Graphene in my Hand!

In this phase of my cyberpunk life, stuck in a city, I've acquired enough stability to aboard small projects lasting just a few days—enough to distract me from my situation, but not enough to hold me back for too long.

I thought having a mobile phone free from corporate influence would fall into this category, but the truth is, it's been disappointingly easy.

How did I get here?

My masculine personality did its best to stay out of the control of national and foreign companies; I considered it an act of personal responsibility and independence. While this is reasonably simple in computers thanks to GNU/Linux, it's considerably more elusive when it comes to mobile phones.

So my hands have tried all sorts of devices with alternative operating systems, including CyanogenMod, LineageOS, MozillaOS, and even Debian Mobile with PostMarketOS. For a reasonable amount of time, had a Fairphone.

Using these kinds of completely alternative or still-developing operating systems has certain costs that didn't usually care about at all. Good luck trying to run the banking app or WhatsApp. It was something that personality didn't care much about.

When started exploring the paths of multiple personalities and gender transition, I allowed myself to be a little more relaxed and got a regular, low-budget, mainstream phone that I've been using since 2022. I thought that transitioning was complex and that it would be good to have mainstream ways of connecting with people. In hindsight, it didn't really help much, to be honest.

At this point in my life, I felt that such an insecure device, so dependent on tech companies, didn't fit with my self-image as a cyberpunk trans warrior, so taking advantage of this pause in my life, I decided to get a phone that lived up to that vision of myself. I knew it would take some time, since I'd tinkered with it before, and I knew it would cost me some money, although I set a fairly reasonable budget.

The time had come to use GrapheneOS.

The Hardware

Most mobile phones today aren't designed to be functional for many years; rather, they're short-lived consumer goods. Manufacturers have so integrated planned obsolescence into these devices that they stop receiving updates after ridiculously short periods.

The folks at GrapheneOS aren't willing to work on adapting their system to devices with a two-year lifespan, so the models it can be installed on are currently quite limited: it's restricted to Google Pixel 7 and later models. So yes, paradoxically, to escape Google, I had to buy a Google phone, which, on top of everything else, aren't cheap.

Luckily, there are those refurbished phone stores, and I'm not too demanding when it comes to performance. A Pixel 8 will keep me working until 2031, and it was within my €250 budget, and I'll still have enough left over for a pink case.

The Operating System

I knew that Graphene OS is the current mecca for privacy and security, and I was somewhat familiar with its usage structure because I had researched it extensively in the past. So I set aside a couple of days to install it on the device, as I knew these things can get quite complicated because had done it before. On the other hand, some people say it takes an hour, but I'm a pessimist and I don't trust that.

It took me ten minutes. It was disappointingly easy.

Of course, I then fine-tuned it in terms of security and performance, and that did take more time, but the result is incredibly satisfying. All the functionalities are available without sacrificing anything. I even have a separate profile with social networks and other stuff like that.

Some Interesting Features

The wide range of features offered by GrapheneOS is available on its website, and most of them are transparent processes that replace or improve upon what happens on a standard Android phone.

For example, the profile system incorporated in current Android versions is a good starting point that Graphene improves upon. Combined with the optional way Google services appear, it allows me to have different profiles in which I encapsulate my activity. I have one for daily use, which, for example, contains no Google services; another for social media, which does; another for the banking and car insurance apps that require Google services; and so on. Each of these profiles is isolated from the others, giving me privacy and security.

I was surprised to learn about the option where, when an alternate PIN is entered, the system formats the entire user's data, allowing a person to protect themselves from even the most intrusive physical assault. It sounds very cyberpunk because it is, just like reality.

How it makes me feel

Having a personal device that respects my privacy and lets me choose how companies interact with me should be the basic operating principle, but the truth is, it's a rarity. Throughout my life, I've taken various stances, from negligently acquiescing to invasive practices to becoming invisible through very alternative operating systems where I couldn't interact with other people.

This is the first time in my life that I don't have to choose; everything is at my disposal: security and convenience, with all the use cases I need in my daily life.

The feeling reminds me of that moment when I drove my Suzuki Jimny and stopped hating driving and started genuinely enjoying it. It's like having a good sword; it's not an obvious requirement for fencing, but it certainly allows me to fully enjoy it.

To top it all off, I managed to do it within my budget (250 euros) and at a speed that surprised me. In fact, it took me longer to write this article.

Looking to the Future

Corporate unethical practices seem to know no bounds, so I wouldn't be surprised if Graphene OS ceases to be an option in the future. For now, I have updates until 2031, and things usually last me a long time because I take care of them.

It was recently announced that Motorola will sell a phone ready for Graphene OS, and that it will come pre-installed. This is great news, and while I know I won't be getting one, it will be a good option for other people who find tinkering from the console tedious.

I'm still hacking the universe.