[kwlug-disc] FAANG-free walk

[Doug Moen]

I'm not interested in PinePhone. They are focussed on Libre technology first and foremost, in the sense of the FSF "Respects your freedom" program (although they don't fully qualify for that certification). They aspire to support privacy and security, but that isn't their main focus.

I just researched private/secure smart phone alternatives. The best thing available, the one endorsed by Edward Snowden in fact, is GrapheneOS https://grapheneos.org If you read through their web site, the depth of knowledge that they display on how to make a smart phone secure and private (hardware and software) is very impressive.

GrapheneOS supports a limited set of Android phone hardware. The only phones that are fully supported, and that have the necessary hardware to support their security guarantees, are the Pixel 2 and 3. I do not believe PinePhone can match the security guarantees of a Pixel 3 running GrapheneOS.

iPhones are incapable of being fully secure and private by design (it conflicts with Apple's corporate interests). Apple does a good job in marketing the security and privacy of their phones, and they've fooled a lot of people. iPhones are also the farthest you can get from Libre, which is a different but related matter (you can't install software to make the phone secure and private).

If I were buying a new smart phone today, I'd get a Pixel 3 and then install GrapheneOS: https://grapheneos.org/install

Doug Moen.

On Sun, Apr 19, 2020, at 4:56 PM, L.D. Paniak wrote:

> Maybe you need a PinePhone?
> https://ubports.com/blog/ubports-blog-1/post/pinephone-ubports-community-edition-pre-orders-are-open-271


> But the not/working list is still a little rough:
> https://gitlab.com/ubports/community-ports/pinephone#what-works-what-doesnt

> On 4/19/20 12:40 PM, Doug Moen wrote:
>> > Do you turn off your cell (screen/flip) phone when you walk around? :)
>> 
>> Yes. I keep it in airplane mode almost all of the time. No cell radio, bluetooth or GPS, but I do use wifi. If I want to do a web search or check my email, and I'm out of wifi range, I will briefly turn on the cell radio. These things are long established habits, so they don't seem like a burden or require a lot of thought. Airplane mode also saves me from spam phone calls and those national security alert things where the phone makes a loud noise design to provoke maximum anxiety until you acknowledge that a child has gone missing in Thunder Bay or that you should consider washing your hands. I'm done with that.
>> 
>> There's more I could be doing. I could install a more secure and private Android distro (one that is fully degooglized). That's on my TODO list. I could power off my phone and store it in the fridge (faraday cage) when I'm not using it, as recommended by Edward Snowden, but I'm too lazy and/or internet-addicted to do that.
>> 
>> On Sun, Apr 19, 2020, at 1:38 PM, Mikalai Birukou via kwlug-disc wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Funny, your comments about "cash", my experience in the Current Times with cash;
>>>> - Food Basics takes cash, at least the one on Laurelwood Dr. in Waterloo
>>>> - B&T Grocers(Viet/Thai joint) in the heart of Kitchener takes cash(prefers actually)
>>>> - LCBO whines and I have to pull the "cash is legal tender and it is illegal to deny me the transaction" Staff and I are gloved. They capitulate
>>>> - Zehrs whines and I have to pull the "cash is legal tender and it is illegal to deny me the transaction" Staff and I are gloved. They capitulate
>>>> - Gas stations don't care much, at least, no one has hassled me when I do cash payments
>>>> - Stemmlers in Heidelberg is cool with cash(gloved), and the 3 farmer folks that I frequent are more than good with cash, no gloves required(!)
>>>> 
>>>> Life is so simple now, food, liquour and gasolene, the essentials:-)
>>> Do you turn off your cell (screen/flip) phone when you walk around? :)
>>> 
>>> 
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