DeGoogle Yourself

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A community for those that would like to get away from Google.

Here you may post anything related to DeGoogling, why we should do it or good software alternatives!

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My Pixel 5a just died after 5 months of use. Looking for a new phone I can deGoogle. (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by inasaba@lemmy.ml to c/degoogle@lemmy.ml

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It seems that the motherboard is dead, and that it's a common issue with the 5a and I "should've known better," despite it being impossible to find decent information on phones these days.

I got it because it was the last Pixel with a headphone jack, and because it had good official LineageOS support. But I compromised: giving up the SD slot was tough for me, and now that I've been burned by not having one (I typically auto-backup my Signal history and other things to the SD card) I don't want to get another phone without it.

But the landscape seems bleak. The vast majority of phones that are officially supported by LineageOS are Pixels. It's impossible to find easy information on which phones have non-official LOS ROMs. Search results are useless these days, and I also keep running into an issue where after researching a phone for half an hour I discover that it has some arcane process to unlock the bootloader that doesn't always work, and the forum posters imply that the purchasers "should've known better." I'm just at my wit's end.

If anyone can suggest something that has decent deGoogled ROM support with the following features, I'd be very grateful:

OLED screen (a must-have for my photosensitivity)
SD card slot
I am willing to give up the headphone jack in order to expand my options

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[–] jet@hackertalks.com 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I had this exact same thing happen, i took the phone to my local cell phone mall and found the shop all the other shops use for serious work (you can see a reflow station, heat pads, and people actually busy doing work), and I had them reball the bga for $50... and it fixed the phone.

https://hackertalks.com/post/1190653

[–] greyw0lv@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Cool something similar happens with my 4a. Googles phones are so reliable.

[–] eco_game@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'd recommend the Sony Xperia lineup, but it seems as though the IV and V devices aren't supported by LineageOS (maybe just not yet?).

The Sony Xperia 1 III or 5 III might be fitting for you though.

[–] TCB13@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (5 children)

It seems that the motherboard is dead, and that it’s a common issue with the 5a

Where did you get it? Can you ask for warranty and get it replaced?

Frankly speaking if you're looking to de-google and have a secure experience (including re-locking the bootloader and having everything signed and encrypted) then your only option is GrapheneOS + Pixel phones.

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[–] aa1@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago

Hi! I know this option doesn't respect the second point of your list. That beijg said, if i was you i would buy a Google Pixel 7 or 8 and then i would put GrapheneOS on it!

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