As the title says, I want to finally degoogle (completely) my life. I’ve found a Pixel 7 8/128 for ~270€ (or pixel 8? ~470€ but no white :c) it’s refurbished so google doesn’t get a shit from me.
I’m curious to know if:
- You can change the default icons color (black and gray-ish in the image) or is based on the wallpaper
- The camera app is good. Not going to make professional pics or videos but I still want to use it to take pics and a good quality is important. Tried their camera on a phone and the bottom menu to switch mode (picture/video/night mode/etc) was buggy
- Battery life is better/worse than stock Android (if anyone tried that)
- How the sandboxed play services work
- Anything else that I should know about. Some people say it’s good, some it’s bad so I’m curious to know.
I’m still looking for a good maps replacement, Organic Map is not the best because it’s missing a lot of places where I live. I wish there was a google wallet Foss alternative… I needed it to use my card with the phone (rare but still possible!)
Help a new user to fully leave shitty phone companies
I’ve tried all the other map apps, and while they work great for navigation, there’s no replacement for reviews on Google Maps. So it’s the one Google service I still use.
If you need Google Play services I recommend installing them on a separate profile using Shelter. It’s really easy to do. I use that profile for Google Maps and a few other items the require Play services.
For me Google Maps is good because has all the places I need near me and what not, other maps don’t have all of them
StreetComplete from F-Droid is what you need for this
I can try it. Thank you
You could consider adding what is missing to OpenStreetMaps so others later will not have the same experience and want to go back to Google Maps
Never used OpenStreetMap
Organic Maps gets their map data from OpenStreetMap (OSM). All OSM stuff is open source and the data is entered in by volunteers. If your area doesn’t have much yet, you should consider being the change by adding your favorite spots!
Other people have mentioned things like StreetComplete, which is an app that helps you fill in the gaps of some OSM data.
I’ve been using Organic Maps lately and found that at least in my area it has more detail than google.
Not for me, unfortunately
-I haven’t found a way to change the default app icons, but it doesn’t bother me that much with all the other apps I end up having.
-the camera app is plenty good for general use. I don’t use it for social media or anything, I use mine for work for taking pics of machinery and I use it to take pics of my kids and stuff and it’s plenty good for that. I can’t say how much tinkering it let’s you do, someone else will have to give more detail
-Battery life is plenty good for me. I have a pixel 6, and I go to bed with it at like 45-60% most days. I’m sure the newer phones are a bit better, but can’t say for sure
-I wish I could give more detail on the sandboxed apps, I use a few apps that use google play services and they work well, bit idk how it works behind the scenes
-honestly it just works like your phones OS should, it’s really quite good
- I also try to use organic maps when I can, but it is still missing things, I use google maps in my browser, but that’s getting worse and worse
I wanted to know if the icons color is based on wallpaper or it’s black and you can’t change it. Not sure if I’ll keep the default launcher anyway
I’m not looking for professional picture quality so if it works good, that’s great!
Still thinking if 7/7 pro or 8 (no white so probably no)
Organic map is a cool project but the fact it misses a lot of places near me is something I don’t like, I need it for work 🥲
Right, for the color, I have a neon background and the icons stay black and white. There’s no option to manually change them as far as I know. I tried changing them before I commented the first time. There might be a way to force it somehow, but that’s outside of my interest level lol
Long press the desktop and go into wallpaper & style, you have options there to change the colors.
By default the icons are black and white, but if you long-press the desktop, there’s a wallpaper & style menu that lets you change the colors to one of several options, including matching your wallpaper or a bunch of pastel color pairs.
Not foss but if you need good maps and a ton of features look into locus maps. I really like it for hiking as you can save offline maps and with brouter you also have offline routing.
I used GOS for about a year and a half, it’s pretty great. Tbh I didn’t feel I was really losing anything from the standard Android experience, but of course gaining more privacy and security.
