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I have a Pixel 8a from Verizon, as someone else here said, they sometimes have crazy deals. This was a free one (through bill credits) for us. It was right after Google released that version and before 9. I quickly discovered that even with Google’s beta program which you can FREELY USE and all it requires you to do is connect your phone via usb through the web and it patches your phone via Google’s site to install it. I’m a beta testing type of person, so I was all in, until I discovered there was no way no how because of the bootloader.
Then, on top of that the, GraphineOS is not able to be installed with it locked as well. I haven’t approached Verizon about unlocking the bootloader. I’ve heard some success stories on XDA I think it was about people getting theirs unlocked through them. (Probably if you get a tech who’s in a good mood helps).
I tried it the other night on my Pixel (Android 15) and had no issues. I’ve been trying out different launchers in an attempt to find one which isn’t asking for a monthly or yearly sub and has horizontal app drawer as an option! Both of which are getting to be more rare these days. I couldn’t see where to make the drawer scrollable on Lawnchair, so I skipped it for now.
Hands down, Bitwarden app on phone and in browser. Vaultwarden self hosted. Since I host it at home, I know it’s always in my server. The winning thing for me is that Bitwarden Supports Webuathn now, you can use it as it’s own webuathn key you authorize to log in with, so basically go the site you want to login with and when it asks for the webuathn, you can either have Bitwarden use the credentials you stored for it or your own biometric or hardware key instead.
With this, I sign into Authentik for my SSO just by clicking one link, and Bitwarden prompts to log in and I click the option. I’m auto logged into my server and no UN/PW passed to it.
I’ve tested others and nothing quite comes close except for KeepassXC, but for me, it’s a matter of personal preference on my side. I’ve been with Bitwarden since the early days.
This may fit the bill some? Harmonoid It allows you to use your local media.
If you don’t mind internet radio, there’s always Radio Garden which allows you to stream any station from almost anywhere in the world.
If after 9pm M-F, and I plug it into AC Power (Not USB on desktop), then it mutes all system sounds until I unplug it from the AC power. During said time, if certain people call, it raises the ringer to full so I can answer it.
I still have this enabled, but rarely ever use it, it came in handy about a year ago though - when near any of the WiFi hotspots at my work, then turn volume off, upon leaving the range, volume comes back up. Also, enabled my work profile which set an Autonotification to set a timer on my phone and watch for my break and meal periods. I now am full time WFH, so neither of these come in to play.
While connected to Car bluetooth, cancel my work timers (above).
I was working on but had to put on pause, a Google Voice interceptor - the goal behind it is to auto use Google Voice to make outbound calls if you are not calling a contact in your list otherwise, if you called one of your contacts, it would use your normal phone number.
Taskernet share for above (Google Voice Robot) If link is broken, it should be searchable. It’s not guaranteed to work.
I have a policy - only those who should know my phone number is family and they are very strict about asking me before giving to anyone who asks. So, it’s usually not given. Then for businesses and other places which require a phone number, I use a Google Voice number. From doctors, to banks, or other places. I rarely get the scam calls.
HOWEVER
I get around 6-15 SPAM text messages daily. All 100% Political for Trump, Biden, Harris, or whatever scammer tries to get me to support on my non-shared number. A lot try to guilt you into “donating” to them too! I feel bad because while I won’t fall for it, I know many people already do. I have to use Google Messages to effectively block those automatically.
I have AT & T and complained to them about it to be told that I could change my number, but it would be $40.00 to do so. That’s a big scam in itself and I refused.
Well…since Google is primarily an Ad company…
I just plug into the Private DNS settings dns.adguard-dns.com and run ad free. As for bloat- mine was infested with Facebook and other apps preloaded by Samsung, but it was easy enough to remove by long pressing and deleting it. They fortunately didn’t make them system apps.
With that said, if you are handy with android-tools such as ADB, you can place your phone in debug mode and issue adb commands to disable system apps. Pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
With Linux, you need to have the awareness of what is running on your phone 24/7 and AFAIK, there’s nothing like that except maybe Home Assistant, but that’s pushing it. I have a buddy which has an always on VPN which he uses 100% of the time at home, never any issues with him. As for the phone, I have Wireguard for when I am not connected to my WiFi, and then disconnect when I’m back on my WiFi network. This way, I am certain to be on my home network 99.99% of the time. I use Tasker for that.
With that said, you will need an automation of sorts on the Android to be 100% sure you are on your appropriate VPN. Whether through Tasker, Macrodroid or a few other apps.
I admit I didn’t read many replies due to time. But to add to them, the more I deal with my mother who is becoming more technologically challenged in her years, I constantly get to hear about how confusing her Android is sometimes, I sort of wish she’d switch to Apple for it’s simplicity! I used to have an iMac and was gladly part of the eco-system for a while and enjoyed how intuitive it was. With that said, when the time came for me to join the Smartphone world in '10 or so - I went Android and haven’t looked back.
We’ve looked at them in the past and while they make solid quality phones and easy to use phones, from what I understand, the battery life is somewhat to be desired? (as of a few years ago). The formula they use to make everything stay within their Eco-system seems to be working for them. After all, if you have an iPhone, then it seamlessly works with your Mac, or other Apple Devices. There’s more control over it.
For the best flexibility with our family, we use Android and will for the time being. Not to say though that the newer Linux based phones (PinePhone,Librephone etc) aren’t catching my attention because they are and I’m a die hard Linux user! :)
For those like me which didn’t see the video linked it’s the Threads by Linked in the OP is talking about.
