Disconnect Search Comes To Android; Allows Tracking-Free Google, Bing & Yahoo Queries.
If you talk to people about NSA’s PRISM program, most will seem disinterested, probably because they fail to realize how much of their data is being monitored. Though, if you’re like me, all the hullabaloo that the program’s outing caused must have scared you.
After all, it is believed to be collecting and analyzing data from pretty much every tech giant (Google, Facebook and the like), and could be listening in on your phone calls, monitoring your emails or checking in on your cloud drives.
In October last year, the folks behind Disconnect – a Chrome and Firefox extension that blocks online data tracking – released another tool for the same browsers to protect your privacy while using search engines. Their latest solution, called Disconnect Search, has made its way to Android with the aim to provide a safer search environment on your mobile device by masking your IP address.
After all, it is believed to be collecting and analyzing data from pretty much every tech giant (Google, Facebook and the like), and could be listening in on your phone calls, monitoring your emails or checking in on your cloud drives.
In October last year, the folks behind Disconnect – a Chrome and Firefox extension that blocks online data tracking – released another tool for the same browsers to protect your privacy while using search engines. Their latest solution, called Disconnect Search, has made its way to Android with the aim to provide a safer search environment on your mobile device by masking your IP address.
Disconnect carries robust functionality under the hood to keep you safe online. It doesn’t affect other browsers, though. The app provides its own search interface.
Whenever you perform a query via one of the major search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Blekko, or DuckDuckGo from within the Disconnect Search interface, it automatically prevents tracking cookies and other scripts from leeching on your personal information.
The interface is as bare-bones as they come. There’s nothing but a search field in the middle of the screen, tapping which allows you to enter your query.
You can, of course, choose the search engine you want to employ for your query. To do that, tap the current search engine name just beneath the search field on the results page and select your preferred search engine from the menu that follows.
Another handy feature on board is a search widget, which lets you perform private search queries from your home and lock screen. Of course, you will have to manually add the widget to one of these areas first. Given the app’s simple nature, it’s likely more users will use the widget and not the app’s interface itself.
Post by : Zayaan Ibrahim.
Zayaan@topone2u.com
