Pixels are also top-class in terms of hardware and security. On top of
that, you also get the benefit of getting direct support from Google with
regards to Android. This means that you are receiving Android Security
Bulletin updates and regular proprietary vendor blob updates as immediately
as possible. I have a 4a, but prior to that I had a OnePlus 6, which
despite being a flagship offering at one point, lagged in implementing ASBs
by *months *which is frankly unacceptable. With the Pixels, Google
guarantees 3 years of security updates (from device release date,) which
cheaper phone options may not stretch as far. If you want to save some
money, you could try to find a used Pixel 4a on a site such as Swappa
<https://swappa.com/>, but the 4a was released in August of 2020, so you'd
be losing half that support period and need to upgrade in another 18
months. If you are a tinkerer, Pixels support unlocking and relocking the
bootloader to run custom roms that have been signed with security keys
without breaking the Android security model. They are the only devices
supported by GrapheneOS <https://grapheneos.org/>, and make up the bulk of
devices supported by CalyxOS <https://calyxos.org/>.

If you or people close to you are already swallowed by the Apple ecosystem,
you could also check out the iPhone SE. Pretty much all the same
hardware/security benefits as above apply (minus the custom roms,) but the
support is 5 years from device release date. However, it was released in
April of 2020, so you've almost lost two years.

On Tue, Jan 25, 2022 at 4:04 PM Katherine Deibel <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> As much as I'm loathe to say good things about Google, I replaced my
> cellphone in the fall with a Pixel 5. It's pretty dang good.
>
> Katherine “Kate” Deibel, PhD
> Library Accessibility Specialist
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/metageeky
> GitHub: https://github.com/metageeky
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Thomas
> Dowling
> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2022 9:59 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Cell Phone - Voice Mail Indicator
>
> Without knowing what you consider a budget buster, let me suggest a Pixel
> 5a. The voicemail icon is on the always-on display and IIRC the number that
> called you displays on the lock screen (if you enable lock screen
> notifications). If you can spring for a Pixel 6, you get the voicemail
> transcription on the lock screen.
>
> If you're thinking of a glowing "you have voicemail" LED indicator, I
> don't know that phones really do that anymore.
>
> On Fri, Jan 21, 2022 at 8:17 PM charles meyer <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi my esteemed listmates,
> >
> >
> >
> > I was able to avert a real problem today but the cause remains the same.
> >
> >
> >
> > I need a new cell phone which makes it easy to see when a Voice Mail
> > has been left. My old LG was decent for that but this Samsung Galaxy
> > J2 shows nothing.
> >
> >
> >
> > I’ve read and tried following a ton of Googled results but not one
> > rectify this with this phone.
> >
> >
> >
> > I emailed Samsung but they never reply.
> >
> >
> >
> > The cell must not be a budget buster (no iPhone) as I don’t get
> > reimbursed for the phone use at work.
> >
> >
> >
> > If this isn’t the best forum, outside of the obvious like Tom’s
> > Hardware has anyone found a good cell phone forum I might post this on?
> >
> >
> >
> > Thank you!
> >
> >
> >
> > Charles.
> >
>


-- 
Andrew Ward (he/him/his)
Digital Services Librarian
Troy Public Library