Shendai

  • Joined Nov 30, 2022
  • Have tried numerous setups on different hardware.

    My go-to computer for getting actual work done nowadays when on the move is a 12th gen Framework, dual booting to either an ameliorated version of Win10 for certain work that cannot be done except in a true windows environment, and EndeavorOS (Arch based linux distro) preferentially for everything else.

    This covers everything I need to do from a practical standpoint, while minimizing risks & exposures to an acceptable (for me) point. This combo has so far covered 100% of everything I want to do for both work and light entertainment.

  • jeffers I've not noticed a meaningful difference in battery life on my 6a. I'm still getting 2+ days between charges, though my app selection is carefully limited.

  • I may have found a solution. It's now been working for 3 days in a row.

    As a troubleshooting step, I went to gboard app settings and selected "clear storage". Then I once again followed the process Kras outlined, and it seems to have worked. Network permission is revoked, and speech-to-text works as before. I needed to reset some minor settings for gboard (like the theme) but that was it.

    I did try clearing the cache first, then redoing the "Kras process" but that didn't work. I had to fully clear storage for gboard.

    If someone else (Kras?) could test this to confirm it works for them as well, I believe this issue could be closed after successful confirmation.

  • Kras Hopefully its legitimately a bug, and not Google wanting to disable functionality for users who choose to not allow network access for gboard.

  • I request this issue be re-opened.

    While this process works, I've now had to do it every day for 3 days in a row as each day voice to text stops working again. This is irritating and becoming a point of friction in GrapheneOS.

    Does anyone know of a solution that works permanently like before?

    This problem only presented itself with Android 15, and I am definitely not rebooting my phone, either manually or automatically. Voice to text simply stops working every day until the procedure listed earlier in this discussion by Kras is performed.

    • Kras replied to this.
    • Kras Thank you both for your help.

      Kras, following your process worked perfectly and offline voice to text is restored. This is a feature I really want to have and use routinely, so losing it would have been a major pain point. I may explore other open-source options at some point, but this works with good accuracy, and as long as my dictation and typing don't go to Google, I'm happy.

    • splattergames Thanks for the quick response.

      Play Services & Gboard are both fully updated.

      I do not have the googletts.google-speech-apk installed apparently, there is no com.google.android.tts in my system apps. Would upgrading to Android 15 have removed this?? I don't recall installing this previously.

      I do see it via the Aurora store, but I'd rather not install anything (particularly from Google) if I don't have to. How could have my speech to text worked previously without this?

      • Hello,

        As of the most recent update, anytime I attempt to use speech to text, an error comes up at the bottom indicating "Voice input is not available right now."

        This is using the Google (gboard) keyboard. I've changed no settings at all. Offline voice-to-text has been working reliably for a year+ ever since I first enabled it, I can only assume this is related to the update to Android 15.

        Has anyone ran into this, and is there a fix available? I remember getting it to work initially was a bit tricky, gboard needed temporary network access to download a database, I believe, after which I again disabled network access.

        Thanks in advance for any input or suggestions.

        • matchboxbananasynergy Hey there, I'm using the Chase banking app without issue on a Pixel 6a, installed via Aurora store, Exploit protection compatibility mode is not enabled.

          In case its relevant here, during the last GrapheneOS update, the apps took an obscenely long time to recompile. Specifically, not during boot itself but after first unlock, the notification that "apps are getting ready" must have taken at least 30-45 min. Normally its half that (or less) for me, as a light user with relatively few apps installed.

          Just read updates above which identified the issue, so please disregard.

        • magikarp If you're asking what I use personally, I dual boot on most of my computers.

          1) Win10 Ameliorated edition for windows. It's not for the faint of heart as windows updates are not just disabled but gone, however so are most of the "guts" for telemetry and other microsoft nasties. You could install updates via powershell, but that would very likely re-install all the nasties that were removed, so I don't. Honestly hardening windows by disabling some services, not running Office, using a 3rd party firewall like Comodo, and being mindful of your downloads has avoided any problems for me, and that's going on 4 years or so of heavy usage in this config.

          2) I choose one of several linux distros depending on the hardware. Void linux for old, especially 32-bit systems, like an ancient asus netbook I have from 2008. Nobara's been working well for a gaming laptop. Garuda or just default Arch for newer rigs that are more... expendable if something goes wrong. Strengthen certain default settings, enable firewall, change password for root account, basic security 101 stuff.

          I don't use qubes or other truly security-first focused OS's, as I've found the usability compromises for me are greater than I will tolerate, though I have dabbled in a couple of them. Hope this helps. Remember the user is always the greatest point of failure for security on any system, and no OS can fully protect against that.

          • mmmm replied to this.
          • sobersick It always becomes a questions of convenience vs. security and what your expected threat model is.

            Windows can be made substantially more secure than it is "out of the box" by adjusting various settings and services. Unless you require those services for work or other use.

