Murena’s Pixel Tablet is Helping to Reduce Google Dependency
Many people are heavily reliant on Google services, integrating their important messages, appointments, and data into Google's ecosystem. Despite the convenience, this often means prioritizing convenience over privacy, given Google's approach to user data. However, the Murena Pixel Tablet offers an alternative.
This tablet utilizes /e/OS, an open-source Android OS created by Gaël Duval of Mandrake Linux fame. It replaces Google apps with open-source alternatives like a K9-mail fork and a Chromium-based browser with ad blocker. Its App Lounge allows access to open-source and conventional web apps without needing a Google account.
A standout feature is the App Lounge’s privacy ratings, which measure apps based on the number of data trackers and requested permissions, highlighting Murena's focus on privacy. The Google Maps app, for instance, receives a low privacy rating. Although Murena's device requires some adjustment, it showcases a feasible shift away from Big Tech’s ecosystem.
Murena offers a Workspace option with a private email, calendar, and contacts list, ensuring no data scanning, logging, or ads. Despite some limitations, like insufficient data migration tools and challenges syncing Gmail, the tablet remains intuitive and easy to use.
The tablet supports transitioning from Google Search to Murena Find, powered by Qwant, emphasizing privacy without compromising usability. However, it lacks the detailed transit info and functionality of Google Maps, prompting users to weigh privacy against convenience.
Using Murena’s Pixel Tablet inspired me to prioritize privacy. Its comprehensive privacy reports and IP hiding features provide more control over data. Murena proves that protecting user data need not come at the expense of functionality.
While Murena’s device doesn't perfectly replace Google’s tools, it introduces valuable alternatives that encourage a privacy-first approach—an advantage other companies could benefit from replicating.
Image Credit: Scharon Harding
