When I purchased an Android smartphone I switched my GTD system from a local MS Outlook profile to the Google ecosystem. Google Calendar, Tasks, Keep, Contact and Gmail have formed the basis for my cloud-based GTD system ever since. It's worked well for me.
Because of privacy concerns and the evil that Google has perpetuated on the world, especially in the last two years, I have a desire to move away from Google. It's hard because the products have worked so well and never failed me that I would be willing to pay for a premium service that guaranteed privacy of my data. But my private data is worth more to them than a reasonable monthly fee, so they will never offer that. However, I am not prepared to buy an iPhone or switch my laptop from Windows to Mac. I want to keep my Android phone but set up alternative services.
I decided to switch (most of) my email to Mailbox.org so that Google won't snoop on my email and sell it to third parties. Mailbox.org offers most of the services that Google offers including calendar, tasks, docs, etc. in a single suite, but it doesn't have any mobile apps of its own. I am not sure how to reliably sync PIM (personal information management) apps like Calendar with my Android phone. I would need to use a third-party app like DavX5 to synchronize them with non-Google equivalent apps. I find the process daunting and scary because I don't want to destabilize my system or add resistance to it.
Another issue is that my employer has blocked access to sites like Mailbox.org but has left most of Google (except Gmail) accessible. I won't be able to access my GTD system on my work computer if I switch. That will add resistance as I hate typing on my phone. To a GTD system, resistance is fatal.
I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to completely separate with Google unless I get rid of my Android devices and go 100% Apple. Even if I did, what's to prevent Apple from exploiting its user base like Microsoft and Google did? Should I even bother trying to migrate away from a system that has been working so well for me despite the privacy concerns?
I'd like to hear from other GTD practitioners who have successfully made the switch from Google to other applications or who have dealt with this conundrum.
Thanks.
Because of privacy concerns and the evil that Google has perpetuated on the world, especially in the last two years, I have a desire to move away from Google. It's hard because the products have worked so well and never failed me that I would be willing to pay for a premium service that guaranteed privacy of my data. But my private data is worth more to them than a reasonable monthly fee, so they will never offer that. However, I am not prepared to buy an iPhone or switch my laptop from Windows to Mac. I want to keep my Android phone but set up alternative services.
I decided to switch (most of) my email to Mailbox.org so that Google won't snoop on my email and sell it to third parties. Mailbox.org offers most of the services that Google offers including calendar, tasks, docs, etc. in a single suite, but it doesn't have any mobile apps of its own. I am not sure how to reliably sync PIM (personal information management) apps like Calendar with my Android phone. I would need to use a third-party app like DavX5 to synchronize them with non-Google equivalent apps. I find the process daunting and scary because I don't want to destabilize my system or add resistance to it.
Another issue is that my employer has blocked access to sites like Mailbox.org but has left most of Google (except Gmail) accessible. I won't be able to access my GTD system on my work computer if I switch. That will add resistance as I hate typing on my phone. To a GTD system, resistance is fatal.
I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to completely separate with Google unless I get rid of my Android devices and go 100% Apple. Even if I did, what's to prevent Apple from exploiting its user base like Microsoft and Google did? Should I even bother trying to migrate away from a system that has been working so well for me despite the privacy concerns?
I'd like to hear from other GTD practitioners who have successfully made the switch from Google to other applications or who have dealt with this conundrum.
Thanks.
