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SwiftKey X privacy concerns?

I installed SwiftKey X and it is a amazing, it's ability to predict text is mind blowing. but around 30mins later. I removed it due to privacy concerns. Should I of been concerned about privacy?
Edit: Can a developer have a look at the codes and see what it's been sent back from the advice to the server

Probably not... I also have Swiftkey X. The Swiftkey company is trustworthy but hey, better safe than sorry.

AndriodLover said:
I installed SwiftKey X and it is a amazing, it's ability to predict text is mind blowing. but around 30mins later. I removed it due to privacy concerns. Should I of been concerned about privacy?
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Click to collapse
could you tell us some more about it? what kind of privacy you're talking about? is swift key sending out your details? texts? accounts?

cez10 said:
could you tell us some more about it? what kind of privacy you're talking about? is swift key sending out your details? texts? accounts?
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Click to collapse
First for best performances it needs access to your facebook, Twitter, gmail accounts. Second, why does a keyboard needs a services running in background at all times ? that can be sending data back to the server.
Third, Have a look at the privacy details http://www.swiftkey.net/privacy.

AndriodLover said:
First for best performances it needs access to your facebook, Twitter, gmail accounts. Second, why does a keyboard needs a server running in background at all times ? that can be sending data back to the server.
Third, Have a look at the privacy details http://www.swiftkey.net/privacy.
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Click to collapse
Oef... where's the limit. It's like typing in Bentham's Panopticon.

appelflap said:
Oef... where's the limit. It's like typing in Bentham's Panopticon.
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Click to collapse
??

AndriodLover said:
First for best performances it needs access to your facebook, Twitter, gmail accounts. Second, why does a keyboard needs a services running in background at all times ? that can be sending data back to the server.
Third, Have a look at the privacy details http://www.swiftkey.net/privacy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"In relation to our Apps such as SwiftKey, learned language data generated and stored on your computing devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, is never accessed by, or transmitted to us unless you wish to use additional features or services which would require the use of such data. Where we offer any additional services or facilities that do require use of data which might include personal information, such as server-based personalized services, then we will always seek your consent to the use of such data before providing such services or facilities."

Hey - just to weigh in quickly here. I'm the CMO of TouchType, the company that makes SwiftKey. We take user privacy very serious and don't ever process any of the data stored on your phone, as explained in our privacy policy.
When you choose to use our personalization services, this data is handled securely and without access to any of your password data. We only use your data to provide you with better predictions, though a language module that is generated and pushed to your phone.
There is really nothing to worry about here.
Thanks guys,
Joe

Thanks for posting, that's good to know. Might I say that I've been using the keyboard for a few days and it's definitely getting better.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA Premium App

haha privacy concerns? whaaaat

Privacy ?? Mistrust...

hmm it does ask for a lot info

JoeBeats said:
Hey - just to weigh in quickly here. I'm the CMO of TouchType, the company that makes SwiftKey. We take user privacy very serious and don't ever process any of the data stored on your phone, as explained in our privacy policy.
When you choose to use our personalization services, this data is handled securely and without access to any of your password data. We only use your data to provide you with better predictions, though a language module that is generated and pushed to your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for answering here.
Just to clarify, when the "Learn from SMS" option is used, does SwiftKey upload or submit SMS text data stored on the phone to your servers or is everything processed on locally the phone?

anti-pop said:
Thanks for answering here.
Just to clarify, when the "Learn from SMS" option is used, does SwiftKey upload or submit SMS text data stored on the phone to your servers or is everything processed on locally the phone?
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I wonder the same thing. Does anybody know the answer?

Personally, I would use a firewall such as avast to block out any apps I don't want reaching out to the Internet. Especially for all my keyboard apps.
And yes, you could use a packet sniffer to monitor swift or any other app you are unsure about.

a4ol said:
Personally, I would use a firewall such as avast to block out any apps I don't want reaching out to the Internet. Especially for all my keyboard apps.
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Click to collapse
Totally agree on this point. Use DroidWall, PDroid or LBE and feel safe? :> Using PDroid and LBE you could even configure SwiftKeyX to not be able to read any parts of private informations from your phone that you don't acknowledge.
Hope this helps The Keyboard as it rocks, i tested the trial-version myself. Too bad they don't have a free lite edition or something like that. As long as you need to pay for it i'm not jumping on that train, sorry ;/

