Hey dear smart community, I don’t use any Google products or services over 3 years now. Always had android and used fdroid. No apps for banking ( cash lover). Osmand for maps. Extremely happy to find this app for socializing with like minded people. Now I feel time has come to upgrade privacy and security and custom ROM phone. I am considering if getting pixel8 and installing GOS. The only issue is,that I have 0 (ZERO) knowledge about how to do it. I have looked many videos and read on websites how to do it,but I am so afraid that I will not be able. I don’t know if that is right to ask for assistance from people here,but I don’t feel like I am capable of doing so. Plus,I have samsung which I would like to prepare and give my friend to use. Unfortunately, that person in immersed to Google world ( internet banking apps ect). Do you think LineageOS could give more protection and same smooth usage of phone ? I will appreciate any suggestions how to custom ROM phones. Best wishes to all.

  • Lytia @lemmy.today
    0·
    2 days ago

    FYI, firmware is technically the wrong term here (apologies for being pedantic), the correct term would be operating system, or custom operating system. A lot of the firmware, even after installing GrapheneOS, is closed source and managed by Google. There’s not much the project, or any project, can do about that, but their partnership with Motorola might help with the closed firmware problem.

    • vas@lemmy.ml
      0·
      2 days ago

      Thanks for the correction, I appreciate it!

      You’re right. I got confused because I remember I was “flashing firmware from GOS”. However, that is sadly non-free. (Not GrapheneOS’s fault, it’s always proprietary with how Google pushes Android to be.)

      Partially related, I really want to give my PinePhone another try if/once google rolls out the nasty update of requiring developer’s identity documents and making it harder to use F-Droid.

      • Lytia @lemmy.today
        0·
        2 days ago

        If you’re using GrapheneOS, it will continue to be as easy as it’s always been to use F-Droid.

        • vas@lemmy.ml
          0·
          2 days ago

          That much is true, but the fact that google is throwing obstacles in F-Droid’s way is undeniable. So while I’d be able to circumvent the bigger changes for a while, around me things will get a bit more deserted with “newbies” having a harder time to join than before.

          So… it’s as good time as any to give the PinePhone another go isn’t it? ;-)