CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative • Hacker News Board

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#201

Post by alfiedotwtf » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:25 PM UTC

brundolf wrote: post #132

vbsteven wrote: post #113

I’m thinking about buying a degoogled Android phone to replace my iPhone. The main things I want are: * Spotify needs to work over Bluetooth in my car * WhatsApp needs to work (preferably with push notifications) * I need the Fitbit app to work so my watch can show push notifications from my personal apps * a network-based location provider to be consumed by my personal apps (I’m working on a personal data and automa…

> Can other Android flavours like GrapheneOS or LineageOS do this? There's a separate question you're missing: what your Google Services situation is Distros like Lineage come without Google Services; if you want them, you install them yourself "gapps" is the official one. It's straight Google everything. Lineage OS + gapps will give you a very clean and nice Android experience if you don't care about Google collecti…

Not sure why nobody was is here's comment is greyed, but yep I'm in the same boat - LineageOS works fine and am using Spotify and Audible without any issues. There are some apps that haven't worked, buy I'm fine with that.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#202

Post by throwawaycuriou » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:26 PM UTC

cdesai wrote: post #157

throwawaycuriou wrote: post #138

It's not clear from what I have read anywhere on the site if installing CalyxOS is reversible. If you want to get back to Android can you?

You can easily go back to stock Android, http://calyxos.org/get/back-to-stock

Are there any other repercussions one should consider before giving this a try? Would software that uses DRM such as Netflix be affected?

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#203

Post by cutler » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:26 PM UTC

Paul_S wrote: post #129

That is lovely but what use is it of I have to buy a new phone to use it because it doesn't support the phone I have.

Exactly. I want it for my Facebook-infested Samsung Galaxy A20 but I guess I'm out of luck.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#204

Post by brink » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:26 PM UTC

new_stranger wrote: post #198

I purchased a Pixel phone to test this stuff on. I installed LineageOS and found I couldn't run some google apps. I reinstalled LineageOS with https://opengapps.org added during the install and made the mistake of transferring from my old phone which brought all the google services and everything back to the phone (mostly). I then installed CalyxOS - much easier install process than lineage. Really liked the defaults…

I had nearly the exact same experience.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#205

Post by joecool1029 » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:26 PM UTC

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy.

I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this method, it weakens overall package security.

However, it is still possible for the tinfoil hat crew to not use Google play services with OS like LineageOS. This will of course break some functionality (apps will have to poll instead of relying on push) but it will not break the security model.

I'd like a different, better set of options to choose from but we don't have it at this time. Most users should probably choose a minimal Google Play distribution if they value things like battery life and working apps while still maintaining protections against spoofed apps.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#206

Post by kiawe_fire » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:28 PM UTC

fragileone wrote: post #12

kiawe_fire wrote: post #4

Anybody have experience using something like this (or others like GrapheneOS) as a daily driver? I’m interested in moving away from Apple and big tech in general, but I don’t know how practical that is yet.

I use LineageOS for microG [1] and I'm planning to move to GrapheneOS once the Pixel 6 gets released (since it finally has guaranteed 5 years of kernel updates). LineageOS is superb for getting rid of stock OS bloatware and spyware and I have an experience on it that's better than stock Android. However it doesn't have hardened security like GrapheneOS, which is why I want to move to that later. On the other hand mic…

From the sounds of it, the Pixel phones have the widest support across the different options here, so the Pixel 6 might end up being my first Android phone purchase in a while.

This thread has encouraged me to give this a go!

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#207

Post by josh_today » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:29 PM UTC

joecool1029 wrote: post #205

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this met…

Funny that you’re using “tin foil hat crew” the day after Apple announced snooping on everyone’s pictures

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#208

Post by fragmede » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:30 PM UTC

Kaytaro wrote: post #186

bubblethink wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Man, stuff like this is so depressing to read. Like this is supposed to be a forum for showcasing new tech, projects, etc. What's the point of having this if people in the industry are going to say, "I don't like it because it's not backed by a trillion dollar company". What will change ?

OP didn't say he doesn't like it, just pointing out the reality. But yes, the reality is depressing.

In offering only two choices, when the reality is far more complex than that, GP sets the tone for the rest of the discussion. There are more options, and a far deeper lake of information to use for drawing conclusions, so the simplification is also insulting, on top of being depressing.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#209

Post by gnufx » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:31 PM UTC

buzzy_hacker wrote: post #187

Are there any resources summarizing the differences between… - CalyxOS - Purism, Librem - microG - /e/ - LineageOS - LineageOS for microG - GrapheneOS And I’m sure many other Android open source/degooglers?

Purism's Librem runs GNU/Linux, not Android; microG is a free replacement for Google bits in Android (Google "services", including location services from other sources); LineageOS is a non-privacy focussed, somewhat de-Googled Android; /e/ is a privacy and free software focussed derivative of LineageOS with a larger set of supported hardware; GrapheneOS is a security-focussed (not privacy-focussed) version of Android with rather limited hardware support. It's not clear to me what the fundamental difference is between CalyxOS and /e/ other than hardware support and what's built-in.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#210

Post by genewitch » Fri, Aug 06, 2021, 9:32 PM UTC

josh_today wrote: post #207

joecool1029 wrote: post #205

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this met…

Funny that you’re using “tin foil hat crew” the day after Apple announced snooping on everyone’s pictures

Also google has never ever used users' data to turn a buck or anything.