The Fediverse is not perfect, but it actually blew my mind a bit how much it lowered my blood pressure to not see the constant ragebait, and the calm of not being exposed and monitored at all times. I still have Snapchat just for one person, and WhatsApp which is Meta but still E2EE. Other than that, I'm all in on FOSS privacy approved apps and man does it feel great.

I just did this too, except I bought a refurbished Pixel, so I paid someone else $100 for Google to fuck off lol.

But then I wouldn't have been able to make this meme.

Most used pixels are oem locked verizon ones. They say unlocked, but they only mean carrier unlocked.

This is what I'm afraid of too. I could see apps like fdroid and the ability to install custom roms being taken away within the next year or two. I hope I'm wrong but I don't have a good feeling. I need Linux phones to be a thing now more than ever.

I hâte this reminder too. But the constant playsyore is missing permissions is a reward. Yes stay here little software keep complaining, your owner can go fuck them self.

Gives me a jumpscare when I apply updates, not gonna lie

It's not that they have a deal with Google, it's that Google's hardware security is best bar none except maybe iPhone. And Graphene is the best way to degoogle, as counter intuitive as it may seem. They are working with other manufacturers to get these security requirements for new phones so Graphene can be put on them.

Motorola announces partnership with GrapheneOS.

https://motorolanews.com/motorola-three-new-b2b-solutions-at-mwc-2026/

Why, because you can't afford it (reasonable), because you think it helps Google (unreasonable), because you think it's a privacy risk (unreasonable), or because it feels icky (unreasonable)?

The profits from Pixel hardware sales are a drop in the bucket for Google. I'm pretty sure the only reason it exists is so they can have insight and control over the hardware ecosystem, as without it they'd be driven by whatever Samsung wants to do.

The walled Android ecosystem is where they make the bulk of their money, and Graphene actively pulls people away from that and to something objectively better. Graphene is fully de-Googled and safe from their spyware, and exists outside of their business model. Using and promoting Graphene actively hurts Google, even if you have them $1k for a phone.

Also, there are plenty of cheap second hand pixels on ebay, and Google doesn't see a penny from those sales. Recycling is good for the planet anyways.

Lahey and Hunter S Thompson don't seem all that different.

To me it wasn't. I don't think The non-a Pixels can really justify their price based on the hardware itself.

Soon, but not yet! I needed to upgrade, can't wait until 2027 or whenever. But hoping it'll be one of their flagships, the new Razr is pretty dope specs wise.

It's wild to me that that's legal here. Devices should have to be carrier agnostic.