Is LineageOS possible on Boox devices?

[Anghirrim]

Originally Posted by bigwigs

If you are concerned about ur privacy you can use vpn and private dns.
I have multiple boox devices and have checked its internet activities using private dns, it doesn’t acccess any other sites like Hisense a9 which had 3rd party code baked in their phone os.

So, for Hisense a9 it makes sense to have lineageos to remove those 3rd party crap but boox isn’t like it.

Good to know, Boox devices don't "call home" or Google to often? I used to monitor some devices traffic with PiHole, and sometimes there are some surprises.


Side question, based on this ( https://blog.tho.ms/hacks/2021/03/27...-note-air.html ) , if I understood well, Onyx devices come with an unlocked bootloader, a vendor partition and fastboot.

Did anybody ever tried flashing a GSI on it?

[BiduleMachin]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

What would be gained from it?
No Google Play Store!
I don't know if that's a win

You can use F-Droid to get most of the open source apps. You can also use Aurora Store that can get any play store app without a google account.

[Anghirrim]

I just bought a second hand Boox Page, as it's relatively inexpensive (compared with other Onyx models), I think I'll play a bit with it.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by BiduleMachin

You can use F-Droid to get most of the open source apps. You can also use Aurora Store that can get any play store app without a google account.

But there are no purchase confirmations - that requires the Google Play Store

[Michal Jancik]

I don't know how it would be beneficial. Keep in mind that these are book readers, and I really doubt that LineageOS will be well optimized for these E-INK screen devices. I find it more interesting if it were possible to boot a Linux ARM operation system

But if someone uses book readers for their banking, fine. I would just like to know how many and what applications are not available for Android 11 that it is so necessary to leave the entire Onyx ecosystem for these apps (and lose all benefits and applications, after switching to another Android it will be nothing more than looking for alternatives to the original applications and search, not to mention the overall stability of the OS.

[cartz]

Originally Posted by Michal Jancik

But if someone uses book readers for their banking, fine. I would just like to know how many and what applications are not available for Android 11 that it is so necessary to leave the entire Onyx ecosystem for these apps (and lose all benefits and applications, after switching to another Android it will be nothing more than looking for alternatives to the original applications and search, not to mention the overall stability of the OS.

As someone using Lineage on my Hisense e-ink A9 I can say that it is completely stable and has been optimised for e-ink by the developers who created the ROM. There is no lost functionality at all.

The reason for people wanting more up to date Android versions is for security, not app availability. And the reason to prefer Lineage over Boox or Hisense is that it is an open source operating system as opposed to a Chinese customised version of Android that potentially has spyware.

Having said all of that obviously if you are just using the devices for reading ebooks then there is little reason to want to change from the Boox version of Android. But these devices are capable of much more than that and there are significant numbers of people who rely on e-ink due to inability to cope with LCD screens. I'm in fact typing this using a recently acquired Boox Mira monitor connected to my Linux desktop. All my screens are now e-ink (PC, Phone and multiple tablets).

[Michal Jancik]

When I consider, for example, Lineage v20 for → A9
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...ENkBH1ATPBlymA
From : https://www.reddit.com/r/eink/commen...or_hisense_a9/

.. so, according to the post, it doesn't really smell like optimization. In addition, the only setting for E-INK is the "E-INK center", which does not have half the setting options as ONYX, for example. Those comments about the problem and inaccuracies of the LED backlighting do not look very convincing either.

However, I've never tried A9 devices with Lineage, so I'm not condemning it, and I was more referring to devices like BOOX ONYX type Leaf/Page/Nova etc..

If someone uses E-INK screens (10 inches and similar) as a replacement for the LCD monitor from LineageOS, it can bring more freedom and control. Of course, if you don't go through the entire "source code" then you can't be sure what the device "sent" and "receving" if you understand me.

PS: It might be interesting to have most of the E-INK devices I understand the installation of another OS in your case, but I think it's an expensive hobby

But some users simply need to constantly assemble something and install something, some of the listed items are then used only as an excuse "why .."

[Anghirrim]

Well, Boox Page received. It's just crazy how much it calls "home". There are some questions regarding privacy.

This is definitely where a custom ROM would be useful as I finally don't use any of the Boox apps but the e-ink center, which is very nice.

And the Play store is not needed once using F-Droid and Aurora Store.

PS: Blokada stats are based on a fresh factory reset device, after four to five hours of monitoring.... Called two boox.com addresses more than 50 or 60 times...

