Urgent.News

What's breaking now, across thousands of outlets.

Tech

I dumped 11 popular Google apps on my Android phone for these open-source alternatives

De-Googling with open source apps is easier than you might think.

I dumped 11 popular Google apps on my Android phone for these open-source alternatives

Before dismissing Google as the culprit, it's worth noting that the tech giant produces some of Android's finest applications. Among these, Google Keep, Maps, and the Play Store are among the top contenders. These high-quality offerings are a testament to Google's commitment to delivering exceptional apps to its users. However, for those seeking to break away from Google's control, the existing apps may not be the ideal choice.

This is where open-source alternatives come to the rescue. A multitude of open-source Google app alternatives exists, ready to be explored by those eager to make the switch. My own journey has led me to install numerous open-source apps on my Android devices, motivated by a desire to support smaller developers and gain greater transparency into how my data is handled, how the apps are built, and who is behind them.

In some instances, the alternative app may even provide extra features that go beyond what Google offers.

Written by urgent.news from Android Authority's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Read the original at androidauthority.com →

More in Tech

BDD Without Gherkin

I've been writing acceptance tests in Given-When-Then since 2009 and I've never written a feature file by choice. So when someone asks whether you can do BDD without Gherkin, my answer is that I've…

  • BDD can be done without Gherkin format
  • Test scenarios written in plain text (.feature files)
  • Tool allows non-developers to write and run scenarios

An Attacker's Multi-Agent Framework Stole Thousands of Credentials in Under Six Hours

A financially motivated attacker ran reconnaissance, exploitation, and cleanup with almost no human in the loop — using the same design patterns you'd use to build a helpful agent.

  • Multi-agent framework stole credentials in under six hours
  • Attack used AI coding chatbot and preconfigured Markdown files
  • Organizations must shift detection focus to behavioral signals

Building per-app dictation on macOS: focus, profiles, and optional send

Dictating a coding prompt and dictating an email can involve the same microphone and speech recognizer. They should not necessarily involve the same writing style—or the same action after the text…

  • Clavio separates application identity, preferences, listening mode, and delivery.
  • Profile stores user preferences keyed by application bundle ID.
  • Clavio resolves tone and intensity overrides separately to maintain distinction.

More from Saturday 12 September →