Graphene, Lineage, Calayx OS are all there. Pick one and never worry about this no control over your phone thing. Personally only used graphene OS but I heard the others are similar.
I am just using oneui but I’m not even signed into a google account surely Gemini won’t be after me?
I haven’t read a single positive comment here, which is to be expected in this community. But to be honest I kind of like the idea of an AI assistant that keeps track of my schedule, knows about my friends and what I am doing. Of cause I would not use gemini and am happy that i dont have to care about it with e/OS. But something that helps me keep track of things and can help me with stuff seems interesting. I’m interested to hear reviews of it
I hear you, it’s the same reason why I still have google maps in my e/OS phone, to see my history and give me more restaurants I can try.
But the compromise in my case and what everyone in this thread also knows is that the data you share will not only be yours.
I think no one here is against a powerful AI assistant that will help is with personal stuff and keeping track of everything, but having to share all your life with someone else is a huge fuck no. They would know way more than even your life partner.
If there was something mostly offline that we could use I think we’d be all up for it.
Alright, is there some super-populated center for enthusiast nerds who make Androids less 1984 and shit? Like, the fdroid sub or something? I’m still on the ol’ Tim Cooker but when this thing croaks I’m switching teams. I don’t need Google getting sloppy seconds, though.
I mean, feels like everyone has a phone these days. Surely some niche sect of Internet nerds has a cutting edge solution for this shit.
Is it just GrapheneOS with FDroid apps? What about Google Play Store apps, can I use those without getting fucked? Can I retain nearly every stock feature on an Android without selling my soul to Google? Which Android phone should I buy if I want things to run smoothly with the modifications I need to make? (Are those new touch flip-phones on the menu? Are they more durable now? I fantasize about DS emulation, and slapping my phone together to hang up on people. I just remember hearing all about the highly scratch-able screens and hinge problems.)
GrapheneOS puts Play Services in a sandbox so it’s no longer rooted. You can restrict what parts of your filesystem each app has access to very strictly.
For now people still send me emails on Gmail, so I still have Gmail installed, but very limited permissions.
It’s a huge improvement.
You can also start sessions that entirely shut down Play Services so you’re living entirely with FOSS products.
I’m not quite there yet because I still use maps and drive and photos. Gonna figure out replacements, unfortunately nobody else has the traffic and live rerouting that Google maps does, even if you are willing to pay.
If you’ve got a pixel, highly recommend. If you have a different relatively recent phone check out lineage or e/os.
Thank you. I could kiss you like a mother.
🫂
Mama Bear hug.
What was the recent chatter about Google making it harder to update GrapheneOS? Did that develop into anything or was it just temporary?
Random aside, I switched from Android to iOS a year ago. I miss Android already.
The UI is more convoluted an clunky than iOS from years ago, just as uncustomizable, and performs shockly bad on heavy webpages on a brand new 16+. It’s got no freaking RAM, no sd card slot. Some free FOSS apps are nonexistant or paid only.
Security and OOTB privacy is better and app support is generally better, but that’s about it? I’d probably keep an iPhone around to bank on when I eventually switch…
Weird, I have the opposite experience. After an S3 Mini and a Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro, my gf let me try her iPhone 8 for a bit and I was amazed by how smooth it was running. I’ve bought a 11 Pro in early 2020 and have been using it ever since. Still works like on the day I’ve bought it, no slowdowns, smooth as hell. I did do a battery swap after the fourth year though.
I wouldn’t mind trying a Pixel with GrapheneOS though. But all Pixels are so large compared to the iPhone Pro lineup.
My last Android phone was a Razer Phone 2, SD845 circa 2018. Basically stock Android 9.
And it was smooth as butter. It had a 120hz screen while my iPhone 16 is stuck at 60, and I can feel it. And it flew through some heavy web apps I use while the iPhone chugs and jumps around, even though the new SoC should objectively blow away even modern Android devices.
