I have not any prior experience with installing custom ROMs, but after trying it out (and getting stuck, and googling and finding answers) I successfully did it. Below is my home screen if anybody is curious:

I use OpenBoard for my keyboard. Unfortunately I am still dependent on Play Store since some of the apps I need can only be found there. Sometimes it feels meaningless committing to this whole thing because I’m not perfectly private; then I think this is better than using a regular iPhone or Android phone.

So far I’m liking it. I am naturally inclined to feel hesitant about using this as my main phone and plugging in a SIM since it’s custom, but I’m slowly making the transition.

Feel free to share any beginners advice or your own experience using GOS for the first time. Cheers!

  • Username@feddit.de
    941·
    5 months ago

    OpenBoard is no longer maintained. Heliboard is a good alternative.

    I think Google Play on Graphene is a good compromise, since at least it does not have root access. Unfortunately it is very crippling to completely avoid Google on Android.

    That being said, I heard others are using work profiles to isolate all apps using Google Play from their more private apps. I’m not doing that, but work profiles are nice for … well work apps.

      • JGrffn@lemmy.ml
        5·
        5 months ago

        As someone who has a profile only for Whatsapp (used to also be Instagram), a profile for banking & finances, a profile for some stuff that needs play services, and a profile for most other stuff (main profile)…don’t use profiles unless you’re only creating one more at the most, and you’re absolutely certain there’s no need to share information between the profiles.

        Graphene has had a long-standing bug from upstream AOSP, if I recall correctly, where it’ll always ask for your pin when changing profiles, and only sometimes will it allow you to use your fingerprint or alternative methods to get into your profiles. I almost never get the fingerprint option for my main profile, and have to tap back from the pin input on other profiles to get the option to use fingerprint, and not always. They do sometimes push something that loosely resembles a fix, but it’ll go back to not working after another update.

        Regarding communicating between profiles, that’s hard to pull off. The curveball of having to send screenshots from banking apps, say, confirming transactions, it’s made a lot worse with profiles. I’m currently relying on my nextcloud instance to upload screenshots from finances, then downloading those screenshots from nextcloud into my WhatsApp profile, just to send a proof of transfer to someone. I’m definitely not keeping my phone like this for much longer.

        All else considered, however, I’m not going back to a ROM that doesn’t respect me as the owner of my device. I’m happy to have switched to graphene and I am here to stay.

        • Wild BillOP
          2·
          5 months ago

          Thank you for sharing this. Honestly, right now, I simply don’t feel a need to use profiles for my apps. I understand some people claim I probably should considering I use both FOSS and Google apps, but I’m just getting started with this whole privacy thing and I don’t feel like rushing. Using only one profile probably isn’t the absolute worst thing you could do, eh?

        • Stowaway
          1·
          5 months ago

          I was wondering about that. Seems like 90% of the time it flashes the finger print reader then fails and goes back to pin. Also 75% of the time can’t read my fingerprint reader when just unlocking but that’s not a grapheneos issue… :(

        • OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml
          41·
          5 months ago

          version 1.4.5

          org.dslul.openboard.inputmethod.latin versionCode 19

          targetSdk 31 minSdk 19

          Installed: May 8, 2024; 3:17 PM Updated: May 8, 2024; 3:17 PM

          Is this an AHH SHIT moment or I’m good? Lol

          • washbasin@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            8·
            5 months ago

            1.4.5 is the latest—and last—OpenBoard version, released 8/8/22 per app on F-Droid.

            Did you fresh install it? Your log makes it look like you just installed it.

          • The Cuuuuube@beehaw.orgEnglish
            4·
            5 months ago

            So I don’t want to tell you to panic but I can’t find anything about “dslul” or their version of openboard. The questions I have are as follows:

            1. How did you acquire this apk? (F-Droid, play store, obtainium, regular download?)
            2. Do you have hypatia installed? If not, can you install it and run a device scan to see if there’s any known malicious blobs on your device?
            3. Please take a look at heliboard. I know its weird to tell people they’re safer going with the most popular options, but legitimately we’re a pack animal. We do better when we look out for each other and this may be a case where it’s best to go to the version of this project that has the most eyes on it
    • fleet@lemmy.ca
      5·
      5 months ago

      I’m using a work profile for Google Play. It was surprisingly easy to setup and there are few guides around. But basically you install Shelter, then clone Apps to the work profile. Open up Apps on the work profile and install google play services normally.

    • communism@lemmy.ml
      4·
      5 months ago

      Unfortunately it is very crippling to completely avoid Google on Android.

      Tbh if you don’t do mobile gaming, I think this is entirely doable. I say this as someone who uses Aurora Store for about 3 or 4 odd apps. I could live without them on my phone, but I just choose not to for the convenience of having a mobile client for some proprietary services I use. And I don’t have Google Play services at all.

    • SeekPie@lemm.ee
      1·
      5 months ago

      To install apps from the Play Store you could maybe look at Aurora Store?