Do you use a device with open source Android firmware? What device, which distro and what do you do with it?
I have a Samsung tablet with LineageOS and apps from F-Droid. Other than displaying dire warnings about the unlocked bootloader every time it cold boots, It's great for a "recliner system": email, Web browsing, E-book reader and MP3 player. What do you have, what do you use it for, and how well does it work for you?
Android isn't firmware. It's OS. Firmware is embedded on things like the camera, wifi chip, etc. I don't know of any that have FOSS firmware. I hope I'm wrong.
Unrelated, but oh my fucking god, I just realised that "firmware" is not a separate etymological category compared to "software" and "hardware", it's literally "firm" as in between "soft" and "hard".
Yes, of course. I'm not aware of any fully open source tablet that actually works - I got a PineTab2, but it's more like a mini laptop, and the onboard WiFi does not work, which is too bad.
I really really want to say yes to this. Fuck Google play, Google play does nothing for me as a user. It's actively a nuisance, even. The cpu/storage drain alone is unacceptable. And it's like, fuck, I wouldn't be as angry about them gathering/selling my personal data if they cut me in on that but decency is nonexistent in big tech, not even in short supply.
I had a Xiaomi with Lineage OS for MicroG I would nust use it to communicate and organize my schedule while tying to make the cleanes interface. Ive been trying to get Carbon OS in my hand but I do not have any device that supports it.
I have the same tablet and OS (and apps, but I use aurora store as well).
I am not happy that the fingerprint sensor doesn't work, but other than that is great.
I use it as reader, media player, some school apps of my kids.
I've used it (with a Bluetooth keyboard) as remote desktop client.
I use a SHIFT6mq with GApps-less LineageOS and only apps from F-Droid.
And I do lots of things with it. Media consumption, email, web browsing, music, social media, RSS, messaging, note keeping, shopping list, navigation tool (map & public transport), ticket wallet, 2FA etc..
I don't care to use proprietary services, so not having access to the respective apps is not a problem for me.
Really, I'd want it to be even more open. Android has some real limitations to it, like no way to just quickly script something, and just generally, it disallows apps from doing lots of useful things, because it assumes apps to be malware.
Im currently using a Samsung galaxy s10+ with lineageOS, since the support ended in the beggining of this year.
Works prettty good, but with some downsides, no voLTE, one of the front facing cameras doesnt display image, was working in stock.
The heart bit sensor doesnt work either.
But this issues arent a dealbreaker, so its a nice experience overall.
Pixel 7 with Calyx OS. This is probably my all time favorite setup for a phone. Most of my apps are foss except a few (banking apps, discord, lyft, and Instagram)
PlayStore if you want to have it. Not everyone wants to have Google sniffing on your background just like Graphene with their "playservices"... Which is indeed Google with just a few options off. But people will never be able to get it pass their heads. Op is asking about open source... Not Google source