Sandboxed Play Services works great. The only downside is you still need a Google account to use it, even if you only use the account for that purpose. And Google has really clamped down on not letting you create an account without providing a phone number.
But overall I definitely recommend GOS.
I don’t think you need a Google account to use Sandboxed Play Services in general. Maybe some specific things that require you to be logged into the Play Store but overall I can use Android Auto and other things I need without being logged in.
What did you find you needed to be logged in for?
Looking to degoogle myself too. For the maps, Here we go is a german brand. I know it’s not foss but being german, they have to follow GDPR which, I guess, is better than google anyways.
I would like to compare it to another non-foss app: Waze
I think it’s better that maps but I don’t know
Google bought Waze 11 years ago, it’s been part of Google Maps for years now
TIL! Not gonna try it then, thank you
I don’t know if you can change the icon color, I didn’t try. I have a launcher I like so I immediately switched to that and it let’s me use any icons I want.
I have not had any camera issues on mine, 6a
I never used the stock os or sandboxed play services so I can’t help there.
I use Organic Maps and am fine with it, but mostly I use paper maps. My need for live mapping is very limited. You might want to try GMaps WV https://f-droid.org/packages/us.spotco.maps/
What it is GMaps WV is a WebView wrapper for using Google Maps without exposing your device. more info, including limitations Here
Overall I am happy with GrapheneOS, no issues.
Currently using a launcher too but I was curious, probably I’m going to switch to it bhr not sure which icon pack I should use
The camera problem is on a non pixel phone, on GOS maybe it doesn’t have problems
I can try it. Didn’t know there was a Gmaps wrapper. Thank you!
- You can change the default app icons easily. The Accrescent store that can be downloaded from the gOS store even have some icon packs that are FOSS.
- You can download the Pixel Camera from the App Store. I would keep it without Network access and remove the meta data with ExitEraser depending of where I am posting those pictures.
- Battery seems the same but you won’t have access to Adaptive Charging (when your phone is plugged in it tries to keep your phone without reaching 100% to improve battery life).
- You won’t be able to tap cards with your phone unless your bank app provides it. Google Wallet doesn’t and won’t work.
- I wasn’t able to get Android Auto to work at all.
- You will need to be used to apps not working properly and testing the compatibility modes, specially if they use the location services.
- that’s interesting! I’m looking for a pack tbh
- Uh I dont like it but I want to try it first. What about Image Toolbox? https://f-droid.org/packages/ru.tech.imageresizershrinker/ it can remove Exit data and I like the app!
- Never heard of it but it’s okay, not a big deal
- Im really disappointed to know my bank uses the cards from a brand but they don’t have an app to pay without card
- I don’t need Android auto, not a problem for me
- What do you mean? Do you have any example for popular-ish apps? I want to know more
You can change the icons with a different launcher. Try Lawnchair.
I think it’s pretty good, although I did install the isolated GCam but I wouldn’t with another chance.
I hear battery is better but I can’t confirm.
I haven’t used the sandboxed services other than the isolated GCam but that worked great.
I’ve used Graphene for years now and I’ve loved it!
No, no, the icons are fine but I want to know if their color is based on wallpaper or it’s black and stop. Sadly, I miss the old Nova paging but they sold the app 🤷♂️ using NeoLauncher now, I tried lawnchair but didn’t use it for some reason (I don’t remember why)
What do you mean? I can try GCam but I was curious above GOSCam
The icons can be set to use material you on the default launcher which should change them to match the colors of your wallpaper. Not sure if the built in graphene apps respect this though
I was curious. I will try again Lawnchair
I just meant I hear GOSCam is actually better now than it was when I first got Graphene. So, if I had another chance (realistically I could do it now but I’m lazy to change it) then I would just stick with GOSCam to avoid having any Google software.
Ooh I get it. Yes, the app is good but I had this small problem on a non pixel phone, nothing crazy though
U can change icons etc by installing different launcher fdroid has a bunch take a look through to find one u like.
