DeGoogle Yourself

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A community for those that would like to get away from Google.

Here you may post anything related to DeGoogling, why we should do it or good software alternatives!

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My Pixel 5a just died after 5 months of use. Looking for a new phone I can deGoogle. (lemmy.ml)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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It seems that the motherboard is dead, and that it's a common issue with the 5a and I "should've known better," despite it being impossible to find decent information on phones these days.

I got it because it was the last Pixel with a headphone jack, and because it had good official LineageOS support. But I compromised: giving up the SD slot was tough for me, and now that I've been burned by not having one (I typically auto-backup my Signal history and other things to the SD card) I don't want to get another phone without it.

But the landscape seems bleak. The vast majority of phones that are officially supported by LineageOS are Pixels. It's impossible to find easy information on which phones have non-official LOS ROMs. Search results are useless these days, and I also keep running into an issue where after researching a phone for half an hour I discover that it has some arcane process to unlock the bootloader that doesn't always work, and the forum posters imply that the purchasers "should've known better." I'm just at my wit's end.

If anyone can suggest something that has decent deGoogled ROM support with the following features, I'd be very grateful:

OLED screen (a must-have for my photosensitivity)
SD card slot
I am willing to give up the headphone jack in order to expand my options

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Cool something similar happens with my 4a. Googles phones are so reliable.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I had this exact same thing happen, i took the phone to my local cell phone mall and found the shop all the other shops use for serious work (you can see a reflow station, heat pads, and people actually busy doing work), and I had them reball the bga for $50... and it fixed the phone.

https://hackertalks.com/post/1190653

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I'd recommend the Sony Xperia lineup, but it seems as though the IV and V devices aren't supported by LineageOS (maybe just not yet?).

The Sony Xperia 1 III or 5 III might be fitting for you though.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago (4 children)

It seems that the motherboard is dead, and that it’s a common issue with the 5a

Where did you get it? Can you ask for warranty and get it replaced?

Frankly speaking if you're looking to de-google and have a secure experience (including re-locking the bootloader and having everything signed and encrypted) then your only option is GrapheneOS + Pixel phones.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

@TCB13 @inasaba not entirely accurate. CalyxOS, but albeit following a different process, also allows for degoogling and relocking the bootloader.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Besides the fact that you can re-lock in CalyxOS in some specific cases... or end up with a totally broken phone is isn't just as good as GrapheneOS. They don't even like to point out this situation, they try to navigate around with with less than ideal information on their documentation or complete omission.

They also do a lot of snitching on you (including to Google and Mozilla) and they overlook critical details such as this one allowing the OS to contact 3rd parties such as Qualcomm. This Qualcomm situation clearly shows how unable to actually research things properly and work around them they are. Those kinds of issues don't happen in Graphene because they’re actually better at covering all grounds.

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago

Hi! I know this option doesn't respect the second point of your list. That beijg said, if i was you i would buy a Google Pixel 7 or 8 and then i would put GrapheneOS on it!

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