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I give up on free software phones (2019)

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Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#41

Post by NotYourLawyer »

superkuh wrote: post #10

Giving up on free software phones is the first step. Now give up on software phones and just use a tiny non-computer cell phone that does text and voice. The removable battery will last a week and you won't even notice it in your pocket. The firmware will last the entire life of the phone, never needing to be updated. Replace the car GPS navigation functionality with a dedicated car GPS and you have most of the same…

I don’t even want a “phone.” The number of actual phone calls I make is minuscule compared to internet usage, texting, videoconferencing, navigating, etc.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#42

Post by pengaru »

SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #37
jancsika wrote: post #33

Someone should do a Linux phone that scales way back: 1. you can dial phone numbers somehow 2. you can talk on the phone 3. you can hear the person on the other line 4. the cell reception on the phone is decent quality 5. antenna is properly placed for very good reception 6. basic SMS works, all the time 7. has been extensively tested to work with a single carrier, any other carrier is no warranty 8. boot time and sh…

Doesn't #8's opportunistic shutdown prevent it from functioning as a phone and receiving calls?

Not necessarily, if the cell modem stays powered on and can "wake" the application processor into booting when a call/sms is received.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#43

Post by Marsymars »

rationalist wrote: post #15
superkuh wrote: post #10

Giving up on free software phones is the first step. Now give up on software phones and just use a tiny non-computer cell phone that does text and voice. The removable battery will last a week and you won't even notice it in your pocket. The firmware will last the entire life of the phone, never needing to be updated. Replace the car GPS navigation functionality with a dedicated car GPS and you have most of the same…

And miss out on, or pay for, GPS updates and lose out on real-time traffic reports.

My Garmin GPS has been getting free map updates for years and gives real-time traffic reports.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#44

Post by lytedev »

SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #37
jancsika wrote: post #33

Someone should do a Linux phone that scales way back: 1. you can dial phone numbers somehow 2. you can talk on the phone 3. you can hear the person on the other line 4. the cell reception on the phone is decent quality 5. antenna is properly placed for very good reception 6. basic SMS works, all the time 7. has been extensively tested to work with a single carrier, any other carrier is no warranty 8. boot time and sh…

Doesn't #8's opportunistic shutdown prevent it from functioning as a phone and receiving calls?

Yes. Additionally, why would you want this specifically? I think OP just wants better battery life?

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#45

Post by anonym29 »

jancsika wrote: post #33

Someone should do a Linux phone that scales way back: 1. you can dial phone numbers somehow 2. you can talk on the phone 3. you can hear the person on the other line 4. the cell reception on the phone is decent quality 5. antenna is properly placed for very good reception 6. basic SMS works, all the time 7. has been extensively tested to work with a single carrier, any other carrier is no warranty 8. boot time and sh…

https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/

Not advocating for this, I do not own one, but I'm pretty sure this substantially covers all goals listed minus #8 (plus an unlisted one - Signal integration).

I investigated and considered this option carefully. Ultimately ended up doing a Pixel running GrapheneOS (no microG) as a stop-gap until I buy either a Pinephone or Librem, once those are a little more usable.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#46

Post by gigel82 »

user_7832 wrote: post #18

On a similar note I've been wanting to buy and use a fully "free" phone - one where I have complete control over most if not all things. But it appears to me that unless you use a regular "phone", there is no way you can DIY your way into building a "modern" phone bit by bit like how a desktop could be made.* Calling/4g/5g require specific hardware that seems difficult to integrate at a hobbyist level (unlike say ins…

Are you saying you can build a modern desktop without any binary blobs? Full control of all firmware (including the CPU microcode and things like Intel ME)? What about WiFi cards? I'd say that hasn't been true for at least 20 years.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#47

Post by fikama »

barbariangrunge wrote: post #3

I expected this to at least mention the pine phone, the librem, or the Ubuntu phone (which was charming). It’s just about de-googled android and how it doesn’t work very well due to how everything depends on google play services

do not forget postmarketOS project :)

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#48

Post by salawat »

user_7832 wrote: post #18

On a similar note I've been wanting to buy and use a fully "free" phone - one where I have complete control over most if not all things. But it appears to me that unless you use a regular "phone", there is no way you can DIY your way into building a "modern" phone bit by bit like how a desktop could be made.* Calling/4g/5g require specific hardware that seems difficult to integrate at a hobbyist level (unlike say ins…

Baseband and cryptographic shenanigans are a pox to FLOSS/H.

Particularly on the hardware front, since there is a vested interest/requirement for operating Telco's to maintain backdoor functionality/capabilities for the local government. It's just like payment processing.

Everyone having their own stack is such a great sounding idea, but the Establishment/System is tuned such that it can never happen, and in the event it does, it's guaranteed to be dismantled because every ne'er- do-well will start exploiting it, and the vast majority of people are not interested in protecting themselves... They want someone else to do it for them.

It's one of those nice things we just can't seem to get our shit straight enough as a society to have.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#49

Post by reddisbad »

The hardware and software stacks of all of the components of a smartphone are at the pinnacle of modern engineering, requiring an uncountable number of engineers and consumers to maintain a mind-boggling supply chain.

Of course there's a price for this.

I gave up and got a Nokia 105.

Re: I give up on free software phones (2019)

#50

Post by nelblu »

zorrolovsky wrote: post #31
gnramires wrote: post #27

Any updates on the situation in 2023?

I use CalyxOS on a Pixel 6a and a LineageOS on a OnePlus 6. No micro G on any of them. Honestly, I have absolutely no issues with CalyxOS and I use mainstream apps like: UK Banking (Starling and HSBC), Whatsapp, Telegram, MyFitnessPal, some airlines and local bus apps... I guess your mileage might vary. If you're keen on a particular app and you can't make it work, that's a frustration. So far I haven't found any rea…

I use calyxos as well and have microg disabled. WhatsApp works fine, signal, telgram works great, fairemail client for emails, davx5 for contact syncing etc. I don't use any google apps expects camera app (which I have disabled data access using firewall), but I have a feeling those may not work so well on calyxos.

Only problem - which I actually think is a feature is that I don't get any notifications for a lot of apps, unless I actually open the app. I really think this is a great thing because most of these apps that use google services for notifications are just sending marketing modifications which I would have blocked anyway. I do sometimes miss WhatsApp call because the notification doesn't work properly but I have told all my friends and family that they can contact me on signal for fastest response.

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