Since my transition to Linux 🐧 I have acquired a culture of open source software, a culture that is expanding with every day I spend in Linux.
Especially after having seen the importance of open source applications in fighting the monopoly of Big softwares companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Adobe ...
It has expanded to include even the way I use my smartphone, where I have become inclined to use open source applications, because of my love for open source on the one hand, and on the other hand because of the thirst of commercial software to spy on my personal information as well as the aggressive bad ads that hinder the good use of softwares.
Today, after a modest search I am delighted to present you some of the most important open source Android applications.
📖 Pleasant reading.
Especially after having seen the importance of open source applications in fighting the monopoly of Big softwares companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Adobe ...
It has expanded to include even the way I use my smartphone, where I have become inclined to use open source applications, because of my love for open source on the one hand, and on the other hand because of the thirst of commercial software to spy on my personal information as well as the aggressive bad ads that hinder the good use of softwares.
Today, after a modest search I am delighted to present you some of the most important open source Android applications.
📖 Pleasant reading.
Before starting, I would like to tell you that the video is not a tutorial or a review of the applications, but rather a simple presentation of the best android opensource applications.
let’s the fun begin.
1. Lawnchair: The rootless Pixel Launcher that is both heavily customizable and ships with backported Android Oreo features and tweaks.
2. WiFiAnalyser:
- helps you to find better place for wifi receiver
- gives you information about each one wifi channel
- show signal strength in history graph
- recommends you best channel for new AP
- CPU specification (with current frequency on specyfic cores)
- GPU specification
- RAM and storage state (internal, external and SD card)
- Display metrics
- Android OS details
- Sensors data
- Battery status
- WiFi and Bluetooth mac address (on older Androids)
- Audio card info
- Native libraries used in another applications
- CPU and battery temperature monitor
4. Audio Recorder: Audio recorder with custom recording folder, nice recording volume indicator, recording notification, recording lock screen activity.
5. Healthy Battery: An Android application to help the user have good habits, so that the battery can last longer.
Features: Show basic data about the battery such as:
- Status
- Type of plug
- Battery Level
- Health
- Battery Technology
- Battery Temperature
- Battery Voltage
- Graph with battery evolution
- Notification (Alert Dialog (for now)) (when the app is open) if the battery is too high or too low and if the temperature is too high or to low
6. Authenticator Pro: Authenticator Pro is a free open-source two factor authentication app for Android.
It supports TOTP (Time Based) and HOTP (Counter Based) authenticators using either SHA1, SHA256 or SHA512 hashing algorithms.
Features:
- Compatibility: Compatible with most providers and accounts.
- Backup / Restore: Backup your authenticators with strong encryption. In case you lose your device, you can always gain access to your accounts. Save to cloud storage or to your device.
- Very Secure : All authenticators are stored securely on your device with an encrypted database. Even with root access your authentications cannot be stolen.
- Fingerprint / Passcode / Pattern Authentication : Lock access to your authenticators. On supported devices with a fingerprint reader, require the use a fingerprint to access your 2 factor codes.
- Icons : Find your authenticators easily with recognisable brand logos and icons next to each code.
- Categories : Organise your authenticators into categories.
- Reordering : Arrange your authenticators in any order you like so you can find them easily.
- Beautiful Design : Authenticator Pro has a beautiful material design inspired look. Also you can change the look of the app to either a light or dark theme.
- Limited Permissions : Authenticator Pro only uses basic permissions and does not require Internet access to function.
- Adaptive Icon : Authenticator Pro has an adaptive icon and will blend in on any device.
7. VLC: VLC media player is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player:
- VLC for Android™ plays most local video and audio files, as well as network streams (including adaptive streaming), DVD ISOs, like the desktop version of VLC. It also support disk shares.
- All formats are supported, including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, Ogg, FLAC, TS, M2TS, Wv and AAC. All codecs are included with no separate downloads. It supports subtitles, Teletext and Closed Captions.
- VLC for Android has a media library for audio and video files, and allows to browse folders directly.
- VLC has support for multi-track audio and subtitles. It supports auto-rotation, aspect-ratio adjustments and gestures to control volume, brightness and seeking.
- It also includes a widget for audio control, supports audio headsets control, cover art and a complete audio media library.
8. Firefox: Needless to define, Firefox is the independent, people-first browser made by Mozilla, voted the Most Trusted Internet Company for Privacy. Fast smart and secure.
9. Barcode Scanner: free, open source, fast, stable and could focus with tap on the screen, it scan barcodes on products, or Data Matrix and QR Codes containing URLs, contact info, etc.
10. AntennaPod: the easy-to-use, flexible and open-source podcast manager for Android. AntennaPod is free in all senses of the word: open source, no costs, no ads.
11. Orbot: Orbot brings the features and functionality of Tor to the Android mobile operating system.
Orbot is an open source software and an open network that helps you defend against a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security known as traffic analysis.
12. Turbo Torrent: an Ad-free & Open Source torrent downloader available for Android with inbuild torrent tracker and IP address checker.
13. PasswdSafe: Port of the Password Safe application to Android. An excellent, open sourcereliable, and easy to use app.
14. F-Droid: F-Droid is an installable catalogue of Free and Open Source Software applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device. The application isn’t available on playstore, but you can download it from the official Website: F-droid
15. Simplenote: an easy way to keep notes, lists, ideas and more. Your notes stay in sync with all of your devices for free. The android app is free and opensource.
16. Adaway: AdAway is an open source ad blocker for Android using the hosts file. Of course the app is not available on the Google store so download it from F-droid or from the official website. Adaway
17. Fedilab: Fedilab is a multifunctional Android client to access the distributed Fediverse, consisting of microblogging, photo sharing and video hosting. Download it free from F-droid.
Bonus
If you are interested in having a smartphone that respects your privacy and protects your informations through free and open source software, I recommend you Librem 5 phone; which is built on PureOS, a fully free, ethical and open-source operating system that is not based on Android or iOS
🤔 So what application did you decide to use after reading the article?
🤔 And what is the application that you did not know about before?
📣 let us know about it on the comment section.
Disclosure: Please note that this Blog contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
