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Comment on I have unlimited cellular data on my phone but not if I use it as a hotspot.

ptz@dubvee.org ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

Yeah, installing a new OS on a phone isn’t something you do easily like on a PC.

You have to unlock the bootloader, which requires an unlock code from the manufacturer, then you have to factory reset it, and that’s even if your phone/carrier allows it. Many don’t (which is why it’s so hard for me to replace my phone…grrr).

So yeah, installing a new OS on your phone is typically going to require quite a bit of effort and some level of commitment as well as a device that’s bootloader unlockable and supported by alternate OS (each device and model requires a custom build).

It’s…a whole thing.

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TWeaK@lemm.ee ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

and that’s even if your phone/carrier allows it.

This is why you should buy the phone outright yourself then get a SIM only deal, rather than paying for your phone in contract.

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- ptz@dubvee.org ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  Yeah I do, but SIM unlocked and bootloader unlockable are two different things. Sadly, not every phone (or even the same phones made for different carriers) are allowed to be bootloader unlocked; I have no idea why, but it is and sucks.
  
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  - TWeaK@lemm.ee ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    Yeah it’s definitely true, even with the same manufacturer it can be hit and miss. You gotta do your research before you buy.
    
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FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I haven't done it in a while, but it kinda depends on the phone, some were very easy to flash in the earlier days of Android.

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- ptz@dubvee.org ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  Yeah, my old Moto Play G4 was a breeze. Wasn’t quite “Press any key to continue” but not much more difficult.
  
  My OnePlus was a little more work, but that was mostly because of the OP website acting up and refusing to generate my bootloader unlock key. Also had to do things differently since it didn’t have an SD card to hold my install stuff like the Moto Play did.
  
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  - FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    I had one where you could literally run an app on the phone, no ADB or anything. Can't remember what phone it was now but it might've actually been a Moto Droid
    
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    ptz@dubvee.org ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    One one hand, that sounds extremely convenient. On the other, I shudder thinking what a malicious app could do with that 😆
    
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