1. The Big Picture's Avatar
    I've been a huge blackberry supporter since the Bold 9000 and have been an active member (maybe too much so) on crackberry since I first laid hands on my BlackBerry Q10. Since then I have changed to a Z30 and then most recently to my most awesome passport.

    I believe I speak for some of us here on crackberry when I say news which has come to light this week and some months before, has been unsettling.

    First we have blackberry's multi platform suites which will make available the best of BlackBerry 10 including the hub and other signature features available on other platforms.

    There's the very likely possibility of no high end or flagship full touch this year, which isn't important to me but I understand is important in the grand scheme of things.

    Combine this with less than 10 million units sold last year, the passport and classic not seemingly to have made an impact as they should, the migration of bb10's app ecosystem to android which began with amazon appstore, amazon app store not allowing netflix, spotify and other apps on BlackBerry devices, the complete standstill of big name official apps being updated on BlackBerry World and the evidence of apps being pulled from BlackBerry world and what do we have as a logical solution?

    BlackBerry is rumored to be going android.

    And this will come (rumored) as early as middle this year with the launch of the slider, which to me would have been the perfect phone if it remained bb10.

    Now here's where it gets interesting and scary.

    BlackBerry going official google "certified" android would solve all the problems with apps, and seeing how they are officially working with google, this seems to be the most likely senario.

    What this means to me is we lose all the privacy and security we enjoy on our BlackBerries, changing app permissions, not having an assortment of google services data mining everything and having the peace of mind of having an OS built with security in mind.

    Why would BlackBerry do this and not, at the very least, make a fork of android with security and privacy controls like cyanogen mod or privateOS?

    Then it occured to me with google's pushing for all apps to involve google play services and android app development going completely proprietary, it doesn't make sense to create another android runtime, which I believe has always been a short term patch to their app problems anyway.

    If anything I think BlackBerry will produce a phone which is more secure than your average android. Meaning it might be an android with secure boot, app scanning, containers and sandboxing, full BES OS deep integration and some bit and pieces which makes android as secure as BlackBerry can make it to be, but will still adhere to google's requirements and involve google services.

    If this happens, we won't be getting what we used to but I think sales will improve and BlackBerry devices will live to fight another day.

    Is this a silver lining? If it's not then help me find one!

    Posted via CB10
    03-06-15 04:38 PM
  2. Troy Tiscareno's Avatar
    Actually, Cyanogenmod has app permissions and is still Google Certified, so nothing would prevent BB from doing the same if they chose to go Android.
    03-06-15 05:42 PM
  3. Tatwi's Avatar
    The big privacy concerns with Android, due to Google, are related to Google's tracking of what they refer to as non personally identifiable information. They hide behind that logic to avoid having to disclose the information they track and record on individuals, because it allows them to circumvent the US privacy laws.

    The bottom line is Google knows exactly who this "meta data" belongs to, down to the IMEI of the device and the activity fingerprint of the user, but they say they don't, therefore Android users can't delete this data, opt out of its collection, or even view it.

    What data does Google collect from every Android device, regardless of it being associated with a Google account?

    - the hardware information of every wifi device in range.

    - the network and device name and geo location of every wifi, NFC, and cell device in range.

    - the name, number, and email of all contacts on the device. This is used to create a map or web of associated people, as the data is combined with other Android users.

    - who the user calls, when they call, how long they talk, and vice versa.

    - all IP addresses accessed by the device.

    - all cell towers in range.

    All of this so called "meta data" is collected and used to sell advertising and who knows what else. And that's the kicker, we literally do not know what else this data is used for nor do we know how loosely it is associated with individuals.

    The collection and storage of this information is dangerous. All too often in human history has it been proven that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".

    It would be nice if at least some people chose not dance our children gleefully into the arms of their own personal hell, the fruit of our collective naivet� and hubris.

    Posted via CB10
    gvs1341 and cgallaer like this.
    03-06-15 06:44 PM
  4. sedalia066's Avatar
    [QUOTE=Tatwi;11439214]

    It would be nice if at least some people chose not dance our children gleefully into the arms of their own personal hell, the fruit of our collective naivet� and hubris.


    Amen

    C000C6078 Bits for links to world news and views, technology and science postings.
    03-06-15 06:57 PM
  5. Prem WatsApp's Avatar
    Big Data = Big Snooping... :-)

    Google, snoople...

    �   "Oh Classic, you are the fairest here so true. But Passport is a thousand times more powerful than you..." (no offense, Classic is a great device, when it's charged)   �
    03-06-15 10:05 PM
  6. Mirk's Avatar
    I see no silver lining... this would mean that I loose the platform that I like and trust the most. What I want is a proper BB10 experience, that is all.
    03-06-15 10:31 PM
  7. The Big Picture's Avatar
    I see no silver lining... this would mean that I loose the platform that I like and trust the most. What I want is a proper BB10 experience, that is all.
    I've seen your other posts and I agree with you almost totally. I don't want another OS, ios is too closed and android is too open as you said and windows just looks like all flash and no substance.

    But if there's another platform BlackBerry can replicate the bb10 experience it would be with android.

    the problem to me is google.

    Posted via CB10
    03-06-15 11:31 PM
  8. The Big Picture's Avatar
    Actually, Cyanogenmod has app permissions and is still Google Certified, so nothing would prevent BB from doing the same if they chose to go Android.
    I find that very interesting.

    Posted via CB10
    03-06-15 11:33 PM
  9. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    Actually, Cyanogenmod has app permissions and is still Google Certified, so nothing would prevent BB from doing the same if they chose to go Android.
    I have permission control on all my Android devices. Because I can. Not stock, but as I noted, I can.
    03-06-15 11:38 PM
  10. Mirk's Avatar
    I've seen your other posts and I agree with you almost totally. I don't want another OS, ios is too closed and android is too open as you said and windows just looks like all flash and no substance.