I don't agree at all with the "CMO" of SwiftKey. The app is a huge privacy concern.
I just did a logcat and was more than shocked: The app completely misuses users trust by tracking him permanently. The logcat not even comes to equilibirum, permanently are requests made to http://api.geo.kontagent.net. To get feel how "serious" the company is about privacy, take a look here: http://www.kontagent.com/privacy-policy. Just as an example: "Kontagent employees, may, on occasion look at customer data for test purposes". Collected data includes social application data, custom data, cookies, location (!). Personally I "just" saw that serial number, phone type, ID etc. is transmitted. Plain text - no SSL - of course. I block my data anyways using XPrivacy and Droidwall and needless to say, I disabled all the clous services but this app immideately leaves my device. A keyboard is the most sensitive and important app on the device. It records everything, every single keystroke and sending out anything here is an absolute no-go. Breach of trust. I paid for the app, felt good about it and now I feel shocked how this company spies it customers.
My recommendation for everyone who takes security or privacy a little bit serious: Get rid of the software. Uninstall it immideately!
It's sad because the software is good but spying without opt-out on paying customers is unacceptable!

Google Drive

I had an App update from Google Play. Turns out all it is for now is another icon for Google Docs.

Sweet, read about it. Wonder if it be as good, or better, than dropbox

Dropbox
It is going to be tough to beat drop box. Trying it now.

I got my email saying I was upgraded, still looks pretty much the same as Docs. For those interested in file hosting below is Romracer's UCL4 radio as a sample download. It displays the files in the "zip" but if you drop down the "file" menu you can download it as the complete zipped file.
http://tinyurl.com/7wmbg9p

Might wanna read the terms and conditions of Google Drive. Looks like Google has decided that the moment you upload something, all rights are transferred to them and they can do whatever they want with anything you upload whenever they feel like it, even if you stop using the service:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57420551-93/who-owns-your-files-on-google-drive/

m4570d0n said:
Might wanna read the terms and conditions of Google Drive. Looks like Google has decided that the moment you upload something, all rights are transferred to them and they can do whatever they want with anything you upload whenever they feel like it, even if you stop using the service:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57420551-93/who-owns-your-files-on-google-drive/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Long press - uninstall
Thabks for the heads up

Uncle Irish said:
Long press - uninstall
Thabks for the heads up
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Click to collapse
Go to the FAQ's regarding this article and other questions and continue reading: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57420402-93/the-google-drive-faq/?tag=mncol;txt
In their Content section of TOS the first line reads "You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours."
Legally, in their TOS, they are stating that they cannot take your content to serve their own purposes. It's only to help improve services/ads for you - which they are already doing with your Gmail account.

I understand that but wouldn't want my business documents to be analyzed by them at all. That's why I have to pay for a cloud solution just to make sure everything is secure. I have to maintain HIPAA with a lot of my biz items
It's an expense I was trying to reduce or eliminate

m4570d0n said:
Might wanna read the terms and conditions of Google Drive. Looks like Google has decided that the moment you upload something, all rights are transferred to them and they can do whatever they want with anything you upload whenever they feel like it, even if you stop using the service:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57420551-93/who-owns-your-files-on-google-drive/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like facebook
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I just got Drive activated. It's pretty cool.
Like drop box. Just more integrated
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA

I'd love to see if Titanium backup will provide this as an option to store backups...

Uncle Irish said:
I understand that but wouldn't want my business documents to be analyzed by them at all. That's why I have to pay for a cloud solution just to make sure everything is secure. I have to maintain HIPAA with a lot of my biz items
It's an expense I was trying to reduce or eliminate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like they have updated the article a few times since I posted the link with some additional info/clarification.
If it's still not kosher with you, check out Wuala. They just bumped up the free storage to 5Gb, and I've come across some promos over time and I've got about 12Gb of free storage now. It's completely encrypted (client side as well as server side) and none of their servers are in the US.

m4570d0n said:
Looks like they have updated the article a few times since I posted the link with some additional info/clarification.
If it's still not kosher with you, check out Wuala. They just bumped up the free storage to 5Gb, and I've come across some promos over time and I've got about 12Gb of free storage now. It's completely encrypted (client side as well as server side) and none of their servers are in the US.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where are their Servers? Not sure which Country is "safe"?
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so on my phone, where are my drive files stored? I'm assuming this is like dropbox, and I should be able to go in and have all 5GBs accessible from other apps (quickoffice, etc..) even when I don't have data service? Or will I still have to use the option to "make available offline"?

