10 privacy-friendly Big Tech alternatives
Amazon uses your Alexa voice commands to train its AI, Dropbox had a breach in April that exposed customers’ passwords, and apps like Facebook and Google make billions of dollars gathering and sharing every little detail about you. I could go on (and on).
Luckily for you, there are privacy-friendly alternatives. Here are some proven ones.
1. Instead of Dropbox …
Try Nextcloud. It does everything Dropbox does (including end-to-end file encryption) but gives you total control. You can even host your own server for free at home.
2. Instead of Google Docs or Microsoft 365 …
Try Joplin. It’s a document app that keeps your files encrypted and stored in open formats, so you can take them anywhere without anyone snooping.
3. Instead of Google Keep or Apple Notes …
Try Notesnook. It’s end-to-end encrypted and lets you export to other apps. Unlike some companies, Notesnook won’t use your stuff to train an AI chatbot.
4. Instead of Google Photos or Apple Photos …
Try Ente, a free photo storage app that backs up your data in multiple locations and scrambles it with a password for maximum security. Ente doesn’t use your pics for AI machine learning, either, like Google Photos and Apple Photos both do.
5. Instead of Apple Home or Google Home …
Try Home Assistant. It’s an open-source smart home hub that works with just about every smart home device out there. The best part? You can manage everything from your browser or phone — no need for home apps that collect your data … and voice … and schedule … and shopping habits …
5 ways tech can help you stay sane while you stay home
I can’t stop thinking that I am in the middle of a thriller about a sinister virus that causes a global pandemic. But this is no made-for-Hollywood screenplay. It’s a real catastrophe.
Many people are dealing with frustrating tech challenges while trying to find a new normal. You can Google anything; it’s just that you never know if the search results are legit. That’s why, in my Komando Community, I’m helping readers and listeners just like you get answers to their tech questions.