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Comment by Ultramanoid | Hacker News Reader

Does it reveal Google's iron grip on Android ?

Really ?

I'd say it rather reveals most users' unhealthy addiction to Google's services, without which, this whole thing wouldn't be the 'tragedy' and wake up call it's turning out to be for many.

I have used Android for a decade now completely Google-free and no one could pay me enough money to be tracked and to run pure spyware 24/7 at this point... I enjoy immensely having a laptop replacement always on, always with me, in my pocket. No use for Play Services, advertising companies data mining all I do at all times, or 27, 42 or 59 'social media' applications running to give purpose to my life and 'communicate' with my 'friends'...

File manager, web browser, terminal, editor, LTE... That's what I need or care about. I guess not many of us left.

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Unless you get an iPhone, you have really haveno other choice....at least not without forgoing most apps. This is the problem with walled gardens in general. Even if Microsoft kills certain things for Chinese made laptops...the OS still allows you to run programs which are not reliant at all on these APIs, because Windows is generally not a walled garden.

My hope is that Chinese companies start making a new OS, and Google sees this and makes their APIs more open and free so in such an event not everything is rendered inoperable.

Could you share your current phone model and OS?

I use several devices, lately usually HTC or SONY. I run my own build based on a barebones cleaned up LineageOS ( no Lineage applications or many libraries ), just need the core OS and monthly security patches up to date. Applications are my own binaries, packages available through Termux, and from developers either through F-Droid, GitHub or XDA forums.

I only need LTE and very rarely WiFi, so Bluetooth and NFC if available on device are disabled and neutered. Devices are encrypted but hold no data other than that in use, all data is always kept on external encrypted cards, and those go up to a tera now, so no issues even with large, very large files. Makes no sense to me that people tie data to a device, be it laptop, smartphone, tablet or desktop.

The 'phone' part is just for emergencies; police, ambulance, that sort of thing. Otherwise even a mid-range device works as a fully fledged laptop substitute for me, can be my main computer, and has for years.

Edit : Most of what I use is open source, and no adware, spyware, analytics, or crash reporters anywhere on my system. The current software business model based on data mining needs to die. Also, a decent web browser does, and better, what 90% of so-called 'apps' do.

How do you message people?

SMS only?

Mostly E-mail. ( We had mail in phones in Japan way before iOS or Android. SMS has always looked like a regression if you ask me. )

You could use signal for messaging. But why not SMS? It is not like text messaging is owned by anyone like WhatsApp or Telegram.

I found that my only requirement for a smart phone is the Uber and Lyft apps. If I can get somehow free of them I can switch to a Nokia 1100 and be happy.

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