I had come across that! I think I discounted it because of the AI stuff (especially the “global free internet for AI” thing – “if you’re not paying for the product…”), and lack of ROM support. If I can flash Lineage though it might be a contender. Thanks!

Are you using that “AI Internet” and/or the vSIM? Really curious how those work.

As someone in the market for a new phone and unwilling to forego custom ROM support, I find this list very helpful!

My main other criteria are wanting something small (like, 140mm height), and something that works in Australia, which recently forced telcos to completely block anything that doesn’t support VoLTE emergency calls – basically a massive “fuck you” to anyone who has a niche and/or old phone (seriously! This was like 8 months ago now but I didn’t pay attention at the time so all my rage is fresh. Could they not have just required a warning sticker or something and let me make my own fucking decisions??).

Unfortunately this seems to be a losing combination, and I think eventually I’ll have to resign myself to something larger. The other option is to get into ROM development lol, which I suspect requires more sustained motivation than I can muster. And I’d still need a daily driver in the interim.

The headline is dramatic but the reality, and the article content, are more equivocal.

For comparison, Statcounter recorded Linux at 5.52% in June 2026, so the share nearly doubled in one month

This seems… optimistic? As the article notes this is really the proportion of HTTP requests made from that operating system, not the actual number of desktops running it. What are the odds this spike is due to some Sparkling Botnet (AI company) doing a scraping run with agents that identify themselves as Linux desktops? I think that or any number of other scenarios are more likely than that the entire increase is truly new organic desktops running Linux.

I interpreted it as about like, microprocessor design and nanometer scale electronics and shit. Electrons are basically elves in my book.

“Responsible disclosure” is a term of art, I think that’s why they use the word there.