Stefan Claas <noreply@oc2mx.net> wrote:

https://plugos.net/plugmate

I just ordered one to see how it works.

I'm trying to tell what advantage it gets you over just carrying another
phone running Android 14 (very outdated!). It's 'isolated' from your main phone/laptop, in the same way a second phone is. All the encryption,
trusted boot, etc features touted are part of standard Android.

I suppose it doesn't have power of its own so when disconnected it's fully
off, but you could do the same with a regular phone with airplane mode or
just turning it off when you're done.

It is smaller than a second phone, but can't be used independently from
another device. It also needs their app to run on the display device, so that's the weak point if you don't trust them.

I'd suggest 'Private Space' on stock Android is probably more useful to many people than having a separate device.

Theo

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> writes:

Theo wrote:

Stefan Claas <noreply@oc2mx.net> wrote:

https://plugos.net/plugmate

I just ordered one to see how it works.

I'm trying to tell what advantage it gets you over just carrying another
phone running Android 14 (very outdated!). It's 'isolated' from your main >> phone/laptop, in the same way a second phone is. All the encryption,
trusted boot, etc features touted are part of standard Android.

I suppose it doesn't have power of its own so when disconnected it's fully >> off, but you could do the same with a regular phone with airplane mode or
just turning it off when you're done.

It is smaller than a second phone, but can't be used independently from
another device. It also needs their app to run on the display device, so
that's the weak point if you don't trust them.

I'd suggest 'Private Space' on stock Android is probably more useful to many >> people than having a separate device.

I have no idea what Stefan and Theo are talking about, so I looked it up.
1. https://plugos.net/plugmate
2. Private Space

PlugMate is a thumb-sized, self-contained computer that runs its own secure operating system (PlugOS) and uses your phone or laptop only as a screen
and keyboard. It is not an app, not a ROM, and not a second phone.

It's a tiny hardware module that works on iPhone, Android, Mac, PC, with
a. its own processor
b. its own memory
c. its own fully encrypted storage
d. its own Android-based OS (PlugOS)
e. hardware isolation from the host device

When we plug it into a phone or computer, it boots its own OS and displays it through the host device. When we unplug it, it powers off completely .

Private Space is a software feature in Android 14+ that creates a hidden, PIN-protected area on your phone (similar to Samsung Secure Folder).

Private Space adds
a. A separate app/data space
b. Hidden apps that don't appear in the main launcher
c. Optional separate Google account
d. Quick toggle to lock/hide the space

Compared to PlugMate, what Private Space does not add is
a. Hardware isolation
b. A separate OS
c. Protection from the main OS itself
d. Independence from Google/Android telemetry

In order for it to display on the hosts display, there has to be a
client app installed on the hosts, and you have to trust that app. That
app has access to everything displayed.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> wrote:

I have no idea what Stefan and Theo are talking about, so I looked it up.
1. https://plugos.net/plugmate
2. Private Space

PlugMate is a thumb-sized, self-contained computer that runs its own secure operating system (PlugOS) and uses your phone or laptop only as a screen
and keyboard. It is not an app, not a ROM, and not a second phone.

It's just running Android. They call it 'PlugOS' but there's nothing in the advert that isn't already part of standard Android. There's a bit of extra stuff to make screen/file/etc sharing easier with the host.

It's a tiny hardware module that works on iPhone, Android, Mac, PC, with
a. its own processor
b. its own memory
c. its own fully encrypted storage
d. its own Android-based OS (PlugOS)
e. hardware isolation from the host device

It's not clear if it has its own wifi or purely uses the host for connectivity. (They say they can use host network, but presumably the phone SoC already
has wifi included?)

When we plug it into a phone or computer, it boots its own OS and displays it through the host device. When we unplug it, it powers off completely .

Private Space is a software feature in Android 14+ that creates a hidden, PIN-protected area on your phone (similar to Samsung Secure Folder).

Private Space adds
a. A separate app/data space
b. Hidden apps that don't appear in the main launcher
c. Optional separate Google account
d. Quick toggle to lock/hide the space

Compared to PlugMate, what Private Space does not add is
a. Hardware isolation
b. A separate OS
c. Protection from the main OS itself
d. Independence from Google/Android telemetry

The PlugMate is just an Android device, so it presumably has the same
telemetry that comes with AOSP (eg use of Google's timeservers, Google's network presence detection). If you install Google Play Services then you
get all the usual Google telemetry.

The main worry here is they're using a Mediatek SoC from 2020 and they're notorious for not getting updates (security or otherwise). Which is
probably why they're stuck on Android 14.

Theo

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)