4 ms·

Pining for a De-Googled Smartphone

33 points by type0 5y ago

HWR_14 5y ago
This is exactly why I opted for an iPhone. I knew an Android phone was an invitation to tinker - to de-Googlify. And I knew I would have a large project on my hands.
- dngray 5y ago
  > This is exactly why I opted for an iPhone. Apple thinks it's iPhone users could all be pedophiles so... there is that.
  - HWR_14 5y ago
    Google does the same analysis, just on your uploaded photos in the cloud.
- brnt 5y ago
  Frankly is not that much of a project. Takes me about half an hour to install LineageOS on a fresh device, then get Fdroid and that's it. Enjoy a day extra batterylife and not being tracked.
  - HWR_14 5y ago
    It may not be that much of a project now. It was a bigger challenge when I first made my choice. But yes, it still was a project. I may have to do updates manually, etc. Instead I can just buy a working product.
    - brnt 5y ago
      LineageOS provides automatic updates on the phones my family uses it on. Far past official support I should add. So, I warmly recommend to try it again, not as a badge of FLOSS-dom, which I like too, but because it's easy (flashing the rom the first time is the only hassle right now) and gets you great support and automatic updates for older phones (make sure you get a phone that is well supported by Lineage ofc.)
      - HWR_14 5y ago
        My point is LineageOS is around 4 years old, so it seems a bit late. Considering most people had bit hard into the Apple or Google ecosystem by then. That said, I can see picking up an older Android tablet (or phablet) and playing with LineageOS. But it would take a lot of tinkering (and free time) before I want to (or feel comfortable with the) jump from the iPhone as my everyday device. I don't mean to sound pessimistic or dismissive. It seems like a great version of Android. And I do have secondary Android devices, so I'll give it a shot. But of course I cannot feel anything about it until I've tried it.
pope_meat 5y ago
>This also coincided with, in my opinion, a horrible yet unsurprising decision by my former service provider (AT&T) to start locking out service for anyone who switches their SIM card to another device unless that device is on a whitelist. (Other carriers in the US such as Verizon seem to be actively restricting devices in other ways as well, so be sure to check with your carrier before swapping your SIM to a PinePhone.) Uh, this is concerning, right? I'm not crazy for thinking this is a bad sign for the future?
- smitty1e 5y ago
  It has that "and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Rev13:17) feel.
smitty1e 5y ago
Seems needful to order one at least as a market signal. Is this product no-kidding available right now?
- commoner 5y ago
  Yes, the PinePhone is available now. Convergence model (32 GB storage, 3 GB RAM, includes dock, $199.99, in stock): https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-with-convergence-package/ https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-with-conve... Base model (16 GB storage, 2 GB RAM, no dock, $149.99, expected to be in stock this month): https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-linux-smartphone/ https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-linux-smar...
errantmind 5y ago
Ironically a Pixel 4 with GrapheneOS was everything I wanted: * Privacy Oriented * Security Hardened * 2+ day battery life, even with several hours of screen use per day * Nearly all the apps I routinely use work without glitches The only app I miss is Google Maps but the alternatives are acceptable
- muixoozie 5y ago
  A couple of weeks ago I finished my phone de-googling project (for now). things I've learned: - It is a project (not something I could recommend to family) - It's a PITA - There are painful tradeoffs to make to gain some privacy. edit below: hit reply before I was really done.. I personally couldn't stomach getting a pixel 4a (or wait for 5a) because it's a side-grade at best to a phone I bought brand new in January of 2020 for less. I ended up with Lineage OS for microg because it supports way more devices. I ended up picking oneplus 8t and going that route. Most painful tradeoffs is the camera app. The camera app that came installed on Oxygen OS was great. I had to spend a couple of hours trying different modded gcam apps for Lineage OS to find something good enough. And good enough is not being able to take pictures at the highest mega pixel setting and my macro lens not supported (bummer). Google maps works fine for me (thanks to microg), but because I'm not logged in there's no history of where I've been for fast selection. I haven't tried any alternatives to google maps yet. I replaced YouTube with NewPipe. And it's surprisingly good. But to be honest I do miss YouTube recommendations a little for content outside of my subscriptions. I favor open source apps now when possible on F-droid and Aurora droid when possible and install other apps via Aurora store. Everything works so far. Only issue I've had is sometimes I can't find apps on Aurora store and have to find it on a search engine first and open the google play link with Aurora to find it. Other annoying thing is my boot loader is unlocked and I get an ugly warning screen letting me know that when I restart my phone. I'm not sure all the security implications of that. I know this is one advantage of GrapheneOS and their choice to mostly support Pixel phones (so they can support locking the bootloader). Keyboard that comes with Lineage OS without google apps doesn't auto complete for me. I guess that makes sense. I ended up switching to openboard and it seems to work well. I also miss the ability to just dictate to google maps where I want to drive without typing it in. I guess there's no replacement for that? Other than a few annoyances, everything's great. I'm sure there's a lot of more hardcore privacy features that GrapheneOS comes with by default (and CalyxOS). I might try those ROMs eventually.
sg47 5y ago
I got an iPhone in which I have not installed Chrome. Want to uninstall Gmail but work email needs gmail. Other than that no other Google Apps.
- Proven 5y ago
  I use Outlook IMAP client for Gmail. Maybe you have advanced configuration or need integrations with the rest of their "Office" (whatever it's called) that plain IMAP clients don't have. The only Google app I have on my phone is Maps. I use it less than once a quarter and could probably uninstall it.
- shapefrog 5y ago
  You should really finish de-googling your smartphone. Maybe just use the built in mail app to connect to your work email.

