SysAdmin
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Two product lines, named to make scope obvious to buyers: - 🔒 SilverMetal OS — we ship the operating system or ROM (Linux, Pixel, Samsung-unlocked, Motorola-unlocked) - 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — we harden the OS the device already runs (Windows, macOS, iOS, generic Android) Repo alignment: - SilverVPN already exists as a SilverLABS product (server + MAUI client + Linux client + tunnel service). stack/vpn/ is now an integration pointer rather than a re-scaffold; per-platform READMEs reference it. - SilverApple is deprecated; SilverMetal Enhanced — iOS supersedes it. Migration step added as roadmap milestone 3I.1. - SilverDROID name clash explicitly noted as unrelated (it's the SilverSHELL AppStore Android client, not an Android ROM). - SilverChat may overlap with SilverVPN.Client.Chat; alignment decision added as roadmap milestone 1.1.1. Roadmap restructured: phases now track the OS/Enhanced split. Platform matrix re-sectioned and decision flowchart updated. README rewritten around the two-product-line framing. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
224 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
224 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
# Platform Matrix
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The honest per-platform capability and pros/cons table. This is what a buyer sees on each product page so they can choose based on their actual constraint.
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## The two product lines
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| Line | What it means | When you'd buy it |
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| **🔒 SilverMetal OS** | We ship the OS or ROM | You're choosing a device with privacy as a priority, or you're willing to replace your existing OS |
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| **🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced** | We harden the OS your device already runs | You can't or don't want to replace your OS — corporate device, iPhone, or you're staying on Windows |
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## Hardening tiers
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Independent of product line, each platform has a tier reflecting how deep our hardening can physically reach:
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| Tier | What it means |
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|---|---|
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| **A — Fully controllable** | We own the kernel, boot chain, MAC framework, and update infrastructure |
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| **B — Firmware-controllable** | We replace the OS stack but not every firmware blob |
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| **C — Config-controllable** | Proprietary kernel; we harden at config + app layer |
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| **D — Policy-controllable** | Closed platform; we ship profiles + curated apps + setup only |
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## Capability summary
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### SilverMetal OS (we ship the OS/ROM)
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| Platform | Tier | Deliverable | Stack |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| **OS — Linux** | A | Custom Debian/Kicksecure-based ISO | Full, native |
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| **OS — Pixel** | B | GrapheneOS-fork ROM | Full, native |
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| **OS — Samsung** | C | LineageOS-fork ROM (unlocked-bootloader models) | Full, native |
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| **OS — Motorola** | C | DivestOS/LineageOS-fork ROM (supported models) | Full, native |
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### SilverMetal Enhanced (we harden the OS in place)
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| Platform | Tier | Deliverable | Stack |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| **Enhanced — Windows** | C | LTSC IoT installer + hardening + Stack | Full (Stack apps run native) |
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| **Enhanced — macOS** | C-D | Signed config profile + setup script + Stack | Full (Stack apps run native) |
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| **Enhanced — iOS** | D | MDM profile + Stack from App Store | Full (Stack apps via App Store) |
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| **Enhanced — Android** | D | "Harden your existing Android" — Stack + work-profile config | Stack + config only |
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## Per-platform pros / cons
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### 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Linux (Tier A)
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**Reference setup. The strongest possible SilverMetal device.**
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**Pros**
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- Full kernel-level hardening (KSPP, linux-hardened, hardened_malloc)
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- Verified boot we control end-to-end (Secure Boot with our shim/MOK, TPM2 PCR-bound LUKS2)
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- AppArmor strict profiles for every networked surface
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- Reproducible builds; we publish SBOMs and build attestations
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- Zero upstream telemetry — every Microsoft/Google/Mozilla/Canonical phone-home removed
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- Full SilverLABS Stack runs natively
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- Update channel and signing keys are ours
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**Cons**
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- Learning curve for users coming from Windows/Mac
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- Some commercial software does not run natively (Adobe CC, MS Office native — though web/Office365 work, native MS Office does not)
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- Some games, particularly anti-cheat-protected titles, will not run
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- Hardware compatibility needs checking before purchase (Coreboot SKUs are best-supported)
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**Best for**: maximum-privacy buyer; anyone whose work is browser + email + office docs + dev + comms.
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---
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### 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Pixel (Tier B)
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**The secure-phone flagship. GrapheneOS-tier engineering.**
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**Pros**
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- Verified boot we control via Pixel's relockable bootloader
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- Hardened Android kernel (GrapheneOS patches)
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- App-level sandbox enforced; sandboxed Google Play *optional*, not required
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- Per-app network/sensor/storage permissions
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- Duress wipe (v1.1)
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- Daily-driveable as a phone
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**Cons**
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- Pixel hardware only (4a 5G and newer — others EOL)
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- Some banking apps and corporate apps refuse to run on non-Play-Integrity devices (workaround: sandboxed Play, but breaks the airtight model)
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- Not all carriers support all Pixel models cleanly
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**Best for**: the "secure phone" buyer; journalists, activists; anyone who would otherwise buy an Encrochat-style rebadged phone but wants real engineering.
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---
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### 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Samsung (Tier C)
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**For users on Samsung hardware with unlockable bootloader.**
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**Pros**
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- Wide hardware availability and price range
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- LineageOS / DivestOS fork on unlocked-bootloader regions delivers most of the benefit
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- Knox security layer is genuinely capable (when bootloader is unlocked, Knox is tripped — accept this trade)
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**Cons**
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- Many Samsung models — especially US-carrier models — have permanently locked bootloaders; SilverMetal OS — Samsung is not available on those (use Enhanced — Android instead)
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- Even on unlocked bootloader, we lose verified boot rooting back to our key
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- Knox tripped flag is permanent; some Samsung features (Samsung Pay, Knox-protected work apps) stop working
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**Best for**: Samsung owners who want real ROM-level hardening and accept the Knox trade-off.
