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I bought a fairphone 6 recently. It works as you would expect any phone to work with no noticeable downsides.
I paid extra to have /e/OS preinstalled. I could have bought the android version and upgraded it myself, but I wanted to support open source development. I want to try Ubuntu touch, but it hasn’t been updated for the fairphone 6 yet.
I can’t use any banking apps on /e/OS by default, but that’s because the apps require google play services for “security”. Enabling these services is possible, but would defeat the purpose of getting the phone to de-google. Bank websites still work, just slightly less convenient.
I dislike the case. It leaves more of the phone exposed than I would like. It does seem to protect the phone from most drops though.
I’m still disappointed by the lack of headphone jack, but I hate Google more.
I was surprised that my favourite feature became the hardware switch. I rebound it to the torch. For moments when you want a light for just a few seconds, it’s so much more convenient.
Could you download Google play, download the banking apps and then delete Google play? Does it matter to have Google play if you only use it for a few apps?
Google Play and Google Play Services are separate things. Google Play allows you to download apps, whereas Google Play Services provides the foundation that most apps are built to run on top of.
You can download apps from google play or equivalent stores, but google play services is built into the device.
The de-googled version of play services is microG. It provides many of the same API services for most apps, but can’t do the security things that banking apps request.
But is it a problem if an app is run on google services? Like does google have access to your bank data? Do they get access to other data by having it on your phone?
They get access to A LOT of what that app does. Moreover, through Google services, a lot of ad libraries can get access to a list of all your installed apps, without even asking or informing you.
Thanks for sharing!
Not only the play store is needed. You need to install an special package with the whole of Google services, often while in recovery/download mode.
But, to answer/illustrate your question, as a matter of fact, you can install Play store apps even without Play store. Aurora store is an app that connects to the Google servers too get you the very same apks. That’s when you realize, after installed the banking app, that it starts bitching about the Google services missing. “This app was designed to run with Google Play Services, and cannot operate without it”. And poof, it auto closes in your face.
We need to demand from our banks that they run without Google or Apple. Maybe there are banks who do?
Google is the one reassuring them that this way their banking app won’t be tampered with by anyone. It’s how they convinced them to trust the Google/Apple in the first place. That’s why they moved away from physical tokens and the like, because the trusted agent is now Google. I’d rather go back to tokens and a webpage I could use from the phone, TBH, but that’s almost a non starter these days.
No phone could ever be worth more than $200. Change my mind.
You must be good at eyeing deals in the used market.
If you need a basic smartphone and aren’t too picky, then you can get unlocked new for that.
A fair number of Moto G models go unlocked, new for under $200.
What is so European about Lenovo?
I think buying used is more for using European mobile Linux.
The parent comment was “no phone”, which I read to mean that buying EU wouldn’t be worth it for the premium.
Ah yeah, didn’t quite catch that.
No. In the big chain store right across the road from me, there’s a bunch of brand new Xiaomis, Realmes, Samsungs and Motorollas for as low as $70. Admittedly the cheapest ones are a complete e-waste, but the ones in $150-200 range are perfectly capable of doing anything you’d need a phone to do for the next 3-5 years. Phones have became an appliance these days, you don’t really need to buy the best microwave in the market every year, just buy the second cheapest when previous breaks after a decade and it’ll be just as fine. Same with phones, the only real differences I see in top-end vs budget phones is like just a slightly faster cpu, slightly better displays, slightly better cameras and wireless charging. But that’s to me sounds like a 900W microwave with moisture sensor and app control versus a 800W one without any any of that, but at 4X the price difference.
This of course doesn’t apply if you’re like playing competitive Fortnite or PUBG on the phone or something, to which I would say: 1) WHY? get a console, ffs, or better yet, a proper gaming pc, and 2) you’re not really buying a phone at this point, but a handheld console that just happens to fill that role as well. Same goes if you buy Apple for things locked in their ecosystem.
PS. And yeah, nothing of it has any relation to Europe, it just happens that 3 out of 4 phones in that image are way overpriced for what they’re worth.
Another 100 years of inflation will make a gumball cost more than that…
does anybody have experience with the Jolla C2 Community Phone?
the price is listed as 285€, which is about the maximum i’d be willing to pay for a phone. does the device work well? does it run smoothly? does the OS work well enough? (it’s some custom linux-based OS with android app compatibility, they write on their website)
Is this real? Names are kinda made up
Aren’t all names kinda made up?
Some are discovered.
Like Keanu’s name was discovered by explorers who found his sarcophagus, and upon opening it, Keanu sat up and said, “Hi, I’m Keanu, could you close the lid for 5 more minutes, then give me loke 10 minutes to shave and get dressed–is black still in style?–then we can hang out.” And then he was ready to hang out just 8 minutes later because he couldn’t get back to sleep, was a pro at competitive level shaving, and black was still in style. When asked where his name came from, Keanu just shrugged and said it was already here when he arrived and that it’s up to everyone to decide for themselves where his name came from.