It wasn’t always this way; iOS used to be (subjectively) so much faster that it’s not even funny, at least back when I had an iPhone 6S(?). Maybe there was an inflection point? Or maybe it’s only the case with “close to stock” Android stuff that isn’t loaded with bloat.
Maybe it’s the regular vs Pro lineup. I never had any experience with the regular lineup. I’ve bought my wife a 14 Pro, and the experience there is the same as on mine.
Pro is 120hz.
But they are expensive as heck. I only got the 16 Plus because its a carrier loss leader, heh.
And wouldn’t fix some of my other quibbles with iOS’s inflexibility. My ancient jailbroken iPhone 4 was more customizable than now, and Apple is still slowly, poorly implementing features I had a decade ago. It’s mind boggling, and jailbreaking isn’t a good option anymore.
So what happens if I have Gemini disabled overall on my phone?
And how does this effect those of us that have completely disabled Gemini Assistant?
Seems like you’d fall under the “even if you say no” category
It doesn’t seem that way. After reading through the article a couple of times, it looks like the “no” they are referring to is regarding data recording of one’s actual use of the assistant. And since I don’t use the assistant and have completely disabled it, the shouldn’t be any data to record.
Though I do have to admit that I may be completely off base in my interpretation.
When they say WhatsApp I gotta think that would be the same for any third party conversation app right? I would never use whatsapp, and I would hope any security minded person wouldnt either. But I do rely on an opensource sms launcher and signal. I would assume the framework would make it mess with those too.
This sucks. Horribly sucks. I can’t stand apple products, they cant do anything. I know that even having google play on my android device means I am fucked anyways, but this is a new low from google.
Feels weird to buy a google pixel, only to be able to expect it is the best way to not have google on it. (grapheneos or similar).
Living the good life over here:
How much of a risk is GraphenOS to install? I really don’t wanna brick my phone.
Only for Google Pixel phones. The install process is right there. You just need a chromium-based browser (chrome, edge, vivaldi, opera, brave, etc.), an Unlocked Pixel, and the usb cable.
Also, back up your stuff. Flash Unlocking your phone to install a different OS erases everything on it (for security reasons).
Google stopped releasing sources . Graphene is likely dead
Graphene isn’t dead. They just have slowed down a bit. They’ve already released their first Alpha for 16
I had the same concern so I actually just bought a used newer pixel and started a fresh install of Graphene. It took me several weeks to learn how it works and migrate my accounts and switch to FOSS apps wherever I could.
very low on id say pixel 7 and up its a web installer so all you need is to back up all inlmportant files photos videos ids etc and plug your phone into a computer or another phone running graphene os and follow the guide
What phone do you have?
Pixel 6, I believe.
This makes me so happy I’m using Graphine OS. Also the entire idea that there “not storing my history” I don’t trust them. They have already been sued multiple times over keeping ingogneto data.
Techbros don’t understand or care about consent
They know what it is. But they think it’s optional, because us plebs don’t deserve a choice. They think they run our world because we use their platforms.
No-one in big business does.
Just grab em by the dongle
They got that idea “ask for forgiveness not permission” pushed to them by capitalist extremists for too long. I despise that concept in any context, whether justifying rape or violating privacy or anything else. But I even see it in TV shows these days portrayed as normal. Gross 🤮
We use Chromebooks at my work (along with the whole Google suite), and we are bound by the rules of HIPAA. Without a way to opt out of this AI crap, I increasingly worry about what all of this means for our clients’ privacy. Especially with this administration, with RFK deadset on targeting people with disabilities.
We use Chromebooks at my work (along with the whole Google suite), and we are bound by the rules of HIPAA.
Assuming you mentioning HIPAA and disabilities, you must probably work in the healthcare industry. What kind of backwater hospital/healthcare company uses chromebook?! I know chromebooks are prelevant in the education industry but healthcare… They are cheap but Google makes up that money through Google Workplace vendor lock in! Man… I have seen Linux running on hospitals even in 3rd world countries… If you can, please quit that job! A healthcare workplace using chromebooks will not give a damn to employee’s privacy!
