rikonium

@rikonium@discuss.tchncs.de

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rikonium ,

Sorry to be the one but the privacy and freedom issue is independent of powertrain. Some earlier models before the automakers went upmarket with EVs were perfectly normal. Now the tablet-on-dash, telematics and other data collection has become pervasive in EVs but now it’s in full-force on ICE vehicles for quite some time. A Mach E and Colorado can both be, and have been, bricked by a bad OTA update.

Practicality though also will vary. If people were used to charging at home all the time, telling people that they have to visit a business to refuel every X days or Y miles would seem odd just because it’s quite different than people think is normal.

rikonium ,

There is RCS the standard, which isn’t really used - maybe Apple’s support will give it a boost. Then there is RCS + proprietary addons that is used, Google iMessage.

Disable tracking on Chevy Bolt 2019 ( sh.itjust.works )

OnStar reports location and speed data to the car manufacturer. Sometimes they will sell this data to insurance companies to raise your premium, as several news stores pointed out a few weeks ago. I couldn't really find an advantage to OnStar, (I have my phone to call emergency services) so I disabled it by pulling it's fuse....

rikonium ,

See what kind of radio you have in there - if it's 3G then you're already set since it's likely been sunsetted.

This applies to 4Runner's but the gist may apply.

2019 and earlier MY have a 3G radio and that's gone.
2020+ have a 4G radio that should be disconnected via phone call first before hardware mods.

Disconnecting the antenna on that vehicle only reduces cellular range but there is also a fuse that can be pulled but that will be very model specific so checking your manual/fusebox/online documentation may help. (in Toyota's the only side effect is loss of microphone use for in-car calls)

US sues Apple for illegal monopoly over smartphones ( www.theverge.com )

The US Department of Justice and 16 state and district attorneys general accused Apple of operating an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market in a new antitrust lawsuit. The DOJ and states are accusing Apple of driving up prices for consumers and developers at the expense of making users more reliant on its iPhones.

rikonium ,

An iPad Pro, specifically

rikonium ,

Varies widely. In Toyota’s you call via the SOS button, have your VIN and they can do it. There are also other direct ways like pulling the Mayday fuse to disconnect the “Data Connection Module” (DCM) but that takes the microphone with it.

Some older vehicles that have 3G radios might not have been disconnected explicitly but are as good as dead because 3G as they knew it is gone.

It does not report via Android Auto since these vehicles have their own cellular radios, but not to say Google has its own metrics.

Your best bet is looking for a car/make-specific forum or subreddit and see if anyone’s asked the questions before while ignoring the “nothing to hide, you have a phone lol” clowns.

rikonium ,

In Toyota’s there’s a red sticker on the dash talking about it and how to opt-out. (or at least I’ve seen it in a rental and a new car - but it might also be yanked by dealer’s PDI)

rikonium ,

I’m sure it varies widely. In Toyota’s you can call in to disconnect (I did it while waiting for a tire pressure machine) but to do it physically you pull a single fuse and the trade off is losing the microphone.

Others have pulled the dash and disconnected antennae but it just reduces the range of the box since it’s a cellular radio like a phone.

rikonium ,

The antennae only likely won’t reduce range enough. Check for an opt-out procedure prior to purchase since that’s easiest, then look for what fuse powers the connection (also easy), but worse case, lay eyes on the module itself and evaluate.

rikonium ,

in this case that's Toyota specific and it means likely loss of phone calls on the go (but nothing else) even though the data can't leave your vehicle anymore. It all depends on how they wire up the system. Maybe it's easier, maybe it's tied to something random.

rikonium , (edited )

There's no easy one-stop solution since it can vary widely.

I would look at subreddits (yuck, reddit!), or dedicated forums for your model if they exist, you'd probably be surprised what's out there. (Example, there's Piloteers (Honda Pilot), Kia-Forums (Kia), 4Runners and Toyota-4Runner, etc. But information may be scattered.

First objective is figuring out if it's even on your vehicle or applicable. Older 3G radios are done since the networks that connected to them are gone now. My '16 Kia had no cellular radio. Maybe you have an SOS button or they advertise a phone app to control your vehicle remotely?

Edit: And if you can't find specific model/year information for your vehicle, you can look for information for related vehicles and see if it's relevant. Ex: Honda Passport, Pilot, Ridgeline sharing a lot of engineering.

rikonium , (edited )

I own an iPhone since it fits my use case with a retail presence, (more) available repair, longer (if murkier how much exactly) software support, customer support and local backup option. (iTunes)

Out of the box it’s a superior privacy experience to a Pixel but if you’re someone who wants to tinker, there’s less potential. Personally, I don’t want to have to “work” on my phone these days and Google’s engineering snafus haven’t been reassuring. (Google Drive “fix” then sticking head in sand when problems persist, Android 14 bricking…)

and my most personal reason is that they made my Moto Z Play materially worse by removing the OK Google with screen off feature to push the then-new Pixel and pretended it never was supported.

Edit: Yes, obviously an unpopular opinion but really think about what you want. Buy used to be more environmentally minded, do you want to tinker with your phone? Fairphone is neat, but tradeoffs are all over the place.

rikonium ,

Yep, I’ve done plenty of custom ROMs, used most mobile OSes out there, etc. but I’m not joking when I say I don’t want to deal with SafetyNet, figuring out what works with/without Play Services and generally getting in bed with Google hardware (but that last bit isn’t privacy oriented.) And no way do I have the time to tell mom how to install Graphene and support it.

Apple’s on-hardware processing for some things is a plus as well. Yes I know it’s their current business plan and can change but they make money on hardware and services, not knowing things.

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

rikonium ,

I got you, the caveat is that a DIY battery replacement is going to be easier than say a Pixel 6 (no main board removal necessary.) and will still work.

Yes, their software locking of features (like TrueTone) and less availability of original parts is reprehensible, (luckily those are less critical functions for now but they wont stop there.) I won’t get battery health metrics but it’s about the tradeoffs you want. (See: Pixel Watches outright being considered unrepairable by Google. I’m not sure how easy it would to secure nearby battery service on a Pixel - but at least it’s available on iFixit for DIY…)

rikonium ,

That’s incredible, happy to see the old hardware still kicking!

On a similar note, sometime a year ago I spotted a guy using a Q10 at a shopping center in LA. Had a quick chat which was fun.

rikonium ,

On top of the other comment he apparently modeled aspects of Leon and Mathilda’s relationship on his own romantic one which sketches me out to no end. I enjoyed the movie but the cut I saw felt a little too close to romantic rather than the guardian/parental dynamic I expected and I didn’t even see the extended cut.

10/10 camera angle when Leon screams though.

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