There are a few apps that wont work amazon prime is one. My banking apps work but some people have had issues. Overall ive had no issues that i couldnt solve with dr gpt. Would reccommend.
I tried a few launchers and NeoLauncher is the one I’m currently using. Lawnchair has something I didn’t like but I don’t remember what lol
I want to de-google but i don’t own a pixel. I gotta wait till i can grab a used one from 2nd hand market.
I want to de-google but i don’t own a pixel.
Without context that’s such a weird sentence.
i have an android phone.
No, what I meant it’s funny without the context that has already been provided. i.e. If someone didn’t know about GrapheneOS, they would find it odd that someone would buy a Google phone to get away from Google.
It’s hilarious, you see? Please laugh.
You don’t need a pixel to degoogle, you can degoogle with lineage OS which supports a lot of phones.
You may also want to check out Murena. I have a fai-phone 5 with thier E/OS on it, I’m very happy with it, and 100% google-free.
While it looks good, maybe it’s my ignorance but it feels like you’re replacing Google with somebody else that will have the same power over you, am i mistaken? I am very much against the “all your eggs in one basket” approach after Google so not sure if replacing it with these people won’t be a repeat of the same thing
I certianly agree with your concern in principle, but I also think that not all corporations are evil by default. It’s important to be sceptical, but in my experience the e/OS is extremely privacy and user focused.
They partner with fairphone, they support some older hardware (etc. Samsung galaxy S7), and they have an installer app and installation intructions complete with the OS files freely available.
You even do not have to use a murena account to use the phone at all. If you perfer, you can get your apps 100% from APKs & F-Droid, and Murena doesn’t know you exist.
For me that’s enough.
I want to de-Google my life. *Buys Google phone…
They point out in the post thats its refurbished so Google gets no money from them purchasing it.
This reply is very ignorant and you are not adding anything to the conversation, just being unnecessarily toxic.
Like someone else said: its a refurbished and google gets no money, I’ll install GrapheneOS so google gets even less from me
The comment also assumes that you even care if Google made a profit on the sale.
I for one think that “voting with your dollar” is (neo)liberal, individualistic politics that produce almost nothing aside from feel-good vibes. And I’m not the only one to think it: “Voting With Your Dollars” Is an Antidemocratic Illusion
Thank you for the article, I added to my reading list!
The only answer is getting a phone from a manufacture that is not google or a major brand, that runs linux. linux on mobile devices from what i’m told is not a mature product yet.
Ironic since you have to buy a Google phone to use that OS.
(Second hand market, bro)
No wonder, as they’re the only phones left (to my knowledge) that don’t demand half your soul just to fucking own your own phone. Ii was so damn fed with all the hurdles samsung & co throw in your way, just so you can’t even root your damn phone.
Who would buy a flagship gaming-pc without the admin-pwd and without being allowed to change the os? Noone. Except maybe pure gaming-kiddos.
I hate google with all my heart (since they ditched the “don’t be evil” - slogan, but what else to buy? Seriously asking… Which other phones allows that AND has at least a decent camera and an oled?
No wonder, as they’re the only phones left (to my knowledge) that don’t demand half your soul just to fucking own your own phone.
Literally who outside of samsung and Huawei? I guess xiaomi is a bit annoying with the wait time but pretty much all other phones are dead simple.
Oneplus, Nothing phone: literally the same process as on a pixel, no code required to unlock bootloader or anything like that. Just fastboot flashing unlock
Vivo: The exact same thing, just get vivo’s binary for fastboot since the unlocl command is different
Motorola, Sony: Just go to the website and you get the unlock code instantly, then just run a fastboot command and you’re done
Realme: Download their app, apply for unlock, gets approved within an hour. Unlock with a fastboot command
Xiaomi, poco: Get their app, wait a couple of days for the code, unlock bootloader with fastboot command.
Honor and huawie are a pita, but there is an open source unlocking tool for certain devices which makes it deadsimple.
