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Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/tech/futo-the-obvious-choice-for-privacy-friendly-voice-and-text-input-on-mobile-devices/

Tech

FUTO – the obvious choice for privacy-friendly voice and text input on mobile devices

Advertising partnership with Teuton Systems

Ditch Google's input apps and keep what you type and say on your phone.

Published 1 July 2025
3 minute read

In our series about open, surveillance-free apps, we take a closer look at FUTO Voice Input and FUTO Keyboard – two apps that together challenge the established alternatives for voice input and keyboards on mobile devices. Most smartphone users are accustomed to dictating text using Google or using standard keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey.

However, few consider that these popular tools often collect what you say and write privately, sending it to tech giants. The FUTO team themselves emphasize that their solution completely eliminates this problem – everything runs locally on the device without any data leaving the phone (offline with no connection requirements).

Here’s what the FUTO apps offer:

  • Privacy focus: FUTO apps run completely offline – no data is sent to the cloud.
  • Full functionality: Swipe typing, text suggestions, autocorrection, and voice-to-text with punctuation – everything works without internet connection (all keyboard functions available offline).
  • High precision: Offline dictation using advanced AI model (OpenAI Whisper) provides fast and accurate transcription (local voice recognition with high accuracy).
  • Multilingual support: Support for many languages and continuous improvements via the open-source community.

FUTO Keyboard

On the keyboard front, FUTO Keyboard impresses by delivering modern convenience without compromising privacy. Unlike conventional keyboards that constantly transmit user data, FUTO requires neither network access nor cloud services – yet it offers features on par with the best.

You can swipe words with your finger across the screen, get relevant text suggestions and automatic spell correction, and customize the theme to your liking – all while the app consistently refuses to send a single keystroke to any external server (all data stays with you). FUTO Keyboard also integrates FUTO Voice Input through a built-in microphone button, allowing ‘speech to text’ to be activated from the same interface.

FUTO Voice Input

For voice input, we have FUTO Voice Input that lets you dictate text directly in apps like messages or notes – completely without internet connection. All processing happens locally using a compact language model, meaning no audio needs to be sent away to become text. According to users who have compared it with Google’s cloud-based solution, FUTO can keep pace and even surpass it in both speed and accurate grammar.

An enthusiastic tester reported that FUTO provided a completely new experience – no delays or strange autocorrections that he previously suffered from with Gboard. This means you can safely speak freely and see the text appear almost immediately, without worrying about unauthorized “listening” on the other end.

Ongoing development and alternatives

Despite FUTO Keyboard being young, it’s already surprisingly capable. The interface feels polished and user-friendly, and the amount of features makes it almost comparable to established alternatives. Currently, text input works excellently in English, while support for smaller languages like Swedish is still being refined. However, development pace is high and the team behind FUTO has announced improvements specifically to autocorrection and expanded language support in upcoming updates. Moreover, global collaboration is encouraged: since the source code is open, engaged developers and users can contribute improvements and new language data to the project.

Among free alternatives, there’s Sayboard, an open source keyboard using Vosk for speech recognition. For pure keyboards, there’s AnySoftKeyboard and FlorisBoard, which are excellent from a privacy perspective but lack some of the advanced features that FUTO offers in one package (especially built-in voice input).

An essential part of the Matrix Phone ecosystem

FUTO Voice Input and Keyboard demonstrate that you can combine the best of both worlds: the convenience of smart text and voice functions, and the security of keeping your data private. For users of Teuton Systems’ Matrix Phone (GrapheneOS phone), these apps come pre-installed as part of the privacy-secure ecosystem. But they’re available to everyone – via Google Play or F-Droid – and constitute a highly recommended switch for anyone who values their privacy in everyday life.

As a tech writer recently put it: you no longer need to choose between functionality and security – with FUTO you get both without compromises.

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https://nordictimes.com/tech/organic-maps-the-map-app-that-doesnt-map-you/

Tech

Organic Maps – the map app that doesn’t map you

Advertising partnership with Teuton Systems

Tired of Google Maps tracking you? Here's the free alternative that lets you navigate completely offline!

