Android
A terse run-down on how to get off the Google train, stop corporations Hoovering data from your phone, and all that (the story so far, at least...)
Root your phone and install a ROM
Install CyanogenMod. Instructions for a Galaxy Note 3, but you can almost certainly find a similar procedure for your phone on the internet. Start here.
Search, App stores
On your phone, install the F-Droid app, it's an open source only app store.
- Replace Google search with Duck Duck Go
- Keep an eye on r/fossdroid, have a read of the Ars Technica and LWN articles.
Security and anonymity
IM, chat, Hangouts
On the server, install the Prosody XMPP server and create yourself an account. On your phone, install Conversations - free on F-Droid, $3 on the play store.
Calendar and contacts sync
On the server, install Baïkal, which is a very lightweight PHP-based CalDAV and CardDAV server. Point Apache at it and strap on an SSL certificate and you're good to go. Export your contacts from Google/Facebook/wherever, and import them into Baïkal.
On your phone, install DAVdroid and add accounts with the appropriate CalDAV and CardDAV URLs. Now your contacts and calendars will sync on your phone.
Run your own mail server, and install:
- K-9 Mail
- OpenKeychain - OpenPGP encryption, works with K-9 Mail and Conversations (see above).
E-Books
Use Calibre on your PC to manage your e-book collection, and install FBReader on your phone. The FBReader Calibre OPDS plugin will find your Calibre library on your local network.