So today I finally took the plunge and bought a new Pixel 8a to install GrapheneOS on. It will be my new daily driver, replacing my current phone. It’s getting delivered tomorrow, and I’d like to make sure I’m getting the full privacy/security benefits from the device. What other recommendations would you provide?
One thing I wish I knew going in, apps installed via Aurora store (google play store front end), for example ProtonMail typically rely on google play services to correctly send push notifications unfortunately.
You can remedy this with a seperate profile that can run in the background with google play services and apps that you want notifications for if you take issue with running google software running on your main profile.
Other than that, I’ve actually found GrapheneOS on my pixel 8 to be a much better software experience than my previous S22 without any tampering at all, both privacy (obviously) and functionally.
Congrats and enjoy your new freedome phone, you won’t ever look back!
Get a case with a wrist strap;
Get a usb-charge only cable/adapter for when you want to charge it when out and about.
Get a usb-c to headphone adapter.
Play around with multi-profile alerts, and work profiles for separation.
Play around with file-scopes, and contact scopes.
All y’all downvoting recommendations: That’s a really negative way to participate in a community. People are genuinely giving their earnest real lived recommendations (i haven’t seen one meme recommendation in this thread) and some of you downvote them for it. We wouldn’t have anything to talk about if we all thought exactly the same thing, and had the same opinions.
Some people would love if it all were just memes and no discussions. Lemmy is getting there because downvoting pushes down a lot of valid opinions.
I think people who enjoy downvoting are people who generally never themselves have any opinions that differ from the majority one.
You don’t need a lightweight launcher like KISS, but… Damn if KISS isn’t just a good fucking launcher
F-droid session installer, aurora store for google play apps, second profile or 3 for main non invasive apps, google apps, then tor privacy app usage on 3rd. Create backups of each on a flash drive use experimental app data feature in settings. Storage scopes for google app usages, deny most permissions in all profiles, use the camera and mic block toggles. Setup distress in the settings. Download wasted app on fdroid if you like it for extra precaution and settings. Use private messengers. FUTO makes good voice dictation, password storage bit warden its pretty seamless to use. Don’t use fingerprint or face ID. Go through the settings and tweak as you need.
The F-droid session installer isn’t necessary anymore
How so?
It now uses the built in API
Check out FUTO.org’s keyboard, best gboard alternative I’ve ever used.
The Aurora store is also a nice front end replacement for Play Store if you go the sandboxed Google services route.
Also, F-Droid Basic is out, which is just a newer F-Droid.
For an excellent Pixel launcher alternative, check out Lawnchair 14’s Beta 2, or nightly from their github.
I really love FUTO’s keyboard, the auto-completion is really good. I paid to support them. I whish they’ll add French model soon.
Check out FUTO.org’s keyboard, best gboard alternative I’ve ever used.
The license is not great and idk how it’s better than HeliBoard for example. Wouldn’t recommend in the FOSS world tbh.
This is true for Foss purist… I don’t think any privacy enjoyer cares though
I mean, if it has a worse license and no advantages then why choose it? It’s worse overall
Advantage is that it allows on device voice processing and it is good at it.
