The English version of the "Free Your Android" leaflet.
Date version: April 17, 2014Free Your Android!
Get a Free App Store for Your Android
Get Free Apps
- No Ads
- No Spying
- No Tracking
- No Google Account
F-Droid - A Free App Store
The logo of F-Droid
F-Droid is not the typical store where you buy something. Instead, it is a catalogue (or repository) of Free Software apps. You can easily browse, search and install apps onto your device. The F-Droid app also keeps track of updates for you.
The main screen of F-Droid
Installing F-Droid
In order to install F-Droid use the QR-Code on the left or enter the address below in your browser.
https://f-droid.org/FDroid.apk
Before you install F-Droid, please make sure that you have allowed the installation of non-market apps.
You can allow this in:
Settings > Security > Unknown sources
After the F-Droid app was downloaded, the screen on the left appears to show you the permissions F-Droid will require and to ask for your confirmation. The permissions are necessary for F-Droid to work.
Using F-Droid
At the top you can see three tabs: One for available apps, one for installed ones and one for possible updates. Below there is an option to filter the displayed apps by category.
When you click on an app, the screen on the right appears showing you a descrip-tion and several versions. The recommended version has a star behind it. Clicking in the version line will download and install the app.
Pressing the menu key or depending on your device the menu button (top right corner) on an app screen gives you additional options such as the possibility to donate. Developers of free apps also like to eat, so please consider donating.
App details screen for Firefox
Some Available Apps
K-9 Mail is the best email app for Android. It supports multiple accounts, folders and hundreds of other options such as encryption.
OsmAnd~ is like Google Maps, but with maps from OpenStreetMap and offline capabilities. So you can still have all your maps even when you do not have internet access.
Liberario is a public transport assistant that finds connections, nearby stations and next departures. It also supports favorites and maps.
FBreader is an e-book reader. It also allows you to download books from online libraries such as Project Gutenberg.
Xabber is like Google Talk or ICQ. It allows you to chat with your friends, but still choose your own chat service provider from a large selection of organisations and companies.
Twidere is the app you want to use if you are into microblogging with services like Status.Net or Twitter.
AntennaPod lets you subscribe and listen to audio recordings from the internet so called podcasts.
Slight Backup is a versatile backup app. It saves your short messages, call logs, settings, contacts and much more on your SD card.
Liberate Your Phone
Even though Android is mostly Free Software, your Android device usually comes with proprietary software and services that prevent you from using them in an independent and autonomous way.
Do you want a mobile device that does not spy on you? The FSFE's "Free Your Android" campaign collects information about running an Android operating system as free as possible and tries to coordinate the efforts in this area:
https://FreeYourAndroid.org
CyanogenMod runs on many devices also without a Google account. Even though it is usually more free than the software your device comes with, freedom is not its main objective. More and more non-free parts are added to it.
Replicant does not compromise on freedom. This is your best option, if you have a phone that can run without non-free drivers.
Contribute to F-Droid
The F-Droid initiative is entirely developed and maintained by volunteers. You can also contribute in a variety of ways: report problems, translate the F-Droid app, add new apps to it or help with development.
The community is very friendly, welcoming, and appreciates your contribution. Do not hesitate to get in touch. More information is available at:
https://f-droid.org/contribute
Free as in Freedom Not Free as in Free Beer
You don't have to pay for the apps from F-Droid. A lot of applications from Google Play or Apple's App Store are also free of charge. However, Free Software is not about price, but liberty.
When you don't control a program, the program controls you. Whoever controls the software therefore controls you.
For example, nobody is allowed to study how a non-free app works and what it actually does on your phone. Sometimes it just doesn't do exactly what you want, but there are also apps that contain malicious features like leaking your data without your knowledge.
Running exclusively Free Software on your device puts you in full control. Even though you may not have the skills to directly exercise all of your freedom, you benefit from a vibrant community that is enabled by freedom and uses it collaboratively.
Consider showing your appreciation by paying app developers voluntarily. This way you also ensure that you are the customer and not the product.
What is Free Software?
Use: Everybody is allowed to use the software without restrictions as they please.
Study: Everybody is allowed to inspect and to adapt the software as needed.
Share: Everybody is allowed to help each other by sharing copies of the software.
Improve: Everybody is encouraged to publish improved versions of the software, so that we all can benefit.
Only if we can really make use of all four freedoms, it really is Free Software.
About the FSFE
This flyer was printed by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Free Software and working to build a free digital society.
Access to software de-termines how we can take part in our society. There-fore, FSFE is dedicated to ensure equal access and participation in the infor-mation age by fighting for digital freedom.
Nobody should ever be forced to use software that does not grant the freedoms to use, study, share and improve the software. You should have the right to shape technology as you see fit.
Like the Free Your Android campaign, our work is done by a community of people who are committed to these goals. If you would like to join and help us to achieve our goals, there are many ways to contribute:
https://fsfe.org/contribute
Support Our Work
Donations are critical to our strength and help us to act autonomously. You can support our work by joining the Fellowship and enable us to continue fighting for software freedom wherever necessary:
https://fsfe.org/join
Free Software Foundation Europe e.V.
office@fsfe.org
https://fsfe.org