[ Thanks to Amy
Bennett for this link. ]
“So, how, exactly, do you trick Google into giving you the
foundation without allowing them to look through any windows?
Here?s how to set up an almost entirely non-Google-powered Android,
in practice: Don?t sign in during setup or enable backups“When you first turn on your phone, or after you perform a
?factory reset? on it, you?ll be asked to sign in with a Google
account. Don?t do it, and look for the ?Skip? option. Your phone
can run without a Google account, and you can add other accounts to
fill out your contacts and calendar and the like–Microsoft
Exchange, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Also skip the options to
send feedback about your usage, back up your settings to Google,
and so on. Skip just about everything.”