[danvittegleo]

If you are looking to maintain a secure device similar to stock Android without google services, a Pixel phone with verified boot using your own signing keys, latest AOSP, and up to date drivers/firmware is a far better option. I've been working on a project that automates the entire process in AWS and it supports all Pixel phones now: https://github.com/dan-v/rattlesnakeos-stack.

[josteink]

Frankly all I need my phone for these days is running Firefox.

Locked down computing via proprietary apps is getting less and less appealing by the day.

[SwellJoe]

I think the Firefox OS and phone was just a little too early. We're approaching the point where the web experience of an application is superior to almost every mobile app. There are exceptions, of course, but I foolishly bought an Amazon tablet recently because my brain doesn't work right when it sees a bargain, but the lack of apps isn't such a terrible thing.

I eventually did put the Play store on it so I could get a few must have apps, but, Reddit is better on the web (though it is an absolute pain in the ass about it with constant overlays trying to get you to use the app). Wunderlist is fine, gmail is fine, Twitter is ok, etc. The big win, however, is that I trust Firefox/Mozilla not to sell me out (I have mostly forgiven the Pocket thing), unlike just about anybody else. That has some value...also, all of my accounts and stuff is synced via Firefox, where with apps I have to login on every new device...some apps demand a fresh login every time, like my bank app, so Firefox is a better experience there.

[amelius]

Banking apps may be more convenient than their web counterparts, because they eliminate the need for a token device for small payments or checking the balance. Depends on the bank, of course.

[jjtheblunt]

Holy freaking paranoid waste of lifespan, i have to admit i thought, partly because i'm 51 now and while I dig what you wrote, I think priorities shift as the rear view mirror shows more. Cool project, though.

[danvittegleo]

Ha, you definitely have some years on me, but I can appreciate that perspective :)

[rkagerer]

Thanks for the pointer! How slick would it be if someone extended this project to distribute verifiable binaries which then underwent a final, local keysigning step.