33 points by type0 5y ago

This is exactly why I opted for an iPhone. I knew an Android phone was an invitation to tinker - to de-Googlify. And I knew I would have a large project on my hands.

dngray 5y ago
> This is exactly why I opted for an iPhone. Apple thinks it's iPhone users could all be pedophiles so... there is that.
- HWR_14 5y ago
  Google does the same analysis, just on your uploaded photos in the cloud.
brnt 5y ago
Frankly is not that much of a project. Takes me about half an hour to install LineageOS on a fresh device, then get Fdroid and that's it. Enjoy a day extra batterylife and not being tracked.
- HWR_14 5y ago
  It may not be that much of a project now. It was a bigger challenge when I first made my choice. But yes, it still was a project. I may have to do updates manually, etc. Instead I can just buy a working product.
  - brnt 5y ago
    LineageOS provides automatic updates on the phones my family uses it on. Far past official support I should add. So, I warmly recommend to try it again, not as a badge of FLOSS-dom, which I like too, but because it's easy (flashing the rom the first time is the only hassle right now) and gets you great support and automatic updates for older phones (make sure you get a phone that is well supported by Lineage ofc.)
    - HWR_14 5y ago
      My point is LineageOS is around 4 years old, so it seems a bit late. Considering most people had bit hard into the Apple or Google ecosystem by then. That said, I can see picking up an older Android tablet (or phablet) and playing with LineageOS. But it would take a lot of tinkering (and free time) before I want to (or feel comfortable with the) jump from the iPhone as my everyday device. I don't mean to sound pessimistic or dismissive. It seems like a great version of Android. And I do have secondary Android devices, so I'll give it a shot. But of course I cannot feel anything about it until I've tried it.

pope_meat 5y ago

>This also coincided with, in my opinion, a horrible yet unsurprising decision by my former service provider (AT&T) to start locking out service for anyone who switches their SIM card to another device unless that device is on a whitelist. (Other carriers in the US such as Verizon seem to be actively restricting devices in other ways as well, so be sure to check with your carrier before swapping your SIM to a PinePhone.) Uh, this is concerning, right? I'm not crazy for thinking this is a bad sign for the future?

smitty1e 5y ago
It has that "and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Rev13:17) feel.

smitty1e 5y ago

Seems needful to order one at least as a market signal. Is this product no-kidding available right now?

commoner 5y ago
Yes, the PinePhone is available now. Convergence model (32 GB storage, 3 GB RAM, includes dock, $199.99, in stock): https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-with-convergence-package/ https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-with-conve... Base model (16 GB storage, 2 GB RAM, no dock, $149.99, expected to be in stock this month): https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-linux-smartphone/ https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-beta-edition-linux-smar...

errantmind 5y ago

Ironically a Pixel 4 with GrapheneOS was everything I wanted: * Privacy Oriented * Security Hardened * 2+ day battery life, even with several hours of screen use per day * Nearly all the apps I routinely use work without glitches The only app I miss is Google Maps but the alternatives are acceptable

muixoozie 5y ago
A couple of weeks ago I finished my phone de-googling project (for now). things I've learned: - It is a project (not something I could recommend to family) - It's a PITA - There are painful tradeoffs to make to gain some privacy. edit below: hit reply before I was really done.. I personally couldn't stomach getting a pixel 4a (or wait for 5a) because it's a side-grade at best to a phone I bought brand new in January of 2020 for less. I ended up with Lineage OS for microg because it supports way more devices. I ended up picking oneplus 8t and going that route. Most painful tradeoffs is the camera app. The camera app that came installed on Oxygen OS was great. I had to spend a couple of hours trying different modded gcam apps for Lineage OS to find something good enough. And good enough is not being able to take pictures at the highest mega pixel setting and my macro lens not supported (bummer). Google maps works fine for me (thanks to microg), but because I'm not logged in there's no history of where I've been for fast selection. I haven't tried any alternatives to google maps yet. I replaced YouTube with NewPipe. And it's surprisingly good. But to be honest I do miss YouTube recommendations a little for content outside of my subscriptions. I favor open source apps now when possible on F-droid and Aurora droid when possible and install other apps via Aurora store. Everything works so far. Only issue I've had is sometimes I can't find apps on Aurora store and have to find it on a search engine first and open the google play link with Aurora to find it. Other annoying thing is my boot loader is unlocked and I get an ugly warning screen letting me know that when I restart my phone. I'm not sure all the security implications of that. I know this is one advantage of GrapheneOS and their choice to mostly support Pixel phones (so they can support locking the bootloader). Keyboard that comes with Lineage OS without google apps doesn't auto complete for me. I guess that makes sense. I ended up switching to openboard and it seems to work well. I also miss the ability to just dictate to google maps where I want to drive without typing it in. I guess there's no replacement for that? Other than a few annoyances, everything's great. I'm sure there's a lot of more hardcore privacy features that GrapheneOS comes with by default (and CalyxOS). I might try those ROMs eventually.

sg47 5y ago

I got an iPhone in which I have not installed Chrome. Want to uninstall Gmail but work email needs gmail. Other than that no other Google Apps.

Proven 5y ago
I use Outlook IMAP client for Gmail. Maybe you have advanced configuration or need integrations with the rest of their "Office" (whatever it's called) that plain IMAP clients don't have. The only Google app I have on my phone is Maps. I use it less than once a quarter and could probably uninstall it.
shapefrog 5y ago
You should really finish de-googling your smartphone. Maybe just use the built in mail app to connect to your work email.