Don't buy that ripoff shit dude. That's a Samsung A13 you can get unlocked on the used market for $100 (and they're charging $330). All they've done is prob added some lock out apps you could just download & trying to sucker gullible parents.
Yeah, I am thinking about just buying an unlocked phone and putting a custom rom on it, but I also value that it just comes mostly set up. I’ve never installed a custom rom. Do you know any resources or services that will do that for me for a more affordable price?
Its pretty easy, def easy enough to DIY. I'd say maybe grab a used factory unlocked (NOT Verizon version) Pixel 3a and put GrapheneOS on it. There's prob tons of easy YT vids to show you step by step.
Good for you (not sarcastic), but this concept is garbage in my opinion. All of the 'apps' they let you use are proprietary, closed-source options when you can't trust with your data. Removing the browser means you can't get quick info you need but also prevents you from using web apps in the browser sandbox which is generally stronger than the the access native apps give you (which make it safer for stuff like social media or banking apps that doesn't need but like 2 permissions but ask for all of them). This basically lets Pinwheel gatekeep your device and I don't think they're a better curator than yourself.
To each their own I guess. I just want something that does what I need and doesn’t have what I don’t. I have an addiction to social media and even to just researching shit that I don’t need to on the internet. So yeah, I think they might be a better curator than me tbh.
Edited my post, I did mean that as actually good for yourself and if it does work for you great, I just don't think its a great recommendation for others.
Noted. Yeah, I would say that it's a good recommendation for a very specific use case, and that's mainly because the other options are lacking. For me, it comes down to having most of the apps that I want, none of the junk that I really shouldn't have, a UI to manage it, and the fact that I don't have to mess around with figuring out how to implement a custom rom. I'm basically paying a premium for the UI and for someone else to set it up, and I'm okay with that.
I'm glad you found the right phone for you, but you do know that you can do this with any smart phone - just only have the apps you need and delete the ones you don't want, right?
Sounds like they're reinventing the wheel here.
Really? Yeah, of course I know that you can download and delete apps on any smart phone. The point is that it’s too easy to just re-download the apps or get around any blockers on a regular smart phone. I thought that was obvious, but maybe not?
This happens to me everyday. I find my way around every block that I set up for myself. AND there’s such a limit with how specific the blocks can get. I can always unlock. I even have my screen on grey scale - it’s helped reduce my time a lot but then I found random articles and apps to waste my time on.
And this was all a change a few years ago when I got the iPhone 11 with the larger screen size.
With some technical knowledge you can literally remove the store etc.. and make it impossible to load anything on the phone from the phone itself. There are guides on how to do this online.
It really depends on the app and if it updates via the play store etc.. but you would have to do a lot of manual work, linking phone to PC to actually get rid of the store and other things in the first place. I'm too lazy to search for a guide for you but I'm sure there are many, though if you are not a technical person it may be too much work, I'm not sure. It's likely you will need to update some apps manually at some point, but you would find that easy if you had actually got to that point already.
I used it for a while, but they really pissed me off when something happened and all my apps were deleted and reinstalled. So all of my accounts were logged out. I was already kind of dissatisfied since certain things like android auto just aren’t available, and this was like the straw that broke the camels back. I’m now back on an iPhone. 😐
Don't buy that ripoff shit dude. That's a Samsung A13 you can get unlocked on the used market for $100 (and they're charging $330). All they've done is prob added some lock out apps you could just download & trying to sucker gullible parents.
Yeah, I am thinking about just buying an unlocked phone and putting a custom rom on it, but I also value that it just comes mostly set up. I’ve never installed a custom rom. Do you know any resources or services that will do that for me for a more affordable price?
Its pretty easy, def easy enough to DIY. I'd say maybe grab a used factory unlocked (NOT Verizon version) Pixel 3a and put GrapheneOS on it. There's prob tons of easy YT vids to show you step by step.
Thanks! I’ll look into it.
I’ve also heard about Lineage. Any thoughts on that rom?
Its good too. Graphene is more private tho (but only avail on Pixels).
Cool. Thanks
Good for you (not sarcastic), but this concept is garbage in my opinion. All of the 'apps' they let you use are proprietary, closed-source options when you can't trust with your data. Removing the browser means you can't get quick info you need but also prevents you from using web apps in the browser sandbox which is generally stronger than the the access native apps give you (which make it safer for stuff like social media or banking apps that doesn't need but like 2 permissions but ask for all of them). This basically lets Pinwheel gatekeep your device and I don't think they're a better curator than yourself.
To each their own I guess. I just want something that does what I need and doesn’t have what I don’t. I have an addiction to social media and even to just researching shit that I don’t need to on the internet. So yeah, I think they might be a better curator than me tbh.
Edited my post, I did mean that as actually good for yourself and if it does work for you great, I just don't think its a great recommendation for others.
Noted. Yeah, I would say that it's a good recommendation for a very specific use case, and that's mainly because the other options are lacking. For me, it comes down to having most of the apps that I want, none of the junk that I really shouldn't have, a UI to manage it, and the fact that I don't have to mess around with figuring out how to implement a custom rom. I'm basically paying a premium for the UI and for someone else to set it up, and I'm okay with that.
I'm glad you found the right phone for you, but you do know that you can do this with any smart phone - just only have the apps you need and delete the ones you don't want, right? Sounds like they're reinventing the wheel here.
Really? Yeah, of course I know that you can download and delete apps on any smart phone. The point is that it’s too easy to just re-download the apps or get around any blockers on a regular smart phone. I thought that was obvious, but maybe not?
This happens to me everyday. I find my way around every block that I set up for myself. AND there’s such a limit with how specific the blocks can get. I can always unlock. I even have my screen on grey scale - it’s helped reduce my time a lot but then I found random articles and apps to waste my time on. And this was all a change a few years ago when I got the iPhone 11 with the larger screen size.
Yep. I can relate.
With some technical knowledge you can literally remove the store etc.. and make it impossible to load anything on the phone from the phone itself. There are guides on how to do this online.
Would the apps that I have auto-update or how would that work then?
It really depends on the app and if it updates via the play store etc.. but you would have to do a lot of manual work, linking phone to PC to actually get rid of the store and other things in the first place. I'm too lazy to search for a guide for you but I'm sure there are many, though if you are not a technical person it may be too much work, I'm not sure. It's likely you will need to update some apps manually at some point, but you would find that easy if you had actually got to that point already.
We use this with our kids. It’s a great product for that use case. I think it could work for adults, but I haven’t tried.
I used it for a while, but they really pissed me off when something happened and all my apps were deleted and reinstalled. So all of my accounts were logged out. I was already kind of dissatisfied since certain things like android auto just aren’t available, and this was like the straw that broke the camels back. I’m now back on an iPhone. 😐
This looks amazing, do you know anything like it that exists for european carriers?
Idk if Pinwheel works for European carriers. Did you check?
It doesn't