• mycatiskai@lemmy.oneEnglish
      28·
      1 year ago

      Is there a good guide on f-droid and sideloading you recommend?

      If it is something that Google doesn’t recommend then I should probably be doing it.

      • Mint_Raccoon@kbin.social
        19·
        1 year ago

        All you have to do is download the APK from the F-Droid website and enable installing from third-party/unknown sources in the Settings app (some versions of Android ask automatically when you try to open the APK). I also recommend disabling unknown sources for your browser once you’re done as a security measure.

      • NicoCharrua@lemmy.caEnglish
        12·
        1 year ago

        For F-Droid in specific, you’ll need an F-Droid client. I use Droid-ify (GitHub) (F-Droid) (IzzyOnDroid), but you can use whichever you prefer. F-Droid is a good source for open source apps.

        If you’re sideloading from different sources, Obtanium (GitHub) (IzzyOnDroid) is useful to download apps, and keep them updated. You can even kinda use it as an F-Droid client.

        Google is pretty lax on what it allows on Google play, so unless you’re trying to avoid using Google services or you want to install apps that aren’t on the play store, you don’t need to do it.

        If you want adbocking and extra features in some apps (especially YouTube), check out ReVanced.

        Google isn’t lying - there are risks to sideloading if you don’t know what you’re doing. Make sure what you’re downloading is coming from legitimate sources you trust. For example, if you look up ReVanced, some unofficial websites show up which may have malware. Triple check everything is coming from an official source.

    • makingStuffForFun@lemmy.mlEnglish
      191·
      1 year ago

      This is the real truth. Man, the gall of that guy.

      Hi, we are a spyware company. Be aware. Don’t load apps that don’t meet our surveillance metrics. Only download our spyware. Thank you.

      Screw that guy. How about only sideload. There’s another world out there, and it doesn’t equate to surveillance capitalism.

    • LUHG@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      1 year ago

      Google’s ADS as a whole are malicious. Try Google drivers or TeamViewer and the first sponsored links are malicious/adware. It’s absolutely shocking.

      I added ublock origin into my clients GPO to protect myself from viruses. Msoft just as bad if not worse since we are all using their products to be protected from.

    • Womble@lemmy.worldEnglish
      63·
      1 year ago

      yup,just even the word “sideloading” seems like its been custom created to sound shifty and sidewise when all it means is installing something. People would look at you weirdly if told them “sideloading” Photoshop on to your PC was dangerous, but somehow its accepted for phones.

    • interceder270@lemmy.worldEnglish
      161·
      1 year ago

      Same shitbags who successfully convinced a generation that it’s okay to download programs with ads built-in.

      No wonder they think they can get away with anything. It’s like herding sheep at this point.

    • pete_the_cat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      1 year ago

      There may be a little bit of vendor lock in here, but it definitely is also about security. A lot of people are completely oblivious when it comes to tech. Sideloading is easy and there are tons of guides for it, so if someone is tech illiterate they can just follow the guide and install malware ridden apps easily.

  • ConditionOverload@lemmy.worldEnglish
    901·
    1 year ago

    Honestly been steadily becoming less happy with the way Google/Android has been going even since Pichai took over.

  • EvilBit@lemmy.worldEnglish
    781·
    1 year ago

    In court: “Google isn’t a monopoly because we allow sideloading!”

    Outside of court: “Don’t sideload. It’s dangerous and terrible!”

  • interceder270@lemmy.worldEnglish
    60·
    1 year ago

    Sideloading is one of the greatest things we have.

    I’m so glad we have it. It almost feels like power and control from a bygone age.

    Of course this guy whose net worth is >$100m will be telling us not to use it.

    Fuck him.

  • Namstel@lemmy.oneEnglish
    561·
    1 year ago

    I’ve tried downloading some of the games that are on the Play Store for my kids, and by God those apps are cancerous. An ad every 30 seconds and the games are made purely with getting the players to become addicted in mind. Get off your fucking high horse Pichai.

    • interceder270@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      1 year ago

      Fun fact: You can sideload an adblocker that will legit block any ads in apps.

      It’s called Blokada 5, and you have to download it from their website and sideload it because Google banned apps that use its functionality from the Play store.

      So satisfying never seeing ads in apps.

  • kpw@kbin.social
    38·
    1 year ago

    Recently Android added another scary “malicious” warning to the already numerous scary dialogs if one tries to install F-Droid. The “Install anyways” button also became hidden in the “More details” menu.

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.eeEnglish
      11·
      1 year ago

      This has been the final straw for me to fully de-google my life.

      F you Google, Play, etc.

      Currently setting up my next phone with no googlage.

    • interceder270@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      Funny how search engine giant Google doesn’t implement a filter for “no ads, no in-app purchases.”

      People might actually be able to find what they’re looking for instead of what google wants them to find.

  • weew@lemmy.caEnglish
    30·
    1 year ago

    aka “Please only ever buy things off the Google Play store”

  • theherk@lemmy.worldEnglish
    301·
    1 year ago

    If neither Google nor Apple took such a massive rake on the payments, fewer people would take issue with the main app distribution implementations. They have valid reasons for trying to keep you in their ecosystem, but those are severely undercut by taking such a huge percentage.