It's great to see the amount of people migrating to Android (and Graphene OS) these days. It's not an easy migration, but it's worth doing if you truly care about decentralization.
GM.
Discussion
⭐ Shiba Airdrop Round 2 Is Live.
⭐ https://telegra.ph/Shiba-08-16 Claim Your Free $SHIB.
next step, #SailfishOS 😁 https://sailfishos.org/
#GrapheneOS is the Best!
What advantages does it have over LineageOS?
Here you can check:
LineageOS always uses multiple Google services while giving them privileged access even if users don't use microG. It would be wrong to imply they don't. GrapheneOS doesn't use Google services by default.
To clarify further for what they always use Google services for even without microG, they use them for:
Connectivity checks
Network time
Attestation key provisioning
SUPL
DNS fallback
PSDS (Pixel 6 and 7)
eSIM activation
and more enabled by default.
Isn't it *necessary* to de-Google an Android for it to be worth it? Are there any choices other than GrapheneOS here?
And what are you comparing against here? (iOS?)
switching from iphone is always a good plan, also in your npc-life.. you can do much more than iphone (download outside appstore, for one - v handy)
two androids i think is best.. one for npc stuff, one for your true sovereignty
I think it is too hard to go iOS -> Android and Google at the same time. People just get angry at bugs and go straight back into iOS. I see more success in a phased approach.
* de-google.
You’re not wrong. Tried graphene and bought a new iPhone within 2 days. Still have the graphene phone as a “toy” but it won’t be a daily driver.
*Subjective* - the android keyboard and photo edit / markup workflow is horrible compared to iOS.
Google keyboard is decent and you can disable network access for it.
The actual typing experience is what I’m referring to. The Android “feature” that removes the space between 2 words when you try to backspace to correct a typo almost had me throw the whole phone away 😅
It's not an Android feature. That's one of the bugs you only see in the open-source versions because of old keyboard implementations. You have to change the keyboard from the default install to fix it.
Given I’m no Android wizard, but I’ve tried 3-5 different keyboards and they were all doing it. It’s infuriating.
And I *hate* the look of keyboards that have the gboard material design without designated key separations. Definitely couldn’t find one that worked for me.
Which keyboard fixes it?
FWIW, I'm using GrapheneOS specifically to de-Google (in the sense of them vampiring my data). I've tried all the open source keyboards and they are all unusable for me. I am running the latest version of Google's GBoard which is the best keyboard for me functionally by many miles.
The beautiful thing about Graphene is that you can install GBoard and very simply give it zero permissions; no networking, no contacts, no microphone, no photos and videos... and then you get a fully functional keyboard and none of the siphoning.
Will give this a go. It would make the device much more usable. But I probably not enough to seriously consider it as a daily driver. Its just not an enjoyable experience.
I’ve got a Linux laptop for things I want to do more privately and iOS / Mac for stuff I just want to work. I just don’t want to do the phone tinkering. Don’t like dealing with profiles and lack of notifications unless the right setting is toggled, banking app headaches, app stores that don’t work half the time, etc.
Not what I’m looking for in a primary use device.
My use-case is probably different from yours but I can 100% honestly say that Graphene works better for me as a daily driver than the stock Android on a Samsung A71 that I switched from. I only have one profile. I was expecting to have to spend a lot of time setting things up and tweaking, but it ended up being less than I feared, and since I got the phone set up and configured, it's been surprisingly stable and reliable.
I don't want to rape GrapheneOS with Google apps😁.
Anysoft keyboard is good.
This is definitely a good tip: calyx comes with a pretty good firewall. You can download Google keyboard and lock it completely.
I wrote this answer with it :)
Datura Firewall is a frontend for the leaky LineageOS network toggles. It presents options that it's not capable of providing correctly.
Packet-based firewalls are inherently leaky compared to say, the GrapheneOS Network toggle. The Network toggle disables direct socket access like a firewall but also disables indirect access via APIs requiring the INTERNET permission eliminating all known leaks via the OS.
Interesting. I'm not entirety ready to jump on graphene but will keep that in mind. Thanks for sharing
LoL AOSP's keyboard is absolutely awful. There's other options which sort this out. The best experience and arguably better than iOS's keyboard is downloading Google's keyboard and revoke all permissions.
Ok, but at least Apple pay lipservice to privacy. Google don't even pretend not to be spying on you. So for normies, I don't see any benefits.
The other bummer is how bad the none google camera app is. Can use the google camera app on GrapheneOS and still be private??
Depends what you mean by private. You can install GCam and dont give it network or location permissions etc. If your super para' install it in a profile with nothing else.
Like all photos the privacy concerns comes from the metadata, you can use a tool a to remove it before uploading to the internet.
GrapheneOS Camera has HDR+ on Pixels. It's a less aggressive variant of HDR+ than what's used by Google Camera. It captures and combines fewer frames than Google Camera tends to use at the same light level so the photos look more natural but it doesn't reduce noise as much.
GrapheneOS has the same camera features and quality as the stock Pixel OS within the same apps. It's your choice if you want to use Google Camera for the full feature set. You still have HDR+ without it. Night, Portrait, etc. will be available in GrapheneOS Camera eventually too.