Published 12 June 2025
Organic Maps allow you to navigate completely offline when you have poor coverage or are hiking in the wilderness, for example.
4 minute read

In our series on open, surveillance-free apps, we take a closer look at Organic Maps – a map app that stands out as a privacy-friendly alternative to Google Maps. For many smartphone users, Google Maps has become the standard for navigation, but that convenience comes at a price: extensive collection of location data and dependence on a constant internet connection. Organic Maps is a free, open-source app (FOSS) that takes a completely different approach. Here, you can navigate without being tracked and without being tied to an internet connection.

Unlike Google Maps, which is neither open source nor particularly privacy-friendly, Organic Maps is built on open source and created by a community. The source code is openly available, which means that independent developers can review and improve the app. Most importantly, Organic Maps does not contain any tracker features – it does not collect your personal information or location data at all.

The app also has no ads or hidden data collection services running in the background. You don’t need to log in or give away any information – privacy is a core principle. Thanks to the open code, users can trust that there are no ulterior motives; it’s all about providing maps and navigation, nothing else.

Works completely offline – everywhere

One of the biggest advantages of Organic Maps is that the app works completely offline. All map data is based on the community project OpenStreetMap, which covers the entire world. You choose which maps (countries or regions) you want to download to your phone, and then you can navigate freely without the internet. Unlike Google and Apple Maps – whose offline features are very limited and lack full search or navigation functionality outside of the network – Organic Maps offers 100% of its features without a connection.

Searching for addresses and places, viewing points of interest, and turn-by-turn voice guidance work just as well offline as online. This means you can use the app in airplane mode, abroad without roaming, or far out in the wilderness.

Sample screenshots from Organic Maps: An offline map of some nature reserves, navigation in night mode, menu for downloading maps, and menu for map layers.

Since Organic Maps is based on OpenStreetMap, you also get very detailed maps. The community updates the maps continuously with everything from new bike paths to small forest trails. For example, a technology writer noted that he has yet to encounter a hiking trail that is missing from Organic Maps’ maps – often there is information that large map services miss. This makes the app particularly popular among outdoor enthusiasts, but everyone benefits: even regular roads, addresses, and points of interest are extensively covered thanks to OpenStreetMap. In short, the offline map gives you the peace of mind that the map is always available, no matter where you are.

Battery-efficient navigation

Offline navigation not only gives you freedom from the mobile network – it also saves battery power. Organic Maps is remarkably energy efficient and uses minimal power compared to many other navigation services. Without constant data traffic, background tracking, or heavy advertising, the app can focus on what it’s supposed to do and nothing more. One reviewer says he used the app during several days of hiking without having to charge his phone.

The developers themselves claim that you can go on a week-long trip on a single charge with Organic Maps as your guide. For those who travel frequently or are simply tired of GPS draining their battery, this is a game-changer. Its energy efficiency also makes Organic Maps well suited for older or simpler smartphones that may have weaker batteries – the app is lightweight and resource-efficient.

Available for Android and iPhone

Despite its different philosophy, Organic Maps is as easy to get and use as any popular app. The app is available to download for free for both Android and iOS – you can find it in the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. For those who use completely Google-free phones (such as GrapheneOS on Matrix mobile), it is also available through alternative open app stores such as F-Droid.

The interface is intuitive and similar to other map apps, so the barrier to switching is low. You can search for addresses or businesses, bookmark your favorite places, and get turn-by-turn voice directions. All these features are available offline after you download the maps for the area you need. In short, you get a full-featured map service on your phone – but without the surveillance.

Pre-installed on the Matrix phone

Organic Maps has become a staple in privacy-focused circles. Teuton Systems pre-installs the app on its Matrix phone – a security-focused Android smartphone based on GrapheneOS – as part of a Google-free ecosystem. This gives users a map service that respects their privacy right from the start. But even if you don’t own a Matrix mobile phone, you can still easily enjoy the benefits. Replacing Google Maps with Organic Maps on your current phone is a step towards a more privacy-secure everyday life, without losing any functionality. The app is completely free and open for everyone to try.

Organic Maps exemplifies how free and open software can give us, the average user, more control. You don’t have to worry about being tracked when you look up an address or navigate to a destination, and you can trust that the app only does what it says it does. The combination of open source code, offline capability, and top-notch privacy has earned the app excellent recommendations in tech media.

