So today I finally took the plunge and bought a new Pixel 8a to install GrapheneOS on. It will be my new daily driver, replacing my current phone. It’s getting delivered tomorrow, and I’d like to make sure I’m getting the full privacy/security benefits from the device. What other recommendations would you provide?
Check out FUTO.org’s keyboard, best gboard alternative I’ve ever used.
The Aurora store is also a nice front end replacement for Play Store if you go the sandboxed Google services route.
Also, F-Droid Basic is out, which is just a newer F-Droid.
For an excellent Pixel launcher alternative, check out Lawnchair 14’s Beta 2, or nightly from their github.
The license is not great and idk how it’s better than HeliBoard for example. Wouldn’t recommend in the FOSS world tbh.
This is true for Foss purist… I don’t think any privacy enjoyer cares though
I mean, if it has a worse license and no advantages then why choose it? It’s worse overall
Advantage is that it allows on device voice processing and it is good at it.
Oh ok that’s a valid advantage.
A privacy enjoyer isn’t going to be concerned about licenses!? What? That’s like… The entire thing?
The privacy concern is whether the source code is viewable, which it is in this case, not whether the application is free.
Just checked, it seems fine to me. Can use it for any purpose, and can modify for non commercial.
Not a fan of FUTO keyboard atm, Simple Keyboard is better
(Please don’t use simple keyboard. Use its fork, Fossify Keyboard)
Yes and the reason is that simple mobile tools sold everything to a very bad ad company that will milk the apps to dead.
Thank you for the context. I was gonna add it when I got home from work
good to know, thank you
I can recommend HeliBoard or Florisboard. Florisboard has some auto correct issues on my device right now so in the meantime I use HeliBoard.
My ability to type accurately, and with good auto correction on FUTO’s is immensely better than using HeliBoard.
I found the opposite. What settings do u have in FUTO, I remember seeing a lot of options.
It’s all default except for the theme. I have key borders on. Transformer LM on for prediction.
FUTOs stuff isn’t under a free (freedom) license so I would avoid it. Use stock apps and anything off of F-droid
I haven’t tried their keyboard but FUTO Voice Input with the largest model is absolutely incredible!
This does speech to text 100% locally and is more accurate than Google’s shit.
What is special about FUTO’s keyboard. I would argue HeliBoard (also on f-droid) with the swipelib is the closest to gboard.
For me, it’s the first time I’ve had a keyboard capable of doing dictation since I stopped using Google keyboard in 2019 when I started using lineage OS. Personally, I am very happy to have that feature back.
My ability to type accurately on FUTO’s was immediately way better than on HeliBoard.
I really can’t explain but I type WAY worse on HelBoard. I’m usually quite accurate typing on phones, but on HeliBoard it’s almost as if my finger is always shifted to the side, and that every tap has twice the delay
I saw a video of Rossman doing a presentation on FUTO’s keyboard, originally. Eventually he made a statement that he was pissed off that every single keyboard that wasn’t Gboard made him feel like he was drunk typing. I immediately said “holy hell, me too!” and went and downloaded it.
Yeah Heliboard with the swipelib is closest to gboard for me, better than Futo, however, Futo has a voice typing app also that is incredibly accurate, and punctuates near perfectly. So I use Heliboard with Futo Voice Typing.