What kind of backwater hospital/healthcare company uses chromebook
I was at a specialist’s office and noticed they were using Windows XP. This was 3 years ago.
Windows XP might be more secure soon than any machine running Gemini
I did care before COVID, and the chromebooks were the safe option. Some sites had desktop computers available, but those had no antivirus and we logged into the admin account with full permissions.
If you don’t want this stuff on your phone, lemme point you to:
GrapheneOS (Pixels only, has Most Security at Tinfoil Hat level while also providing compatibility for Google Play (optional, sandboxed) and SafetyNet)
CalyxOS (Pixels, Some Moto G 5G, Fairphone 5, 4, SHIFTphone 8, less Security than GrapheneOS but has Security)
LineageOS (Many older devices, runs unlocked boot so least Security but still can run sans google)
I was considering a switch but due to recent policy changes at Google, I’m now concerned about long-term (or even short-term) support for GrapheneOS and other custom ROMs:
I don’t know anything about tech. I don’t want to contribute anything to AI, but I’m afraid I’m going to brick my pixel if I install any of this. Here’s a question. If I let them steal my info, does that hurt other people, or just me?
Depends. Do you want the possibility of an AI model being able to fork over some private details in your convos? The potential for someone that doesn’t like what you believe in to subpoena google for this data?
As for bricking, it won’t, and the whole process is on the website, using a chrome-based browser and usb cable (it detects which pixel you have and does all the hard stuff) but you do have to back up your stuff as it will erase when it gets graphened.
If we are on an old pixel (eg pixel 4) is it more or less secure to switch to graphene? Neither Google nor graphene are doing updates for that model anymore
I’ve thought of getting an 8 to put graphene on but the recent news from the project about Google making it harder on them has me pausing since I don’t fully understand what is affected.
I don’t want Gemeni anywhere near my messages and phone content.
You can put graphene on a 4. It won’t be supported but will be more secure. Still not recommended by me or grapheneos. They say that the reason they support pixels is due to the security, not the aosp support, and that they will continue to develop grapheneos. Android 16 is the first new build with the changes and grapheneos is testing it now iirc. I would personally recommend seeing how 16 goes (possibly post after the update hits stable asking for user feedback) and decide based on that. You should probably get something new as the complete lack of security updates is quite bad but that could help you decide whether to go with graphene. Personally, I am on grapheneos and am not worried about it.
You should not be worried according to GrapheneOS’s team.
Yup. They’re going to continue support as promised.
…How about a 3?
Edit: Nevermind, just checked. I swear this is still a great phone.
So a system-wide wiretap?
Interestingly, the same mentioned article from Android Police sells it as a “privacy win”. I’ve tried to read it as a positive spin, and I seriously don’t understand what these guys have been smoking.
https://www.androidpolice.com/upcoming-gemini-for-android-change-privacy-settings/
I completely agree, I guess what they call “privacy win” is that this feature can now work without storing data on Google (highlighted by me):
Based on Google’s email, it seems the company will allow Gemini to access messages, WhatsApp, and control device system settings without requiring that you enable the Gemini Apps Activity setting for your account. This setting saves your Gemini history to your Google account, potentially allowing for better personalization.
Previously, if you had this setting disabled for your Google account, you weren’t able to use the Messages, Phone, Utilities, or WhatsApp extensions in Gemini (via 9to5Google). Once this change rolls out to your account, you will be able to access these features without having to save your Gemini history on Google’s servers.
When they say
potentially allowing for better personalization
they sound like the companies trying to sell you these features without mentioning the privacy implications of said features. :/
In a glass half full perspective, it won’t send all your data to Google’s servers. The part they are not saying is that the data even remotely related to your query is going to be sent to Google anyway. They are claiming they will delete the data after 72 hours, which I believe they will for now, but knowing them, there’s probably going to be a sneaky policy update in a couple of years.
No, it’s really not. Primarily, because I’m using LineageOS with absolutely no Google services at all installed.
