/e/ (operating system)
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/e/ (formerly Eelo) is a free and open-source operating system for smartphones on the Android mobile platform.[5] It is a fork of LineageOS. The operating system is developed by the E Foundation, which was founded by Gaël Duval. /e/ is marketed as privacy software and does not contain proprietary Google apps or services.[6][7]
Background
In 2017, Duval, through a series of articles titled "Leaving Apple & Google: my /e/ odyssey",[8][9][10] proposed the concept of an operating system without privacy-invasive software. This was followed by a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.[11] The OS was initially named Eelo,[7] but the name was subsequently changed to /e/ due to copyright issues.[12]
Development
The first beta version, based on LineageOS 14.1, was released on September 12, 2018[13] with the source code on Gitlab.[14]
The latest beta version milestone 0.7, based on LineageOS 14.1 and LineageOS 15.1, was released on June 26, 2019.[1]
Pre-installed apps
The operating system includes a set of pre-installed mobile apps:
- AppStore - Application repository with applications divided into categories
- Calendar - calendar functionality with different views: daily, week, month or agenda; can display several calendar feeds; forked from Etar
- Calculator - combines a four-function calculator and advanced functions in landscape mode
- Clock - combines alarm, world clock, timer and stopwatch; also includes a night mode
- Contacts - phone book for contacts; contains phone numbers, emails, and other key information
- File manager - to locate files on the smartphone and synchronize with files stored online
- Gallery - direct access to pictures and videos taken with the device or viewed in messaging apps, can be viewed in a timeline or by albums
- Mail - client to send and receive emails, forked from K-9 Mail
- Maps - web mapping app featuring points of interest, can be connected with the users contacts, forked from Magic Earth [15] that use data maps from OpenStreetMap, intended as a replacement for Google Maps
- Notes - simple note-taking app
- Tasks - a task manager that can be connected with the calendar for reminders and better task management
- Telegram - instant messaging app featuring end-to-end encryption
- Browser - a lightweight web browser
- Weather - weekly weather forecast for a defined location
- Recorder - allows recording of screen and voice
- Light - control smartphone LED or screen to be used as a flashlight
- Phone - to make phone calls, feature favorites, call history and connects with phone book
- Messaging - SMS and instant messaging app, forked from Signal
/e/ does not include any Google apps that are normally pre-installed in Android phones.
Features
/e/ offers several unique features that LineageOS does not include. Some of these features are:
- Installation procedure – the setup allows users to login with an e email identity which provides access to /e/'s various online services such as drive, email, calendar, notes, tasks.
- Settings organization – Changes have been made under settings to the user interface, icons and the set of features available under individual settings
- Customized search engine forked from Searx
- Preconfigured microG – microG[16] is a free and open source software which clones Google’s proprietary core libraries and applications.
Supported devices
As of 30 April 2019, /e/ officially builds for 81 devices, including Essential Phone, Fairphone, Samsung, and Xiaomi devices.[17] Official builds are labelled "nightly" although they are generally released every couple of days.[1]
Community
/e/ has an active user base of a thousand users.[18] To interact with users and provide support, the /e/ team uses Telegram channels and a discussion forum.[19]
See also
References
- ^ a b c eFoundation supported device list
- ^ "android_vendor_lineage_LICENSE". e Foundation. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ "www_LICENSE at master · LineageOS/www". e Foundation. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ "Other licenses can be viewed per repo on Gitlab under NOTICE/LICENSE files". e Foundation. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ "Now Is the Time to Start Planning for the Post-Android World - Linux Journal". www.linuxjournal.com.
- ^ Scally, Derek. "De-Google your life: it's worth the hassle if you value your privacy". The Irish Times.
- ^ a b "Eelo, new 'privacy-enabled' smartphone OS, will have no Google inside". 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Leaving Apple and Google : my "eelo odyssey" — Introduction". 16 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ "Leaving Apple and Google: my "eelo odyssey" - Part1: the mobile OS". 30 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ "Leaving Apple and Google: my "eelo odyssey." Part 2: Web Services". 7 December 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ Vishal Mathur, "Eelo's crowdfunding success shows how important data privacy is for users", livemint, 05 Jan 2018
- ^ Duval, Gaël (12 July 2018). "Leaving Apple and Google: /e/ is the symbol for "my data is MY data"". Hacker Noon.
- ^ "Leaving Apple & Google: /e/ first beta is here! – Hacker Noon". 12 September 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ eFoundation Gitlab
- ^ Magic Earth
- ^ "microG Project". microg.org.
- ^ eFoundation supported device count
- ^ "Update 30: 1,700 /e/ users accounts and counting! Do you have your account? · eelo, a mobile OS and web-services, in the public interest". Kickstarter.
- ^ eFoundation community