I have a google pixel, and I know I could install grapheneOS on it. But I’m very, very hesitant, since I depend so much on my phone.

This isn’t like distro hopping, where I feel more comfortable hot swapping ssds, or making partitions, or using my desktop while I tinker with my laptop. My phone has a SIM and the service I depend on can’t be emulated off this phone.

So what do you recommend I do? Should I move my SIM (my phone service, really) to a new phone while I tinker with this one? Can I just blow up the current OS and wing it? Or maybe theres another option that would allow me to bail back to stock android in case something goes wrong. What do you think?

EDIT: how I use my phone: about everything I use is from fdroid, with the occassional app from aurora. I do use my banking app to cash checks, but I don’t use whatsapp, google pay, which I know arent compatible. So as far as app compatibility I dont think it’ll be a problem, Im mostly worried about my phone number not working. I dont know how SIMs work like I should, I just know Ive had the strangest issues in the past with it, so Im hesitant. Thanks for the replies so far.

  • @huginn
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    265 months ago

    It’s always funny to me when people wave away tap to pay like losing it is nothing.

    It’s my number 1 practical use case for my phone. My commuter card is stored there for example. I use it as often as I take photos at this point: I might take a dozen photos on the weekend but I commute every day.

    • @Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works
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      105 months ago

      Different use cases, for you it is important, for some others not so much.

      I have not had a bank account or credit card in ten years. Losing tap to pay would be less important than losing a pube hair to me.

      • L3ft_F13ld!
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        85 months ago

        Curious how you go about life without bank accounts and cards. Cash only? Or some other setup? Also curious about why you chose to do so.

        If you don’t mind sharing, of course.

        • @Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works
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          5 months ago

          Cash only. I need very little in life other than food and clothing. I changed countries, which makes it easier, though paying by phone is very much becoming a thing.

          I have no interest in being known for anything, my life is simple but not easy. The more I am off the radar the less I have to interact with others. That works better for me than being in the midst of things. Different use cases.

          ETA : I donate to FOSS projects I use, for that I find someone (never the same person twice) and pay them to donate to the developer. That is about my only outside expense.

          • L3ft_F13ld!
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            45 months ago

            Thanks for the reply.

            Always interesting to hear about different ways of doing things.

      • @huginn
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        45 months ago

        Ok Chairmaker but we can’t all be on Sma’s bankroll.

          • @huginn
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            45 months ago

            Hard to say. Privacy of mind seems most important. The rest… Seems immaterial?

            The minds control all, after all.

    • @Imprint9816@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      45 months ago

      Its always interesting when people have something other then “making a phone call” as the number one practical use case for their phone.

    • Otter
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      25 months ago

      I think it’s a matter of support. Where I am, major banks aren’t supported and neither is transit. I’ve used the feature once

      That being said, I’d probably use it if it did

        • @huginn
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          15 months ago

          If you wanna use a physical metro card that you have to refill with cash every X rides be my guest.

          Horrid experience, I’ll keep my tap thanks

    • @smeg@feddit.uk
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      25 months ago

      Is having contactless payments in your phone really that critical though? If you have one of those wallet-style phone cases with the slots for cards then you can just put your card in there and basically achieve the same effect!

      • @huginn
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        65 months ago

        It’s a virtual card, they don’t offer a physical tap card.

        • @smeg@feddit.uk
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          55 months ago

          Oh weird, never heard of any bank not providing a card before. Open another account with a bank that gives you one if you can be bothered, but I completely understand if most people can’t be!

          • @huginn
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            55 months ago

            Yeah this isn’t a bank it’s a pre-tax commuter card offered through some work service.

            The website is awful and sketchy looking but officially endorsed by Large Company and I get my $100 pretax dollars, so I don’t complain.

            • @smeg@feddit.uk
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              35 months ago

              Oh weird, so it only works via Google/Apple Pay? What do they do if you say you don’t have a smartphone?

              • @huginn
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                35 months ago

                You can pay normally and then submit reimbursement. Which sucks majorly.

                NYC only recently added tap to pay and it’s a godsend.

                • @smeg@feddit.uk
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                  25 months ago

                  Ah that’s a bit shit, if you want convenience it’s on their terms, hard to argue with that really