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akash.nu

macrumors G4
Original poster
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
I am not sure if this has been shared here. At least, I have not come across it. Here is an awesome video from Rene Ritchie and being a privacy and online security advocate I could not help but share.

 

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
Anything Google offers is only to collect information to sell to the highest bidder. Even your Gmail can be perused through and used by Google. I use Google as little as possible.
 
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adamgbiggs

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2013
572
607
UK
So the question is, can we give up Google all together? If so, how as it’s services etc are huge.

Adam.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,659
28,435
So the question is, can we give up Google all together? If so, how as it’s services etc are huge.

Adam.
Google's Contacts and Calendars is the one thing that made my PowerBook G4 still relevant in 2012 when I got the iPhone 5.

iCloud will not sync (or work at all) with PowerPC Macs. Consequently, because I never was able to use iCloud, I had to turn to other services. I already had a Gmail address at the time so I went with Google.

I could have gone with Yahoo since I've had a Yahoo account since 1999 but I didn't.

I don't use Gmail for much of anything though and I've given Google the minimum information I can.

But I do use their services. Contacts and Calendars work with my old Macs. They work with PCs, they work on the iPhone and the iPad and they work on Android devices. I can push contacts from my iPhone to Entourage 2004/2008 and Outlook and back because of that. Back in 2012, iCloud contacts were one way. On the phone.

Google Music stores my entire iTunes library in a cloud. Over 10GB of music with my iTunes playlists accessible on any device including my iPhones and iPad. I can stream it anywhere and the only place it physically exists is on one PC at home running iTunes. Any changes made there reflect up and propagate to all my devices.

No iTunes match here.

Google Voice gives me flexibility in calls and texts.

I do not use Google Drive although I have it. I've been using Dropbox since 2011 so that's why.

Yeah, Google is evil, but they give me the one thing Apple will not and that's the ability to use my old Macs with newer devices and keep everything synced.
 
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eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,659
28,435
I use Bing 50% of the time but will admit that the results are not near as good as Google. Their services are vast and great but requires one to submit to their wants.

If you use the Internet you can forget privacy.
My son uses DuckDuckGo.

I did too for a while (they say they do not track your searches), but like you I found the results not to be as good as Google.

Years ago I used Yahoo for search, but Yahoo had the habit of repeating results multiple times. It still does that so I don't use it for search, although I still use my Yahoo email account.

I've tried other search engines over the years, it's just hard to beat Google on that.
 

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
My son uses DuckDuckGo.

I did too for a while (they say they do not track your searches), but like you I found the results not to be as good as Google.

Years ago I used Yahoo for search, but Yahoo had the habit of repeating results multiple times. It still does that so I don't use it for search, although I still use my Yahoo email account.

I've tried other search engines over the years, it's just hard to beat Google on that.

There is no beating Google, even our Government fears Google as they depend on them for a lot of information.

I will check out DuckDuckGo:)
 
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decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
5,529
8,049
Geneva
I use Bing 50% of the time but will admit that the results are not near as good as Google. Their services are vast and great but requires one to submit to their wants.

If you use the Internet you can forget privacy.

My son uses DuckDuckGo.

I did too for a while (they say they do not track your searches), but like you I found the results not to be as good as Google.

Years ago I used Yahoo for search, but Yahoo had the habit of repeating results multiple times. It still does that so I don't use it for search, although I still use my Yahoo email account.

I've tried other search engines over the years, it's just hard to beat Google on that.

I've posted this before but you can search Google through DuckDuckGo by using "bangs" just open DuckDuckGo and type !g and your search term and you get an encrypted Google search. works on Amazon and Wikipedia too among many others.

https://duckduckgo.com/bang
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,659
28,435
I've posted this before but you can search Google through DuckDuckGo by using "bangs" just open DuckDuckGo and type !g and your search term and you get an encrypted Google search. works on Amazon and Wikipedia too among many others.

https://duckduckgo.com/bang
Hmm…they do say this though (in your link):

Remember, though, because your search is actually taking place on that other site, you are subject to that site’s policies, including its data collection practices.

Good to know I can use this though, thanks!
 
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decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
5,529
8,049
Geneva
Hmm…they do say this though (in your link):



Good to know I can use this though, thanks!
True but my understanding is the search is anonymous and not recorded in the sense of creating a "filter bubble" that will serve you what say Google thinks you are interested in.
 
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Azathoth123

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2018
930
698
Fountain City
I don’t use Google products anymore, except when I absolutely have to. Most frequently I use Google translate and occasionally search if DDG or Bing don’t return what I want/need. It’s true that their Maps, search, and translate are the best, I just minimize their use.

When I use Google maps, I use it in a browser window and there’s a continual nag to re-install the app. Ever think that maybe the app slurps more data? Lol. If you want to do the best that you can with privacy, I think using a browser like Safari or a privacy-oriented browser is best. I never use the apps (but I do admit the Google Maps app offers a better experience).

Cheers, Azy
 
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Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
I am not sure if this has been shared here. At least, I have not come across it. Here is an awesome video from Rene Ritchie and being a privacy and online security advocate I could not help but share.


lol.., I'll agree with the first part "Someone wants you drunk" ya no kidding... I think i know who that might be.


This video is good, but makes Google look snarky and mean.... That is an understatement. but if your an Apple users, what else are you gonna say....

It's not bad, but may not the truth either. If i said "Google tracks you 340 times a time" Many more people will move of iPhone than if I had said "Google tracks you only 5 times a day"

In reality ? Everyone has their own sources.. so no one is really ever correct.

I didn't mind this stuff being important, but if Apple wants this info, this is exactly what they would have done...

I would rather trust myself more.... that way, i can use either device and still be 100% safe.
 
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