For those who value their privacy – or just want a reliable map app that works everywhere – Organic Maps is an inspiring alternative that shows it’s possible to navigate freely without giving up your privacy!

 

Visit Teuton Systems

Features of Organic Maps

The ultimate app for travelers, tourists, hikers and cyclists:

  • Detailed offline maps with locations not found on other maps, thanks to OpenStreetMap
  • Bike paths, hiking trails and walking routes
  • Contour lines, elevation profiles, peaks and slopes
  • Turn-by-turn navigation for walking, cycling and car navigation with voice guidance, Android Auto
  • Quick offline map search
  • Export and import bookmarks in KML/KMZ format, import GPX
  • Dark mode to protect your eyes
  • Countries and regions do not take up much space
  • Free and open source

https://nordictimes.com/tech/teuton-systems-offers-smart-privacy-focused-technology-without-compromise/

Tech

Teuton Systems offers smart privacy-focused technology – without compromise

Advertising partnership with Teuton Systems

  • Teuton Systems, based in Sweden, is developing a unique concept for privacy-oriented computers and mobile phones that does not compromise user-friendliness or security.
  • We take the fight against corporate snooping, mass government surveillance and criminal phone tapping through firm open source principles and secure products.
Published 23 May 2025
Both computers and phones from Teuton Systems come with interfaces you will recognize and with pre-installed apps for all your everyday needs.
4 minute read

Digitalization has given humanity superpowers – and opened the door to a whole jungle of new threats.

We see it every day: news headlines about breaches, scandals, and surveillance of ordinary people. Teuton Systems works for those who refuse to accept a reality where someone else owns their data. That’s why we offer hardware and software that gives you full control over your digital life.

Healthy skepticism about data collection is anything but paranoia – it’s perfectly justified. Here are just a few examples that should make anyone think twice about their everyday digital environment:

  • Mass surveillance: After Edward Snowden’s historic revelations, it became public knowledge that government programs were massively eavesdropping on both corporate and private communications. This is an important reminder that conscious action is required to preserve privacy. Since the revelations, this mass surveillance has continued in other forms.
  • Data leaks and scandals: Everything from the Cambridge Analytica scandal (where a company collected data on millions of Facebook users to influence elections) to the Apoteket leak (sensitive customer data was sent to Facebook without their knowledge) proves time and again how easily our data can be sold, lost, or misused.
  • Dependence on big business: Our digital everyday lives are dominated by a few tech giants, raising concerns about how much power they have over our data and infrastructure. Almost half of Swedes believe that Google and Facebook threaten privacy, according to recent figures. Allowing a few giant companies to dominate information about our private lives is simply not a decent option.
  • Spying apps: Common smartphone apps can access large amounts of private data – location, contacts, microphone, and more – which is then shared for profit or even more obscure purposes. In fact, 8 out of 10 Swedes know that apps can track their location via GPS, according to a national privacy report, which shows how widespread the phenomenon is. Collected app data has led to everything from targeted advertising to privacy scandals. Yet the flow of software that silently snoops in the background continues.

Against this backdrop, Teuton Systems launched the Nordic region’s first fully Linux-based computer system for everyday users back in 2020. Since then, the concept has evolved: 100 percent open source, encryption as standard, and hardware optimized for security. The philosophy is simple: strong privacy should be the starting point for your devices, not a hidden option.

All devices are delivered pre-configured with privacy-preserving software and documentation in English. You can unpack the products and start using them right away, confident that the systems are already optimized to protect your privacy.

Image of the premium Matrix 8 Pro model equipped with 256 GB of storage space and a very powerful camera that has received top marks in tests.

The Matrix phone – the tracking-free smartphone

Perhaps the most important product is called the Matrix phone. A powerful smartphone with the operating system replaced by GrapheneOS – the world’s most secure mobile operating system according to industry experts. It comes completely free of Google apps – which means the phone does not automatically “call home” to Google and share data about your usage.

Instead, open alternatives are pre-installed: web browser, email, maps, chat, everything you need. Most popular apps and services (including the Swedish BankID, for example) work. The result is a smartphone that works much like any Android phone – but without you having to worry about your phone spying on you in the background.

