I am a Tasker enthusiast and when I can automate something simple on my phone I like to. I set a simple task to turn off WiFi when my home network is not detected so my phone doesn’t scan and report my location to businesses. However, this functionality is now nonexistent and the developer has to ask people not to one-star their app because it doesn’t work. My phone is my phone and killing my ability to use it as such for whatever security theater Google is playing at is why I root my device. Anyone else still rooting for similar reasons?

  • Ok_imagination@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I’ve considered it for similar reasons to your own. I like using Tasker for Bluetooth and it seems most of that compatibility is removed now as well.

  • MerchantsOfMisery@lemmy.ml
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    2 months ago

    People still use Tasker? That makes me smile. I remember using it way back in the day and it was just incredible seeing the things other people came up with. Tasker allowed for so many features that took iOS and Android years to implement.

  • plz1@lemmy.worldEnglish
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    3 months ago

    How does it detect your home wifi if it has turned off wifi? I don’t know Android, but the logic there seems odd. Are you using location services to drive it?

    • Shepy@feddit.ukEnglish
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      3 months ago

      You’ve misread that. When he leaves his home network, he has it switch off wifi to prevent it being picked up by other networks. Probably has it being switched back on by cell tower / similar location option

      • dumbass@leminal.spaceEnglish
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        3 months ago

        Just have your WiFi turn back on when you get back to your home, you can do location based stuff with tasker, I used to have it on my old phone and made it turn my phone on silent and turn off the WiFi when I got to work, but as soon as I got home it put my phne back to normal.

      • plz1@lemmy.worldEnglish
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        3 months ago

        I don’t think I did. I just assumed it would be impossible to detect the home network automatically once WiFi was automatically switched off. Unless off isn’t actually off. Or the “auto on” part was location based.

        • Tja@programming.dev
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          3 months ago

          You are right, that is impossible, but it isn’t what they are doing.

          They are turning it back on either manually or by some other method (cell tower for instance). This automation seems to be to just turn it off.

  • asexualchangeling@lemmy.ml
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    3 months ago

    Part of me wishes my Samsung note 20 would die already so I could replace it with something cheaper, less powerful, but that I actually can do what I want with, I’m never getting a phone I can’t root ever again

    The issue is I only want it if it also has expandable storage, so many modern phones suck

    • iturnedintoanewt@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Never… Pine kinda throws you the thing completely half assed for the people to build the whole stack. It’s a really slow process.

    • trevor@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
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      3 months ago

      Google has a disproportionate and overwhelming say in AOSP. What do you think Lineage OS is based on?

      When Google makes API changes to Android, it hurts AOSP too. Can the devs try to maintain the legacy API on their own? Sure, but it’s extra effort, so it’s usually not something you can count on.

      • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
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        3 months ago

        True, but there isn’t a lot of options. At least with Lineage OS the apps are all separate and not abandonware

    • circuscritic@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      Security and Privacy are not the same thing.

      Stock Google is absolutely a hit to ones privacy, but LineageOS is a often big hit to device security.

      If you don’t have a Pixel, and therefore can’t use GrapheneOS, check and see if your device is compatible with DivestOS.

      However, neither will offer root support for reasons that both devs have decent write-ups explaining within each project’s documentation.

      I do realize that not everyone places security above all other factors when deciding on their smartphone OS, but I think they should be aware of the trade-offs so they can make an informed decision.

      • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
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        3 months ago

        Lineage OS is in fact not terrible for security. Other than a unlocked boot loader I have not seen anything wrong with it.

        As for Divest OS is has all the same issues as Graphene OS.

        • circuscritic@lemmy.ca
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          3 months ago

          The inability to relock the bootloader is gigantic security vulnerability. It negates, or entirely voids, a significant amount of a devices physical security, including FDE.

          There are other security issues with LineageOS, but that’s part of the trade-off. There’s nothing inherently sinister or incompetent about that, it’s just the nature of the beast.

          Regardless, I’m not here to chastise anyone’s choice of OS, or to even imply that there is a right, and wrong ROM, there isn’t.

          I was just pointing out that there are pros and cons, and users should be aware of them when making those decisions.

        • Emotet@slrpnk.net
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          3 months ago

          Why do you keep stating blatantly false info as facts when it is obvious that you’re knowledge of the topic at hand is superficial at best?

          In this comment thread alone you’ve stated that:

          • to avoid “Google Android”, one should use Lineage OS (?)
          • Apps on Lineage are some kind of separated on Lineage OS and not abandonware (??)
          • Lineage OS is not terrible for security, because you haven’t found anything wrong with it besides that small little, insignificant detail of an unlocked bootloader (???)
          • DivestOS has “all the same issues” as GrapheneOS(???)

