Decided to test (again)/how #GrapheneOS works for me without Play Services. Not going well, to be honest. I had never thought that just about all the apps I care about require Firebase notifications.
To be clear, this is not about GrapheneOS, but about the sad sad state of mobile devices. Home Assistant Lite from F-Droid can do notifications, but just never realized it also depends on Google. The myriad of error notifications after removing GSF was a bit overkill on HA.
I tried out #grapheneos for a week on a Pixel 4 I got for a few burritos from some guy down the corner. I was delighted by it. I have now switched wholeheartedly to this operating system. Unfortunately, that means I had to buy a G--gle Pixel phone, and that I did. I flashed Graphene first thing and am content.
After working through the last few Apple hurdles today (cancelled my Apple Card, and reassociated the HomePods to my spouses iOS device), I finally wiped my old iPhone clean. Apple made it SOO difficult. Thus its very cathartic!
Migrating to GrapheneOS has been an incredible experience. A few hurdles sure, but nothing that couldn't be worked out.
Been a long, steady project but after two years I've finally de-appled myself to go open source.
Getting myself going with a #Linux phone. Technically, #GrapheneOS on a used Pixel 7.
I reflashed the phone today, degoogling it and installing Graphene. The web interface made it super simple. I have the Google Play Store app on the phone, but per GrapheneOS it's been sandboxed (i.e., isn't spying on me). I don't think the app store will work until I have cell service (?)
Have migrated most iOS apps over to Pixel 8 Pro running GrapheneOS.
I'm impressed by the attention to detail, balancing usability with security. The sand boxing functionality is implemented quite well. It takes some work to implement, but works perfectly.
Decoupling certain app accounts from iOS has been "interesting". Pays to go slow and prudently, especially with 2FAS.
🆕 blog! “Notes on installing GrapheneOS on a Pixel 8 Pro - some bugs & oddities”
These are notes to myself - and anyone else who finds them useful. Before starting, I booted the Google OS to install the latest firmware and an eSIM. After a few days of enduring Google's naggy software, I was ready to commit to installing somethin…
These are notes to myself - and anyone else who finds them useful.
Before starting, I booted the Google OS to install the latest firmware and an eSIM. After a few days of enduring Google's naggy software, I was ready to commit to installing something better.
I tried using the Web Installer. It managed to flash some of the partitions and then failed with:
Failed to execute 'claimInterface' on 'USBDevice'
So I used the CLI instructions which were comprehensive. Worth re-reading them a few times to make sure you understand what needs doing. I (foolishly) assumed my fastboot didn't need updating. Tsk!
And then... it just worked!
Well, almost. The device saw the previously installed eSIM, but wouldn't connect to its network. I manually removed it, reloaded it. Still nothing. So I manually chose the network and that seemed to fix it. No idea if that's a problem with the network, the eSIM, or something else.
This is a known problem but it makes for a crappy user-experience. There's no way to update the app in Graphene - you need to manually install your preferred SMS app.
In similar UX fails, I tried to add the clock widget to my home screen. This is what I saw. Hard to see graphics.
If you peer carefully, you'll see an analogue and digital clock. I hadn't switched to dark mode or anything like that - this is the default experience.
I wanted to see how long I could go before installing Google Play Services. The answer was... five minutes. I tried to log in to my password manager using a WebAuthN token and it wouldn't work. The default Vanadium browser can't handle them. Again, this is a known problem - but it does slightly undermine the attraction of Graphene. I'm privacy conscious and want as little Google in my life as possible. I'm security conscious and want to use MFA everywhere. Pick one.
Partway through the day, I got this internal error:
I was happily browsing the web with no connectivity issues. So I'm not sure what caused that.
It's annoying that Graphene doesn't support LineageOS's bottom-button changes. I have a decade of muscle-memory saying back is on the right. There's no way to change it, so I've swapped to gesture navigation.
The icon size on the stock launcher are far too small. On a massive screen like the 8 Pro they are tiny. So I've installed NeoLauncher which is a lot more customisable.
The only other (non-essential) thing missing is the ability to use Cast to screen share a device. There's a button in the UI, but it does nothing.
Setting up a work-profile required a little bit of a work-around, but seems to have worked. Hurrah for forum threads detailing the various tricks you need.
A software update allowed DisplayPort via USB-C. I plugged the 8 Pro into my USB-C hub, it detected the ethernet, keyboard, mouse, and display - graphics came through fine. Although there's no way to rotate an external screen - so you're stuck with landscape orientation. My HDMI adapters showed as detected via a little icon - but no video came out.
The Graphene camera's interface isn't as good as GCam and it is missing a bunch of options. Installing the stock Pixel camera worked - and there are lots of hacky derivatives.
Other than that, it has been pretty good so far. My banking apps work, call recording works, 5G and Bluetooth works, eSIM and regular SIM works. There have been a few odd things where apps have complained that they can't work and then suddenly sprang to life - but that might just be Android.
The only big thing Graphene is missing is Google Pay / Wallet. It is so convenient using tap to pay - but getting rid of the rest of the incessant Google bloat is worth the sacrifice.
Overall, I'm happy with the decision to nuke the original Google software. I know they say they'll support the device for 7 years - but I literally have no reason to trust them. Maybe I'm being naïve trusting a group of random hackers to produce a more secure OS - but I'd rather that than further entanglement with an organisation which has repeatedly shown contempt for its customers and users.
Moin.
Nach 6 Wochen Unpäßlichkeiten (Bronchitis gefolgt von Gastritis.... autsch), gestern endlich wieder etwas aktiv gewesen.
Nach einem #Spaziergang zur #Halde#Rheinelbe in GE, ging es zur Installation #TigerAndTurtle in Duisburg.
Ausklingen ließen wir dann den Tag in der #Niederrhein-Therme. Wieder unter Zuhilfenahme der #Ruhrtopcard. 4h für 3 Euro Aufpreis. Yeah!
Bilder von meinem #Pixel6a mit #grapheneos.
Kurzer Hinweis für alle, die ein Custom-ROM (Android) auf ihrem Gerät installieren wollen. Werft vorher kurz einen Blick in die Empfehlungsecke. Dort habe ich zusammengefasst, welche ROMs ihr eher bevorzugen solltet - falls ihr Wert auf Sicherheit und Datenschutz legt. 👇
A pseudo-pattern, because #grapheneOS doesn't allow actual patterns on the basis they are less secure 🙃
Managed to shift the 2 starting numbers to one side. After ~60 brute-force attempts from this incorrect starting position, my intuition/desperation lead me to the correct start position -> success 👴
Super insecurity-inducing episode. (And what about accident induced memory loss? Dementia? Perhaps biometric #passkeys solve it all /s) #infosec
Does anyone know of a modern #Android phone which allows call recording without root?
I'm currently on an aging 5T running #LineageOS and can record calls just fine - a button in the dialler lets me record straight from the line. I don't need to put it on speaker and record via the microphone.
(Looking for 1st hand experience, not search results. No need to reply to discuss the legality of call recording. I need root-less for online banking etc.)
My #GrapheneOS on #Pixel8Pro going well so far.
Software updated.
Bluetooth paired, headphone controls work.
eSIM installed - but didn't connect. Removed and reinstalled seems to have worked. But had to manually select network.
Regular SIM connected to 5G.
Better try installing my regular apps.
Boring work mode stuff can wait until my holiday is over!