I can't willingly use that e-ink phone as a main device.
For the manufacturer to achieve "Google certification" they have to bundle the full suite of Google apps and services in a way that is.... Undoable.
You can disable some of the services and apps, but any attempts to "degoogle" the device are in vain as the system will restore anything uninstalled (via adb) on reboot. To get root is a pain and potentially leaves the device unable to obtain security updates.
The user has zero control.
I have spent more time setting up firewalls, blocks, and mitigations on this aggressively anti-user device than I have actually using it productively since getting it.
This makes me sad. I wish I wasn't "me" about it, but I cannot trust these companies or their services with my data, identity, or security. None of it has my wellbeing in mind, ever.
It just feels like I've got a phone with some kind of sexuallly transmitted infection that will never go away. I can't do it.
plan-A
in reply to Cee75 • — (Proud Eskimo!) •They are Ultimate RootKit bro, is what I say.
Cee75
in reply to plan-A • •@plan-A
I'm not angry, just disappointed.
Which is a lot worse.
"I am disappointed in you*. You could have been so much better."
*the device/company obviously
plan-A likes this.
plan-A
in reply to Cee75 • •Cee75 likes this.
Unus Nemo
in reply to Cee75 • •@Cee75
Google is a marketing firm. Yes telemetry is important to their business model. It is how they make money. They have invested billions in android (300 million just to deploy the OS). On one hand I get why people get concerned about their so-called information. On the other hand I just do not care about what information Google collects about me. There is absolutely nothing I use my phone or tablet for that I would make it possible for me to care less what information they gather or sell. It means absolute nothing at all to me. It is not like I even notice or that it has any effect on my life.
So if I might ask you about your obsession to de-goolge. What information are they getting from you that concerns you to the degree that you feel it is worth this hardship? By what metric do you measure the impact that their telemetry effects your life?
I used to work in Cyber Security. I understand the legitimate needs for security. Though I also kno
... show more@Cee75
Google is a marketing firm. Yes telemetry is important to their business model. It is how they make money. They have invested billions in android (300 million just to deploy the OS). On one hand I get why people get concerned about their so-called information. On the other hand I just do not care about what information Google collects about me. There is absolutely nothing I use my phone or tablet for that I would make it possible for me to care less what information they gather or sell. It means absolute nothing at all to me. It is not like I even notice or that it has any effect on my life.
So if I might ask you about your obsession to de-goolge. What information are they getting from you that concerns you to the degree that you feel it is worth this hardship? By what metric do you measure the impact that their telemetry effects your life?
I used to work in Cyber Security. I understand the legitimate needs for security. Though I also know that some are obsessed (not implying you are) with a need for security that far outweighs reality. To the degree that their mental health would be far better off if they did not even bother with the topic. They spend more time worrying about anonymity and bizarre unlikely possibilities of attack vectors that they would be far better off psychologically if they just turned of their devices and never used the internet again. Their compulsion to try to remain anonymous on an international network drives them to unhealthy places. Even though it is very likely they are as anonymous as they really need to be by just doing nothing at all. There are 8 billion plus people on this planet. No one is that interested in me specifically that I need concern myself. Maybe it establishes some sort of self worth to believe otherwise?
The vast majority of telemetry gathered and sold will never be seen by a human being. There is just to much of it. It is distilled by algorithms and AI (these days) for marketing trends. No one really cares, to the degree we want to believe, about our mundane lives.
It may seem that I am entirely naive to not care. Though I sleep fine and am never frustrated with my tech that works just fine and meets all my needs for it. Though I do understand that our self-esteem wants to have us believe that our data is important. It is a security issue right? Well maybe in regards to our self-esteem in any case.
Cee75
in reply to Unus Nemo • •@Unus Nemo Totally legit points to make. It just feels creepy. I'm tired of "things" doing "things" for me.
I have a DAP, it plays music, it stays off the network, it sounds good. Job done.
Same with my e-reader. I got a Linux-based one. It shows me e-books and I read them. That's it. It doesn't go on a network either. Easy.
This phone thing. I have wanted a mobile internet device since? Since WAP was a thing. Now, I really just want a couple of secure messaging programs, email and a browser.
I don't actually want a phone if I'm honest. I don't talk to people and SMS isn't a thing. I can't remember the last time I sent an sms... Maybe 2011? 2012? Apart from my bank, I don't know anyone who sends anything like that anymore. It's dead like the fax machine.
Messaging family overseas and referencing info can be useful. The whole "engagement, clicks, likes, subscribe, +1s, swipes and followers" thing? It's all a bit played out.
TL;DR I'm too old for this shit.