/e/OS is android lol. Yes it's better than the version of android that ships with phones by default, but grapheneos is still way better than e/os (even though they're all android)
this post was submitted on 24 May 2024
96 points (72.9% liked)
Technology
69211 readers
3122 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related news or articles.
- Be excellent to each other!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
- Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.
Approved Bots
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
We need hardware requirements so that not just pixel phones can get grapheneOS. Giving into Google hardware to escape Google software is a step I don't want to take. I'll take calyxOS or divestOS until then.
We need hardware requirements so that not just pixel phones can get grapheneOS.
GOS has strict hardware requirements to increase security that currently only Pixels meet. They won't, and shouldn't, compromise their standards which would give you a weaker OS. Want GOS on other vendors? Convince those vendors to up their hardware game.
Yes, hardware requirements for Android need to be higher. That's the only way you get other manufacturers.
My main issue with Pixels is their price, even the Pixel A. They are completely unaffordable new, and only hit below $300 when they barely have any support yet (or are used). I don't mind using an EOL phome because with short support like on phones it is unavoidable, but that would be after alreafdy overpaying.
Honestly the short 5 year from original release till EOL thing really fucking annoys me, but it's literally every phone on the market. I've looked, it's impossible to find a phone that doesn't force you to replace it every few years unless you go to a plain dumb phone that only supports voice calls and maybe basic SMS with no apps. That's just a nonstarter in this day and age.
Even alternative Android firmware like GrapheneOS and /e/OS are dependent on the stock firmware releases by the phone manufacturer so when the manufacturer goes EOL and stops releasing updates your alternative installs also are effectively EOL.
The only solution to this problem I've seen that seems like it has a chance is Linux Phone OS, but it still has several problems that make it unusable for most people (biggest one probably being that it provides absolutely terrible battery life).
It’s really revolting to be forced to change phones just because of this.
A phone should be secured for way more than this!
load more comments
(1 replies)
I would only buy a used one anyways. Even when they're pretty new you can get good deals on swappa, even for new in box ones
load more comments
(7 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
Been using GrapheneOS for close to 2 years, love it. Not perfect, but it's solid & does everything I need well enough. Even with the minor bugs, it's a hell of a lot better than having Google's or any other vendor's proprietary bloatware stuck on there.
I would say you should use GrapheneOS first, if you don't have a Pixel, use DivestOS, if you can't use that, use /e/. That's the order I would put them in for security and privacy.
Unfortunately the fact that NFC can't be used on anything that's rooted anymore is kind of a deal breaker. If I could use google pay and my normal banking apps with GrapheneOS I would switch to it today.
Unfortunately the fact that NFC can't be used on anything that's rooted anymore is kind of a deal breaker.
NFC can be used on GOS, and they frown on rooting.
If I could use google pay and my normal banking apps with GrapheneOS I would switch to it today.
It's due to PlayIntegrity API wanting a "Google certified OS," which is ironically less secure than hardware attestation that GOS supports. I doubt Google would change their model, but your bank might. Some banks do support GOS, and they have changed at the request of their customers before. Send them the GOS documentation and you might get lucky.
https://grapheneos.org/articles/attestation-compatibility-guide
not being able to use contactless pay does not equal "NFC can't be used on anything".
load more comments
(3 replies)
Sorry, I don't understand the motivation here, you want to not let Google spy on you via their OS, but are perfectly happy to give them your entire payment record?
Not my entire payment record but certainly everything I use my phone to pay for. I'm willing to give Google some of my info as long as I'm in control of what info I'm giving them. Everything I do on my phone is too much. If a 3rd party offered a NFC payment app I'd happily use that over GPay, but until that exists GPay is the only option. Ultimately GPay is safer than using actual credit cards because it's more resistant to skimming. The extra security outweighs the loss of privacy in this specific case. I'm not happy about that but there doesn't seem to be a better alternative at this time.
You know that if someone skims your card and makes a fraudulent purchase, you will likely be able to get your money back, right?
What do you think will happen if someone exploits a 0-day in GPay to do this? How could your bank know the purchase was fraudulent? At least with a card it is obvious that this can happen.
If you care about "secure" payments that much, why not use cash?
You know that if someone skims your card and makes a fraudulent purchase, you will likely be able to get your money back, right?
