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Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

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Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#291

Post by jpsouth »

victorbjorklund wrote: post #275
tardedmeme wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which airline requires you to print your own boarding pass and won't let you on the plane without a phone? Now I haven't flown in years but last time I did, the normal procedure was to show up at the airport either with your printed ticket or just your reference code and ID, and either use a kiosk or talk to a person to get your boarding pass, and also to check in your bags.

Ryanair or Wizz air. You can have them print it for you in the airport but they charge 55 euros for it.

Ryanair don’t charge you 55 euros, at least not from what I’m reading [1]. It’s completely free, at the airport, provided you’ve checked in already, which from my experience can be done up to 24 hours prior to your flight. Plenty of time to use a hotel computer, someone else’s device or find an internet cafe if you aren’t completely disorganised.

I’m not sure about Wizz Air, I’ve never flown with them and their website isn’t quite as clear as Ryanairs.

[1] https://www.ryanair.com/ie/en/lp/explore/digital-boarding-pa...

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#292

Post by _bernd »

nyanmatt wrote: post #238
abc123abc123 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the way! I do not have a smartphone. I print maps, use email, print boarding cards, do my banking and shopping with a web browser, pay with cash or a debit card. I think people have been brain washed to believe they can no longer live life without being enslaved by a surveillance device. Lost? Ask for directions. Need a map? Go to a hotel or a tourist center, or print one in advance.

Walking into a hotel lobby to get a map printed seems like a much greater surveillance risk than looking up directions on my phone. The cameras, the printer, the hotel staff, the other hotel guests; they’re all third party to your private information. Is that really any better than Apple or Google telemetry?

Sorry Pale but I doubt you are either James Bond or Edward Snowden. Chill out. I once visit Japan, and you get papers with full of information and maps where stuff line out the direction for you ALL the time... You see there are alternatives and in this special use case you even gain privacy by blending in with all the other crowd.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#293

Post by _bernd »

jjav wrote: post #247
aembleton wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you go on holiday, do you have to find an Internet café to print off your boarding pass for the flight home? Or do you select destinations covered by airlines that allow you to get a boarding pass more than 48 hours in advance?

> Internet café to print off your boarding pass for the flight home? You can print the boarding pass at the airline kiosk at the airport, at least in any US airport I've been to. I always do this. As noted in a peer post I try very hard to do everything without a phone. I do have a phone but don't want to depend on it. Boarding passes in particular seem very unreliable on a phone. I always have the paper boarding pas…

Pardon me but you could have in many cases have cached the data. I honor your strong commitment. I most often use digital because "it's easier" for them. But not for me. Sometimes I make fun and use printouts of their digital system just for the lulz. But back to cached data. Most often the mobil application catches data upfront and still be valid later even offline. Just as a reminder. Peace.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#294

Post by dandandandan2 »

rixed wrote: post #242
nerdsniper wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, I cant rent city bicycles without a phone in a lot of cities or use uber or lyft but okay.

Or pay for parking in many european cities. So I guess you are not forced into a hermit life as long as... you are already happy with your hermit life.

I live in a small town. There is no uber or Lyft, or QR code parking. I ride my bike a lot. Snowboard nearly everyday in the winter and there is cell service in the mountains.

I lived in mega cities for 10 years, I’ll never do it again.

Call in hermit life if you want, I call it the simple life where enjoyment and happiness are the priority

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#295

Post by dandandandan2 »

slumberlust wrote: post #177
dandandandan2 wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone Hyperbole doesn’t help. I’m a 44 year old former software engineer now with a modest social media following (100k per platform). I don’t have a phone. I’ve never had a smart phone, last dumb phone gone in 2015. I have to hassle my bank to let me use email instead of SMS for 2FA, and I hand jot notes for driving directions sometimes. Otherwise, I’m immense…

How could it be hyperbole when you give two examples of the increasing pain?

Undoubtedly having a phone would increase convenience in my life. I’d also have to go to work more to pay for it which would seriously inconvenience my snowboarding time.

I’d also spend more of my life staring at a small device instead of talking to people or just enjoying the trees, mountains and rivers.