So there are still plenty of options if the goal is unlocking bootloader and rooting a phone, all of these brands offer phones with oled 120hz screens, with cameras ranging from decent to some of the best on the market depending on the model. There are probably some brends I missed, but you get the point.
Never had a oneplus or nothing, so can’t judge at all. But great they’re allowing it.
Don’t remember sony being cool about it. But also good to know they seem to have changed their stance, i always liked their phones hardware-wise.
But ok, phone market is full of phones, and i gave up on non-pixels a long while ago. Cool to hear they mostly are simpler now.
But besides, being able to unlock bootloader is great (even though root is way more important to me), but if there is no really well working daily-driver-alternative to truly de-google (or at least working googled roms), what’s the point to unlock other than making your own rom?
But besides, being able to unlock bootloader is great (even though root is way more important to me)
My bad I thought you were generally up to date with how rooting basically works nowadays. The defacto rooting method today is systemless root using magisk, which works by patching your boot.img. So on 99% of phones today if you can unlock the bootloader, rooting is as simple as installing the magisk, patching the boot img from the app and the flashing itl. You can also just flash magisk from recovery too. That’s why I focused on bootloader unlocking in my previous post.
Now I can’t claim that every device from these manufacturers works flawlessly with magisk, but most do. And a quick glance at the xda page of the specific model would be an easy way to find out before buying.
I do the magisk way. But yes, you’re right of course. Unlocking hence means root. At least since magisk. As said my last experiences with non-pixels is a while ago, but it surely had a reason to go to the devil to un-devil it. And at that point some rooted xiaomi et al wouldn’t help anyway.
Perfectly fair take tbh, in terms of security on android phones grapheneOS is as good as it gets and has been for a couple of years. I personally refuse to use pixels due to no sdcard, but more importantly no 3.5mm jack. The slight hiss/hum noise present on every bluetooth headset I’ve tried (and I’ve tired my friends bluetooth sennheiser that’s like $600) bothers me way too much for w/e reason. I find crdroid for example gets me 90% of the way there with a bit of work through various magisk modules and it’s good enough for me. But things have definitely gotten better on nonpixel phones over the years, I’m for example running a poco x3 nfc that was $250 4 years ago when I bought it and I still get monthly security updates through crdroid anf battery life is still great cause it came with a 5300mAh battery.
Oh yes, the sdcard. How i hated how they just removed it. To me it was super important. Save pictures there, everything personal there and only keep the pure apps on the phone itself. If the phone breaks or the screen, pull out the card and send the phone in. But now? I need to backup everything to the cloud (selfhosted ofc) and instantly wipe it from the device. Absolutely stupid. AFAIK Sony still has them, so I think whenever my pixel breaks (3rd year now) I’ll try a non googly one maybe.
Yeah the 3.5mm jack sucks equally, but at least that didn’t phase me as much. For that little where i would use headphones with my phone bluetooth does its job, for everything else i prefer my audiophile set at home. But yeah, if you use it more often and are picky, bluetooth just sucks. Would prefer card+jack over any stupid selfie-cam. Thanks crapple for always paving the way of stupidity and samsung bootlicking it. And then everyone else :(
I’m pretty sure the OnePlus 12 could meet all that, haven’t looked up rooting but otherwise I’m pretty sure it’s easy to do. Also, I’m bringing it up because I just got it and it’s the best phone I’ve ever had in my life by far, no bloatware super fast and easy to use.
Who would buy a flagship gaming-pc without the admin-pwd and without being allowed to change the os?
Is that not exactly what a gaming console is?
Hence i said pc. Consoles are exactly the same shit. A reason i never ever owned one or want to. Unless it’s easy to jailbreak. Wifey got a switch. I so hate this piece of garbage. Could do so much, but only plays superbly overpriced games.
Right, I just mean the general public really doesn’t seem to care about these types of things, unfortunately, and sale of things like consoles and other proprietary systems is an indicator of that.
