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Dan Gillmor
@dangillmor@mastodon.social  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

For years, I annually bought a new top-of-the-line Pixel phone, with few regrets. But I stopped after the Pixel 8, because Google started force-feeding its "AI" slop to customers as THE key feature.

The latest models look intriguing, but are even more crappified with "AI". So, no sale, again.

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MikeSafari
@MikeSafari@infosec.exchange replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor I must admit I'm very happy that my Pixel 6 is still going strong. I skipped the 7, 8, and 9, and was thinking about getting the 10, but all this AI garbage is ridiculously off-putting. I don't need it, I don't want it, and I actively avoid it.
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Fazal Majid
@fazalmajid@social.vivaldi.net replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor you can install the degoogled and ultra-secure GrapherneOS forj k of Android on your Pixel, I wouldn't run anything else. Don't buy a Pixel 10 just yet, however, Google made changes to make it harder for alternative OSes.
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FeedMe Doughnuts
@feedmd@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor in a way Apple being behind in ai. I can turn it off on my iPhone and neuter Siri. Ahhh silence.
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Adventurer She/Her
@Adventurer@sfba.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor
I had a 7 that was crap. Got it replaced and the replacement was crap. Like hardware issues that made it unusable. This happened right as the 9 came out and I made the choice. I use F-droid as an app store. I don't use chrome. I was Firefox until they got in bed with Google so temporarily using Duck Duck Go instead of Chrome. Have all Google products disabled on my device except for a few. I use MapQuest now for navigation. I am testing out some browsers and email providers as well as calendar and clock apps but they are not top priority. I hope to replace my device operating system but I am realistically thinking that it will be a couple years before I can do that, but hey, goals
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Ondřej Pokorný
@ondra@social.unextro.net replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor Same, just stopped at Pixel 6.
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Deven Phillips
@infosec812@foojay.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor
I just replaced my failing Pixel with the Fairphone (Gen 6) and I'm loving it.
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TheStrangelet :bc:
@thestrangelet@beige.party replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor#GrapheneOS
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oyzmo
@oyzmo@social.vivaldi.net replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor shame that mobiles we are so dependent on is a duopoly. At least EU has forced Apple to open up for other stores. Such an important device in our lifes should be open; all manufacturers should have to offer boot unlocker so owners can install an os of their choice.
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Jay Stephens
@jaystephens@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor
Pixel 9 + graphene OS is tempting me.
I'll get a 2nd SIM so I can use my old phone with stock for work shit like 2FA & Intune.
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Captain Jack Sparrow
@Captain_Jack_Sparrow@mastodon.world replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor

Google is bad enough, even without the AI

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Robert Link
@phaedral@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor Chasing my tail. Sounds like installing graphene on my pixel7pro is safer than buying a new pixel and trying to install on that...but if I flub the install I'm going to need that new phone all the more. I'm reasonably tech friendly, I'd be happy for encouragement from you or the hive mind on this thread.
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Chris Killat
@ChrisKillat@mstdn.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor Google Pixel 8 should recieve security updates until October 2030, so you should be good...

#Pixel8

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Jim Liedeka
@JimLiedeka@mastodon.online replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor I have a 7 pro. I was buying every other generation but am also put off by the LLM "features." I wanted to go back to an iPhone but Apple has fallen into the same trap
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David P
@pewnack@aus.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor

I use GrapheneOS. But yeah the contactless phone payments cannot work. Otherwise the installation was straightforward (there's a web/easier version) and it's a "hardened" version of the AOSP (Android Open Source Project). You can still use Google Play but it doesn't have the same permissions (by design) as on Google stock.

https://grapheneos.org/

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Amoshias
@Amoshias@esq.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor I'm still on a 4a.

It still does 100% of what I want to do.

It doesn't get the AI shit upgrades.

I'm keeping it.

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Jeff Codes
@jeffcodes@infosec.exchange replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor
I recommend looking into using the alternative OS for Pixel phones made by, and named as @GrapheneOS
It is not as intimidating as it used to be to swap the OS. They have a browser based installer that is, more or less, plug and play.
Once installed, use their app store to install a sandboxed version of the Google Play Service and Google Play Store. You're basically back where you started, but with more control and privacy over the AI and other BS they push.
#grapheneos #android #pixel
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jeremiah
@jeremiah@tldr.nettime.org replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago
@dangillmor I've been delaying an on my 8 because because I need to do it on a day where I have time to use ADB to disable the slop.
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