Be careful for those that install it, I guess if you delete your account there, it deletes your Instagram one too.
https://www.androidauthority.com/delete-threads-profile-3342840/
Not using anything right now for Mobile SIP. I am like the OP - on GVoice but want to move eventually away from there. As for home use with the fax and stuff, I just logged into their site. With that said, I used to have an ATA Adaptor (Linksys SPA1) unlocked so I could use it with my regular phone. That was around 2016 or so. We, like most people now are 100% mobile so, not a single corded or cordless phone in the house otherwise.
voip.ms is decent. They provide their own version of a PBX and it’s a good company. I’ve used them in the past for a lot of different things, most recently as a number for sending faxes and receiving them a few years ago while dealing with disability benefits for our daughter. They also offer fancy on hold music if that’s your thing. :)
I self host Vaultwarden at home on my server and it uses 2FA for logging into the system to access your saved passwords. It’s easy to set up and I use a Yubikey for mine. I use Docker to do this myself. It’s an adaptation of Bitwarden and is compatible the same Bitwarden app and browser plugins. Having everything on your own system ensures that it doesn’t go to the corporate controllers out there. Plus, you can find the source on Github for Vaultwarden so you can go over it if you are unsure about the security of it. :)
Have you looked the blueprints by chance? There are medication reminders in there. I use this one and it works quite well: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/advanced-medication-reminder/300137
When I started first using Tasker back in around 2013 or so, I was mesmerized but what you could do with it. This was because at the time, too, I was rooted, so it really changed the possibilities with modes and so forth with Tasker. For example, NFC unlocking the phone when you tapped it to a NFC tag while the screen was OFF. That was killed by Google in Android 5 but before then, it was awesome! Tap on the tag and your phone would perform whatever task you told it do. Over the years, Google and other Android makers have slowly added different functions that Tasker was doing before them.
Since Tasker was taken over by the current Dev, it’s make many leaps and bounds over what it could before and simpler now. My tasks are:
Turn volume up ALL THE WAY for specific contacts and then back to the before volumes after the call. I have an older mother which hopefully live longer than 10 more years, but closing in on 80 years young, she’s going to get more fragile with her age so, my sister who lives near her, can call me in any issues pop up. (I live about 5 hours away). So, it’s essential to know when she’s calling me. On the same theme, when she texts me, I have it announce via TTS that she sent me a text. It’s also handy for when my wife calls me!
The phone restores the volume from silent when unplugged from the power charger in the morning ONLY after 7AM. I work from home and awake around 4:30am daily and around 7 is a good time to return sounds in the home. But, it is also conditional, so if on the weekend, I don’t wake up until 8am), it won’t turn sound on until I unplug it. (NOTE: The tasks to raise volume for the callers will override this mode which is good!)
The phone also turns the volume off at 9pm nightly since there’s no reason to have it make noise after then, all are home and pretty much it’s peaceful time.
The phone also sends a signal to my August Lock to send the unlock command when it put it my back pocket by reading a NFC Tag which contains a webhook to call Home Assistant to give the unlock instruction to the door lock.
When certain apps I define are open, it keeps the screen on all the time. I use this all the time when I’m at the store and running a calculator so it’s always up. A few other apps as well, but not too many.
A few others such as toggling the Private DNS server on my phone (I use dns.adguard-dns.com) on the phone to block advertisements and sometimes it doesn’t work so having a widget to toggle that off and on is super nice instead of navigating to it in settings.
I used to use Wiregaurd (Now on Tailscale), but before then, I had a task which would auto connect me to the Wireguard tunnel on my home network immediately disconnected from my WiFi, this ensured that I was always 100% on my home network. Tailscale does the same thing (If you set it to be always connected to your tunnel) , but I’ve been playing with that for a bit over a year and have pretty much settled there for now. My wireguard Tasker Profile for anyone interested:
https://taskernet.com/shares/?user=AS35m8nTnqPjajvNWFTA0s2cuT8IdHNE46iSJeH3U9724uLffLDxxiIVTbFo1jKBcieTRlRsEw%3D%3D&id=Project%3AWireguard+Toggles
Before the lock down of Covid, I used to have a profile which I still keep on which would trigger if I was NEAR a SSID for my work to silence my phone and restore the volume if I was away from it (or if I’m connected to my car’s stereo bluetooth if near the SSID). This worked flawlessly and never worried about stupid app notifications during work which would be frowned on. I occasionally go to the office and forget sometimes it’s triggered. :)
One that I’ve worked on for the last years, so sparingly was making a Google Voice robot which would see which contact you called and then send the calls through Google Voice instead of my phone dialer. I’ve made it work but not all the time, so never have trusted it. (I only give my cell number to my family and very trusted friends, everyone else gets my Google Voice number).
My Voice Robot project which is stale as I’ve had been busy with health issues off and on and life events otherwise:
https://taskernet.com/shares/?user=AS35m8nTnqPjajvNWFTA0s2cuT8IdHNE46iSJeH3U9724uLffLDxxiIVTbFo1jKBcieTRlRsEw%3D%3D&id=Project%3AGoogle+Voice+Robot
Overall, your imagination is the limiting factor for what you can do with Tasker, the dev has also made it so you can take 100% control over the phone by making Tasker the device owner which bypasses the need for root. I haven’t done it with my Pixel, but on the Samsung I had, it worked, but broke a work app so I disabled it (Requires a factory reset to enable and also disable it).