    But if there's another platform BlackBerry can replicate the bb10 experience it would be with android.

    the problem to me is google.
    That's a large part of it... it's not just the fact that I love BlackBerry so, it's that I have problems with the way the other company's run their business. The reasons I use BlackBerry are compounded on all fronts. There is currently no substitute the way I see it.
    03-07-15 12:36 AM
  11. Troy Tiscareno's Avatar
    The big privacy concerns with Android, due to Google, are related to Google's tracking of what they refer to as non personally identifiable information. They hide behind that logic to avoid having to disclose the information they track and record on individuals, because it allows them to circumvent the US privacy laws.
    Have you ever read BB's data collection statements in their TOS? They're almost word-for-word what Google's are. Same with iOS and Win Phone. ALL manufacturers collect this information. The difference is that Google is FAR more open about what they do with the data than any other company, AND they not only allow you to export all the data they have on you at any time, but they let you delete it if you wish. BB certainly doesn't do that, nor does Apple or Microsoft.

    So, really, who is the evil one?
    03-07-15 09:44 AM
  12. Tatwi's Avatar
    Have you ever read BB's data collection statements in their TOS? They're almost word-for-word what Google's are. Same with iOS and Win Phone. ALL manufacturers collect this information. The difference is that Google is FAR more open about what they do with the data than any other company, AND they not only allow you to export all the data they have on you at any time, but they let you delete it if you wish. BB certainly doesn't do that, nor does Apple or Microsoft.

    So, really, who is the evil one?
    Troy, Google does not allow anyone access to "meta data". They deem it non personally identifiable and proprietary. You are mistaking the information Google tracks when you are logged into a Google account for the "meta data" to which I am referring; they are not the same thing.

    Posted via CB10
    03-07-15 09:53 AM
  13. The Big Picture's Avatar
    Have you ever read BB's data collection statements in their TOS? They're almost word-for-word what Google's are. Same with iOS and Win Phone. ALL manufacturers collect this information. The difference is that Google is FAR more open about what they do with the data than any other company, AND they not only allow you to export all the data they have on you at any time, but they let you delete it if you wish. BB certainly doesn't do that, nor does Apple or Microsoft.

    So, really, who is the evil one?
    Who's evil? Well Microsoft has launched ad campaigns telling people that they don't scan emails the way google does:



    Also apple publically stated that "we are not in the business of collecting your data"

    http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/bits...og-new-iphone/

    Microsoft, blackberry and apple ALL DO NOT collect data the way google does. Not to say they do not at all, But they are not even close to google. I will show you a million links to prove it.

    Google entire core business (the business they actually make money from) depends on data and information. I cannot imagine anyone oblivious enough to not realise this.

    I have respect for some of the things you have spoken about but now through the many months you seem like a broken record.

    Are you a google employee or is google paying you to do this? Do you even have a BlackBerry device? Just what exactly are you doing in this forum?

    And by the way the ones who say "do no evil" are most likely the ones who are actually evil. It's almost self prophesy.

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2011...no-evil-thing/

    http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...lebrity-photos

    Why don't you visit imore and recite your google ways to people who might actually believe you.


    Posted via CB10
    Last edited by The Big Picture; 03-07-15 at 03:09 PM.
    03-07-15 02:45 PM
  14. BB_Junky's Avatar
    Have you ever read BB's data collection statements in their TOS? They're almost word-for-word what Google's are. Same with iOS and Win Phone. ALL manufacturers collect this information. The difference is that Google is FAR more open about what they do with the data than any other company, AND they not only allow you to export all the data they have on you at any time, but they let you delete it if you wish. BB certainly doesn't do that, nor does Apple or Microsoft.

    So, really, who is the evil one?
    Oh oh Troy the tinfoil hat crowd is out to string you up lol....
    03-07-15 03:00 PM
  15. The Big Picture's Avatar
    Oh oh Troy the tinfoil hat crowd is out to string you up lol....
    Bring on the tin foil hats! Cause obviously google makes tens of billions developing, marketing and distributing free software and apps like android, earth, maps and such. Obviously. Lol
    03-07-15 03:08 PM
  16. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    Who's evil? Well Microsoft has launched ad campaigns telling people that they don't scan emails the way google does:



    Also apple publically stated that "we are not in the business of collecting your data"

    http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/bits...og-new-iphone/

    Microsoft, blackberry and apple ALL DO NOT collect data the way google does. Not to say they do not at all, But they are not even close to google. I will show you a million links to prove it.

    Google entire core business (the business they actually make money from) depends on data and information. I cannot imagine anyone oblivious enough to not realise this.

    I have respect for some of the things you have spoken about but now through the many months you seem like a broken record.

    Are you a google employee or is google paying you to do this? Do you even have a BlackBerry device? Just what exactly are you doing in this forum?

    And by the way the ones who say "do no evil" are most likely the ones who are actually evil. It's almost self prophesy.

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2011...no-evil-thing/

    http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...lebrity-photos

    Why don't you visit imore and recite your google ways to people who might actually believe you.


    Posted via CB10
    I found the Scroogled campaign hilarious considering the source.

    I tend to believe that every company collects data. Few will rival Google, but they all do, because info is money.

    I say if someone feels more confident using a particular platform because said platform cannot collect as well as Google, more power to him/her.

    But no, I don't trust ANY commercial company to protect my interests. If you use a company's server, it has it, and will find a way to monetize it.

    For those interested, I invite you to email senior executives and read the TOSes if your favorite companies. It's eye-opening.

    Also, ever wondered why some folks who really know never comment on specific topics? Ah...
    03-07-15 03:29 PM

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