On the whole, I much prefer it this way.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#296

Post by 1vuio0pswjnm7 »

1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #165
tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #76

The challenge isn't buying it, the challenge is being able to do phone things with it. Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Banking, government, authentication, postal service and public transit apps are just some of t…

"As an individual, it feels like my options are to either submit or try to live a hermit's life, bringing endless suffering and exclusion to myself." Classic "all-or-nothing", "black and white" HN comment No middle ground. Two extremes and nothing in between In the real world, few people think this way Not only that, but it's common today to have more than one computer There is no shortage of HN comments that keep cl…

The are people who dislike using Apple and Google smartphones

HN replies often try to reframe this problem from

(a) "How do I avoid using an Apple or Google smartphone" for whatever reason^[FN1]

to

(b) "Banking apps do not work on non-Apple, non-Google" smartphones

or

(c) Apple and Google smartphones need to become likeable, e.g., by pleading with the companies, petitioning the government for regulation, etc.

FN1. I have not seen any HN comments that suggest anyone is concerned about _using a banking app_ on an Apple or Google smartphone. What I have seen are comments that suggest Apple and Google smartphones are unsatisfactory for _other reasons_, such as being "locked down", "not an open platform", "privacy" risks, "security" flaws, etc. The non-banking uses of these smartphones are what cause concern

The problem (a) can be solved by choosing a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone, `i.e., a smartphone running a non-Apple, non-Google OS, or, better yet, by choosing a different form factor running a non-Apple, non-Google OS, _for non-banking uses_

There are some commenters who obviously have no intention of avoiding Apple and Google smarthones _where possible_. They will keep using these smartphones for _everything_, not just online banking

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#297

Post by pbgcp2026 »

iamnothere wrote: post #277
pbgcp2026 wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

epolanski@ is, unfortunately , right. You may try to "walk away" if you are not interested in the end result. If the fact of walking away for you is more important / feels better than actually doing what you came for. (And don't get me started on how girls look at you when you start fishing for petty change in your pockets - that seriously limits your dating pool LOL)

As someone with a long term partner who shares my use of cash, at least for some things, you don’t want to date people who look down on you for your choice of payment. Red flag. Waste of time. Have some self respect. Don’t date people who aren’t mostly aligned with your values.

"Have some self respect". Sure. Which hand respects you more: right or left one? ;-)

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#298

Post by [deleted] »

pbgcp2026 wrote: post #297
iamnothere wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone with a long term partner who shares my use of cash, at least for some things, you don’t want to date people who look down on you for your choice of payment. Red flag. Waste of time. Have some self respect. Don’t date people who aren’t mostly aligned with your values.

"Have some self respect". Sure. Which hand respects you more: right or left one? ;-)

[deleted]

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#299

Post by iamnothere »

pbgcp2026 wrote: post #297
iamnothere wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone with a long term partner who shares my use of cash, at least for some things, you don’t want to date people who look down on you for your choice of payment. Red flag. Waste of time. Have some self respect. Don’t date people who aren’t mostly aligned with your values.

"Have some self respect". Sure. Which hand respects you more: right or left one? ;-)

I know this was a joke, but if you’re having trouble meeting someone who shares your values, maybe try looking in different places than you would expect (they don’t have to share your interests, that’s less important than you would think as long as you can bend to each other) or reevaluating what you think your “type” is. Many people chase a certain type of person, and only after they end up with someone totally different do they realize that their attraction to that type was some kind of pathology, perhaps replaying trauma from childhood.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#300

Post by anjel »

microtonal wrote: post #284
anjel wrote: post #224

So what happens when Law Enforcement plugs into your non apple, non Google Phones and runs its forensic apps on it?

They are all most likely trivially compromised. Most of these phones do not have secure enclaves (which e.g. the iPhone had since 2013 and Google Pixel for ages as well) and are usually way behind with Linux security patches, firmware security patches, Android patches outside ASBs. For instance some of the alternatives in the article are routinely 2-5 years behind on Linux and firmware security updates.

Not a minor shortcoming
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