The Nordic region’s first preconfigured Linux computers

The computer range includes both laptop and desktop models, where Windows has been replaced with Linux, an open and more secure operating system free from data collection by large corporations. Each system is specially configured for high security while maintaining a high level of user-friendliness. From the first start-up, the computer runs with full disk encryption and a secure VPN, embedded in a modern desktop environment with a traditional start menu and taskbar that will be familiar to all Windows users – all included in the TS PC concept. No digging around in settings, no bloatware. You get a familiar user experience but without the surveillance.

Why open source is smarter – and safer

Thanks to open-source code, anyone can review the software; no hidden backdoors, no secret data collection. This makes the systems more transparent than mainstream platforms – and we have the world’s open developer community backing us with quality assurance instead of a closed-off corporation. When a vulnerability appears, it gets fixed quickly – without lobbying or shareholder politics. By combining open source, hardware-level security, and privacy-focused configuration, we create an alternative that gives everyday users digital self-determination.

So break free from dependence on tech giants – take control of your technology and your information. These types of solutions should be a given in today’s IT landscape, but as we’ve seen, they are far from standard in the industry. Change is needed, and together we can make a difference.

The starting point is and remains the same: technology should be completely controlled by the user, not by authorities or greedy large corporations. With Teuton Systems’ products, you get security and freedom – without compromising on user-friendliness. In addition, you can always contact our telephone support team at our office in the heart of Sweden. They are ready to assist you before and after your purchase. In other words: Technology by the people, for the people.

Welcome to Teuton Systems – where personal privacy is standard and surveillance is a thing of the past!

 

Visit Teuton Systems

https://nordictimes.com/tech/microsofts-recall-saves-sensitive-information-despite-security-filters/

Tech

Microsoft’s Recall saves sensitive information despite ‘security filters’

Advertising partnership with Teuton Systems

Published 14 December 2024
– By Editorial Staff
The Windows feature have led to harsh criticism and questions about the reliability of Microsoft's security measures.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The new Windows “Recall” feature, which is designed to create screenshots of your computer and your activity “for increased productivity”, has been found to store sensitive information such as credit card numbers and social security numbers – even when the feature to filter sensitive data is enabled.

According to a report by Tom’s Hardware, tests have revealed several flaws in Recall’s filtering capabilities and showed that Recall was able to capture information from Windows Notepad and PDF forms in Microsoft Edge, including credit card details and social security numbers, despite the feature to block sensitive information being enabled. So you don’t necessarily have to be working in the cloud, but ordinary offline activity is just as vulnerable. This creates a serious security risk for users who expect their private data to be protected.

The feature worked correctly in some cases, such as when it blocked screenshots from payment pages on e-commerce sites like Pimoroni and Adafruit. In contrast, Recall was able to take screenshots of a custom HTML page created by Tom’s Hardware that contained a credit card form and card details, clearly showing flaws in how the filter identifies sensitive data.

Microsoft itself claims that Recall is designed to automatically detect and filter sensitive information, such as credit card details, passwords and social security numbers. The company says it is working on improving the performance of the feature and ensuring that users’ privacy is protected.

Risking to be costly

These flaws in Recall’s filtering feature have led to harsh criticism and raise questions about the reliability of Microsoft’s security measures. Users who rely on Recall to document workflows may inadvertently expose sensitive data, which risks being very costly.

Experts therefore recommend that users be very careful about what data they handle while Recall is active – or better yet, stop using Windows altogether and switch to Linux-based solutions instead.

Microsoft has not yet clarified when an update to Recall can be expected, but the discovered security flaws underline the importance of security tools undergoing rigorous testing before being used in practical applications.

Screenshot of the Linux-based desktop environment KDE Plasma, which comes pre-installed on Teuton Systems computers and is described as being as easy or easier and more logical than Windows to use.

Linux – a privacy-focused alternative

For those who have grown tired of Microsoft and their products, there are further reasons to look towards Linux, which is highly relevant in times of privacy breaches, data collection and more, and which in most cases can fully replace Microsoft Windows. Teuton Systems, a Swedish-based technology company specializing in security and privacy focused products and services, offers personal computers with Linux pre-installed, completely free of “cloud connections” and surveillance software.

All included software is open source and selected with your security in mind. In addition, you have access to support and Linux-savvy customer service.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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