Not so much which phone, but a couple helpful tips:
1) Android has the ability to disable notifications for individual apps. In the settings, Apps, <app> screen, there is a notifications bar, tapping on that allows you to change how notifications are displayed, or disable them for that app altogether.
Some apps have usability issues if this is disabled, so test them one at a time for a day or so; starting with the most annoying.
2) In the Play store app, you can disable autoupdate for individual apps (although vendor sideloads may not use the Play store interface, some do), and it's a good idea to do so for unused apps that are installed only to drive unearned revenue for carriers and vendors.
Sometimes those apps can be disabled as well (although not removed, as you've noticed), and disabling them is also a very good idea.
As for phones, about the best you can do is try to get close to "pure" android, or buy from a manufacturer that doesn't add too much garbage.
Carriers add a ton of utter garbage apps and nobody should buy from a carrier if possible; buy the unlocked phone if you can and only activate with a carrier if necessary.
Blu is a US company based in Florida that produces a wide line of phones with limited "extra" software.
OnePlus customizes the O/S (calls it OxygenOS) and is based in China, but also doesn't seem to load a lot of "extras".
Nexus phones are premium priced, but they're as close to "pure" android as possible.
Of course, there's always things like Cyanogen, to reflash a device with your own software, but that's best done with a phone you don't need day-to-day in case it encounters bugs or failures.
On 08/18/2017 01:24 PM,
joe@actionline.com wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for the very helpful info.
>
> So, I'm now considering fi.google.com -or- ting.com
> but their websites are confusing (to me).
>
> Can fi.google be used with any android phone?
>
> I also wonder if it might be time to "upgrade"?
>
> I currently have a Note 2 with an AirVoice sim card
> and a Note 3 with no sim card that I currently use only
> with wifi and not as a phone. Paid $200 for Note 2 and
> $250 for Note 3 and but should I consider something else.
>
> The only things I don't like now are all the apps that the
> phones keep prompting me to update (like Samsung Internet
> Browser and Bloomberg) that I don't even want on the phone
> but can't delete or get rid of ... plus so many nuisance
> apps that keep posting notifications every day that clutter
> up the opening that I can't stop from showing up every day.
>
> So ... let me open pandora's box and ask which phones would
> y'all recommend? I realize this is personal preference but
> it would interesting to know which phones are your top choices.
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
> http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>
---------------------------------------------------
PLUG-discuss mailing list -
PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
(text/plain)
