ungoogled phones

clusterF · 2020-01-10 12:37:01

Im not very knowledgeable when it comes to smart phones, ive had the same smartphone for about 5 years but its getting slow and the power button is on its way out, battery life is getting shorter and shorter.

I would like to transition to an ungoogled smartphone somehow, is it possible to buy something like a lineage os phone outright these days or do you need to buy the phone and then flash it, i really couldnt be bothered messing around with installing an OS to a phone so just wondering if there is avenues to buying pre installed phones?

Last edited by clusterF (2020-01-12 13:24:05)

glittersloth · 2020-01-10 14:05:55

There's also the /e/ foundation. Heard about them some time ago, but have no idea how viable they are or whether they're still even active, for that matter.

I think they sell pre-flashed phones (though only limited to the EU last I checked), and also have a list of compatible devices. Again, I have zero experience with their product. Might be peddling snake oil for all I know. Just throwing their name out so that you can, if interested, do your own research.

damo · 2020-01-10 14:54:24

Don't know if this might help? - Phone Finder

Sun For Miles · 2020-01-10 18:05:33

My experience might crystalize your ideas about your goals with alternative phone OS.

What I did was I bought used OnePlus One phone with installed older CyanogenMod from a friend and installed then latest CyanogenMod.

Then installed LineageOS when I was conviced everything would be stable enough with all Goog bloat there was.

Then I installed completely de-Googled LineageOS (without Google Play and other BS). New problems occured: I could not trust APK I've downloaded from 3rd party sites enough to even start once my e-banking and some other apps that deal with my real life data. I've also read that some Russian backdoors were being installed in APK files on some alternative sites that serve standalone APK downloads. I have not proven this but it just didn't feel right to continue using phone like a paranoid caveman. I lived like that for 6 months, fearing to start any app except Telegram.

In the end (current installation) I've installed rooted LineageOS 16.0 only with Google Play Store. I'd rather have phone (actually mostly Play Store) talking to Google servers without notifying me than Russians having my data.

What im trying to say is - choose your poison, for there seem to be no healthy mobile OS diet.

Also, here is a nice list of phone models supported by LineageOS.

Good luck with your quest!

twoion wrote:

chinaed

Laughed for a minute straight.

Bridouz · 2020-01-10 20:17:00

Sun For Miles wrote:

What im trying to say is - choose your poison, for there seem to be no healthy mobile OS diet.

Life perfect summary

Last edited by Bridouz (2020-01-10 20:17:21)

Martin · 2020-01-10 20:58:09

What about Sony plus Sailfish X?

/Martin (clinging on to my Nokia 700 for as long as possible)

clusterF · 2020-01-11 02:12:36

Thanks for the input everyone,good info on this page. I like the sound of those /e/ phones, but only available in europe unfortunately.

Anyhow i managed to pick up a samsung galaxy s5 from a friend and had a go at installing lineage-os, it wasnt as hard as i first thought and now have it installed. Although first attempt in devuan beowulf was no good due to outdated heimdall and i would have had to mess around with udev rules, but in voidlinux everything worked out of the box.

if anyone is interested, following these instructions helped greatly.

https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/kltedv/install

my particular phone needed this download

https://download.lineageos.org/kltedv

clusterF · 2020-01-11 05:55:24

already run into an issue, sms backup and restore keeps crashing. Does anyone know of a manual method to copy over sms, call logs to an android phone?

edit: installed an older working version of sms backup and restore. The question still remains though, it should be possible to do it without an application.

Last edited by clusterF (2020-01-11 06:13:06)

ohnonot · 2020-01-11 14:54:35

^ the intricacies of Android's "security" model... It's not easy to even copy files to/from the device...

Sun For Miles wrote:

What im trying to say is - choose your poison, for there seem to be no healthy mobile OS diet.

Yep.
Also, The term "ungoogled android" is a contradiction in itself - every OS based on AOSP is Google's child.
That includes LineageOS, even "harder" ROMs like GrapheneOS.
Now, trying to complete cut out any communication to google's (or affiliates) servers, that just might be possible...
FWIW, I'm currently running /e/...