            Linux is my go-to default desktop/laptop OS, and it too can be hardened pretty quickly & easily over what most distros offer as stock out of the box. If you want to run a website from your own computer, one of the *BSD's is likely the way to go. If you want to have one of the best protections for your entire home network, dedicate an old desktop to run PFSense or one of the similar firewalls. This last option takes some work, but can be incredibly effective, and - depending on your configuration - can offer feature parity with commercial grade firewall gear from Cisco.

          • TranquilSolitaryTree You have already made the most important decision for privacy and security, using GrapheneOS as well as Proton for services like email & VPN. Others have added valid suggestions that I won't duplicate.

            I'll just say, particularly coming from the Apple ecosystem, focus (as you have been) on functionality first. Some users got discouraged by their apps not working, and reverted to stock Android, which is an unfortunate mistake in my opinion, but their device, their call.

            It is exceedingly rare to find something that doesn't work at all in GrapheneOS. As an Apple user who's used to an exceptional camera, you might consider installing the actual google camera app, it does have some functionality not present in the default camera app included in GrapheneOS, though that one is getting better.

            Aside from that, be patient, have fun with it, and welcome to GrapheneOS!

          • unplugmaverick I can only comment with my opinion as an end user.

            First, I see updates regularly that incorporate security fixes I would not otherwise have, even on stock Pixel. Certain exploits that affected stock pixels, such as cropped images being "recoverable" and not actually cropped, have not affected GrapheneOS users, in addition to countless other known security holes.

            Android car play was added (end of last year or early this year?) to GrapheneOS. I still don't know the digital sorcery that went into making this happen, as this should not have been possible without Google's express cooperation, but its now there. I don't personally use it, but I know it was one of potentially two remaining show-stopping features for regular users that may have prevented them from trying GrapheneOS.

            Again, only speaking for myself, I'm not really interested in new features. In fact, some of those new features (like AI integration) is something I hope we won't see in GrapheneOS, or at the minimum, with a toggle to truly disable it completely. There's some cool photo editing magic available on stock pixels, but would I trade that for the additional control, privacy, and security I get with GrapheneOS? Not a chance. Still would like to see a "shake to turn on flashlight" feature like what Motorola phones have, but I've made my peace with that. :-)

            Stock apps derive mainly from the AOSP repository (aside from bespoke ones like Vanadium) so yeah, they're not great, but we have better alternatives to use if we choose to.

            I'm not sure GrapheneOS will ever be more than a rounding error percentage of users compared to the stock Android ecosystem, and I'm okay with that. Like anything worthwhile, it takes patience and a willingness to learn some new things to use this marvelous OS fully. I am eternally grateful to the GrapheneOS team, as without them I genuinely would not be using a smartphone at all, and I suspect a few of my fellow maniacs here feel the same. :-D

            Just my $.02.

            • After using GrapheneOS for well over a year now, I would not consider any other smartphone OS acceptable. Whatever minor usability/utility losses are there vs. a stock Pixel are so worthwhile for the extra control, security, and overall simplicity, I haven't looked back. I would understand if some work-essential app simply refused to function due to failing the attestation test, but even then I would think hard before losing all the tremendous benefits of GrapheneOS.

            • Speaking of, Aurora store has stopped working for me as of a couple days ago. Still not working. Unable to update a slew of apps. Anyone know what's going on?

              • Dual boot Linux & an ameliorated version of Win10. Best solution I've found so far to run basically all software used for business, play games, and have the better Linux option available for the bulk of your activities.

              • ev6x Thank you, you were entirely correct with option #1. Evidently I didn't have a case of using Do Not Disturb where I received Signal messages since installing GrapheneOS, and today was the first time it was an issue. Anyway, everything is working as intended. I disabled the option to receive messages from my "favorites", and all should be good going forward.

                Apologies for my bumbling buffoonery before looking more closely into that bypass setting, and thank you for your help!

              • Hello,

                Maybe this was always the case, but I just noticed it and wondered if anyone else experiences the following:

                When the phone is put on "Do Not Disturb" mode, is anyone still getting notifications from Signal? I was in a conference today where that became an issue, and I ended up silencing my phone entirely. Am I misunderstanding the Do Not Disturb mode? I thought it means no notifications / alerts / noises from the phone should happen?

                Is there some bypass in Signal where if a contact is on one's favorites list their messages still come through? I'm on the latest 1013 build of GrapheneOS, with google play services installed.

                Thanks for any info or feedback.

              • 3njKu6Zc6 As others here have stated, Aegis is a great solution and its what I migrated to using instead of Google Authenticator when I started using GrapheneOS. If I remember correctly, I was able to import all my codes at once using a QR code scan from the old app as it was on a different phone. Quick & easy. Biometric authentication on the app enabled and works as it should.

              • thor Gaining root access is not the same thing as an OEM unlock, and in fact you should NOT attempt to gain root access on GrapheneOS as this introduces potential security vulnerabilities. That said, I defer to those more knowledgeable to weigh in on whether gaining root access confirms that specific phone has the OEM unlock toggle enabled. My initial thought is it doesn't, but I could easily be wrong here.