GrapheneOS Update

About two weeks ago I switched from Google Android Operating System to Graphene Operating System. Here is what I learned.

If you just want a phone for calls, text, and browsing you don’t need Google Play services. You can use Aurora to install an app here or there. But be warned, you will likely not get any push notifications. If you have a security camera, you will not get notifications.

After hours of frustrating troubleshooting I finally gave up and installed Google Play and allowed it network access. I now get push notifications for email and my security camera. So now I recommend doing the same to those who want push notifications.

One last issue, I installed the Gboard because the default keyboard doesn’t do it for me. I use the text to speech all the time. I have not found a suitable alternative. This is my biggest disappointment because everything I type can potentially be read by Google. The keyboard should not need network access.

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Jay Forrest

Jay Forrest is a long‑time Linux enthusiast who switched to Ubuntu in 2008 after a Windows XP virus convinced him to embrace open‑source software. A former host of the Linux User Podcast, Jay has worked in technical support for AOL, EarthLink, and Route 66 Casino, built his first 486 in the 90s, and has provided web design for businesses and nonprofits. He works with HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and basic PHP, and enjoys exploring open‑source software. As a former Fedora Ambassador, Jay is dedicated to sharing why Linux—secure, stable, and open—remains his platform of choice.