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Re:Mobile Changes Everything by mirimir on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @03:59AM (#9763210)
> Perhaps a more appropriate question is not so much if anyone is building a smartphone (from a hardware definition) ...

The baseband is a huge security hole. The provider in large part owns the device, regardless of what software it's running.

> ... so much as is anyone building an operating system which runs on commonly available smartphone devices which does not employ these tactics?

I can live with Linux ;)

Re:Mobile Changes Everything by bratch on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @04:14AM (#9763264)
You may be interested in the Neo900 [1] project, which is building a trustworthy mobile phone and will support a variety of free software operating systems.

It will be possible to run with completely FLOSS software (including drivers) and it even solves the problem of the baseband modem having full control over the main CPU/memory.

[1] http://neo900.org/

Re:Mobile Changes Everything by mirimir on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @04:28AM (#9763303)
Thanks!

Now if they accepted Bitcoins ...

But hey, I'll ask.

Re:Mobile Changes Everything by AdieuToLogic on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @04:25AM (#9763297)
> The baseband is a huge security hole. The provider in large part owns the device, regardless of what software it's running.

In the US at least, this is not the case:

https://www.fcc.gov/device-unlocking-faq

The cellular provider no more "owns the device" than the cable company "owns your TV."

> I can live with Linux ;)

But you are not living with Linux. You are living with Android ;-).

Re:Mobile Changes Everything by mirimir on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @04:31AM (#9763310)
I don't do cable TV. Same reason ;)

I'm not living with Android. I'm waiting for Linux.

Edit: I don't mean "own" literally, financially. I mean "own" in the sense of access and control. So yes, I can root "my" device, but I can't root the baseband radio.

Re:Mobile Changes Everything by AdieuToLogic on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @04:39AM (#9763340)
Then this might be what you have been waiting for:

http://kali4hackers.blogspot.com/2013/09/install-kali-linux-...

Re:Mobile Changes Everything by mirimir on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @04:46AM (#9763372)
Oops, ran out of reply levels.

And yes, one can run Linux. But you're still running the Android kernel :(