Category: Android

Don’t Buy The Freedom Phone

First there was Freedom Fries. Then Freedom Toast. Now there is the privacy promising Freedom Phone that promises liberation from Big Tech. Is the Freedom Phone really the bastion of liberty that it promises to be? Let’s dig in.
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G - Google Logo

Android 11 Removing the Camera Picker

Android 11 is removing the ability to select a default camera. Before 11, users could select a default camera the same way they could select a default browser. If the user preferred GCam over the stock camera, it could be set as the system wide default.
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Google Fitbit Watch

Don’t Buy Fitbit

Garmin has recently experienced a major service outage likely caused by ransomware. Unfortunately for me, I purchased a Garmin Vicoactive 3 last month.
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I Have a Smartphone Addiction

I have a problem. That’s the first step, right? Admitting you have a problem? Well, I do. With smartphones. I don’t buy the latest and greatest. I don’t hop on any Galaxy S93+ Jumbo 5G Alpha bandwagons. I’m much more of a thrifty shopper. I like buying things used. Take my Thinkpad T540p. It was […]
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The Best Google Photos Alternatives

Google Photos has long been the preferred method to backup photos on Android. Google Photos offered unlimited high quality photo storage while limiting original or best quality photos to the storage available. OG Pixel benefited from free full quality photo backup forever. Subsequent Pixel users were offered free backup with an expiration date. Google announced […]
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Energy notch

Energy Notch for Android

I remember smugly carrying my Google Pixel, sneering at those ridiculous new phones with notches. Why would anyone want a big black blob on the edge of their screen?!
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OnePlus 7T Unlock Guide

The OnePlus 7T is the third Onehttps://amzn.to/3b6TSlKPlus phone I’ve used in the last year. When my OG Google Pixel required charging multiple times daily, I “upgraded” to a Moto Z2 Force. That was a terrible mistake. I appreciated the near stock experience but my particular model was the AT&T version. Meaning no updates. Even when […]
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Camp Hacks

Camp Hacks: Silica Gel for Phones

Rice is the go to for water logged phones. I’m here to tell you there’s a better way.
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11 Open Source Apps to Try

12 Open Source Apps To Try

While its easy to run open source software on Linux (its comes preinstalled!), it may not be so obvious on Android. There are free and open source apps available for just about everything on Android. Being FOSS though doesn’t make an app great. Like their closed source cousins, there’s a lot of mediocre apps available. […]
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Open Source Android Launchers 2020

While there are more manufacturers offering stock Android like OnePlus or Nokia, many still offer bloated launchers by default. Other launchers have been available for years. They can add various levels of customization or simplicity. A launcher can even speed up your phone. True to Hacking the Hike, all of the launchers on this list […]
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