The point of Drive, & other "cloud" services... You don't store them on your phone.
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shaggyskunk said:
The point of Drive, & other "cloud" services... You don't store them on your phone.
Sent from Down The Rabbit Hole, using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, guess what. SOMETIMES your are in a location that does not have service and you still need to work on a doc.
CLOUD based computing is not solely about keeping everything off your local machine. It's entirely about convenient access to your data elements in a centralized/remote location. Drop box provides local access to your files, not just "CLOUD".
The whole point is to have auto sync'd data on your device without you having to worry about downloading something before getting on a plane, traveling to a foreign country, working in a desert without data connection, etc... (all things I do).
If a business had to rely solely on having network access to work on their data, there is NO WAY they would do that. The risk is too high.

Uncle Irish said:
I understand that but wouldn't want my business documents to be analyzed by them at all. That's why I have to pay for a cloud solution just to make sure everything is secure. I have to maintain HIPAA with a lot of my biz items
It's an expense I was trying to reduce or eliminate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I hear ya! I'm not sure I would want sensitive Business docs on Google Drive especially if you are guaranteeing a security standard to your customers. But for personal use it's not a bad alternative at all.
However, make sure you read the TOS for anyone you go with. Most still have a clause that they need access to your data to move to different servers if need be (wherever in the world they are). And if its lost in transition (which is unlikely) they are not responsible for where it ends up or what happened to it which in turn, would violate your standards you have set for your clients.
Spending the bucks for sensitive data storage is part of the cost of doing business unfortunately.
---------- Post added at 12:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 PM ----------
bp787 said:
well, guess what. SOMETIMES your are in a location that does not have service and you still need to work on a doc.
CLOUD based computing is not solely about keeping everything off your local machine. It's entirely about convenient access to your data elements in a centralized/remote location. Drop box provides local access to your files, not just "CLOUD".
The whole point is to have auto sync'd data on your device without you having to worry about downloading something before getting on a plane, traveling to a foreign country, working in a desert without data connection, etc... (all things I do).
If a business had to rely solely on having network access to work on their data, there is NO WAY they would do that. The risk is too high.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. There is an option in the Google Apps settings (just as there was in Google Docs) to have them available offline. Where it stores on your phone I haven't seen yet as I cannot set it up. When I go to Google drive to set up it reports that they will Email me when Google Drive is ready for my account. Maybe Canada is getting it last.
And I'm a paying Google Apps for Business user!

That language has to be there. Once you upload it they need to be able to do stuff with it. It also covers integration with other google products. Without those terms you wouldn't be able to access your google docs in you gmail, google calendar, google etc, etc. Technically they are different google products. IMO I trust my data more with Google than any other cloud provider. You trust them with how much personal information in your email, and on your phone?
I have a 100 GB account and once I get everything on it I'm dropping sugar sync. 100GB for $10/mo.

X10D3 said:
That language has to be there. Once you upload it they need to be able to do stuff with it. It also covers integration with other google products. Without those terms you wouldn't be able to access your google docs in you gmail, google calendar, google etc, etc. Technically they are different google products. IMO I trust my data more with Google than any other cloud provider. You trust them with how much personal information in your email, and on your phone?
I have a 100 GB account and once I get everything on it I'm dropping sugar sync. 100GB for $10/mo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, I would rethink that move if it's for certain sensitive business data. No doubt, as with any Cloud service, they need access to your data for moving to different servers, backing up etc. But Google has added in their TOS that they can have access to the content of your data to provide you with personalized advertising and product promotion based on what your content contains.
This is what the whole human cry was about several weeks back when Google announced it's revamping of their TOS for their services. Most other Cloud service providers, if not all, highlight in their TOS That in no way do they have access to the Content of your data.

sKiNz-PouNdeR said:
Hmm, I would rethink that move if it's for certain sensitive business data. No doubt, as with any Cloud service, they need access to your data for moving to different servers, backing up etc. But Google has added in their TOS that they can have access to the content of your data to provide you with personalized advertising and product promotion based on what your content contains.
This is what the whole human cry was about several weeks back when Google announced it's revamping of their TOS for their services. Most other Cloud service providers, if not all, highlight in their TOS That in no way do they have access to the Content of your data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A BIG +1
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life without gapps aka google apps

Moderators PLEASE READ THIS THREAD BEFORE DELETING IT LIKE YOU DID THE LAST ONE
I did a couple of different searches on this board, looking for an alternative to gapps aka google apps. What viable alternatives to the google play store are there? google hangouts and google mail? I came across a thread discussion nogapps and the blank store that comes with it, but i'm not overly convinced that it lacks google's data mining processes.
I am not asking for sites that provide "pirated software" as I already know where to get that. I am asking for a "store" where I can search various phrases, and get a good return without those apps being relinked to google play store.

