Murena’s Pixel Tablet: /e/OS Privacy Features Revealed
Introduction
In an era when most of our digital lives—emails, calendars, contacts, documents—are locked behind Google’s proprietary ecosystem, Murena’s Pixel Tablet offers a breath of fresh air. Shipping with /e/OS, an Android fork devoid of Google tracking and proprietary apps, the device demonstrates that a modern tablet can be both powerful and privacy-centric. After several weeks of daily use, I’ve found my reliance on Google services diminished and my awareness of data privacy sharpened.
Hardware Specifications
- Display: 10.95″ IPS LCD, 1600×2560, 400 ppi
- SoC: Octa-core (2× Cortex-X1 @ 2.85 GHz, 2× Cortex-A78 @ 2.35 GHz, 4× Cortex-A55 @ 1.8 GHz)
- GPU: Mali-G710 MP7
- Memory: 8 GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 128 GB or 256 GB UFS 3.1, expandable via microSD
- Cameras: 8 MP rear, 8 MP front
- Battery: 7 020 mAh with 27 W fast charging
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C 3.1
- OS: /e/OS 3.0 (Android 14 fork)
Deep Dive: /e/OS Architecture and Privacy Features
/e/OS is built on LineageOS and incorporates custom privacy modules at both the framework and kernel levels. Key components include:
- Tracker Blocking: System-wide DNS-based blocking powered by dnscrypt-proxy and Pi-hole blocklists.
- MicroG Services: An open-source re-implementation of Google Play Services APIs enabling push notifications and geofencing without Google telemetry.
- Privacy Dashboard: Inspired by Android’s native dashboard, it adds per-app tracker counts (sourced from Exodus Privacy audits) and permission heatmaps.
- Encrypted Device: Mandatory file-based encryption (FBE) with support for Direct Boot, powered by a hardened SELinux policy and dm-verity integrity checking.
Security Hardening and Kernel Modifications
The latest /e/OS 3.1 update (released July 2025) introduced:
- App Sandbox Reinforcement: Fine-grained seccomp filters isolate system services from untrusted code.
- Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR): Reduces risk of ROP exploits.
- Integrating WireGuard VPN: A built-in toggle in Settings for encrypting all network traffic with zero-knowledge endpoints.
Integration and Compatibility with Android Ecosystem
Although /e/OS excludes Google’s closed-source apps, users can still install APKs from:
- /e/OS App Lounge: Aggregates FOSS apps, Progressive Web Apps, and metadata-driven privacy ratings (0–10 scale based on tracker count + permission footprint).
- Google Play Store: Side-loaded via MicroG, though a Google account is required at install time.
- F-Droid: Preconfigured repository adds apps signed by E Foundation.
In practice, I installed Google Docs, Sheets, and Slack without friction—but syncing Gmail remains problematic due to OAuth redirects that Google blocks in embedded browsers. Workarounds using third-party IMAP clients exist but add configuration overhead.
User Experience: Performance and Usability
Despite its privacy enhancements, the tablet remains responsive:
- Boot time: ~18 s cold boot, ~4 s resume.
- Geekbench 6 scores: 1 200 (single-core), 3 500 (multi-core).
- 3DMark Wild Life: 4 200 fps average—on par with stock Android builds.
The UI incorporates Android 14 features like Material You theming, gesture navigation, and split-screen multitasking. Battery life averages 10 hours of mixed use, with the WireGuard VPN adding a 5–8% drain.
Expert Opinions and Industry Context
“/e/OS represents a notable shift towards transparency in the mobile OS arena,” says Dr. Anita Rao, a cybersecurity researcher at the Privacy Tech Lab. “Their integration of MicroG and selective SELinux hardening sets a new bar for community-driven forks.”
In June 2025, Gaël Duval, founder of E Foundation, announced a partnership with the Nextcloud Federation to streamline calendar and contact migrations—a direct response to user feedback about data import challenges.
Future Updates and Roadmap
The E Foundation’s roadmap for Q4 2025 includes:
- Automated Google Data Import Tool (beta).
- Native support for WebAuthn hardware keys in the lock screen.
- AI-driven privacy suggestions leveraging on-device ML models.
Conclusion: The Privacy Competitive Edge
Murena’s Pixel Tablet illustrates that privacy need not be sacrificed for performance or convenience. By leveraging a robust fork of Android, open-source services, and rigorous security hardening, it offers a compelling, mainstream-ready alternative to Google’s ecosystem. In a market increasingly aware of data sovereignty, devices like this prove privacy can—and should—be a key differentiator.