It is so difficult to find modern electronics without telemetry and ads. Smartphones, laptops, TVs, home routers, security cameras, cars, game consoles, e-readers, projectors, 3D printers, fitness trackers, speakers, and even some printers. Why can’t customers be free from this data collection and advertising? It’s not that we don’t care about it. There simply aren’t many alternatives, and the few that do exist are either more expensive or offer fewer features. Seriously, we need a list of products we can buy and use directly without worrying about telemetry or advertising.
The following list is updated at https://lemmy.ml/post/52706206. Please note that this list may contain errors.
- PC: Anything Linux
- Laptop: Framework Laptop, System76, MNT, Purism Laptops, Starlabs Laptops, TUXEDO Computers, NovaCustom, Slimbook
- Smartphone: Jolla Phone, Purism, Brax Phone and its Criticism, NovaCustom Smartphones, Fairphone with /e/OS
- Google Pixel + GrapheneOS might be a better option
- Fairphone OS collects information such as the IMEI, serial number, OS version, device model/brand, operator information, and network/cell information…
- Tablets: StarLite by Starlabs
- Smartwatch: Pinetime, Bangle.js, ZSWatch, Pebble
- GadgerBridge is a free and open source Android application that allows you to pair and manage various gadgets such as smart watches, bands, headphones, and more without the need for the vendor application.
- HealthyPi Move is not available yet
- Wireless headphones: Fairphone Fairbuds
- Alternatives: IEMs (wired in-ear monitors) + wireless dongle
- Kiwi Ears Cadenza, Truthear Gate/Hexa/Pure, Moondrop Chu 2, Fiio BTR11, Snowsky Retro Nano…
- Alternatives: IEMs (wired in-ear monitors) + wireless dongle
- Wireless Speakers: ?
- E-ink devices: CrossPoint Reader Devices
- TVs: ?
- Projectors: ?
- Game Console: Anything Linux
- MiSTer FPGA is an open-source FPGA-based retro gaming platform, not a single commercial console. There’s no official finished console to buy.
- VR:
- Steam Frame has telemetry but there is no better option
- Routers: OPNsense
- GL.iNET has telemetry, but you can install OpenWrt on it.
- MikroTik routers does seem to collect telemetry
- SmartHome:
- Home Assistant + Zigbee / Z-Wave Devices Without WiFi
- Security cameras: ?
- Reolink cameras collects telemetry but can be used locally.
- Printers: ?
- Openprinter an open hardware printer that is not available yet.
- 3D printers: Prusa 3D Printer, Sovol
- Cars: ?
- Slate is not available yet
- Anything else that doesn’t come with ads or telemetry built in?
Other suggestions:
I don’t know a ton about it, but I’ve been looking at the Brax phone recently for this reason
Please see the updated post https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/20165-response-to-dishonest-attacks-on-the-grapheneos-project-by-robert-braxman
Ah ffs, why is there privacy space filled with people like this? I knew that Graphene has being targeted with a lot of nonsense like the Wired article, but I didn’t know all that. Hopefully there Motorola partnership gives rise to some more interesting Graphene phones
Brax phone and their company is really scammy-looking, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Graphene OS is the only private mobile OS worth the hassle, all other “private” phones usually introduce more untrustworthy 3rd parties than they get rid off, and overall are a downgrade in privacy compared to an average phone.
If can’t use GOS for any reason, then the only alternative is to use the normal phone you already have as little as possible, and just treat everything on it as not private, and use airplane mode more often.
That’s a shame, as there aren’t any other real options at that price point. My major negative with most privacy-focused phones is their size, they’re all massive. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Motorola do with the flip phone note that they’re partnered with Graphene, though I feel like a hardware kill switch and an sd card slot might be too much to hope for