If you own a Pixel, then yes. Otherwise don't. Use uad-ng
this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2025
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Privacy
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UAD or Canta. Two really good options for phones you can't run a custom ROM on.
Please never speak like that again. It's always worth using a custom operating system such as lineage OS. You cannot let Google defeat you.
The open source community will defeat Google.
That Google is attacking custom ROMs should tell you anything you need to know. Definitely continue using ROMs as long as possible and pray to holy GNU that linux on mobile will attain day to day usability until that fails. It's actually looking pretty promising on that front!
It's difficult to understand the move against custom ROMs. Especially considering the size of market for "weridos" that will spend hundreds of dollars on a device and first thing they do with it is unlocking bootloader.
Take that away and you go head to head against Samsung and Apple. And you will not win.
I am sure they are tracking public sentiment and the normies are taking notice. So they are fro at running that IMHO
I was recently wondering if I should try GrapheneOS on a second-hand Pixel, or PostmarketOS on a Pinephone... Any experience withe these ?
Linux on mobile, like pmOS, is great for tinkering, but I wouldn't use it as a daily driver. The OG Pinephone also has quite weak hardware for the modern age. Pinephone Pro is a bit better, but still slow compared to even something like a OnePlus 6, which also supports Linux on mobile quite well, albeit, still with issues.
GrapheneOS is great, but this move by Google may make it difficult for Graphene to continue to offer major updates. Only time will tell. But for the short term it's a great option.
You 100% should.
I bought a second-hand Pixel, installed GrapheneOS the moment it arrived and never looked back.
I recently installed Curve for contactless NFC payments. Their support is terrible but, after some teething issues, it works without any problems.
GrapheneOS
GrapheneOS 100%, it's a really good Android experience, unless you really want to root your device without much bother. You won't find as much customisation as in other ROMs but it's a very solid ROM and sandboxed play services is really nice.
Happy with my 2nd hand pixel / graphene OS. Avoid Verizon models- they hate everyone they can't control & make the boot loader impossible to unlock.
PostmarketOS is not quite there yet to be daily driveable imo, I'm tinkering with it on a Oneplus 6T. But some enthusiasts do daily drive it - and it's getting better and better!
Depends what you are looking for.
If you need a specific Android app that does not work on Waydroid, sure, go for GrapheneOS (or another deGoogled AOSP solution) but if you do no need that (and don't mind carrying a rather larger phone with limited battery) then PmOS on PP is very interesting to explore.
I'd say if you have a relatively clean phone such as a Pixel or another one with minimal bloat, and install a ROM that comes with all the google apps and everything, then the benefit is probably fairly minimal.
But if you do a degoogled ROM then it's a huge difference. Stuff like GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, /e/OS.
Or if you have a phone with a ton of bloat and additional crap added like Samsung or the many Chinese brands, then even a ROM like LineageOS with google apps would be a big improvement in where data is getting sent.
It is absolutely a great idea. These shit phones are fucking dangerous.
They're completely different, depending on your needs. Some work easily for those without tech knowledge or very strict needs at usability, some are for privacy enthusiasts or endangered people and some are for techies who want to advance humanity.
I suggest trying on an older phone you already have or buying a used one.
Generally, i suggest not buying new at all, as a form of protest, anyway.
Buy a fair phone and put /e/os on it.
You can get them preinstalled with /e/os too. https://murena.com/shop/smartphones/brand-new/murena-fairphone-5/
Dammit. Why do ethics and privacy have to cost four times the price I usually pay :(
Labor in a country with good unions?
Also non-child miners tend to be more expensive
Child miners should unionised raise their rates.
I guess the next best thing is a cheap used Pixel and flash it yourself, then you're recycling!
Daily driving /e/OS on CMF Nothing 1 for months now https://murena.com/shop/smartphones/brand-new/murena-cmf-phone-1/ with 0 tinkering, just bought it and didn't stop since day 1.
Check my post history for more details (as I discussed a bit more about it just days ago) but basically if deGoogling is important to you (which I imagine since you are posting on the privacy community) then yes, it's definitely the most pragmatic compromise if you genuinely need Android based apps.
how's the charging on the CMF? Does it work to use usb-c pd?
Never had a problem, how can I check for USB-C PD?
Mm, depends, do you use a regular 5v charger or those fast charging chargers that take like 30 mins to charge the whole battery while making it quite warm?
I charged with both connected to a PC and connected to my laptop charger but I didn't measure if it went hotter or faster, both worked.