Have you tried the Amazon App Store? (Yes, they have Android apps)

Am I correct in assuming you are looking for a market that is completely separate from Google's servers? If privacy is your concern, you should know that all services that are provided for "free" employ some sort of data mining, because that is how they can afford to keep those services running. Since Google Play is the largest repository for Android apps, you would be hard pressed to find another service that hosts all of the same .apks, as that would seem redundant.

There simply is no viable alternative to the Play Store.
You can get alternatives, but they won't be nearly as good.
As for the rest of the gapps there are plenty of alternatives that are just fine or better.
Why are you so against gapps though? Washington doesn't care what apps you use.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

Even if the app doesn't mine your data, your ISP still does ...

plenty
well there are plenty stores available on internet. if you are on android 4.1 and rooted then you can install NOKIA app store. well its tricky to use, you can find a apk on xda. when you install it just install aptitode market from there, though aptitode can be installed alone too. you can find almost all apps. but still google holds android that will mean they will have the maximum apps and secure and most updated apps. even developers always put latest updated apps on play store first. well i used wildfire which has no gpu so cpu has to do work for most of operations which makes slow and to overcome the low space on that phone i sometime skip the gapps. it depends if you want surveillance free android then go for other market apps.:silly:..google even know when you are walking. i read this on xda somewhere.:laugh:
choice is yours.

100s of stores are available nowadays...
Gmail alternate is aosp email
Maps run without email account...
What else u need?

doctor_droid said:
What else u need?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A way to synchronize (not backup/restore) my contacts and calendars on the Internet (Mega, Dropbox, whatever...) to be shared among other devices. This is bare minimum.
Then, if I could also synchronize (again, not backup/restore)some system stuff like WiFi passwords, call logs, SMS/MMS, instant messaging stuff and some application settings, this would be an extra great feature.
Can you do it without GApps? If you know how to, please share!

I don't know if this idea will benefit the app devs. Getting rid of the play store is like taking away one of their BIGGEST market place. What do you think?

People wouldnt feel the need to seek alternatives if Google wasnt so hardcore with it
Like dam, is it really even reasonable to keep location tracking in the background 24/7 and 15 different types of loggers at once? You'd think those morons would understand how large of a percentage of their would-be-users would actually use more of their services if they didnt chose to make it an all or nothing affair. I literally use only the playstore, and because of whats needed for that I go ahead and utilize the sync. I would definitely be open to gmail, g+, etc. if they werent so retarted with it. Rant over.

carlfinity said:
don't know if this idea will benefit the app devs. Getting rid of the play store is like taking away one of their BIGGEST market place. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think more about my privacy than the app business.
I wish in could use something like CM with some synchronizing mechanism.
Unluckily for me I have a non-dumb-phone, a netbook and a desktop PC.
I use all three for work and would need some synchonization mechanism for calls, SMS and other stuff.
Do you have a suggestion in this direction?

I have read the opening post. So please remember that.
However, this kind of question will always lead to warez sites.... As it already has. And will continue to. And another thread asking same thing will lead to warez app responses yet again.
Google play store and Amazon are really the only ones that are legit and most other sites offer cracked versions of paid apps.
Obviously a website dedicated to Development and developers will not approve of most of the recommendations here, which I have deleted.
Please don't open another one of these threads. There's been enough answers provided already. So this thread is closed.
Thanks for understanding,
Darth
Forum Moderator

How to make the Google Digital Wellness app work?

(Not sure if this is the proper forum, I never understood the massive split here at XDA)
I recently discovered that the Google version of this apps includes the ability to schedule the focus mode and to pause it momentarily, which makes it perfect to avoid being distracted by the phone constantly.
Of course, for some reason, Samsung's version of it doesn't include those features. I was able to install the Google app through APKMirror but it simply doesn't start. There is no error message of any kind. I don't really know the Android app and system development process so I don't how Samsung is preventing it from running or Google has banned it from doing it (The manifest? I don't know).
I tried disabling the built-in Samsung app, but it didn't work.
Is there anything that can be done? Can I maybe see the system logs when trying to open the Google version through ADB? (I'm not rooted)

I hope you scanned that download...
What do you wish to do specifically?

blackhawk said:
I hope you scanned that download...
What do you wish to do specifically?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't scan it... Do you mean with an anti-virus?
I have always thought APKMirror is legit.
I want to be able to use https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.wellbeing which can't be installed on my phone, and when side-loaded, it doesn't run.

