…if you own a Google Pixel device.
A Google Pixel device with an unlockable bootloader. Carrier phones often come with a locked bootloader that remains locked, even if it is “carrier unlocked” and can be used on another network. In any event, you can get used Pixel phones relatively cheap. A pixel 9 pro xl with an unlockable bootloader starts around $400 for a 128GB and I just got a 1TB for $600. You can get a Pixel 6 pro for around $100.
Very middling hardware though.
I came here to comment this letter for letter.
I’m not salty about being excluded, you’re salty about being excluded.
She covers that at 4:32.
Technically still HTC hardware. 🤓
I got two 9s on sale at launch for $150/each w/trade ins and installing Graphene Is easier than re-flashing vannila A16.
I know it’s a me problem but not having contactless payment is the only thing stopping me right now, otherwise I’d have jumped ship months ago.
I’m only one person, but that’s the dumbest “reason” I can imagine anyone saying.
Deeply sorry my personal preference didn’t meet your standards.
I’ve been meaning to do my 8a, but I’ve got a bunch of stuff on there that I need to backup first. Signal history, steam auth, google auth, banking, aus government services. I’ve still got my failing Pixel5 so I think I’ll try to backup to that then switch my 8a over to Graphene. I should’ve done it when I got the 8a but like I mentioned my 5 is failing.
Boycott Google! Even buying second hand pixels benefit google, because people know that it’s easy to sell them for a good price, so they ate more likely to buy new ones.
Also, graphene might offer more physical security, but there are plenty of other options for privacy focused ROMs out there that work with Manny phones.
I love my Fairphone 6 with e/os for example.
GrapheneOS is by far the best choice for privacy. As for buying a google phone, who cares. Buy good products. Boycott bad products. Fairphone is a shitty choice for privacy, as they made it clear they are not interested. Why reward a company making a shitty product, instead of rewarding a company for making a good product (Pixel) even if different departments of the same company make shitty products?
Speak for yourself. I love my Fairphone.
And I boycott google and support companies like Fairphone on an ethical basis.
Google is supporting Israel in the Palestinian genocide, ice, plus all the shitty stuff they do around AI, advertising and destroying our privacy. It seems very funny to me that you give money to a company you disagree with enough to install a different OS in their product because of privacy invasion.
On the other hand, while far from perfect, companies like Fairphone are attempting to break the exploitation of people in the supply Chaim of electronics.
Speak for yourself.
I am.
It seems very funny to me that you give money to a company you disagree with enough to install a different OS in their product because of privacy invasion.
What’s funny about it? Tor was created by US spy agencies. So what? If it is a useful tool, it is a useful tool. I don’t care who made it.
On the other hand, while far from perfect, companies like Fairphone are attempting to break the exploitation of people in the supply Chaim of electronics.
That is a nice sentiment, but if their product sucks (security wise), it sucks. And there is no excuse for outright refusing to work with GrapheneOS on improving their phones. If they don’t care about their own customers, I am not going to go out of my way to support them.
The security issues with Fairphone with e/os is also basically just the opinion of the grapheneIS developer who pretty much shits on anything that’s not GrapheneOS.
I’ve never seen anything independent about it, and most complaints were addressed by murena anyway.
I agree that GrapheneOS devs are not a trustworthy source regarding security of other OS and Idk anything about e/os. But I know enough about cybersecurity to know the missing HW on Fairphones is a serious issue.
Could you elaborate on the HW part, or link to a explanation? I’d like to learn more about it.
I think a good place to start is reading up on MTE and Attestation.
If you want to see more, look at the list of required hardware features in the GrapheneOS FAQ and just google them.
