#PSA: the #QUIK #SMS [app] has been updated, and it's way better than before.

I used to have problems with it because the pictures it sent via #MMS were of far poorer quality than the other programs I tried (including the #AOSP default Messaging app), but they seem to have fixed that.

They also have added a nice big button to trigger your phone's native dictation service (you can turn that off if you don't want it, or don't have one).

It has successfully replaced the proprietary SMS program I was using before, which makes me quite glad.

#TIL the stock #AOSP / #LineageOS / #CalyxOS keyboard actually has an #emoji mode!

Its in settings (long press the comma!)

whoa, #Android #AOSP no longer to be developed in the open -- source code will be made available in large releases instead https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/google-makes-android-development-private-will-continue-open-source-releases/

so much for the android "open" source project; this puts it firmly in google's hands as google android (where previously their strategy was to make google-exclusive versions of the stock aosp apps like clock calendar calculator etc, they now just straight-up won't let you see what's going on in between ~yearly releases)

AOSP ?
No it's ACSP (android closed source project)
#android #aosp #google

This is some bs. If AOSP development is made less publicly accessible it does NOT " simplify things for developers" but rather it hinders it for de-googled privacy respecting ROMs and their device ports. The need for continued and ramped up efforts developing alternative mobile OS's, like Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish OS, Droidian, Mobian, Postmarket, etc. is even more apparent with this move by Google.
#linuxmobile #degoogled #android #aosp #ubuntutouch #sailfishos #mobian

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/google-makes-android-development-private-will-continue-open-source-releases/

Installing a new OS on a phone has always been a daunting task! I've done it a few times, but always dreaded it.

So I'm really happy that @e_mydata has created an installer that seems like it could actually be used by most people!

It looks like a simple step-by-step GUI process. Except there's a warning at the start stating "Before proceeding with the installation, verify if the latest Android firmware is available for your device." and I don't know what that means or how to check

Android-App bringt Debian aufs Smartphone
https://linuxnews.de/android-app-fuer-debian/ #debian #android #aosp #linux #opensource

I now have Android 15 on my Fairphone 4! Thank you, @calyxos!

People who don't flash a new OS on their Fairphone 4 (and I can't blame them, it's not fun) are still on Android 13! I don't really understand why @Fairphone spends resources developing their own tiny tweaked Android and never being able to keep it up to date, instead of collaborating with Calyx or some other OS developer who are able to get out the latest releases.

"Big Tech Wants You Trapped. The Open Web Sets You Free"
Great open alternatives to Big Tech are:
- /e/OS (www.e.foundation) → free your phone and tablet
- Murena (www.murena.com) → free your phone, tablet and email/cloud
- Qwant (www.qwant.com) → free your search
- Mastodon (www.joinmastodon.org) → free your social media

https://www.joanwestenberg.com/big-tech-wants-you-trapped-the-open-web-sets-you-free-2/

So, will the UK government's proposed digital wallet be open source software?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgkjjkjy4p8o

I really hope so, as governments have been talking for years about "open source first" as part of its Technology Code of Practice (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/be-open-and-use-open-source). The wallet would cost taxpayers a significant sum of money to develop/procure and to maintain, so it should be open code to support this initiative.

Call me cynical though; I will not be surprised if this gets outsourced to a proprietary software vendor and is only available to Apple devices and unrooted Android devices. Ideally it would be available not just via Apple Store and Play Store, but to all AOSP-based devices via other distribution methods such as FDroid, as well as Linux devices via their own packaging tools.

TIL that Android has it's own version of VMs and Alpine**

https://source.android.com/docs/core/virtualization/microdroid

#Android #AOSP

**loosely

New #blog post: FOSS ROMS and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad State of Native Messaging on Android

https://rldane.space/foss-roms-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-state-of-native-messaging-on-android.html

cc: my #chorus: @amin @joel @joelchrono @dm @sotolf @ivan @thedoctor @pixx @mirabilos @twizzay@thisis.mylegendary.quest @twizzay@behold.mylegendary.quest @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk

I've raised a bug with #AOSP about Android's lack of support for #Unicode.

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/366415133

There are loads of Noto fonts that Google is missing from the project. Which means a large swathe of missing languages, characters, and symbols.

I'll write up a full blog post soon with all the details. If you know anyone who works on Android at Google, please give them a nudge (after the weekend, obvs!)

We're writing some cool android documentation over at OpenDroid!

Please check it out and use it/contribute to it

Content is CC BY SA and the site code is lGPL v2

https://opendroid.pugzarecute.com/wiki

#AOSP
#lineageOS
#Android
#Linux
#openDroid
#opensource

Which is best?

Feel free to explain in comment if you like.

The more I work with #aosp the more I feel that this all started as somebody's side project. It really shines through how heterogenous the code base is. Different build tools, different languages. It's both beautiful and a pain at the same time.

Support Our Mission for Privacy-safe, Sustainable, Open-Source Smartphones!

Murena is growing, and we want you to be a part of it! We're considering a fundraising campaign where anyone can become a co-owner of Murena through investments big and small.

Interested? Sign up for updates https://murena.com/investors

#Fundraising #ESG #SocEnt #OpenSource #Privacy #Sustainable #Android #FOSS #DataPrivacy #PrivacyMatters #eOS #Murena #AOSP #Investment

@e_mydata @gael @rikviergever @manojnair