> Instead of blaming all your problems on an external entity like Google

But it's not his fault. I can easily empathize with how he's feeling.

Power bank probably doesn't work well because the update limits charging speed.

What if he doesn't have money for buying a new phone? Also, transferring files via cloud storage can be a non-trivial process, especially for a non-technical person.

This person is on HackerNews, implying at least enough technical expertise to use a website. Google Drive is a website. Other people have offered this person alternative devices free of charge. Yet they are so fixated on a specific outcome (Google just fixing this for them) that they can't see another solution when it's offered up on a plate. They are also neglecting to think beyond the immediate problem: say they get the firmware rolled back somehow - what happens when the device stops charging/is stolen/is dropped and all their files are still on it? Have you never know anyone like this before? Someone who needs all their problems solved for them because they refuse to take responsibility for the situations they have created for themselves through action or inaction?

Hi, I'm not sure if you've saw it but not only is the battery is close to dead but the charging is super slow and it struggles to work plugged in. So I cannot use it well. The only option will to get a new phone, but it's been taking a toll on me.

I am not looking to be a charity case. I'm just flustered at what Google did. Something that never happened in history, without warning, ending my phone.

It's not exactly an unprecedented event for an old device to stop working. Yes, the mechanism by which your device broke is a little surprising, but the outcome is frankly inevitable: for one reason or another, old devices break. This is the same reality we all live in. We each have a responsibility to ourselves to face up to our reality and solve the problems with which it confronts us. Expecting reality or external entities to change to suit our needs is not realistic. I'm not going to give you any more advice because other people have already done so. To be honest, it seems like you have a habit of offloading your problems onto other people (housing, food, basic welfare, and now your phone). For your sake, I sincerely hope that you realize that the locus of control in your life is within yourself. You are the only person steering the ship of your life. It's fine to ask others for advice, but you are the one who needs to implement that advice in your own life. You have received plenty of this advice in this thread and people have offered you all the help you are going to get. No one on HackerNews is going to magically make your problem go away. Unless this post is simply an exercise in trying to make people feel sorry for you, the best thing to do would be to say "thank you" and go try out some of this advice, or take up someone's generous offer to help you in a way that is realistic for them (e.g. sending you a new device while you use the remaining life of your current phone to back up your files to the cloud).

This isn't about an old device, it's just a few years old (2020, on Android 13). I understand that things break, but this is not about that. It's how Google lied to users about the update, then the update wrecking their phones to a point where it doesn't work. If my phone were to have naturally been destroyed then I get it, I have to move on.

I'm sure a lot of people have Pixels here, if all of a sudden it is forced to update, and the phone becomes unusable, would you not be angry? What if Microsoft forcefully updated and made all processors around 2018 bricked? I've browsed here so much and everyone loves to use old and cheap CPUs for their crafts which are beautiful here. I'm sure many people use old phones for many reasons as well, such as mobile servers, gadgets, etc. The Pixel 4a was a budget phone and perfect for those who want a phone with a headphone jack and that just works. Pixel 4a was also one of the phones used for many Android projects.

At this point I just want to tell people on here what Google did and let people know that this can happen to your phone at any time. Hopefully you are all prepared as Pixel 5/6 have been having battery issues as well and a forced update might be coming for that. I hope everyone is prepared.

Yeah, we know. We have the ability to forsee potential problems before they occur and plan for contingencies in our lives. But thanks, person who can't meet their own basic needs. Thanks for your help. Maybe focus on helping yourself for a change before thinking about us - we're doing ok, reading this in our living rooms.

Your reply is completely uncalled for. I hope you're able to get professional help for whatever it is in your life that drove you to be this callous toward someone.

Oh, I have a great life, no complaints here. I just have no patience for attention-seekers with a victim mentality. But thanks for your concern!

It can be really hard to understand why people do what they do. But I do know from personal experience that shelter insecurity is one of those pervasive stressors that makes everything difficult.

Maybe their phone getting screwed up was the proverbial last straw. Now, instead of a calm, considered approach, they're fighting exhaustion and panic while trying to problem solve.

But no matter what their circumstances, being vile toward them is unwarranted.

Hey dude. This is probably the most vile thing I've read in a while. You should be ashamed of yourself.

> This is probably the most vile thing I've read in a while.

All that tells me is you don't read the news. What I said isn't even in the top 10 most vile things said publicly today. So maybe that sensitivity threshold is set too high.

> You should be ashamed of yourself.

Unlike OP, I'm not claiming to solicit advice. Keep it to yourself, I'm entitled to my opinions.

I've been on this site for like 15 years and I've never felt so compelled to tell someone they are a useless fucking asshole of a prick besides you.

Your projection reeks. I bet the last shit I took is happier than you are as a person. Get some fucking help.

lol, I imagine everyone in a relationship that posts here might have run into the "listen vs problem solve" scenario...

I definitely have tried to problem solve and things would escalate because the other person wanted me to listen.

But yeah, this is HN :)

I'm aware of the "listen" versus "problem solving" scenario. I refuse to accept the framing. For some reason people have bought in to the idea that you can unload your emotions on someone and also create expectations on how they should respond.

If someone approaches you with a problem, they should expect you'll help them find a solution.

This is all Google’s fault though. They crippled a perfectly working device. An external battery pack is a bad band aid.

Google has always sucked at customer service.

And now look at this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42873635 It gets worse.