Aruku said:
I didn't scan it... Do you mean with an anti-virus?
I have always thought APKMirror is legit.
I want to be able to use https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.wellbeing which can't be installed on my phone, and when side-loaded, it doesn't run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not as trusted as Playstore. Side loading is always an extra risk. At least scan the download online with Virustotal.
I meant your end goal ie the ability to do what functions?
Just to see your usage stats?
I blew that apk off the first day I had my 10+... I'll take my digital chances. I find it decidedly creepy as the mentality behind it.
I pretty much lock down data mining Gookill as much as possible.
With Google you're not the customer, you're the product. Consider the implications with that truism... very little is for free especially with Google.

blackhawk said:
Not as trusted as Playstore. Side loading is always an extra risk. At least scan the download online with Virustotal.
I meant your end goal ie the ability to do what functions?
Just to see your usage stats?
I blew that apk off the first day I had my 10+... I'll take my digital chances. I find it decidedly creepy as the mentality behind it.
I pretty much lock down data mining Gookill as much as possible.
With Google you're not the customer, you're the product. Consider the implications with that truism... very little is for free especially with Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want to use the Focus Mode functionality with the features they added recently, that allow you to schedule turning it on and off, and pausing it momentarily. This will allow me to only receive notifications at given times during the day and avoid distractions.

Aruku said:
I want to use the Focus Mode functionality with the features they added recently, that allow you to schedule turning it on and off, and pausing it momentarily. This will allow me to only receive notifications at given times during the day and avoid distractions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung has Digital Wellbeing but I can't remember what it can do.
Bixby can also be used to set routines and rules.
Do Not Disturb can be customized as well and is probably your best bet, least invasive/battery consuming option.
Google apps are nothing but trouble. Google is constantly screwing them up to the point were I still run Gmaps and Gmail in their factory load albeit heavily restricted. Playstore is usually disable as well Google play Services.
Google backup Transport, Firebase and Framework are always disabled.
Trashware. My Note 10+ runs some much better without it even if I need to do an extra step or two to work around Gookill's junk... it's worth it.
Get out of my way big sister Google...

blackhawk said:
Not as trusted as Playstore. Side loading is always an extra risk. At least scan the download online with Virustotal.
I meant your end goal ie the ability to do what functions?
Just to see your usage stats?
I blew that apk off the first day I had my 10+... I'll take my digital chances. I find it decidedly creepy as the mentality behind it.
I pretty much lock down data mining Gookill as much as possible.
With Google you're not the customer, you're the product. Consider the implications with that truism... very little is for free especially with Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you share you settings or tools used to lock down data mining?

Is there any good app scanner for spyware/malware on Android that actually works?

I recently found a really interesting and useful website called hybrid analysis that is a sandbox scanner for files and programs of all kinds. And recently I've taken it up on myself to upload a few random small game apks that I don't have any permissions given and that I have gotten from the playstore. And all of them come back with disturbing results that they have access to files, contacts, emails and to send and receive them, to record audio from multiple inputs, and track my internet usage. How is this possible? Is there anyway I could get this kind of software scanner on android to check all my apps? Also the website is limited to apps that smaller than 100mbs so even if I wanted to just upload every APK I have on my device that wouldn't be possible. I also checked these apks on virustotal and they didn't find anything wrong with them, like really no red flags at all on them on virustotal. Or at the end of this am I just being too paranoid?

don't think it's necessary to additionally run apps downloaded / installed from Google Play Store through a malware scanner: Google does that by themselves.

spart0n said:
access to files, contacts, emails and to send and receive them, to record audio from multiple inputs, and track my internet usage. How is this possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two words: Android, Google
Can you name a few apps with "disturbing results"?
Not sure but I get the impression that
https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/
is just another FUD to sell their "services" and it's growing nicely... but don't get me wrong such scanners are not useless per se. And the more, the merrier
https://f-droid.org/packages/org.adaway/
results in 35/100 threat score and is labeled as gray. Looking forward to feed their machine with some real bad apples...
Looking up the company leads to a German GmbH (aka Ltd) and further to CrowdStrike in the US.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CrowdStrike
xXx yYy said:
malware scanner: Google does that by itself
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And here is how much I trust Google:
<>
Yes, it's an empty list