I tested a Pixel Tablet without any Google apps, and it's more private than even my iPad

[ad_1] ZDNET's key takeaways The Murena Pill is out there beginning at $549 for the 128GB model. This de-Googled Pixel Pill runs on /e/OS, a customized model of Android 13 that removes all default Google companies, trackers, and bloatware Getting a de-Googled Murena Pill comes at a premium with no speaker dock, for $549, whereas the Google Pixel Pill alone begins at $399 (at present $299) at $479 with a dock. Many pill customers, myself included, wrestle to really embrace an Android system. It is laborious to flee the bloatware and Google-ification that comes with Android tablets and easily use the system for its capabilities. All I would like is a pill for leisure, gentle work, and video games that is not slowed down by extras or monitoring my use.

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This can be a large cause why I largely want Apple gadgets, together with iPads, over Android. However the Murena Pixel Pill is a ready-made, de-Googled Android pill you should buy that does not require tinkering or work in your finish. And after testing it for just a few weeks

The Murena Pill runs on /e/OS, a customized Android model developed by Murena, an organization targeted on privacy-first gadgets. It's a de-Googled Pixel Pill, so it's bodily the identical {hardware} as Google's pill, however skips the bloatware and monitoring that comes with Android.

A de-Googled pill would not come preloaded with the Google apps you get with different out-of-the-box Android tablets. It has just a few apps from Murena, like an app retailer, browser, e mail, and so forth. However as a substitute of the 60+ apps that come preloaded in your Google Pixel Pill (and different Android tablets, for that matter), the Murena Pill solely comes with 23.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Utilizing the Murena Pill on a day-to-day foundation is a refreshing expertise. When you get used to totally different ranges of Android tablets and iPads, switching to the Murena pill is releasing: there aren't any compelled ecosystems or distractions. You really select your apps and companies, right down to deciding whether or not you employ an account along with your pill or not.

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To get probably the most non-public expertise, I selected to not use a registered account with my Murena Pill. I am nonetheless in a position to obtain apps and use them as I might and log into my most well-liked apps, like Gmail and YouTube, if I select to take action. However I get to decide on to have these apps on my pill and the way a lot info I share with apps like these.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Murena simply introduced the /e/OS 3.0 replace, which features a new Qwant-powered search engine, known as Murena Discover. The replace additionally presents stronger parental controls, speech-to-text messaging, the flexibility to discover a system through SMS, a CryptPad-powered Murena Vault for cloud storage, and detailed privateness reviews on app monitoring.

Murena Pixel Pill (left) and the Google Pixel Pill (proper).

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Geekbench 6 scoresStarting priceSingle-Core CPU BenchmarkMulti-Core CPU BenchmarkGPU benchmarkMurena Pill$5491,4773,8674,158Google Pixel Pill$3991,4513,7874,961Lenovo Thought Tab Professional (2025)$2901,4084,5257,977iPad 10$2992,0834,90216,973 The Murena Pill and the Google Pixel Pill are each the identical pill, it is the identical {hardware}, so benchmark scores are unsurprisingly fairly related. The one slight distinction is within the Murena Pill's decrease GPU scores, that are probably because of the lack of Google graphics libraries and driver tuning.

Additionally: I didn't count on this $300 Android pill to be as spectacular as it's

When you think about a privacy-focused pill, you might instantly consider an iPad. These are usually extra non-public than your common Android tablets, because of Apple's efforts to guard consumer knowledge, however you are still locked into Apple's ecosystem whenever you use an iPad. Whereas Apple could not promote your knowledge in the event you choose out of monitoring, it nonetheless is aware of your habits.

The Murena Pill offers customers extra independence from large tech: there is no Apple or Google concerned, and no account is required to make use of it.

ZDNET's shopping for recommendation Maria Diaz/ZDNET When you're an Android fan who desires extra management over your privateness and digital life, the Murena Pill is at present the perfect privacy-focused Android pill. It is a ready-made, de-Googled pill that you simply need not tinker with or flash an OS on. The Murena Pill requires no work, solely than you to set it up such as you would another pill.

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Apart from having a extra non-public expertise, the Murena Pill is barely sooner in on a regular basis use. It has no bloatware, so you possibly can breeze by means of most duties and apps and never fear about your apps randomly crashing or glitching on account of processing efficiency.