While I’m a fan of GrapheneOS, I think it could still be considered “tied to Google” both due to it being based on Android, and also because it only runs on Google Pixel phones. Graphene focuses more on security, then on privacy, but not so much on reducing our dependency on Google’s software and/or hardware.

If the competitors developed a highly wanted feature before you, either you were already in the process of developing it, can do so quickly (and let’s say it’s not patented or other legal issues), or if not, it’s better IMHO to spend time to do it better then your competitor, or to come up with some even more compelling feature, to regain the lead. Of course, they’ll try to do the same and so on.

So, more like:

CEO: competitor X just released Y, how can we make something better to get ahead? how quickly can we get that?

CTO: hold my beer

(actual dialogue irl might be a bit different 😄)

First, while everyone thinks the CEO is the boss, they aren’t. They are hired and fired by the Board of Directors. The Board has a strategic objective for the company and has tasked the CEO with making that strategy reality

Unless the CEO also sits on the board of directors … but at least they won’t be making the decision unilaterally.

Yep, that’s what I gather as well. I just wish we didn’t have to choose, and could get both

Are they still developing it? At this point I had assumed it was either abandoned, or otherwise never going to become a full browser, nor be used in any full browser (e.g. firefox). The tech is really cool, and Rust being a safe language by design would likely mean a much safer browser, and also really fast. Would love to see it become a real browser, not sure how much hope to hold.

Ah man… I just installed graphene to try it … (turns around and runs)

.

Seriously though, would be nice if they could get along and share code and efforts, I’d love to try a graphene-hardened OS with sandboxed microg (instead of gsf) and datura firewall :) Maybe even have the option to have microg in one profile and google play in another. One can dream

Do your roommates and other tenants enjoy living with bed bugs? Because either they were there already, or if they came with you, they’ll eventually spread to them as well.

Assuming they don’t enjoy living with bed bugs, maybe work together with them to find then and exterminate them, including asking to allow pest control to check their place.

If they think as bed bugs as cute pets and don’t want to get rid of them, then seriously think about leaving. Maybe check your rental contract for a way out, e.g. if landlord not getting rid of bed bugs is a breach of contract or something (again IANAL, chech with people who know how this works).

Edit: based on your edit than you don’t care about legal consequences… then yeah, if your roommates don’t cooperate, then just leave. I’d still look for a legal way to exit the contract, if there’s one, but that’s me.

Bed bugs are good at hiding. If there’s one, either it hitched a ride with you or someone else, or there’s more hiding nearby. Look all around the mattress, sofas, etc. maybe ask the pest control guy for a thorough inspection.

As far as leaving… well, depends on your rental contract whether you’re (legally) allowed to leave at a moment’s notice. Also, once again, you’d still have to take a lot of care inspecting and/or sanitizing your belonging, or getting rid of them.

On the positive side, bed bugs are annoying but they don’t transmit diseases like e.g. mosquitos or ticks.

Source:

• https://www.cdc.gov/bed-bugs/about/index.html
• https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/bedbugs-infestation

The problem is, if there’s bed bugs and you go somewhere else, it’s very likely they’ll attach to your belonging and hitch a hike to your new place… Best would be have the landlord take care of the issue, it is their responsibility after all.

If the landlord doesn’t cooperate, maybe you can tell them you’ll call pest control yourself and deduct the amount from the rent you owe… no idea how well that would go legally speaking, but maybe it’ll allow you some negotiating leverage. (obligatory IANAL)

You’re right, I thought I remembered that article giving actual figures but instead it just handwavily says they didn’t sell many.

So, here is one that actually quotes a number, 3% of the whole iPhone lineup: https://www.macrumors.com/2022/04/21/iphone-13-mini-unpopular-march-quarter/

And another: https://www.cultofmac.com/news/iphone-13-mini-makes-up-a-tiny-percentage-of-apple-sales

And another, this one says 5% for some reason: https://www.notebookcheck.net/iPhone-13-Mini-sales-continue-to-disappoint-as-rumors-claim-the-iPhone-14-Mini-may-be-axed.593194.0.html

Either way 3% - 5% is a small number for Apple (or Samsung, or…) which might not justify making a small phone, but in absolute numbers, thats actually a lot of people! A smaller manufacturer should definitely be able to profitably fill this niche…

Yeah, sounds like they improved quite a bit, I might consider it, thanks! Still, lack of 5G means not so future proof

The old jelly pro had a decent modding community, and I definitely was able to unlock the bootloader and root it, though not sure about degoogling.

There is. The screen is smaller, but the actual phone is bigger 🤦‍♂️

They can just make them a little thicker, but still usable with one hand.

Really, it’s not a technical problem, it’s a marketing problem (i.e. not enough demand, unfortunately).

As a lover of small phones, unfortunately that’s the truth. Apple tried a couple years ago with their iPhone mini and sold very few. Still, there should be enough of us that maybe some smaller phone manufacturers could fill this niche.

And maybr make it fully unlocked and repairable, replaceable battery, etc. while they’re at it.

I have their old Jelly Pro, awesome tiny phone, replaceable battery, fits easily into any pocket, was my daily driver for a few months, but then again, it’s just a bit … too tiny. Also, battery life sucked, camera quality forget it, speaker not loud enough, low res screen, etc. I’d be curious if they improved on these things with this new version.

Still, one thing is still missing from the specs is 5G support. I mean, 4G is plenty fast, but not very future proof, carriers are starting to shift more towards 5G, 3G is already being phased out, and it’s just a matter of time before 4G follows.

Yeah, that is ridiculous. I don’t really have a lot of respect for Google already, but this erodes what bit of respect I had left for them.

Thanks for the suggestion, but yeah, Waze is Google. Also, unless it improved a lot lately, I really didn’t like it, personally.

On Android, Organic Maps or OsmAnd are pretty good if traffic data is not needed, Magic Earth has “traffic” but it’s not accurate and pales compared to gmaps. What else is there? sygic? tom tom? I tried them all a few years ago, they all had some big deal breaker. Maybe I should look at them again.

The article says that for the rest of the world it still shows “Gulf of Mexico” … I’m in the USA so I can’t check. Are you saying that you are not in the USA and it shows both names?

I’m all for dropping Google if you can, but this is not Google’s fault, it’s Trump’s. Google is simply abiding by its policies of showing names chosen by a given country. If you’re in Mexico, my understanding is that it still shows Gulf of Mexico.

Ah, and as far as dropping Google maps… seriously, I can’t find a valid alternative with real time traffic data as good as Google, free or paid, what do you suggest?