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Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader(SOLVED)
For several reasons including needing NFC and a fully functional mobile web browser I need to find a LineageOS microG compatible phone to use as a tablet. I am looking for a small device, I was thinking of a Samsung S4 mini LTE(serranoltexx).
My concern in shopping for a used phone is that the bootloader would be hard locked and the device will be unusable to me, I refuse to use a stock android device. Does anyone have ideas what to look for to get an unlockable Samsung? The only other experience I have with androids was helping with a One+1(stock Cyanogen) and a Nexus 7 which both only come with ADB unlockable or unlocked bootloaders. (Edit - SOLVED!) See posts 15 and 17 of this thread: https://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?...6&postcount=15 https://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?...0&postcount=17 I found a Samsung S4 mini which is small and if an international I9195 is acquired it can be converted to a TWRP recovery and LineageOS 14 for microG. Post !7 details how to software disable the cellular radio and re-enable it if desired. |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
Your description is kinda confusing.
If you want to use something as a tablet, why don't you get a tablet? If you want it to be small, then you need a phone, so I really don't know what to suggest here :) Other than that, you have to give us a budget. There are thousands of options out there! As for the s4 mini, that phone was 100% crap 5 years ago. I wouldn't recommend that to literally anyone today. Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
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I already have a Nexus 7 but that is huge, I need something pocket sized that can tether to my N900 but run some modern FOSS software. Android is a bad solution even Lineage with microG but better than not having services I need when using public transportation. |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
Why not an xperia x compact then?
I got a used one locally to try sfosX for 40€. I mean sure, it's a budget and ancient device, but it will work and it's small! But if you wanna try something modern, the galaxy s10e is about 1cm taller/5mm wider than the compact, but it's a million times better. Obviously I'm talking for the exynos cpu version, cause I think you can't unlock the bootloader in the snapdragon version. Not sure though. Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
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Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
Whatever floats your boat mate!
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
Hi,
I'm using a Samsung Galaxy A5 (2015) now with LineageOS... I do not have any idea of your worries or expectations about the size of the phone; it is fine for me. OK, it is way bigger than the n900 (I mean taller and wider) but I can use it with one hand at least and the big screen comes handy... I have termux on it; I could even wrote a small python script and run it in the background to make some things done... So for me it is quite a good solution for having today's services (browser, navigation, pay/banking) with the capability to costumize (OK, not as deeply as on n900) and even write programs/scripts on it... OK, it does not have a removable back cover and battery, NFC isn't working and yes, I should use google stuffs but I'm not struggling with ads or anything like that. Or at least you can use this to avoid google... |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
Micro g?
I don't use no stinkin' micro g (Bad rip off there) I use nano on one of the nexus 5s I have ...that has floko pie on it. You may rather enjoy trying out maru or Ubuntu touch ...biketool. I like em. Just saying... |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
Regarding the Sony Xperia X Compact and custom ROMs…
If you are going to use any Android custom ROM based be aware that all the custom ROMs for X Compact (except some old, unmaintained CyaonogenMod 13/14.1 and LineageOS 14.1 builds for which the source code has been removed from GitHub :mad: and some stock ROM based ROMs) are based on Sony AOSP which for like two years or so contains a bug where on random basis (mostly on high GPU load) the phone restarts itself or "bricks" to the state a key combo reset is needed. I have struggled with these for like a year and abandoned this device for this reason, therefore I would not recommend this device for using it with any Android based custom ROM. For clarification, I would not blame open source code as it is often maintained in developers' free time and I appreciate their work and will to do it but this bug seems to be in closed source drivers worked on mostly (except for providing logs) by Sony and that's why I personally feel rather disappointed. |
Re: Finding a Used Phone with Unlocked Bootloader
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FWIW, I have never encountered a "locked" device. I'm not even 100% sure what people mean when they use that term. If the device has clear installation instructions on the LOS wiki, it should also work that way, no? Quote:
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