Product test
The Punkt MC02 gets by without Google, but it’d be much better with a brighter display
by Jan Johannsen
This Android smartphone without Google is a crowdfunding hit
25-11-2024
Translation: machine translated
No data for Google, advertisers, data traders and governments: With this promise, Brax3 reached its crowdfunding target within four days.
The Brax3 is designed to keep your data to itself and share as little of it as possible with outsiders. Above all, the open source smartphone is designed to keep out big tech companies, advertisers, data traders and governments. Instead, it runs on iodéOS as the operating system - and Ubuntu Touch will also be available to choose from.
Reveal as little data as possible
On average, an Android smartphone sends data to Google 90 times a day and an iPhone communicates with 51 servers per hour. Brax quotes computer scientist Professor Douglas Schmidt from Vanderbilt University. Brax3 with iodéOS does not have this intensive home communication. With Brax's servers, data protection takes centre stage.
The Brax3 has an integrated ad blocker and shows which data connections are available. The smartphone does not search with Google, but uses alternatives such as Ecosia, Metager, Qwant and others. Of course, a Google account is not required to use the Brax.
Source: Brax Technologies
As it is still intended to be a smartphone, there are of course apps on the Brax3. You can find a list of apps compatible with iodéOS here. With the apps installed, you can see how nosy they are and restrict their access. Knowing your location can be very helpful. However, the smartphone does not use Google's location services for this, but a specially developed system called Lunar Network - not to be confused with the International Lunar Network of several space agencies. Brax's system uses various services to determine the location. The documentation for the backend is to be published soon
Delivery planned for March 2025
The Indiegogo campaign for the Brax3 runs until 19 December 2024, where the smartphone is available for 285 euros. It will later cost 400 euros. The price includes lifetime use of iodéOS Premium, which strengthens data protection. The manufacturer is planning delivery for March 2025.
Source: Brax Technologies
The Brax3 should also support the installation of Ubuntu Touch. However, the manufacturer has already announced in advance that this will probably not be the case at launch.
The key data of the Brax3 at a glance:
- Display: 6.56 inch HD+, 90 Hertz
- Chip set: Mediatek Dimensity 6300
- Memory: 8 GB
- Storage space: 256 GB + microSD
- Operating system: iodéOS, based on Android 14
- Cameras: 50-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel front camera
- Battery: 5000 mAh, charging with 10 watts
- SIM: Dual SIM + eSIM
- Standards: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, 5G and 3.5 mm connection
A mediocre chipset with the older Wi-Fi 5 standard and Bluetooth 5.2, but already 5G. There is also plenty of storage space and a large battery, but it charges slowly. The SIM options are numerous and the main camera is hopefully usable. In terms of price and features, the Brax3 seems more attractive to me than the MC02:
Header image: Brax Technologies
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.