Android without Google account because of privacy issues?

[motareis]

Hello everybody!

First of all: Please forgive me if my English isn't the best - I'm from Germany and have registered to this forum because I think you guys can answer my questions best...

I like the current Android phones very much, especially the Motorola Droid and the Nexus One. All the features that I've learned from Noah's DogFight videos at phonedog.com and from other sources seem very tempting to me. So I'm considering buying one of them. The only problem I've got is privacy concerns with Google - which of course is a bit paradoxical when it comes to a Google phone.

My privacy is a big issue for me. I simply do not want to give all my private data to one single company - even if its claim is "do no evil". That's why I will not manage my contacts via Google, why I do not want to have an gmail address, why I hesitate sharing my documents via Google and so on. The only Google tool I'm currently using is Google calendar (mostly because I didn't find any appropriate alternative for sharing appointments).

Thus my question is: How much use is an Android phone without a Google account and is it worth its price when you don't want to use the Google services? If not: What would be a cheaper and more adequate alternative meeting my following demands?

I've got several email addresses that I'd like to catch via pop3 (don't need push notification). I'd like to sync my contacts with Mozilla Thunderbird, as well as my calendar with Mozilla Lightning. The main purpose for which I'd like to use the phone is surfing the social web, i.e. blogging, twitter, reading my RSS-feeds, etc. I've even got a slightly bad feeling when it comes to GPS services - don't think that Google has to know where I am and what I'm doing there.

Please don't get me wrong: I do not want to start a general discussion on Google and what it's doing or not doing with my data. I know that lots of people trust Google and can hardly understand my concerns. But perhaps there are some guys in here who share my thoughts and use the N1 or Droid without the Google services. I'd like to read about their experiences to find an answer to my question(s).

Thanks a lot in advance and greetings from Germany!
Mota

[John]

You can do the things you want to do without using Google's services, but it's going to be a pain in the butt. If it's just Google that bothers you, a different OS might be what you need. I dunno, my two cents.

[DevinSnipes]

Well to start off, let me be the first to Welcome You to the DroidDog Forums!

To try and answer your question, that might be a little hard, considering that Android is Googles Operating System. There are a couple of options, but as John stated, that is going to be a pain in the butt. Google is very secure when it comes down to your privacy though. Just check out their privacy policy, and even if you don't want to give out your personal info, stop your contacts from syncing and much more. There are a lot of customization options with Android, and you will be surprised. Let me know if you have any more questions!

[motareis]

I was afraid to get that kind of answer ;) Thanks a lot to both of you though.

@ John: Considering other operating systems I stumbled upon Maemo from Nokia. Also Linux-based, also open-source, also in a slider (N900, like Droid). But actually it doesn't seem as smooth, usable and customizable as Android. One pro is that one could include Google services into Maemo but doesn't have to to get its full benefits. Tough decision to make...

@ DevinSnipes: Thank you very much for your welcome! You're absolutely right when it comes to Google's current privacy policy. All the incidents with data leaks mostly occurred when users were inattentive, had weak passwords or used the privacy settings in the wrong way. My worries lead more into the future: Mining and storing data wets the appetite and nobody can tell if or if not Google will give in that appetite. Same with all other big companies and all governments. That's (mainly) why I hesitate to buy a phone whose OS will be a pain in the butt if I don't use one single company's services for all tasks. I want to spread the tracks I'm leaving as much as possible on different organizations to make it harder for them to create a well-defined profile of me. But I'm afraid this already was too much off-topic...

Well, basically my questions seem to be answered clearly: Google Android without Google services isn't really usable. Unfortunate but very comprehensible.

[androidsNsheep]

There's no way to use a Android phone without creating a phone tied to a google account, especially the Market and Contacts.

I say get yourself a Nokia N900.

[prnv]

quick thought - what if you create a new google account which you just use to activate the phone's complete functionality?

you should still be able to use the your regular email id and other services etc?