Now, if the thread tile was "ungoogled phones" instead:
I'm following the development of Maemo Leste with great interest, also because I own one of the top supported devices

clusterF · 2020-01-11 15:30:56

^ good point. Had not thought of that and low and behold when i tried the "web browser app" in lineage OS it looked awfully like a chrome clone, google everything and cannot be uninstalled only stopped. Ive not read the particulars on this, but im betting Los is probably getting some sort of funding from the mighty goog for this addition. Technically the title is sort of correct, ungoogled in the fashion that the Gapps is non present if you wish, atleast i hope so.

Last edited by clusterF (2020-01-11 15:32:31)

ohnonot · 2020-01-12 10:37:10

^ no funding. That's just the stock Android browser. Which is probably OpenSource, hence included.
Also the way Android works, most apps don't connect to the WWW themselves but use OS-provided mechanisms (keyword "Android Webview").
But you can install F-Droid and then install Fennec F-Droid (Firefox).
You can also uninstall or at least disable some cruft present even on LOS.

BTW, a pet peeve of mine: many so-called "alternative" or even "unggogled" ROMs don't even bother to remove AOSP's calls to google servers. :facepalm:

clusterF · 2020-01-12 13:03:58

^ nice to know.

fdroid is the first thing i installed on the phone as i had been converted to it on my last phone. I have been using gnu icecat for android from fdroid but it says there had been no updates in 10 months whereas fennec which looks to be very similar in build looks to be updated more regularly, although fdroid says it promotes non free addons and the app tracks and reports your activity, what they call anti features.

edit: also changed thread title to "ungoogled phones" as per ohnonots suggestion, makes more sense now i understand it a bit better.

Last edited by clusterF (2020-01-12 13:25:31)

Sector11 · 2020-02-17 19:00:10

land lines.

/bye

edit: Index » Off Topic » ungoogled phones = landline

Last edited by Sector11 (2020-02-17 19:01:38)

Martin · 2020-02-19 06:16:39

http://justine-haupt.com/rotarycellphone/

/Martin

Martin · 2023-09-24 09:34:59

Sorry for reviving this old thread but I think it is better than having several threads on essentially the same subject.

Question: If I install an alternative OS (Sailfish, /e/, Lineage...) and find it does not work for me, is there are safe way back to what was on the phone before I started tinkering with it?

/Martin

Döbbie03 · 2023-09-25 05:15:44

I haven't read through the thread so apologies if this is already mentioned. GrapheneOS for the Pixels is decent.

Worth a look.

glittersloth · 2023-09-25 10:13:03

Martin wrote:

Sorry for reviving this old thread but I think it is better than having several threads on essentially the same subject.
Question: If I install an alternative OS (Sailfish, /e/, Lineage...) and find it does not work for me, is there are safe way back to what was on the phone before I started tinkering with it?
/Martin

Depends on the phone.

I'm not up-to-date on the latest happenings in the AOSP/Custom ROM scene, but from past experience, it's fairly easy with GrapheneOS or CalyxOS on Pixel phones. These operating systems have browser/console based scripts that allow you to roll back to stock Google Android by just plugging phone to laptop/desktop, basically the same method you would use to install them in the first place.

For other phone-ROM combinations, it likely varies. If memory serves, most times you would be advised to creat a backup (ADB or TWRP, iirc) before unlocking the bootloader, rooting, and flashing the custom ROM, so rolling back should be possible if your device is officially supported by the ROM.

The more open devices in the market (eg: Fairphone) likely have builds of their Android flavour on their support site.

Can't comment on Sailfish, since I've got no experience with it.

Last edited by glittersloth (2023-09-25 10:15:01)

Martin · 2023-09-25 17:56:09

glittersloth wrote:

Martin wrote:
Sorry for reviving this old thread but I think it is better than having several threads on essentially the same subject.
Question: If I install an alternative OS (Sailfish, /e/, Lineage...) and find it does not work for me, is there are safe way back to what was on the phone before I started tinkering with it?
/Martin
Depends on the phone.
I'm not up-to-date on the latest happenings in the AOSP/Custom ROM scene, but from past experience, it's fairly easy with GrapheneOS or CalyxOS on Pixel phones. These operating systems have browser/console based scripts that allow you to roll back to stock Google Android by just plugging phone to laptop/desktop, basically the same method you would use to install them in the first place.
For other phone-ROM combinations, it likely varies. If memory serves, most times you would be advised to creat a backup (ADB or TWRP, iirc) before unlocking the bootloader, rooting, and flashing the custom ROM, so rolling back should be possible if your device is officially supported by the ROM.
The more open devices in the market (eg: Fairphone) likely have builds of their Android flavour on their support site.
Can't comment on Sailfish, since I've got no experience with it.