Everyone’s been
brainwashedconditioned to think that having no control of their devices is just the way it has to be.Exactly. It’s horrible. I know why they do it, and considering the average user it’s probably the best they can’t do anything. But making it hard for the pros? That’s just bullying. Remembering my last 2nd to last huawei… Having to send a mail with the plead to gimme the unlock-code and to wait 2 weeks. Next huawei they stopped the aweful service. Now the only way was paying a third party. Lol fuck you. With my last samsung i spent a damn day to root it. I want a linux phone…
Not modded it, or is it not de “good” batch?
The latter 😒 my first console… Learned the hard way.
I see, so you would have to hardmod it, yea, that is a difficult task…
BTW 3ds, wii and wiiU are fun to mod 😁
Last time i checked, yes. Not worth the trouble. Would just be one game (zelda) I’d play and then i would suck too hard with the controllers 😁
Can’t speak for the other consoles. The only one i personally owned was an atari 2600 😌
And?
- You can change the default icons color (black and gray-ish in the image) or is based on the wallpaper
Sort of. There’s a selectable “highlight color” that sets the vibe for the phone. I enable the feature that makes it pick a prominent color from my current phone background image, and I find it really nice.
- The camera app is good. Not going to make professional pics or videos but I still want to use it to take pics and a good quality is important. Tried their camera on a phone and the bottom menu to switch mode (picture/video/night mode/etc) was buggy
The camera app is the least buggy, and fastest to load, that I’ve had on Android in a long time. The picture quality is fine. The features are pretty standard - nothing fancy.
- Battery life is better/worse than stock Android (if anyone tried that)
My battery life on GrapheneOS is waaaay better. I assume this is thanks to GrapheneOS having great defaults for restricting apps from running in the background without explicitly getting my permission.
- How the sandboxed play services work
I have more idea than a lot of folks, but I’m not in the headspace to articulate that today, sorry. Fundamentally, it just dumps the “phone home to Google” calls into nowhere, while telling (lying to) the app that the call was a success. Annecdotaly, this works perfectly for 80% of apps I care about, including my bank app.
- Anything else that I should know about. Some people say it’s good, some it’s bad so I’m curious to know.
Profiles were still clumsy last time I used them, and overkill for most users. In my informed non-expert opinion, many folks underestimate how much the default permissions scheme in GrapheneOS protects them without enabling profiles. That said, if I absolutely had to use a work nanny app with extensive permissions, I would enable profiles for that, if I was somehow absolutely unable to buy a dedicated separate phone to install it on. Otherwise, I think profiles cause a lot of folks to give up on running GrapheneOS, in cases where they would have been fine without profiles.
Try Magic Earth for a maps app.
As with most others I use a different launcher but I switched user accounts to try it out for you and you can theme those icons and then pick a single colour, a trio of colours or choose wallpaper to colour the icons in other colours other than black and white.
I use open camera which has always been fine for my needs and doesnt include any meta data with the saved images.
Battery life has been absolutely fine for me but I never used the stock ROM for comparison.
Sandboxed stuff I’ve used has always worked as is expected but I dont use a lot of apps tbh
I use organic maps but again I very rarely use maps and it can be a bit odd in the way it works but still it has got me where I’ve been going each time.
I think it is great and wouldn’t want to switch back here is a page that lists all bank app compatability as that is a common concern for people.
Hope some of this helps :)
Then it works as I thought. Thank you!
Where can I download OpenCamera? Aurora? Fdroid? (
I’ll search there, not trying to be lazy LOLfound on fdroid)For the rest, good to know!
Sadly, both apps are not there so they are not compatible or hopefully not yet tested
Can you enable metadata in open camera or is it permanently off? I like metadata on my photos…
There are quite a few options but you can enable location, pitch/yaw data, phone exif data all independently of each other as well as add custom exif data of your choosing.
You can. It’s pretty configurable, as camera apps go. I switched because I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the stock app, and haven’t been disappointed so far.
