this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2024
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F-Droid

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F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.

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Do you use apps like NetGuard or TrackerControl? How are they like? (lemmy.sdf.org)
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by Achyu@lemmy.sdf.org to c/fdroid@lemmy.ml
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NetGuard - https://f-droid.org/packages/eu.faircode.netguard/
TrackerControl - https://f-droid.org/packages/net.kollnig.missioncontrol.fdroid/

How was your experience with them? Differences in battery life etc.

Another doubt:
I had tried NetGuard some years ago to restrict internet access of apps like Gboard n Gdrive(I use the pdfviewer associated with it. Any lightweight foss alternatives to it?).
Was planning to use it again, but saw that eventhough they have a recent update, their Github doesn't allow issues and the latest pull request are from 2023. Is there some change in the app? Have they transferred to Gitlab or Codeberg.

I don't know much details about programming, so asking the doubt here because of the Simple apps transfer issue that I heard recently.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Mentioned the usecase for gdrive

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[–] GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Tracker control is pretty fantastic. It blocks an incredible amount of communication from every app including advertisements.

Examples:

  • I love Gboard and detest Google's data theft. And so, my gboard is now cut off from Google and offline with all features still available.
  • I've made simple games like Mahjong entirely offline.
  • I block dozens of trackers for apps I pay for which I think inappropriately steal information. Why on earth is Paramount+ trying to contact 43+ companies. Or AP contacting 32?

Tracker Control is a very very useful tool.

And... It uses only a tiny fraction of my battery. I'm talking 0.13% the last 24 hours.

[–] xx3rawr@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

As a consequence it might also block sone ads so that's a bonus. Either way, I like the level of control.

[–] GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 months ago

More like all ads. Whoops. That wasn't intentional at all. 🤭

[–] Achyu@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Thank you.

It says that private dns must be disabled. Is there a way to use both? Or add it into trackercontrol?

Edit:
The private dns stuff does not seem to be an issue for restricting net access to apps.

[–] GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago

Private DNS is currently Auto (and not off). I haven't tried to specify another.

[–] GlenRambo@jlai.lu 2 points 2 months ago

TC runs as a (local I assume) VPN service. So doubt it.