This is a great promotion! I switched to the infomaniak free email plan, ikmail, and have been very happy with it so far but this is also tempting.

I went from Google to Proton and then switched out for another provider. No offline mode/IMAP support allowing me to use an email client on my phone was bothersome as I need to monitor multiple inboxes. Email was fine but sluggish (in part due to decryption so partially understandable I guess). Still use the VPN which I think is their most mature product. Drive is basic but I didn’t need much more.

I was willing to put up with the annoyances when I really believed in what they were doing. But after the GOP comments, the crypto/AI stuff, and leaving Mastodon it just all became a bit much. I like that they are nonprofit, FOSS, and independently audited of course, but their messaging/priorities have been mixed to say the least. Wouldn’t blame someone for staying, wouldn’t blame them for leaving at this point.

Would much rather have Gracie be the mascot on the mega thread and such if for no other reason this is clearly a labor of love from a like-minded artist rather than cheap AI work. Amazing design!!

This is honestly the only thing I use gmaps for too. I feel like organic and other map apps are useful, but there are very few others for looking up restaurant/business info with the ease of gmaps

Bought a second hand Pixel 7 in like new condition at the time for $250 on back market (dropped it, bought another, still cheaper than the equivalent iPhone 14 lol). That at least means I am not financially contributing to Google, but I do agree that I don’t think there is a way to verify that the hardware is completely foolproof even if its the best option we currently have.

I guess that’s true of any hardware though, and we have to make our assumptions based off known quantities such as Pixels’ unique hardware security features?

But yeah, it’s a minefield out there. Let’s get carrier pigeons.