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---
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### 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Motorola (Tier C)
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**For users on Motorola hardware. Best ROM option after Pixel for unlocked-bootloader hardening.**
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**Pros**
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- Many Moto models support bootloader unlock cleanly
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- DivestOS / LineageOS support is good for popular models
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- More affordable than Pixel
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- Full SilverLABS Stack supported
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**Cons**
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- Verified boot weaker than Pixel — no relockable bootloader on most models
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- Hardware longevity / update support varies by model
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- Driver / firmware blob situation messier than Pixel
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**Best for**: budget-conscious buyer wanting custom-ROM-tier hardening without Pixel pricing.
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---
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### 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — Windows (Tier C)
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**For users locked into Windows-only software.**
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**Pros**
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- Keeps full compatibility with Windows-native software, including Adobe CC, MS Office native, Windows-only line-of-business apps, anti-cheat-protected games
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- Removes ~90% of Microsoft telemetry (Group Policy + hosts + service disabling, verified)
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- Enforces BitLocker (TPM-bound), Defender ASR rules at maximum, AppLocker allow-listing
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- LTSC IoT base = no Cortana, no Store, no Edge baked in, supportable for ~10 years
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- Full SilverLABS Stack runs native
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- Edge / Chrome replaced with SilverBrowser
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**Cons**
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- We do not control the kernel, the boot chain, or Windows Update
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- Microsoft can change things in updates we cannot prevent
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- Some telemetry channels Microsoft does not expose for disabling
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- Honest tier label: C, config-layer only — *we say this in marketing*
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- Requires LTSC IoT licensing for the strongest variant; standard Win 11 Pro is supported but weaker
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**Best for**: business users and creatives who can't leave Windows but want every privacy dial turned to maximum.
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---
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### 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — macOS (Tier C-D)
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**For Mac-committed users.**
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**Pros**
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- Apple hardware quality is excellent; Secure Enclave + FileVault are genuinely strong when configured
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- Lockdown Mode dramatically reduces remote-attack surface
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- Apple's app sandboxing is robust at the kernel layer
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- Full SilverLABS Stack runs native (universal binaries)
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- Safari replaced with SilverBrowser by default
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- Telemetry / Siri / analytics all disabled by our profile
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**Cons**
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- We cannot modify macOS itself
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- Apple still receives device-linked metadata we cannot fully stop (App Store auth, OS update checks, Apple ID)
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- iCloud is required for some OS features; we scope it to absolute minimum
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- Honest positioning: "hardened Mac," not "anonymous Mac"
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**Best for**: Mac-committed users (creative professionals, developers on Apple Silicon) who want maximum-feasible hardening on hardware they're keeping.
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---
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### 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — iOS (Tier D)
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**For iPhone users.**
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**Pros**
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- iOS sandbox + Secure Enclave + Lockdown Mode are genuinely strong against remote attack, in some respects stronger than any other consumer platform
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- Full SilverLABS Stack available via App Store (Browser, VPN, Sync, Keys, Chat once approved)
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- Hardware-key 2FA (YubiKey/Lightning) supported and recommended in our setup guide
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- "Disposable Apple ID" guidance reduces account-graph exposure
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**Cons**
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- The most restrictive platform — Apple ID is unavoidable for App Store
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- Cannot replace many default services (Mail.app, FaceTime, iMessage) — only complement them
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- App-level replacements only via App Store (no sideloading in most regions yet)
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- Configuration profile + MDM applies; cannot modify iOS itself
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- Honest tier label: D, weakest tier in the family — *we say this in marketing*
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**Best for**: users whose threat model is commercial surveillance (not state-actor targeting) and who need to stay on iPhone.
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---
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### 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — Android (Tier D)
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**For users who already own an Android (any vendor) and won't / can't replace the ROM.**
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**Pros**
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- Works on virtually any Android 13+ device — Samsung locked-bootloader models, OEMs we don't have ROMs for, hand-me-down phones
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- Full SilverLABS Stack runs (Browser, VPN, Sync, etc.)
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- Work-profile-based isolation contains tracking apps in a managed sandbox
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- No bootloader unlock required; no warranty void
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**Cons**
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- We do not control the OS — Google + your OEM still do
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- Verified boot is your OEM's, not ours
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- Telemetry from OS-level Google services cannot be fully blocked without a ROM swap
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- Honest tier label: D, weakest Android tier — *we say this in marketing*
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**Best for**: existing Android owners who want privacy improvements without buying new hardware or unlocking their bootloader.
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## Decision flowchart
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```
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Are you choosing a new device, or hardening one you already own?
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CHOOSING NEW
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Need maximum privacy and software-flexible? → 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Linux
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Need a phone, primarily?
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Pixel ok? → 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Pixel
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Samsung (unlocked bootloader region)? → 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Samsung
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Motorola (supported model)? → 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Motorola
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Want iPhone? → 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — iOS
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ALREADY OWN A DEVICE
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Windows machine you keep? → 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — Windows
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Mac you keep? → 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — macOS
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iPhone you keep? → 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — iOS
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Android you keep (any model)? → 🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced — Android
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Linux laptop you'd convert? → 🔒 SilverMetal OS — Linux (re-install)
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```
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We do not push users between tiers. We tell them what each can deliver and let them choose.
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