Took the plunge

[minderasr]

So I got tired of the issues I was having with my Pixel 8 Pro phone.  So I finally decided to take the plunge and install GrapheneOS.  The installation was really easy.  The hard part was having to set everything up to my liking, including apps I want/need.

My main concern was banking apps.  Thankfully no issues there.  Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Fidelity and Vanguard apps all work as they should.  I did lose a couple of apps due to them complaining Google Play wasn't installed.  But they were really inconsequential and won't be missed.

Bottom line, my phone is no longer providing an endless stream of metadata to our corporate overlords.  De-Googled and loving it!

[El Spicoli]

Did you have any other issues besides the streaming metadata to our overlords?  I just assumed that was a given.  In fact I think Google just had to pay out for data mining when it's customers were in private browsing?  

Wait till we go to digital currency....

[minderasr]

28 minutes ago, El Spicoli said:

Did you have any other issues besides the streaming metadata to our overlords?

Notifications were hit or miss. I wasn't getting notifications for email nor text msgs, but Telegram and Signal notifications worked as they should. Also random, unexplained reboots.

[El Spicoli]

2 hours ago, minderasr said:

Notifications were hit or miss. I wasn't getting notifications for email nor text msgs, but Telegram and Signal notifications worked as they should. Also random, unexplained reboots.

Hmmm.  Wife first got 8 Pro, followed by her stepdad, and then when I could get one for under $200, I upgraded from a 7.  None of those issues on ours.

[minderasr]

1 minute ago, El Spicoli said:

Hmmm.  Wife first got 8 Pro, followed by her stepdad, and then when I could get one for under $200, I upgraded from a 7.  None of those issues on ours.

If you google pixel notification issues, you'll see that I'm not alone.

[pipedreams]

Been several software updates recently they can fix known issues.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on ‘System’.
3. Tap on ‘Advanced’.
4. Tap on ‘System update’.
5. If an update is available, tap ‘Download and install’.

[minderasr]

17 hours ago, pipedreams said:

Been several software updates recently they can fix known issues.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on ‘System’.
3. Tap on ‘Advanced’.
4. Tap on ‘System update’.
5. If an update is available, tap ‘Download and install’.

My phone was current on updates.

[pipedreams]

You Can Track Your Pixel 8's Location Even After Its Battery Dies

Google is celebrating the launch of its Find My Device network. And, interestingly, the company now says that Pixel 8 devices can be located even when their batteries are drained.

All smartphones running Android 9 or later are integrated with the Find My Device tracking network. Using low-energy Bluetooth, these devices can detect and anonymously report the location of lost or stolen items, making it easier for people to find their belongings.

In other words, Find My Device is the Android version of Apple's Find My network. It works with phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and small AirTags-like trackers.

Even if a phone is turned off, its location may be detected and reported to the Find My Device network—this is an essential feature, as any half-wit thief will turn off a stolen phone. Still, the ability to track a phone with dead batteries comes as a bit of a surprise.

https://www.howtogeek.com/track-your-pixel-8s-location-after-its-battery-dies/

Google specifically says that the "Pixel 8 series and up" can be tracked after running out of battery. So, the feature probably won't be extended to older Pixel devices, though it should appear in the Pixel 9 (and the Pixel 8a, potentially).

In addition to this Pixel 8 announcement, Google has shared several screenshots of the Find My Device app. The company also says that Nest smart home devices can help you find lost trackers or items within your home.

Note that Google isn't the first company to offer dead-device tracking. All iPhones made since 2019 can be tracked for a brief period after their batteries die.

[DAKA]

22 minutes ago, pipedreams said:

You Can Track Your Pixel 8's Location Even After Its Battery Dies

Google is celebrating the launch of its Find My Device network. And, interestingly, the company now says that Pixel 8 devices can be located even when their batteries are drained.

All smartphones running Android 9 or later are integrated with the Find My Device tracking network. Using low-energy Bluetooth, these devices can detect and anonymously report the location of lost or stolen items, making it easier for people to find their belongings.

In other words, Find My Device is the Android version of Apple's Find My network. It works with phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and small AirTags-like trackers.

Even if a phone is turned off, its location may be detected and reported to the Find My Device network—this is an essential feature, as any half-wit thief will turn off a stolen phone. Still, the ability to track a phone with dead batteries comes as a bit of a surprise.

https://www.howtogeek.com/track-your-pixel-8s-location-after-its-battery-dies/

Google specifically says that the "Pixel 8 series and up" can be tracked after running out of battery. So, the feature probably won't be extended to older Pixel devices, though it should appear in the Pixel 9 (and the Pixel 8a, potentially).

In addition to this Pixel 8 announcement, Google has shared several screenshots of the Find My Device app. The company also says that Nest smart home devices can help you find lost trackers or items within your home.

Note that Google isn't the first company to offer dead-device tracking. All iPhones made since 2019 can be tracked for a brief period after their batteries die.

You can't HIDE 

[minderasr]

Find My Device is not included and (as far as I know) won't work in GrapheneOS.

[pipedreams]

19 hours ago, DAKA said:

You can't HIDE 

I can see the importance of this for some people that have the risk of their phone being stolen in a high risk area.  The risk of my phone being stolen is pretty low, more than likely I will drop it accidentally while out mowing and have to get the wife's phone to call mine while I wander around a couple acres listening for it.  People around here are pretty considerate of others property, at the gym people leave their phone and keys laying on benches all the time and where we go for coffee, people leave their phones and laptops while they go to the bathroom or go to get something out of their car. 

[DAKA]

4 hours ago, pipedreams said:

I can see the importance of this for some people that have the risk of their phone being stolen in a high risk area.  The risk of my phone being stolen is pretty low, more than likely I will drop it accidentally while out mowing and have to get the wife's phone to call mine while I wander around a couple acres listening for it.  People around here are pretty considerate of others property, at the gym people leave their phone and keys laying on benches all the time and where we go for coffee, people leave their phones and laptops while they go to the bathroom or go to get something out of their car. 

How it SHOULD be

[LostinTexas]

Enjoy the OS. Is that one of the OS available to Pixel phones only? Seems there are some that were tossed around on here of late.

Android is a Google OS, now owned by Microsoft. Buying a phone with the name right there and expecting less than full retard tracking and mining? Really? LOL

Yanking your chain minderaser, but the irony is still there. Good luck with it and give us an update in a few months.

 

[minderasr]

Yes, GrapheneOS is for unlocked Pixel phones.  In other words, don't buy the phone from your carrier (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, etc.).
https://grapheneos.org/faq#supported-devices

I bought my phone (and a few in the past) directly from Google.  And no, Microsoft does not own Google.

Three weeks in and I can say I'm very happy with GrapheneOS.  I can still load apps (anonymously) from the Google Play Store using the Aurora Store app if necessary.  There are a few apps that squawk about not having Google Play Store installed.  Fortunately GrapheneOS provides you with sandboxed versions of Play Store and Services, and (unlike AndroidOS) allows you to allow or deny permissions to all apps individually including system apps.

But for the most part I opt for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) replacements, and have had great luck doing so using an app called Obtainium, which utilizes Github, Gitlab and/or F-Droid as sources.

As previously mentioned and most importantly, all my banking and investment apps work perfectly.  Everything else is entertainment/fluff.

Although somewhat dated, here's an excellent review/installation video.  However the installation process has since been refined and is much easier than described in this video.  I used the WebUSB-based installer which was very easy to follow.