          Genuinely not trying to stir up shit, I’m curious. Why?

  • beSyl@slrpnk.net
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    3 months ago

    I use macrodroid instead, though I have also paid for Tasker.

    I just find macrodroid much easier to use. I learned to use Tasker, than was not using it for a few months, went back to it to implement something and god damm, what a horrible UI. I had forgotten how to use it. Decided to try macrodroid and it is just so beautiful and easy…

  • kratoz29@lemm.eeEnglish
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    3 months ago

    TIL Tasker even worked without root lol.

    Also, why do we even need tasker to do that? iOS allows you to do that with its Shortcuts app lol, this is a weird moment when Android is becoming more closed and iOS open (in system wide features).

    Well, that is why I chuckle when people say there is no reason to root nowadays… Heck, not even banking apps will prevent me from rooting my phone, and my next android purchases are gonna be based in whether it can be rooted or not.

      • kratoz29@lemm.eeEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        Come on, you know what I meant, compare pre iOS 7 with whichever Android was at that time… You can see nowadays the release updates are switching and iOS is implementing more features (or features that it should have had since the beginning lol) and Android is closing down more (Google’s fault and no root ofc).

    • COASTER1921@lemmy.ml
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      3 months ago

      It barely works for Android 14+ without root. Macrodroid has much better compatibility for whatever reason.

      Unfortunately rooting while passing safetynet verification is very hard or impossible lately depending on the device. If apps didn’t unnecessarily check safetynet status this wouldn’t be a problem, but since so many now the rooted phone effectively becomes a brick. I really miss the days of custom ROMs and full device automation without stupid workarounds. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any going back without app developers getting on board with an alternative to Google-verified security on Android.

      • ben_dover@lemmy.ml
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        3 months ago

        MD has a companion app, and you have to grant it special rights via adb (read/write secure settings) first. might also work for tasker

    • filcuk@lemmy.zip
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      3 months ago

      Well, you need Tasker because that’s one of the Android equivalents of the Shortcuts app.

      • kratoz29@lemm.eeEnglish
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        3 months ago

        Sure, but I meant, how is it that we don’t have a native tool for this (like Automator) or at least a system app from Google (like Shortcuts app).

        • filcuk@lemmy.zip
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          3 months ago

          Fair, I was being cheeky. I don’t know if I trust Google anymore to make and maintain a good app or service.

  • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
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    3 months ago

    Your phone isn’t your phone as long as you run either google or apple software…

    • Dasus@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Joke’s on them my phone’s a Huawei and reports directly to the CCCP.

      Oh, wait…

      • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Sometimes I do wonder as a morbid curiosity if using their software could have a privacy benefit. Not to imply that they wouldn’t spy, just that they have less ability to act on the information. Like the report of a mother discussing an abortion with her teen daughter on messenger were Meta turned over the chats.

        Also as a snide comment the CCCP is the Soviet Union, which is defunct now. One less C and you might improve your standing and get a television.

        • Dasus@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Also as a snide comment the CCCP is the Soviet Union, which is defunct now. One less C and you might improve your standing and get a television.

          Not even snide I hate making mistakes like this, thanks man.

          Idk about privacy, I doubt it, but at least the weather system sucks. Fetches info from some system which clearly isn’t the same data as my local, more accurate forecasts.

  • zerozaku@lemmy.worldEnglish
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    3 months ago

    I am a root user, yes but I only use it for migrate, a custom rom backup & restore tool.

    Coming to Tasker, I tried so hard to figure it out but couldn’t do it for my use case of having custom gestures. I like to have profiles depending on whether I am home or outside, will give it one more shot for this.

  • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 months ago

    I’m rooted to…

    • backup & restore my apps as I please (as well as scheduled backups to my SD card)
    • BMS control to keep my battery in good health
    • Automation app for automating stuff (like Tasker)
    • revoking typically unrevokable permissions from system and Google apps
    • To actually feel like I own my device.

    If I wanted a heavily curated (and somewhat locked down) experience, I’d be in the Apple ecosystem - don’t know why Google thinks it’s a great idea to force this ideology onto practically all Android users…

    Similar situation with that additional warning for sideloading apps - there’s already two warnings and Play Protect typically uninstalls these apps anyway, without the user’s consent - in one case deleting KDE Connect from users’ devices if installed with F-Droid

    Uhh I definitely went off on a tangent, oops.

    • Peffse@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I went into a near seething rage when I found out Android 12 let OEMs decide bloatware was completely immune to ADB disable commands. root’s the only method to get to the non-disable xml files and remove that “functionality”.

      • goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org
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        3 months ago

        Then 12 or 13 also made it so there’s no way to access android/data.

        Ffs I want to be able to backup app data that doesn’t get backed up any other way