• 2 Posts
  • 19 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 10th, 2023

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  • The ability to unlock the bootloader is actually irrelevant in this case. I want the source code because it is my right. I might find away to boot custom code or I may not.

    And what will you do with it exactly? Without unlocking the bootloader, it’s basically useless. You should concentrate your efforts on seeing if you can unlock the bootloader first.

    Either way I still want the sources to study at least.

    There wouldn’t be anything interesting about those sources, except the binary blobs/DTB. Unless you’re expecting to find some malware or something. If you’re really interested in studying the kernel/Android sources, you can always head to https://source.android.com/ or https://kernel.org/. There are also more interesting sources over at LineageOS and GrapheneOS.

    As for streaming services I use Jellyfin so its not a big deal.

    Then why did you even bother buying this box? You’d have been better off using a Raspberry Pi or some HTPC, where could load any opensource distro or even easily compile your own, and have a far greater deal of flexibility.


  • Getting the source code is only one piece of the puzzle, before you do that, have you checked if the bootloader is unlockable? Because if you can’t unlock the bootloader then there’s no point trying to get the kernel sources.

    You should also bear in mind that if you unlock the bootloader, you’d be degrading Widevine to L3, which means the video quality of Netflix and other streaming services would be downgraded to SD. One of the main reasons why people buy these TV boxes (instead of using a Raspberry Pior something) is to watch streaming services - but unlocking the bootloader breaks the DRM, which would defeat the whole point (IMO) - unless you don’t plan on using those services?



  • Currently using the Fold 5, upgraded from the Fold 4. Before you ask, no I’m not rich, I got it for free thanks to my company. The Fold has its pros and cons. For the pros, I’m a heavy book/manga reader, so it’s super convenient having the large screen. Or even for browsing websites, or ssh/remote access, or just Lemmy - or heck, even when typing and editing this reply - it’s a far better experience than a small screen, a huge quality of life improvement. So in that regard I’m happy, and wouldn’t go back to a normal phone.

    The thing I’m ambivalent about it is the bloatware. But it wasn’t really a problem, nothing Universal Android Debloater couldn’t take care of. Once debloated + with a custom launcher, you don’t even care that it’s a Samsung.

    What I dislike about it mainly is the lack of dust resistance - I’ve seen people complaining about dust somehow getting under the display or inside the hinge, so I’ve been super cautious about it. Like recently when I was on a holiday and we went to this desert area where you could go sandboarding and stuff, I didn’t dare take my phone out of my pockets or even touch it, until I got back in and washed my hands, in case some sand got into the hinge or under the screen. think that’s a bit unacceptable for a such a premium priced phone.

    The second thing I dislike about it is the camera - it’s pretty average, at least for a flagship price. Not that it’s a dealbreaker for me (I mainly take photos of food lol), but I think for the price you’re paying, Samsung could do much, much better.

    The third thing I dislike is the e-fuse/KNOX. The fact that Samsung voids your warranty if you unlock your bootloader, and that you permanently lose some features even after you relock your bootloader, is unacceptable.

    Finally, the new official grip/strap case sucks - because it’s a hard plastic/rubber thing that you need to slide downwards and bend (requires two hands) you can’t simply hold the phone and slip your fingers into the strap one-handed, like you could with the Fold 4’s case, which makes it very inconvenient. It’s a massive step backwards in design. People have also complained about the new strap coming off easily (because it’s swappable) or even breaking and causing you to drop the phone. No idea what Samsung were thinking when they made this change. Thankfully, it looks like there are third-party cases with the same strap design as the Fold 4, but I haven’t tried them yet. I actually managed to make my old Fold 4 strap case fit my Fold 5, as a temporary measure until the thirdparty case arrives (had to order it from overseas).