I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux • Hacker News Board

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#341

Post by inigyou » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:35 AM UTC

bpavuk wrote: post #64

Underphil wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone's situation is different I suppose. But I do tire when people choose the convenience over the freedom. Not saying that's what you're doing, but I hear it often enough.

well, me being in Ukraine also means readiness to move out of my house whenever the need (or opportunity to escape abroad! I hate this war and kidnap-conscription) may arise. it's as much convenience as it is preparedness

Which part of having all your money locked behind six technological barriers requiring pervasive infrastructure to be working is preparedness? Preparedness is having several thousand euros in cash.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#342

Post by inigyou » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:35 AM UTC

NamTaf wrote: post #143

DaSHacka wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you not also keep your ID on you at all times? That's why I don't mind carrying around plastic cards, they just go in my wallet with my ID and a small amount of cash anyway. Even if I was willing to use GPay, I don't like the possibility of my phone dying locking me out of my apartment and preventing me from paying for things.

I do not keep ID on me at all times. I dont even own a wallet any more. Moving to GrapheneOS and not having virtual cards for contactless payment has been struggle, not going go lie.

well fix that? start carrying your bank card everywhere you carry your phone? There are even phone cases with card pockets in them if you want to look like you're swiping your phone at the terminal.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#343

Post by noir_lord » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:37 AM UTC

inigyou wrote: post #330

dev1ycan wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It always seemed insane to me that people accepted so easily to have everything locked behind "app stores", crazy garbage, even worse having SO MUCH PREINSTALLED BLOATWARE OUT OF THE BOX.

What do you mean by "accepted"? In a free market, buyers have to choose between the products that are available.

> buyers have to choose between the products that are available.

That is how a free market works, however it doesn't really cover the "I need to function in society and there are no good options for this device type that have the features I care about" problem.

When your choice is between the NutPuncher 9000 and the BallCrusher 17, it's something of a false choice.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#344

Post by inigyou » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:39 AM UTC

dools wrote: post #89

Speaking of Linux on mobile, I have about 300 of these things for sale with some associated hardware and software if anyone is interested (in Australia but can ship obviously) https://www.openstick.de/

This is an LLM-generated webslop.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#345

Post by inigyou » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:39 AM UTC

ColdStream wrote: post #184

pooploop64 wrote: post #157

I would love to do this. It's shocking how little Android offers for the hardware it uses. Recently I was thinking if I could install Windows 98 on my phone, even that would be better. At least I could have more than one app open without it burning all my work just because I dared to check info on a web page while filling a form.

Oh yes, the endless joy of "We have sent a one time code to your email." Yes, but if I switch to my email then I will lose my browser session and thus the code is useless. So you have to get out a laptop to open your email just so that you have 2FA on your phone.

And "please confirm this payment in your bank app". That one's even worse because the payment goes through while the site forgot what you were paying for. If you're lucky it gets refunded.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#346

Post by pitkali » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:40 AM UTC

reorder9695 wrote: post #294

I've come to the conclusion that I actually really like Android as an operating system, the internals seem remarkably well thought out and ideal for the mobile use case (so long as you're running a userdebug build with the ability to adb root in when needed), most of people's issues aren't really with Android (although Google reducing the AOSP release schedule isn't a good sign). I think the real problem is Google Pl…

> I think the real problem is Google Play Services. It's far, far too tightly integrated in a way that it just seems like Android was designed to be unusable without.

Wasn't the point of Play services to enable keeping OS "updated" regardless of the manufacturer schedule? Which is to say: they are tightly integrated because they were designed to be part of an operating system that Google can keep updated through Play Store even if the device OEM is slacking on porting upstream updates to the users.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#347

Post by AshamedCaptain » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:40 AM UTC

imkac wrote: post #160

AshamedCaptain wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is often said but if you want to "diagnose" something then the terribly limited Android shell is about the last place you want to be, and a sandboxed one on top of it is worse ....

Why debug your daily driven phone? You can use Cuttlefish or anything else.

I think you forgot what the "H" in "HN" means.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#348

Post by inigyou » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:40 AM UTC

pitkali wrote: post #346

reorder9695 wrote: post #294

I've come to the conclusion that I actually really like Android as an operating system, the internals seem remarkably well thought out and ideal for the mobile use case (so long as you're running a userdebug build with the ability to adb root in when needed), most of people's issues aren't really with Android (although Google reducing the AOSP release schedule isn't a good sign). I think the real problem is Google Pl…

> I think the real problem is Google Play Services. It's far, far too tightly integrated in a way that it just seems like Android was designed to be unusable without. Wasn't the point of Play services to enable keeping OS "updated" regardless of the manufacturer schedule? Which is to say: they are tightly integrated because they were designed to be part of an operating system that Google can keep updated through Play…

No, the point was to keep Android proprietary.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#349

Post by jraph » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:50 AM UTC

Anonyneko wrote: post #287

CalRobert wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cool, good to know. When I first moved to Ireland you could get a hardware code generator too but I don’t know if that’s still a thing

Still a thing with some of the Finnish banks, as I've recently learned. In my bank it costs ~20€ - unless you can't physically use a smartphone, in which case it's free. But you kinda have to know that it exists.

> unless you can't physically use a smartphone

Like, because of a disability, or because you don't have a smartphone? In the latter case, would it work to just go to the bank with a dumb phone?

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#350

Post by dethos » Thu, Aug 06, 2026, 9:54 AM UTC

I'm not completely switching yet, but I'm also exploring SailfishOS and Ubuntu Touch to see how far they will allow me to go. We really need at least a third viable option; it is clear that only having Google's Android and Apple's iOS is not benefiting the individual user.