Sure but it's a major pain in the ass. Every time it happens I have to cancel my current cards, request a new one, find all the services I'm currently paying with the now cancelled card and update them to a different card while I wait for the replacement, and then maybe remember to swap them back when the new card shows up. It doesn't happen constantly but if I use cards to pay they seem to get skimmed about once every year or two.
What do you think will happen if someone exploits a 0-day in GPay to do this? How could your bank know the purchase was fraudulent? At least with a card it is obvious that this can happen.
Literally never happened before, but same way they know a credit charge is fraudulent, I tell them. Also if someone found a 0-day in GPay I wouldn't be the only one complaining of fraudulent charges, they'd be flooded with complaints.
If you care about "secure" payments that much, why not use cash?
Because that's a pain in the ass. I don't care about "secure" payments, I care about not having to spend days dealing with the aftermath of it. Paying with cash means I need to constantly go to ATMs to withdraw money, and if I'm doing that my odds of getting my card skimmed actually go up so it doesn't even protect my from that.
load more comments
(1 replies)
Banking apps work, at least mine do. NFC works.
Only tap to pay doesn't work.
Not only is it still Android but the thing that the article says is special about it, blocking trackers and stuff, is trivial to do without installing a custom OS image. Change your DNS, trackers/ads gone.
Almost every paragraph is it's own, self-sufficient, malignant cancer. How did this even get published?
AI: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Even the name is a marketing turd
Iirc E/OS is based on Lineage, but takes a horrifying long time to patch in security updates on top of Lineage's already somewhat laggy patches. If you choose to use it make sure you're aware of that going in.
Also, like IIGxC said it's a android. Maybe slightly more private that most stock versions on most phones. But that's like saying [insert Linux distro] is better than Linux.
load more comments
(22 replies)
Ultimately the real solution to a lot of these problems is likely to be a Linux phone OS. It's something being actively worked on, but it's still only half baked and I wouldn't recommend anyone daily drive a Linux phone. Maybe in a few more years it will reach a state where it's actually usable.
One thing that would help a lot is if some company stepped up to provide a platform agnostic NFC payment solution that worked on both iOS and Android. As far as I'm aware if you want NFC payment you have exactly one choice depending on your OS, and both Apple and Google brick NFC if you root your device.
I really want to use my PinePhone Pro, but it's been in a box since the week I bought it.
I thought I was going to start hacking around, but then I didn't have the time. It has everything I want from a phone, except for software.
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
I would definitely try it, but all the phones I've been looking at recently don't have any support whatsoever for any of those types of custom OS's. No Lineage, no anything. All because they're not flagship models and are more budget friendly phones (and have what I'm looking for: headphone jack and SD slot).
I like /e/OS, but the app lounge bothers me a lot. There is no uninstall button and it is not possible to add Fdroid repos... So I have Fdroid installed in addition to it.
I do not see an added value as if I had the aurora store installed + Fdroid.
IMO, the best addition of e/OS compared to lineage is clearly the tracker /ad blocker app.
Unless it has changed the app lounge is just a different frontend for Aurora store.
It has a confidentiality notation system based on exodus privacy. It makes it more visible than on the aurora store. It has the possibility to install app from fdroid, well, at least from the main repo as it is not possible to add more.
There is a high chance that they forked the aurora store, as, most (if not all) of their app are based on open source app. (but if so... why did they remove the option to uninstall app...).
Their app "maps" is just magic earth with an other name and icon.
edit : phrasing
I think the greatest hindrance to /e/ is the fact that so few devices are supported. The article lists Fairphone as a supported device but that doesn't retail in my country. Most Chinese OEMs (that form the bulk in my nation) won't be supported by it. I have had a Nokia and a Samsung but even those two models are nope. One would need to go with the express purpose of installing alternative OS's and then purchase supported phones like Pixel probably, if they wanna indulge in this. But normal people aren't gonna do this. They are going to purchase the phone that fits the price vs performance ratio for them rather than alternative OS criterion.
load more comments
(4 replies)
I love /e/OS, but it's not better. I've had a lot of issues ranging from GPS being inaccurate, MMS not working, and most annoyingly : the play store alternative works (app lounge) works 1% of the time..
load more comments
(5 replies)
view more: next ›