Technically - yes. But claiming that in the current context is silly.
Like… what I mean is pretty clear
Dude, sit down, I have something to tell you about your name
A phone name Vivalapivo would fit this list
If you never heard of terms like Samsung, Google, Nokia you would also think those are funny made up names
Unfortunately GrapheneOS only supports Pixels.
Buy them used to prevent the money from going to Google and donate the savings to Graphene.
Or, simply don’t create value for used pixel devices by not buying them. Buying used phones of one brand will make it’s resell value for up. People like new phones with a good resell value, people buy those phones. Buying a used pixel gives money to Google.
Hey Europe, what about you sign that partnership with Mercosul so I can buy you damn stuff without having to pay 100% taxes on the price to import?
Here’s hoping, Brazil and Europe deserve to succeed!
Is it really 100%?! How much to import from the US? And China?
Yep, I took from the official gov.br website, here is the link: https://www.gov.br/receitafederal/pt-br/assuntos/aduana-e-comercio-exterior/manuais/remessas-postal-e-expressa/calculadora-versao-iii/calculadora.html
About the countries: Every country has this taxes to import, except from deals in certains products.
That why we want the deal with EU so we can buy tecnology without this shit, and sell our goods as well to get rid of depending from USA
to add another (german) brand: https://www.shift.eco/
I had the shiftphone6 back in 2018 and I believe it had an alternative OS installed, in any case I can’t remember the google play store pre-installed (correct me if I’m wrong).
I was quite interested about a year ago, but seeing that they are now branching out to like 5 other “shift” products concerns me.
- SHIFTsound Speaker, Headphones, earbuds
- SHIFTbook laptop
- SHIFTscreen monitor
- SHIFTbike
- Other SHIFT accessories
Many of these are likely just rebranded products, not their own development.
Not really helping the good feels
Several of the products are actively being “crowd funded”…
Granted I didn’t read the fine print, but that gives me the impression that they are more involved.
I suppose they could just be preorders and gauging interest to determine how many to order with their branding. It still makes me feel a bit unsure.
Which has the best camera?
I’ve had a Nothing Phone 3 for just over a month running google-free (mostly FOSS apps or loading from Aurora, F-Droid etc) and I love it. Easily the best camera on a phone I have ever owned.
Is there any non google or apple phone projection functionality for cars? Or contactless payment platform?
These a big barriers, I did want the the nothing phone but the reviews were a bit off.
I have a nothing phone 3 and very happy with it, it does everything you really want a smartphone to do, and looks stylish (imo) and has a really slick UI.
Downsides are camera is not good in low light and they push the AI stuff too hard.
And I’m not sure it quite justified the price tags when comparing it to Chinese or Samsung phones at a similar spec, but it’s not way off and for me was easy to justify a slightly higher price tag for a British based design company and better repairability/rights as well as some cool features and looks.
But the price point is the one thing all these 3rd party phones suffer from, you either have to make a proper budget phone, or try and make a flagship, but will cost 20% more than a Samsung because of scale costs.
Nothing does everything. Huh
Volla Quintus best!
I really want a FairPhone with e/os but can’t justify buying a second phone hahaha
I have an iPhone that I use for my job - got it from my employer as well so it’s basically a free phone. Personally, if it wasn’t for my job, I’d delete all “social” media (IG and the likes), but it’s the main part of my job (I work in online communications). Still would love a second, more privacy-based, personal phone, but doesn’t feel like a possibility atm. Costs money as well!
Putting personal information on a work phone is a risky behavior. Most company phones are setup to give the company control over and access to everything on the phone.
Personally, I would never use a company phone for anything that isn’t for work.
Depends on what kind of company you work at. Most companies I know would just be: you need a phone, go buy one and give us a receipt.
Not all companies are big tech, and most companies likely can not afford the added cost of spying on employees.
Good thing is that I went to the store and bought it myself with the company card. My phone has never been in their possession nor are they monitoring what I do on it or on my pc (because same thing there)
Let’s not forget Crosscall. It’s a french brand specializing in durable phones designed for outdoor.
The sole reason my current phone is a Motorola instead of a Fairphone. I don’t want to fuck around with additional adapters, just let me plug in my headphones directly. Also nice to be able to charge and listen at the same time.
I already have two pairs of bricked bluetooth headphones, I won’t have a third.
The audiophiles will crucify me, but I will accept two USBC ports as consolation.
I just hate how bulky most c connectors are and feel like that they break more easily because of that.
Right, there are cheap usb-c headphone now lol. Really no reason not to have high quality headphones with their own dedicated high end DAC
Those cheap USB c headphones virtually never have their own DAC
Thanks for the info. Still acceptable to skip the 3.5mm plug though. Just one less component easily replaced by usb-c.
And I assume there are more expensive over ear headphones with a better DAC. Not that I’d ever be able to hear much of a difference lol
