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Android’s desktop interface leaks

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Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#141

Post by bluGill »

palata wrote: post #128
bluGill wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is for every person who wants to do this, there are hundreds (thousands?) who wouldn't want to - and these people are vulnerable various security exploits that would allow someone evil to take over their device. This isn't just a made up situation: There are nations that have large teams of people who's job is to figure out how to get software installed on your device of their choice/make/design, allowing…

This isn't quite true. The Google Pixels allow me to unlock the bootloader, install my own system, and relock the bootloader. As a result, I run an alternative OS called GrapheneOS which is more secure than Android. The fact that I can unlock and relock the bootloader is not a security issue or a risk. People who don't know what that means cannot possibly do it by mistake. Now allowing root access to users on Android…

There are options. However security has consistently found subtle things about most answers and so I hesitate to suggest any.

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#142

Post by NewsaHackO »

izacus wrote: post #139
NewsaHackO wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea, I very much doubt they would ever put a browser extension on this. It's funny, I feel as though reading some Google dev's response on reddit about why mobile chrome didn't have extensions was my inflection point when I started to realize they were becoming evil.

There's literally a screenshot of Chrome with extensions in the article you're comenting on. Why are you confidently commenting if you didn't even attempt to read the article?

>Android Chrome not having extensions is just a build option toggle. It doesn't have extensions because Google doesn't want it to, not for technical reasons.

The leak screenshots are from the dev version of the app. It has not been confirmed to actually have extensions enabled in the prod version, which is what the parent poster was talking about. It would have been prudent to actually read the post I was replying to and the actual article, not just look at pictures.

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#143

Post by charcircuit »

dizhn wrote: post #131
charcircuit wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A root account violates principle of least priviledge. With proper design a root account should not be needed.

True but accessing your own files, pinging, network management etc aren't included in the things an Android terminal user can do. Hence the need for root.

That sounds like more of a need to be able to share files and folders with the terminal app and for there to be a ping command callable from nonroot added.

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#144

Post by supernes »

augusteo wrote: post #78

The Chrome Extensions support is the interesting part here. That's often the dealbreaker for using mobile devices as computer replacements. Google's had this weird situation where Android and ChromeOS overlap more every year. At some point maintaining two operating systems with converging feature sets seems wasteful. My guess: ChromeOS probably survives for the education market where manageability matters more than c…

Any extensions that do something really "interesting" will be disallowed, cf. Manifest V3.

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#146

Post by joe_mamba »

cogman10 wrote: post #117
joe_mamba wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's lineageOS for outdated pixel device, but I think you loose device attestation if you flash that, so your banking, payment and digital-ID apps won't work anymore which is kind of important features for a lot of people. I still think separating a phone for phone apps and a PC for productivity, is the best choice even if that PC is a 20 year old rustbucket from the dumpster, it will still do more tasks than a ph…

The lineageOS kernel isn't guaranteed to be super up to date. It's often based on the manufacturer's kernel. There's also possibly binary blobs involved which can't be checked or updated.

If your device is on the official supported list then it will always be up to date to a point. You're not gonna get android 16 on 10+ year old phones.

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#148

Post by semi-extrinsic »

gf000 wrote: post #88
joe_mamba wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>This looks like it will help a lot of students and families who are on a budget. If you can just plug your phone into a screen you do not need to buy a separate laptop anymore. Except that android phones with display output are mostly flagships with flagship prices. But 50 Euros on the used market got me a retired corporate HP/Dell laptop with 1080p screen, intel 8th gen i5 quad core, 8GB RAM and 256GB NVME on which…

A 2-3 generation old pixel on the second hand marker is not expensive at all though. And you easily add a mouse/keyboard just fine to it.

Isn't Pixel 10 the first one with fully supported desktop mode?

I remember I was very confused when buying a Pixel 7 to replace my (then 3 year old) Huawei P30 Pro, and the inferior camera + lack of desktop mode made it feel like a net downgrade.

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#149

Post by 46493168 »

SirMaster wrote: post #147

So would it make sense to sell a folding plastic shell with screen, keyboard and trackpad in it that you can bring in your bag and pull out to plug your phone into it?

This form factor was tried before and it didn’t stick. Why should it be brought back now?

Re: Android’s desktop interface leaks

#150

Post by kasabali »

joe_mamba wrote: post #136
kasabali wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you've missed: 4. used electronics in 3rd world countries are much more expensive compared to developed ones (because not as much units were sold when they were new to begin with), so 50 euros will get you a 3rd gen in a poor condition at best (or some shit tier Celeron N-thousand something with a soldered 4GB RAM)

Few issues with that. For one, PCs still make it there via ewaste shipments that then get repaired and sold for cheap, so you can have decent variety of old stuff. And secondly, even a "3rd gen in a poor condition at best (or some shit tier Celeron N-thousand something with a soldered 4GB RAM)" as you call it, is better for learning marketable skills and making stuff, than whatever you can do on your phone, since off…

> For one, PCs still make it there via ewaste shipments that then get repaired and sold for cheap, so you can have decent variety of old stuff.

No you can't. Unlike you, I'm talking from experience when I'm telling what €50 gets you in used marked in a non-developed country.

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