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Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

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Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#51

Post by runjake »

gjsman-1000 wrote: post #26

To be honest... None. It's a choice. You might wholly disagree, but recent events aren't enough to get me to switch yet, because I think the competition has too many tradeoffs. I can get my photos scanned against a CSAM database... or I can have Google tracking my location constantly regardless of what they say (as they've been proven to be misleading in the past)... or I can use a Linux phone and say goodbye to batt…

Plus, in the same use case (photos in the cloud), they’re still being scanned for CSAM and probably piracy and whatever else Google scans for.

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#52

Post by rgrmrts »

sjaak wrote: post #24

I'm thinking of getting one of these: https://frame.work/ Any people here with experience with one?

I ordered one, currently on a 2019 16” MacBook Pro. I just got an email saying they’ll start shipping my batch soon so I’m very excited.

My plan is to use it as my daily-non-work development computer. I just started playing around with NixOS on the server side and will likely use NixOS on my Framework laptop.

It’s an exciting concept and appears to be well executed. I’ll reserve full judgement til I’ve used it for a while.

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#53

Post by numair »

jstummbillig wrote: post #41
numair wrote: post #20

For those studying MacBook alternatives, I think the most underrated “serious” notebook computer in the world is the Panasonic Letsnote SX/SV. Matte screen that actually works outdoors, removable long-life battery, unassuming vintage design (“let’s not rob that guy, he can’t even afford a new computer”). I haven’t investigated the Linuxability of this thing yet, but it’s super-light and impressive as a mosh terminal…

> think the most underrated “serious” notebook computer in the world is the Panasonic Letsnote SX/SV. Oh man, I kinda wish I felt different, but this thing gets a hard no just for its aesthetics. Notebooks are both way to omnipresent in my life and manifold to revisit something mid-90s. I do not want my home & life to feel like an old X-Files episode.

The great irony is, your 90s throwback nightmare is now the Gen Z dream. Everything is a cycle if you wait long enough!

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#54

Post by seltzered_ »

I don't know enough yet whether to care about the CSAM issue, but I recently switched away from apple for a more ergonomic-but-portable setup where I can use a computer without wearing eyeglasses and save my neck from looking down without dealing with secondary keyboards, second monitors, etc.

This led to finding a combination of:

- An intel tablet - specifically HP makes one called the Elite X2 G4 (now G8) which has a 3k2k 13" display. Running Ubuntu which isn't perfect but tolerable - I keep a list of workflows replacements (primarily from mac to linux) here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/148zTJUwfVv9xfDcpSoH3...

- A 'tiny tower stand', which allows one to prop the tablet close to the face. Other stands (e.g. roost) don't enable this. It's been sold out this year but hoping they come back.

- A nutype f1 keyboard (wired usb-c or wireless), and an apple trackpad (wired lightning or wireless). The combination still fits within the footprint of the tablet, eventually want to make a case for it for easy carry.

Again the motivation is finding something more ergonomic and portable enough to use at another desk. Do I recommend it? Depends on your intentions and time available. Mine are just around exploring ergonomics.

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#55

Post by gjsman-1000 »

runjake wrote: post #51
gjsman-1000 wrote: post #26

To be honest... None. It's a choice. You might wholly disagree, but recent events aren't enough to get me to switch yet, because I think the competition has too many tradeoffs. I can get my photos scanned against a CSAM database... or I can have Google tracking my location constantly regardless of what they say (as they've been proven to be misleading in the past)... or I can use a Linux phone and say goodbye to batt…

Plus, in the same use case (photos in the cloud), they’re still being scanned for CSAM and probably piracy and whatever else Google scans for.

Google has been scanning photos for CSAM for... what, almost a decade now?

Also, as an iPhone user, contrary to the recent Hacker News fight, I actually view this CSAM scanning with a sign of hope, because this hints that we could get end-to-end encryption on iCloud Storage. The CSAM scanning is rumored to be just a prerequisite to get the government to shut up with their biggest critique of E2E, so that Apple can then turn it on.

If I can get E2E storage from iCloud but accept CSAM scanning on my device to satisfy the law... I'm OK with that choice. You might not, in which case, Android (and I'll probably buy a backup Android phone "just in case").

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#56

Post by 0x0 »

gjsman-1000 wrote: post #26

To be honest... None. It's a choice. You might wholly disagree, but recent events aren't enough to get me to switch yet, because I think the competition has too many tradeoffs. I can get my photos scanned against a CSAM database... or I can have Google tracking my location constantly regardless of what they say (as they've been proven to be misleading in the past)... or I can use a Linux phone and say goodbye to batt…

macOS has been announced to scan just like iOS

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#57

Post by mylons »

ByteWelder wrote: post #43
gjsman-1000 wrote: post #26

To be honest... None. It's a choice. You might wholly disagree, but recent events aren't enough to get me to switch yet, because I think the competition has too many tradeoffs. I can get my photos scanned against a CSAM database... or I can have Google tracking my location constantly regardless of what they say (as they've been proven to be misleading in the past)... or I can use a Linux phone and say goodbye to batt…

There are plenty of Android flavours that don't have Google apps, like https://lineage.microg.org/ In my limited experience so far, LineageOS works much better than it used to on my HTC Desire. Battery life has been better than any of my iPhones (3G, 4S, 5S, 7 and XS) ever had. That said, if I had to chose between a Google Android phone and an Apple phone, I'd still pick the Apple one. Luckily there are more choices…

android is no where near competitive with apple’s user XP. i was a long term android user until 3ish years ago. i’ll never go back to a fragmented device ecosystem again if i can help it.

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#58

Post by acheron »

It should be obvious that anyone who says “I’m concerned about privacy, so I’m going to switch to using Google products!” is not a serious person.

If you’re actually going to switch to using open source hardware phones and whatnot, then good luck I guess. I can see where more progress in that area would lead to general improvements, so it’s not entirely tilting at windmills.

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#59

Post by ByteWelder »

donohoe wrote: post #29

This seems like an over-reaction. I'm highly opposed to Apple's CSAM move but they are still much better and transparent than Google, Amazon, and most other services. Many of these already do something like this but they just don't actively tell you or document it. Also, and please correct me if I am mistaken, Apple's CSAM is limited to iCloud for Photos. It does not just work against your local photos. CSAM Detectio…

For me, it was well thought-out. Apple betrayed my trust as a consumer and the response in the past week was plain gaslighting. I thought about it for a couple of days and then decided that I don't want to support a company like that anymore.

(edit)I was planning to buy a new MBP/iPhone/Watch in Q4, so this made it easier to decide on those purchases earlier.(/edit)

It's correct that the CSAM scanning is currently only effective when iCloud is enabled - and for US customers only. For me, this detail is irrelevant. The backdoor might be inactive for now, but there would still be a backdoor on my phone.

Re: Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to?

#60

Post by reedlaw »

I've never had a MacBook but I feel the LG Gram line of notebooks is top-notch. I have a 17" version and it's light, fast, and has a long battery life. It has a full keyboard and is easily upgradeable. I run Arch Linux with GNOME desktop. All the hardware works on Linux except the fingerprint reader .
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