Since I need to run a few apps that won’t work on LineageOS (because dumb developer security stance), I need to buy a “regular” android device that includes all the google “services”.
Ideally, it should be a cheap second-hand phone that will still receive security updates for a long time.
Are there bands that are better (well, “less worse”) than others from a privacy perspective?
You must log in or register to comment.
A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.
Some Rules
- Posting a link to a website containing tracking isn’t great, if contents of the website are behind a paywall maybe copy them into the post
- Don’t promote proprietary software
- Try to keep things on topic
- If you have a question, please try searching for previous discussions, maybe it has already been answered
- Reposts are fine, but should have at least a couple of weeks in between so that the post can reach a new audience
- Be nice :)
Related communities
Chat rooms
-
[Matrix/Element]Dead
much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)
- 0 users online
- 57 users / day
- 383 users / week
- 1.5K users / month
- 5.7K users / 6 months
- 1 subscriber
- 2.97K Posts
- 74.6K Comments
- Modlog
I would personally go with the pixel line, as they just have the google spyware, and not 3 other companies spyware installed on top of Google spyware. Also they generally have decent security updates, and get them faster than most other brands, and then you have the option to switch to grapheneOS should you want too. They are also fairly affordable especially if you are getting them second hand.
Swappa.com is a good place to get a second hand one
I definitely second this. From what I’ve read, graphene’s sandboxed google services work a little more seamlessly compared to microg.
Edit: you might want to be careful with secondhand, though, regarding locked bootloaders. An unlocked bootloader is necessary and is NOT the same as “carrier unlocked”
I had bad luck and ended up with a Pixel 2 that was carrier unlocked, appeared to have an unlocked bootloader but was some special Verizon version that did not allow flashing. Fuck you, Verizon.
Yuuup, Verizon is exactly what I was getting at lol. They seem to be the most common refurb/second hand devices.
Do you know how to access developer tools in Android/GrapheneOS to do that (lock/unlock bootloader)?
In settings - about phone, tap the build number tab at the bottom like 7(?) times. That’ll enable the developer section back in settings, and there’s a bootloader option there, OEM unlocking.
THANK-YOU!!! Ugh, couldn’t find that trick anywhere. Prolly should have YouTubed it a long time ago 😮💨
No problem, glad I could help!
Do you know why someone might have a problem with using Fdroid. Use to be able to use it but now it will never download or install updates and I can’t install anything anymore. Its got me really puzzling how to walk things back to where I used to be able to
Had it too. Uninstalling and reinstalling fixed it for me.
I’m not really sure, apart from fdroid needing permission to install apps. I don’t use fdroid, at least not directly. Most of my apps are installed through obtainium.
I figured it out. It was trying to route traffic through Tor for some reason which I have no need for. Problem solved, thanks though.