Insulate contacts from Google?

[ktchong]

Android syncs all my contacts to my Google account. I am using Google Contacts to manage my contacts on my computer when I am not using my phone.

However, I am looking for an alternative. I want to insulate my contacts from my Google/Android account -- and most importantly, from the intrusive Google+. I want to move my contacts elsewhere to another website that offers contact books.

Any good recommendations?

The reason is I do not trust Google: Google is basically cross-referencing people's contacts and search history, and making revenues by intruding on people's privacy. An example: I had a gay roommate from early 2000s. He had never revealed to his family that he was gay. He uses Google. I use Google. So on his birthday, Google made recommendations for me to buy birthday gifts for him... and the recommendations include gay-interest books and films. So I thought, whoa, Google used his search history and contacts, and uses his private information to make recommendations for profit motives... which also violated his privacy. That's when I decided I need to insulate my private information from Google so Google cannot link my search history to my contacts.

 

[chanchan05]

Well, that never happened to me mainly because Google+ Kantor popular here. One location where you can store data and sync contacts to your phone is Outlook.com by Windows. Another is Yahoo. But for your purposes you may want to consider an off the cloud solution.

 

[zuben el genub]

I've only left a couple of contacts in Gmail. I went into Google Dashboard and disallowed everything.

I enter my contacts in, save and transfer vcf files to computer along with SIM card. Then refuse to sync with Google. I never bothered with +. I looked at a few things where you could see without signing up and wasn't too impressed. I hate to say it, but Yahoo Groups do better. Fora are better still.

I wouldn't use Yahoo. They are undergoing a snooping permission for mail as the get rid of classic email. Opera has a mail service. Outlook,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_Mail

Here's a list of some:
http://email.about.com/od/freeemailreviews/tp/free_email.htm

FX has some kind of ties to Google, but I don't think Opera does. Also use your browser in desktop mode if you can.

 

[ktchong]

FX has some kind of ties to Google, but I don't think Opera does. Also use your browser in desktop mode if you can.

I have never used Chrome, mostly because Google does not allow users to change the install directory of Chrome. Google insists on installing Chrome in the User directory, which I find to be disorganized, messy, intrusive and offensive. I had refused to use Chrome until it let users customize its install directory, but now that I know more about Google's intrusive business practices, I will never install and use Chrome.

I use Firefox loaded with AdBlock Plus, No Script and various ad blockers. I love Firefox. With Firefox, I have never seen a single ad in my Google search results, I have never seen a single ad in YouTube video. I was surprised when I saw YouTube for the first time on my Android phone. I did not even know YouTube had ads until then. (BTW, I am no longer using the official YouTube app on Android... I install alternative off-market YouTube app that blocks ads.)

 

[zuben el genub]

I just opened an older version of FX on Ubuntu. The home page was Google Search page. I found the deb file of Iron. I use FX, then Opera, and last stop Iron if a website doesn't work.

FX has Google disconnect, and extension that stops Google from tracking. I use Startpage, not Google search. Will not use youtube on the phone. I have far more control with NoScript and Adblock on the computer.

I just looked at the add-ons on the Vulcan's computer. There must have been 5 extensions in there from Google. He didn't install them. He searches with Dogpile and uses Yahoo mail. Google must have put them in since Mozilla seems to be using Google as the allied search engine. He also had a bunch from Real Player which I think they put in. He didn't know where add-ons were, either on the computer or FX website. He kind of accepts everything suggested. He got spoiled by a very active IT dept, policies and filtering where he worked. If computer needed work or a program installed, IT did it. He didn't have to think about security. It was done by the company,

FX disabled Java - MS has installed stuff, and so has Skype. Those caused an outcry.

FX has an extension that will stop images loading on the fly, Opera always had it.
Google/Iron and most Android browsers, images are either all on or all off, and no choice in between.

I don't know what kind of phone you have, but TMO does have a place for you to keep your contacts, both on their site and on the SIM. TMO is GSM.

New phone, I just import the files I saved.

 

[Granite1]

^ This.

If you save the contacts as "Phone" contacts and not "Google" contacts, they won't be uploaded to the cloud.

Just be sure to back up your contacts to your SD card every so often as a vcf file. You never know when you'll need to reset your phone, or it resets on it's own.

Also you can completely block all search history information by turning that setting off.

 

[ktchong]

Okay, so I've deleted all my contacts from Google, and only save contacts to my phone. I backup my contacts as vcf files to my computer everyday.

However, every time I create a new contact, Android pick Google contact as the default contact type. It's becoming annoying. Is there a way to change the default to phone contact?

 

[chanchan05]

On your phone, when you create a new contact, at the top of the screen you will see your Google account. Tap that and select phone. It will remember that selection for next time.

Oh I sort of missed what brand of phone you are using? If you are using a Samsung phone, you can make a Samsung account and make a backup with that. Having an account also activates the built in antitheft feature by Samsung (just check Samsungdive.com), or you can use Kies for desktop.

If you are using a different brand, you may want to check out either the official PC suites like HTC Sync, and Sony PC Companion. Or an alternative like MyPhoneExplorer to manage your phone.

 

[mikedt]

I have never used Chrome, mostly because Google does not allow users to change the install directory of Chrome. Google insists on installing Chrome in the User directory, which I find to be disorganized, messy, intrusive and offensive. I had refused to use Chrome until it let users customize its install directory, but now that I know more about Google's intrusive business practices, I will never install and use Chrome.

Which operating system? Because I just checked Chrome on a Windows computer I'm using here and it's in C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\ ...where I would expect it to be. It stores individual user data and configuration info in the the individual user's directories, so each user has their own settings etc. for it.

EDIT:

And on a Mac, Chrome is installed in Applications, again this is where I would expect it to be.

 

[zuben el genub]

Also, if your carrier is GSM, the SIM card will back it up. That's only names and numbers, but better than nothing. There are other apps that will back up all in their own directories which you can then back up to the computer. There is even one for ringtones.