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Ask HN: Ethical Laptop and Smartphone Replacements

by mrkpdl on 1/30/25, 3:34 AM with 9 comments

The horrific news out of America today has me seriously questioning what devices to use going forward.

http://nypost.com/2025/01/29/us-news/trump-announces-up-to-30k-illegal-immigrants-will-be-sent-to-guantanamo-bay/

I’m currently a heavy user of the Apple ecosystem. Given Cook’s donation to and presence on the stage at the inauguration I feel this is no longer tenable. The problem is I’m not aware of viable alternative devices that aren’t made by one of the companies who were also up there on the stage.

It prompts me to ask, are there any viable MacBook and iPhone alternatives, which aren’t produced by the companies that were up on stage with Trump. Even more ideal would be devices that orginate from within the European Union/away from the US?

What brands are working in this space?

Or are we stuck?

As a consumer the line has to be drawn somewhere, and at some time. I know issues with these companies already existed. I’m keen to understand potential paths forward.

  • by lawn on 1/30/25, 9:05 AM

    I use a Fairphone phone with CalyxOS (an android operating system) and it's been very good to me. It's a European company based in Amsterdam.

  • by darthrupert on 1/30/25, 5:46 AM

    Asus is from Taiwan, so that seems to be the least problematic one from this kind of a geopolitical perspective.

    If you don't mind China then Lenovo is an obvious choice. But that would be hypocritical given what your wrote about the US

    Europe stopped making computers decades ago. Some companies brand Clevo-made (also Taiwanese) Linux laptops in EU area though.

  • by dinkumthinkum on 1/30/25, 4:06 PM

    I would normally tend to question the motive oof this question but then again many people on the left tend to seriously believe hyperbolic and alarmist stuff. You think it is untenable to have an Apple product because Tim Cook, who is undoubtedly on the left, went to the inauguration of the U.S. President? And your reason is because what? You realize illegal immigrants have been housed at that base for years under multiple presidents, right? Also, to me it is a strange question to ask on HN, presumably HNers would be aware of laptops and smartphones that are not made by Apple ... I guess I don't get it.

  • by syndicatedjelly on 1/30/25, 5:25 AM

    A+ trolling