use to write in 4 languages. the fuckers think am monolingually french. i thought this was only a Google/Youtube fuck up but now Trackt is doing it too.

WTAF?!?!?

how can i block this stupid #fingerprinting?

#Android Car Head Units Are Getting Hacked Through Their Built-In Updates

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/08/25/android-car-head-units-are-getting-hacked-through-their-built-in-updates/

#cybersecurity #IoT #cars

Friends don't let friends in centralized walled gardens

#ArcaneChat #decentralization #europe #european #family #friends #android #privacy

Anyone have tips for deobfuscators for #android app reversing / #hacking ?

This thing has like 8k randomly named files and it'd be nice if there was a way to zip them together more before I sic my LLM on em.

@snap here, have another flyer to help you in your quest 👏👏👏

EDIT: fix typo in flyer

#DeltaChat #decentralization #privacy #linux #macos #ios #android #windows #software #encryption #communication #activism #flyer #poster

too excited and hyped, can't wait 💜✨

#Arcanechat #europe #privacy #android #OpenSource

#ToxicPanda #Android #malware uses #VPN permissions to block #GooglePlay

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/toxicpanda-android-malware-uses-vpn-permissions-to-block-google-play/

#Google #cybersecurity

Hackers infect #Android car head units with proxy #botnet #malware

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-infect-android-car-head-units-with-proxy-botnet-malware/

#cybersecurity

In #Telegram and #WhatsApp you have to pay for pinning more than a handful chats.

With #ArcaneChat you can pin as many chats as you want completely FOR FREE!

remove the limits: switch to ArcaneChat ✨

#opensource #android #european #europe #family

GrapheneOS and Motorola: First smartphones expected to be pricier than Pixel

GrapheneOS announced new details about its partnership with Motorola. The first smartphones are expected to be released in 2027 and will be pricier than Pixel.

https://www.heise.de/en/news/GrapheneOS-and-Motorola-First-smartphones-expected-to-be-pricier-than-Pixel-11423442.html?wt_mc=sm.red.ho.mastodon.mastodon.md_beitraege.md_beitraege&utm_source=mastodon

#Android #GrapheneOS #IT #news

Just published tor-button on GitHub!

https://github.com/bashcore/tor-button

One-tap Tor: ON = anonymous, OFF = normal.

Tested 24h+ on 4 phones (Android 8 to 14, even Huawei/Narzo): no drops 😅

Tip: set it as Always-on VPN and disable battery optimization, or it will get killed.

Open source, no ads, no BS.

#tor #privacy #android #opensource #vpn #anonymity

resilient and honestly overpowered 🧙‍♂️✨

with #ArcaneChat your profile, groups, messages and contacts live in your pockets, servers work only as blind relays of encrypted blobs and they are disposable & replaceable

#europe #privacy #android #autonomy

Meet #ArcaneChat

No phone numbers required for registration.

No strangers discovering and contacting your family members.

All your conversations end-to-end encrypted.

it is magic! ✨️

#europe #android #autonomy

#Motorola’s #GrapheneOS phones will launch in 2027 priced higher than Pixels

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/motorolas-grapheneos-phones-will-launch-in-2027-priced-higher-than-pixels/

#Android #privacy #cybersecurity #FOSS #Pixel #Google

Introducing Tor Button! 🔘

My new #OpenSource Android app that routes ALL your TCP traffic through #Tor with one tap. No trackers, no ads.

Built to survive the worst phones: it finally stays up for hours on my Realme Narzo 30 (battery killer) on WiFi & mobile, with built-in IP leak protection.

Soon on #GitHub & perhaps #FDroid! 💪🏻

#Privacy #Android #VPN #TorProject

trying dating apps? often their chats are not good or private, giving your phone number to someone so early is also not a good idea

you could use #ArcaneChat to chat with them, with a dedicated profile

#dating #Arcanechat #europe #european #privacy #android

in #ArcaneChat you can have several profiles separating private life from work!

you can mute your work profile while you keep available for family and friends, ex. during weekends or vacations

#privacy #anonymity #family #Europe #European #android

New #Manic #Android #malware can exfiltrate data through nearby devices

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-manic-android-malware-can-exfiltrate-data-through-nearby-devices/

#cybersecurity

Empowered 🧙‍♂️✨ and with a strong feeling of freedom and peace of mind.

In #ArcaneChat you are protected from spam and scammers, only people you share your contact invitation with can reach you

#europe #privacy #android #autonomy

#Olauncher tip: you can rename applications in the all-applications drawer with an emoji at the beginning so tat they get sorted to the top of the list. That way you get six extra hand-picked launchers on a secondary screen from the main eight.

The application names aren't sorted, because the emojis are different, but you could probably use something like a bullet "•" instead so that the names remain sorted.

#FOSS #Android #FDroid

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A screenshot of Olauncher showing six hand-picked applications that were renamed within the launcher to have an emoji in the beginning, causing them to come up to the top of the list.

lil #French flyer promoting #DeltaChat

#eu #europeanUnion #europe #european #france #Français #privacy #android #linux #ios #macos #windows #autonomy #digitalindependence