[Michal Jancik]

Originally Posted by Anghirrim

PS: Blokada stats are based on a fresh factory reset device, after four to five hours of monitoring.... Called two boox.com addresses more than 50 or 60 times...

According to the IP and server verification, all adress "?.boox.com" it is a cloud service, you are probably logged in to the BOOX account and it is accessing the updates or the device verifies whether the cloud teacher can synchronize (for example, during reading for saved positions, various statistics)
https://whois.ipip.net/AS134963/47.251.130.0/24

en-data.BOOX.com = http://47.88.4.191/login
They are a domain that serves to connect the BOOX ONYX company.
So nothing suspicious or abnormal

[Anghirrim]

Thanks for looking the servers.

I was not logged in any account (Boox, Google or whatever...).

I personally can't be happy with a device that pings that much its home servers when I don't ask for it. I did on purpose let it on my desk, doing nothing, and it kept connecting to the servers.

I understand your point in saying it's not suspicious because it's Boox servers. Fine, as long as one trust Boox servers.

However, I can't help myself but find it way too much. And even if it's statistics or telemetry data, I am the kind of guy who do not want to share more than needed to companies I don't know.

They just don't need it. They sold me a device, I did not sign a statistics provider contract.

I totally respect your point of view, don't get me wrong. It's just me.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by Anghirrim

I did not sign a statistics provider contract.

If you look at any app you'll see a ton of analytics.
A lot of it is third party packages that they threw in, Google stuff, crash analytics.
There's not much getting around it. It's whack-a-mole.

I have always just kept WiFi off on all my readers.
(I don't wear a tin foil hat though.)

[cartz]

Originally Posted by Anghirrim

This is definitely where a custom ROM would be useful as I finally don't use any of the Boox apps but the e-ink center, which is very nice.

The developer who got Lineage working on the A9 also developed a great E-ink Center app that replicates all the functionality of the stock Hisense rom. Development is still occurring and you can find all the details within the massive thread of XDA: https://xdaforums.com/t/hisense-a9-r...495809/page-82

[Anghirrim]

Originally Posted by Renate

If you look at any app you'll see a ton of analytics.
A lot of it is third party packages that they threw in, Google stuff, crash analytics.
There's not much getting around it. It's whack-a-mole.

I have always just kept WiFi off on all my readers.
(I don't wear a tin foil hat though.)

Well, yes and no. What I will write is only valid for myself, just let it be clear that I am not trying to make it a point valid for everybody.

Indeed, you are right, most of the apps delivered with stock firmwares as well as apps from the PlayStore are stuffed with trackers et send tons of statistics of our usage data or device info over Internet.

Is it common, yes. Is it normal or acceptable? That's up to everyone's sensibility. I do not accept it.

Data leaks is a lost cause today. Do we then have to accept it and live with it, without trying to limit the leak? I don't think so. I won't ever agree to facilitate the life of personal data suckers. Again, that's a personal choice.

There are alternative solutions.

First, have the ability to choose a stock ROM that does NOT spy on you. I have ported DeGoogled Android ROM's to several phones in the past, even changing the connectivity check addresses to some trusted servers. When doing so, I have monitored several stock ROMs (Samsung, Google, etc...) through PiHole. And none of them used to call home as often as my Boox device does. That's why I say, Boox calls home way too often for me.

Second, is Boox legitimate in calling home. They might be... But when with at least Garmin, Microsoft, Google, Samsung and OnePlus stock ROM's of OS (I couldn't speak for others) leave you some choice on what you agree to share with them, Boox does not. Their privacy contract is a "Take it or don't use our devices". Meaning that once you've spent some money to buy their device, you have no choice but to live with it or return your reader. This is, to my opinion, taking customers in hostage.

Third, you don't need to keep using apps that are stuffed with trackers. The project Exodus Privacy helps you choosing apps that do not spy on your by listing trackers before you install an app.
When using F-Droid, you have open source apps with, for most of them, no trackers.
For the apps available on the Google PlayStore only, Aurora store is a great alternative with integrated Exodus reports.
Finally, ClassyShark3xodus can scan your installed apps to let you identity which app has integrated trackers.

So yes... Installing mostly F-Droid apps make your device " dumber", my wife keeps complaining that my phone is not as easy to use as hers. But at least I have some more privacy and a much greater battery life.

Again, I understand that most of the people are fine with stock ROMs. I just personally don't want to easy life of companies who live not only with the money we spent buying their device, but who also suck continuously our personal data.

While for calling home for the sake of cloud synchronization or updates check, when I do not have a cloud account or don't ask for update, the device should not do it (or at least not once every 2 to 5mn).