Afternoon, y’all! It’s been a week since I took the plunge into Graphene OS. I wanted to present my thoughts as a free flowing dialogue and hopefully encourage others to delve into the joy that is GOS.
So, I started using the web-based installer. I have Debian 13 and Chromium, so I didn’t need any extra steps. Unlocking the bootloader was a blast of nostalgia to me. Brought me right back to the days of bouncing between AOKP and CyanMod. The installation process was honestly easier than anything I could have imagined. I booted up into GOS and locked everything back up and I was ready to go.
Beforehand, I had backed up all my app settings, and since I was already using FOSS apps it was relatively painless. I spent the next couple hours installing everything and importing settings. I’m using the fossify apps in place of the standard AOSP apps GOS provides. I have no idea if this will fuck me over, but I’m willing to find out. I ended up losing some SMS messages as the backup file corrupted, but I’m not that brokenhearted about it. But I went to bed at about 02.00 happy with my new phone.
Throughout my daily use, I noticed something peculiar. I was using my phone less and less. Inherently, becoming less reliant over time. It forced me to use my computer increasingly for things such as banking and social media.
Quick side note: I had Instagram installed and sandboxed, but it was killing my battery, so now I just use the website, which is actually kinda nice.
But the thing that stood out to me most was, I was using the phone for it’s intended purpose; telecommunications. I chatted with people, answered some e-mails, did some daily games, browsed Lemmy a bit. But my screen time was significantly less. I read more, I’m more intentional about tasks and hobbies. It seems I had signicantly more damage to my brain from doomscrolling, than I had previously thought.
Overall, it made me feel like my phone, was my phone. I’ve not worried a bit about my privacy, I’ve been able to live in ease and a lot happier. I also use cash and interact with people more and more, because there’s more personal connection in transactions and interactions now. (Why do so many businesses have an app?) I highly recommend it. The joy, the freedom 🇺🇲🦅🍔🛣️🛢️🏈, and the comfort is something I’ll never give back. GOS for life, now.
Thank for reading my, probably, incongruent thoughts about GOS. I appreciate this community and the folks around Lemmy for helping and encouraging me. This place has been a nice reprieve from the waking nightmare of the current state of the world. I’m sorry if I didn’t get to your comment on my previous post. I didn’t expect it to blow up the way it did. I really appreciate it and I’m gonna hang around and see if I can also help and encourage folks.
Peace and cheers, with all my love.
Throughout my daily use, I noticed something peculiar. I was using my phone less and less.
You’re not the first person I’ve heard say this after installing graphene OS. Why do you think this is? Is it just because you don’t have social media apps installed?
I switched to GrapheneOS about a year ago. It was a conscious choice and I also wanted to use my phone as a phone. I installed the absolute minimal apps needed to function when out and about. I refuse to use things like Messenger and WhatsApp (I redirect friends and fam to Signal). I also experienced a decrease in phone usage which has been really nice. I feel like I’ve definitely kicked the doomscrolling habit as I don’t feel inclined to pick up my phone all the time and the only time I use Lemmy (Voyager app is the only social media app on my phone) is when I’m in a waiting room.
I really love the freedom that my phone is (mostly) just a phone and I’m not constantly online and constantly available. There’s just this weight lifted of not being constantly aware or hypervigilant about my phone.
If I ever couldn’t use Graphene anymore for whatever reason, I would just go back to using a dumb phone and prepare ahead more.
I like GOS too. And its this community that inspired me to make the change for some months ago, and now family is going the same way. Sadly I can’t use my pay method, in a profile with Google play service eneabled, I only can get it to work, once just after installing it. Maybe because I downloaded it fro Auora store. I’ve never been a fan of bank apps on phone, but this app is for sending money.
I’m really happy for GOS, and its somehow funny that I feel more privacy protected, but can’t see how it’s protecting me. Maybe its all under the hood 😀
I love it! It’s taking care of me, without me even noticing it!
I am confused about why it made you use your phone less. Is it that you didn’t install your time sink apps?
I use GrapheneOS and nothing really changed day to day. Admittedly I have sandboxed Google Play Services installed so I can use my banking app and some others only on the Play store, but largely it’s just a phone like before but without so much Google.
I definitely didn’t install time sink apps, mainly Instagram. Partly because of the aforementioned battery drain, but also because it didn’t feel right. So, all in all, it’s more of a personal experience that it helped me achieve.
I thought it might be that. I just didn’t want anyone to get the impression you use your phone less because it can’t do as much! I still use mine too much 😅
Me too, my biggest sink is Lemmy lol
GOS is quite cool! I do miss some features of the first party pixel OS, but certainly not enough to go back. Most of my gripes have to do with other apps’ dependence on Google services rather than GOS itself.
After working out the kinks of getting all my apps set up and working (my mobile carrier being the hardest since they require their stupid app) it’s been quite seamless.
Some stuff still needs work, for example I found that work profiles are really janky (since the work profile apps expect Google Play Services in the work sandbox, and get really confused when it isn’t there).
I use sandboxed Play Services with the minimum permissions to make it work, mainly because most apps just crap out or have no notifications without it, which is annoying.
My wireless provider also required their app, so dumb 🙄
I have noticed a weird bug with screenshots - it pops up the mini version of your screenshot in the corner, but if I don’t use the back gesture fast enough it will become stuck on screen until I take another screenshot (even if I tap on it to open the editing view).
This was actually extremely helpful, thanks for sharing. What device are you using? Is the camera app as good as Google’s? Also I’m curious if you were able to get tap to pay working.
Thanks! I’m using a Pixel 7 Pro. Sorry for leaving that out! The camera is adequate. I mean that sincerely, it does a good job and that’s all I care about. I’m looking into some FOSS apps that have a lot more functionality, so I can report back any findings in this comment. Regardless, my DSLR is for the good shots 😉 so, it’s not a huge difference.
edit: in comparison to Google can, it lacks in a lot of functionality, but it makes up for it in a smooth experience that makes it easy for candid shots. no lag, or nothing
Great! I appreciate the response. There is an app called Zerocam that removes a ton of the algorithmic processing and the results look great, but they have a subscription model now 🤮 I would love a FOSS replacement.