Second hand Sony Xperia XA2 so Graphene is out of the question. I bought it in a hurry to ensure uninterrupted bank access (guess what, they don't support my beloved Nokia 700). XA2 because of reasonable $$ and well covered by alternative OSs.

I will stick with the original Sony Android for a while even if it feels a bit creepy.

/Martin

glittersloth · 2023-09-25 23:04:54

Martin wrote:

glittersloth wrote:
Martin wrote:
Sorry for reviving this old thread but I think it is better than having several threads on essentially the same subject.
Question: If I install an alternative OS (Sailfish, /e/, Lineage...) and find it does not work for me, is there are safe way back to what was on the phone before I started tinkering with it?
/Martin
Depends on the phone.
I'm not up-to-date on the latest happenings in the AOSP/Custom ROM scene, but from past experience, it's fairly easy with GrapheneOS or CalyxOS on Pixel phones. These operating systems have browser/console based scripts that allow you to roll back to stock Google Android by just plugging phone to laptop/desktop, basically the same method you would use to install them in the first place.
For other phone-ROM combinations, it likely varies. If memory serves, most times you would be advised to creat a backup (ADB or TWRP, iirc) before unlocking the bootloader, rooting, and flashing the custom ROM, so rolling back should be possible if your device is officially supported by the ROM.
The more open devices in the market (eg: Fairphone) likely have builds of their Android flavour on their support site.
Can't comment on Sailfish, since I've got no experience with it.
Second hand Sony Xperia XA2 so Graphene is out of the question. I bought it in a hurry to ensure uninterrupted bank access (guess what, they don't support my beloved Nokia 700). XA2 because of reasonable $$ and well covered by alternative OSs.
I will stick with the original Sony Android for a while even if it feels a bit creepy.
/Martin

Many apps (especially financial services) will usually run a check for unlocked bootloader and root access, so I suggest you avoid the custom ROM route unless the documantation states you will be able to relock the bootloader for your specific device. Lineage is very likely out if the question.

You can try checking DivestOS if your device is compatible. It's likely the best in terms of privacy and security for older non-Pixel devices.

If you don't want to risk it, your best bet would be something like TrackerControl or NextDNS to block as many trackers as feasibly possible.

Last edited by glittersloth (2023-09-25 23:05:37)

Martin · 2023-09-26 06:06:38

Hadn't heard of either DivestOS, TrackerControl or NextCloud but then I have largely managed to avoid the smartphone epidemic despite making a living engineering radio base stations. Job phone is a Samsung S5 Mini but I only use it as a login device (MS Authenticator, BankID etc). Surfing? Calling? Nope.

/Martin

#1 2020-01-10 12:37:01

ungoogled phones

#2 2020-01-10 14:05:55

Re: ungoogled phones

#3 2020-01-10 14:54:24

Re: ungoogled phones

#4 2020-01-10 18:05:33

Re: ungoogled phones

#5 2020-01-10 20:17:00

Re: ungoogled phones

#6 2020-01-10 20:58:09

Re: ungoogled phones

#7 2020-01-11 02:12:36

Re: ungoogled phones

#8 2020-01-11 05:55:24

Re: ungoogled phones

#9 2020-01-11 14:54:35

Re: ungoogled phones

#10 2020-01-11 15:30:56

Re: ungoogled phones

#11 2020-01-12 10:37:10

Re: ungoogled phones

#12 2020-01-12 13:03:58

Re: ungoogled phones

#13 2020-02-17 19:00:10

Re: ungoogled phones

#14 2020-02-19 06:16:39

Re: ungoogled phones

#15 2023-09-24 09:34:59

Re: ungoogled phones

#16 2023-09-25 05:15:44

Re: ungoogled phones

#17 2023-09-25 10:13:03

Re: ungoogled phones

#18 2023-09-25 17:56:09

Re: ungoogled phones

#19 2023-09-25 23:04:54

Re: ungoogled phones

#20 2023-09-26 06:06:38

Re: ungoogled phones

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