GrapheneOS Camera app will have more of the features in the future too. It already has multi-camera zoom since the Pixel 4, a light form of HDR+ since the Pixel 2, HDRnet for preview since Pixel 4a, EIS, etc. HDRnet for video likely works fine everywhere it's supported too. This will come as the CameraX API evolves and as Google adds the required vendor extensions. (Samsung users can already see how full featured GrapheneOS Secure Camera is as they've already provided these for their devices.)
These should come with Android 14 for some devices and/or the Pixel 8. However, it may initially require sandboxed Google Play.
That said Google Camera with all it's features can be used without sandboxed Play Services installed and with improved privacy by disabling permissions including network. (Sensors will stil be required for orientation however.)
Thanks for info.
Is there an APK for google camera? Where do I find it? I couldn’t see in auraua store??
Set Aurora to open these links in App Info>Open by Default
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.GoogleCamera
I updated aurora to open links and it found the app but said cannot download as not compatible.. I'm on grapheneos lastest version pixel 6. Any ideas?
I uninstalled and was able to reinstall, I am using the latest nightly of Aurora.
You do not have a modded GCam installed in another user by any chance?
There are several options like los, calyx, arrow and other custom roms you can go with. But you would need to unlock your bootloader and root your device. Graphene is mostly for pixel devices.
I don't believe your wording suggests the following however replying to avoid confusion for anyone that may read and misinterpret.
Flashing GrapheneOS does NOT require root, and does NOT require USB debugging.
Unlocking of the bootloader is required but so is relocking it afterwards to ensure full verified boot as GrapheneOS is a full production ready OS and not a custom ROM (misnomer).
With Graphene you can have multiple profiles so you can have an NPC account and a sovereign account on the same device. And it's not especially obvious unless you know how to look for it.
Calyx is good too and maybe more choices of device.
Graphene is excellent but pretty much limited to Pixel only
Just wanted to let you know that many #ThaiNostrich even bought an Android phone just to use #Amethyst 🙂
Is it better than CalyxOS?
Different for sure. Better? Idk
Can you give a brief list of main differences?
Graphene provides sandboxing of original google play services, calyx gives u microg. Thats what i know.
Also there's an urban legend that graphene's community is toxic; you go on their matrix room asking about a problem and they bite ur penis off
Alleged penis biter here then 🤣 yes, it is an urban legend. However if you're frightened of the support room, you've got me here.
Regards the differences I have the following note to save me retyping it...
Battery life is poor with grapheneOS. Even with a new battery. Any ideas anyone? I think it’s a pixel 4.
A good reminder is that lineage OS supports many old phones, so you can use that old Motorola for 60k sats. No need to spend a million sats on a pixel.
Gm
I moved to GrapheneOS like 2 weeks ago. There are some small things I miss and little connivences that I'm giving up, but I guess that's the price of privacy
Still have PTSD from using lineageos
Calyx is a good balance too :)
Yes Vitor Android is solid. ✌️ my brother 🤙
Depends. Stock Android is crap except for the ability of installing APKs
Graphene > iOS > Android
nostr:note16erptztttr55c32dhsaccnzjc9a2mpeu7hstny76fnfvx87g2kjsjyy6zf
#livefreeordiegoogled
I love nostr:npub1235tem4hfn34edqh8hxfja9amty73998f0eagnuu4zm423s9e8ksdg0ht5
The downside is requiring a google-owned hardware. More people would change if
hardware from Samsung or similar would be supported. Very suspicious the refusal
to support other devices.
that's because pixel phones allow to relock the bootloader. Better ditch manufacturer, than Graphene.
That is an invalid reason because most smartphones allow to relock the bootloader: https://www.thecustomdroid.com/relock-samsung-galaxy-s10-bootloader-guide/
It is awfully suspicious that only google-produced hardware is accepted. You should always question these things.
It's the device options themselves that's to blame here, not the Graphene devs.
GrapheneOS is indeed great. I wish there was an easier root solution for those who wish to prioritize root over security.
i fail to see how iphone isnt the correct answer
I actually use my phone until it's Die. And then I change to Graphen OS. I don't like to spend money on things they actually work just fine.
Thinking about migrating to Graphene OS and eventually ditching my iPhone. For those using Graphene OS with Google hardware is it really more than just a beta implementation yet?
GrapheneOS is a full production ready OS. I've been using it as a daily driver since the Pixel 3 and before sandboxed Play Services was available. If there is anything specific concerning you then please let me know, such as specific use case or requirements.
It's actually quite easy one one decides they no longer wish to be the product.
DeGoogle, DeApple your smartphone.
Be unrugable!
www.grapheneos.org
nostr:note16erptztttr55c32dhsaccnzjc9a2mpeu7hstny76fnfvx87g2kjsjyy6zf
Have not tried it but I understand Linux works fine
GM. I concur.
Writing this on a Pixel with Graphene OS. I love my "freedom phone" and feel dirty when I have to fire up the iPhone on occasion! I call it the "cuck phone".
is there a compatible device with no baseband 3/4/5G just WiFi?