Disclaimer: Linux user through-and-through ; I have a modern “m” mac for some work specific applications.
Setting up a macbook today doesn’t require an apple id or even an email address. My warranty is with the non-apple authorized retailer I bought the computer from, I don’t use the software store (but I think it would work) nor do I use any apple services like itunes, or, without the apple id, I don’t have icloud backups. And I don’t/can’t buy anything from the store, of course.
I am able to update the os, I have juat one notification in the settings about setting up the account but no showstopper at all.
So what does apple get from me? I’d guess crude location (from my vpn), hardware/OS version and maybe installed software? That’s not much, and since it’s a work machine it’s offline all the time, I can’t see that device doing much behind my back.
If apple is indeed looking deep into that laptop, then I guess they’ll see I also have Asahi on it. And maybe they are really really intrusive and notice I’m using that Asahi partition 80% of the time (;
Sadly we know you are very much the exception in Apple Land.
Generally, folks who buy Apple do so because they don’t have to think about this stuff.
Most people just login/create accounts as prompted (on Android too, with companies like Samsung - there was a post yesterday confused about such logins).
I posted the above for the sake of precision - OTOH, I had my workplace buy an ipad and that was impossible to setup without email + creating an apple id. I don’t care much (used work email), but still. Same with:
- Windows 11
- my latest kobo ereader
- Stay away from Sonos loudspeakers too
Since I’m borderline psychotic about this, I always create a temporary access point on my phone that I delete right after setup is done, over a disposable email address from simplelogin.com.
Yea, I really try to avoid those logins. A Windows machine really has no need of it, and if your Corp IT allowed it to work that way, they’re really dropping the ball. Regardless of the size of the company, you buy windows pro licenses, and don’t even allow the creation of, or connection to, MS accounts with business devices.
My work phone is an iPhone, because work manages it, so Android holds no value there.
there’s a significant portion of software provided only via the App Store with no independent download from the vendor available. granted, you can get most stuff with direct download and macports/brew but there is stuff out there that forces you to sign in.
telemetry that’s baked in along with the global Apple network that you’re involuntarily part of (that’s how random airtags/find-my-shit work) should be deal breakers for anyone.
The online instructions for restricting data access are very complex and confusing, and the steps required are scattered in different places. There’s no clear direction on whether to go to the app settings, the central settings – or even both,’ says Amel Bourdoucen, a doctoral researcher at Aalto.
`I’m curious to know in what way are the instructions confusing. I do wish iOS was better about settings but in general app specific setting will be mostly in the actual app. System wide settings or app settings that modify a system setting for that app will be available in the Settings app.
It turned out that the participants weren’t able to prevent any of the apps from sharing their data with other applications or the service provider.
Yeah I’m curious to know what the researchers are referring to. Is it the tracking features?
Finding and adjusting privacy settings also took a lot of time. ‘When making adjustments, users don’t get feedback on whether they’ve succeeded. They then get lost along the way, go backwards in the process and scroll randomly, not knowing if they’ve done enough,’ Bourdoucen says.
Settings app > Privacy and Security takes a lot of time?
This article is pretty vague and doesn’t really offer any good feedback. The author doesn’t mention which specific setting they are having trouble limiting. Apple is not perfect but out of all the big tech, they’re the most privacy sound. I can’t imagine it’s any better with Googles Android or Windows.
They mentioned Siri for example, said it keeps collecting data even if you tell it to stop. All you can do is turn off the voice commands.
The Apple fans are going to go though denial followed by some sort of justification to buy more Apple hardware.
The problem with Apple is they make it really hard to switch to anything else.
How so? Do they hold a gun to your head whenever you go shopping?
Transitioning from Android to IPhone, is also a bitch. I had the opportunity to buy a basically new ~1k+ iPhone for $200 and just completely passed the offer because between migrating play stuff and learning apple how to be stuck in apple was just not worth it.
The difference is, if you have an iPhone and want to buy a smartwatch/earbuds you will likely pick Apple made ones, as they are artificially made better than the competition.
While on Android you can pick from a bunch of different companies without any real downsides, and when you want to switch to a different phone (e.g from a Samsung to a Pixel) you won’t need to switch your smartwatch or earbuds.
I am guessing the watch won’t, but surely you can use the Iphone earbuds with any other phone, no?
I guess my point is my wife has Iphone, I don’t. It would be way easier for her to come back to android, then for me to go to apple, I would have to buy so many cords and peripheral stuff. The only thing that probably wouldn’t work is the watch she complains about anyway if she came back.
You can use AirPods on Android, but you will lose certain basic features, like software updates, equalizer, changing controls, and more. Not to mention that for a long while you would also be stuck with one different cable to charge this one accessory. It all adds up
Android is a OS with several phone brands. IPhone is a phone, a single phone, with a single OS that works with it, iOS.
It is expected that swapping OS is a pain, what’s not expected is that the whole ecosystem of all apple machines use an isolated software too.
How so? Do they hold a gun to your head whenever you go shopping?
I had the opportunity to buy a basically new ~1k+ iPhone for $200 and just completely passed the offer because between migrating play stuff and learning apple how to be stuck in apple was just not worth it.
Why did you ask the first question if you yourself believe buying Apple means being stuck?
Anti Commercial AI thingy
The fcc is actually launching a lawsuit into Apple’s walled garden
*DOJ
‘The online instructions for restricting data access are very complex and confusing, and the steps required are scattered in different places. There’s no clear direction on whether to go to the app settings, the central settings – or even both,’ says Amel Bourdoucen, a doctoral researcher at Aalto.
Sounds like there’s some dark pattern BS going on with those settings.
Apple collects more data than Google does on smartphones as well, if Douglas Leith’s papers were carefully observed. Unfortunately, pro-Apple shill blogs work 24x7 and they intentionally lied about the volume of data Google shares versus Apple, and since Google also shows Drive uploads in Android, they made it look like Apple shares less data, when in fact Apple spies on more metrics and shares more metadata than Google.
This does not mean Google is a saint, but that Apple is the uncontested devil as far as devices go, and outside of Apple, Google and Facebook are the two biggest evils to fight against.
The easiest way to avoid Apple is to not buy into Apple ecosystem. Outside of that, some work is needed to dodge western Big Tech tracking and spying mechanisms across the internet.
Peope make jokes about Google dropping “Don’t be evil”, but it should be clear by now
Apple = Malus
Anti Commercial AI thingy
