// ITS FOSS — LINUX & OPEN SOURCE
You Can Reserve This Small-Factor, De-Googled Phone for $30
Brax Technologies, the company behind the BraX3 smartphone and the open_slate tablet, opened pre-orders for the Wink last week with plans to ship it in two batches next year.
Rob Braxman, a co-founder of the company and known on the web as The Internet Privacy Guy, had presented the Wink at a roadmap event last month.
The Wink runs BraxOS, an Android-based operating system that does not include Google services, and the device comes with a physical switch located on top that can be configured to shut off the camera, microphones, location, sensors, or mobile network.
During setup, you can pick between Omni, a full Android experience, and Zero, a stripped-down mode limited to encrypted messaging, calls, messages, and optional navigation.
BraxOS does not support Google account sign-ins or Google Play Services, but Brax says most Android apps still run without issues. The exceptions are apps that check for Google's integrity services before starting, which includes a few banking apps.
The Wink can also wipe itself on triggers you set in advance, namely every restart, a long stretch powered off state, repeated failed unlock attempts, and a duress password.
Brax promises updates until 2032 and says anyone can build BraxOS from source, with files available in its BraX3 repositories.
Coming back to the hardware that powers all that, we have:
Pre-orders come in two batches, each capped at the number of units being built:
The deposit amount is refundable until the balance is paid, and orders can be changed or cancelled while they are still reservations. Shipping dates can also change, and reservation holders will be emailed about any change before the remaining amount is due.