Are you using /e/ on a daily basis? Please reply here and share how you are using /e/. Right now /e/ is still in beta so it is very understandable people may not want to use it as their primary phone at this time. But there are other ways you can use /e/ and give it a good real world test.
I am currently using /e/ as a Waze app navigator and podcast player for my long commute to work. I have /e/ installed on a Motorola G4 Plus which has a nice large 5.5" screen and I place the phone on my center console for discrete use. Waze requires a data connection so I purchased a BYOD SIM card from Tracfone for cell data which will cost about $10 US per month. I load up my podcasts before leaving, and Waze gives me traffic alerts on my drive.
My intention of using /e/ has been two fold: de-google and move towards FOSS. I have been using /e/ as my primary driver from the day I got a testing account. Almost for a month I’ve been using it now. I use F droid and my ideal state is to use only apps from there. But today we are yet not there. I have installed few apps via Aurora: pocket by Mozilla, Adobe, and proton email.
The OS experience is surprisingly pleasant and smooth. I don’t face any major stability issues. I face minor irritants: 1.Mail app still has problems like not being able to send mails from configured external mail accounts, smooth syncing, etc, 2.Any reading doc whether default Mupdf or Adobe reader they get closed despite locking them.
I, also, had to make some compromise in user experience. Map apps, podcast app available are not on par with some apps available in play store. This is where I believe /e/ app store can play as a platform for creating more FOSS apps and with option for monetization. I believe without an option to monetize their work we won’t be able to attract a community of world class developers.
Also non availability of any FOSS equivalent of office suits
I am using /e/ as my only phone on a Fairphone 2, which is the first smartphone I ever bought, my only Android experience before this FP2 was on a Tablet: Samsung Galaxy tab 2.7 espressowifi.
Recently tried different OS’s and finally started using /e/ because I don’t like Google, Google is spyware to say it friendly. /e/ is here to stay. OK, it can be a little #buggy, as to be expected in a beta-release. As far as I know as a newbie in Android /e/ works fine. I still have to learn almost everything. There is a device specific disturbance in FP2 that has to do something with the super-good new camera: power off is always a reboot and encryption fails. Don’t ask me how a camera can cause this, but it seems to be the case. The same model FP2 exists also with another camera and I am waiting for an answer of Fairphone support if it is possible to replace the camera with the older version for this device. So, I’m using /e/ as my primary phone. A real world test, and it it is true /e/ will be a system that can be used easily by “mom and dad, the neighbors” and so on, all non-geeks. I’m able to do this test because I am an Arch-Linux user, I wouldn’t recommend this real-world-test to the average Windows or Mac user.
I have tried /e/ soon after the beta came out with a newly purchased Le2 - mostly without Sim-card for testing. One week ago I finally switched to /e/ as my primary mobile phone. Basic functionality is all there and working (calling/SMS/Apps). As expected for a beta-phase there are some inconveniences like camera problems and issues with newly created software (e.g. Bliss) and the user interface feels a bit rough around the edges and could use more polishing. But in total it feels stable enough for daily usage, if you feel confident enough to flash a phone that is.
Documentation is available, but could be better - maybe involving the community with these task could improve this situation.
The community makes a helpful and respectful impression and the /e/-Team is quite responsive, both of which is a huge bonus.
So currently I don’t have any incentive to go back.
I’m not yet using /e/ on a daily basis because my daily device is not supported (a new Nokia Android phone). Since it’s not even got a working device tree yet it’s a long way from getting LineageOS support, never mind /e/ support!
I am using /e/ on a Nexus 5, probably 1 or 2 times a week to update, test a few more things and check bugs.
My use case is to put /e/ v1.0 on the phones of my family members.These phones are no longer updated by their manufacturer, but I don’t want to replace an insecure OS with a more insecure and unstable OS, hence why I’m waiting until v1.0 to put /e/ on their phones. They do test the Bliss launcher every now and then but don’t have a strong opinion on the differences to Google-Android.
I bought a second hand Moto G 3rd gen to test run the beta, but after a day or two switched my sim card over as well. I have had no problems. I also show it to anyone who I think might be interested in a Google/Apple alternative, and am finding that having /e/ on my phone is a good conversation starter about open source/donationware vs big brother companies. The only challenge is the name; I would suggest making that decision sooner rather than later, as word-of-mouth promotion is already happening, and it’s a shame if people can’t walk away from conversations like that with a name they can remember and look up themselves.
I used Magic Maps to navigate an hour long car journey, and no problems. I had already switched to Tutanota for my main email, and they have a download on F Droid.
I did have to install Yalp as a store for mainstream apps like LastPass and travel information apps. My suggestion would be to have either just F Droid or both F Droid and Yalp pre-installed with /e/.
The Notes app is very basic and has a weird interface, where it looks like you are constantly editing the title of the note. Someone in the Telegram chat suggest Standard Notes as a better alternative.
I still use my original phone as a mini tablet, mainly for my banking app. I am cautious about accessing my bank via the Yalp download, though people seem to say it’s ok to do so. As mentioned above, I am finding the community generally very friendly and helpful and gung ho about this project.
My use case for v1.0 is also a Moto G3 (osprey) but I can’t test with it at present as it’s not mine However, since there’s no LOS 15.1 build at present and it doesn’t look like it will be built, I’m very concerned that there will be no v1.0 of /e/ for the Moto G3.
However, since there’s no LOS 15.1 build at present and it doesn’t look like it will be built, I’m very concerned that there will be no v1.0 of /e/ for the Moto G3.
tutanota!!!