I've been asked almost weekly now about the Unplugged (UP) Phone that Erik Prince has launched, now that he's been doing the rounds on all the major "conservative" media radio, podcast and TV shows.
Short version = Hard Pass. No thank you.
Here's why:
1) The entire device is brand new. This means it serves to create more demand for more mining of more precious metals/minerals using slave labor and mostly child slave labor in Asia and Africa. Have you never wondered where all the metals and materials come from that are in these devices? This is why we are 100% against contracting to build new devices. They simply are not needed with billions of mint or near mint condition refurbished devices available on the market.
The planned obsolescence economy is entirely unnecessary. We prefer not to participate in it.
2) The software and applications on the device are CLOSED SOURCE. This means across all their privacy products the answer is, "trust us, it's secure." This is the same logic that Microsoft, Google, Apple and other BigTech companies apply to their devices and is a HUGE red flag. We prefer our software transparent and auditable. You should too.
3) The device is expensive and nearly 2x what the existing open source solutions available in the market offer. Surely it costs a lot of money when you're sourcing brand new hardware and working with the top paid spooks in the world to develop your new "super secure and private" phone. If you could hear my eyes rolling reading that, that's because they were.
4) The founder, Erik Prince, proudly touts the main developer for their product was the Israeli intelligence hacker who created the Pegasus spyware that allowed the US and other intelligence agencies (and private contractors for the right price) to hack into nearly any iPhone or Google Android phone. For the record, if you think any former Israeli intelligence hacker isn't still on the payroll of Israeli intelligence, I've got some ocean front property in New Mexico on super sale I'd like to talk to you about.
5) Who is Erik Prince? Founder/CEO of Blackwater... remember Blackwater? The clandestine private military contractor who was paid $1B's to send private military forces around the world to kill people? Call me crazy, but I personally have a VERY hard time trusting anyone who's successfully leveraged the military industrial complex to make that kind of money to do contract killing around the world. How these facts about Erik Prince have suddenly been forgotten about is mind blowing to me. Then again, a lot of what we see happening today is mind blowing to me, so I'm not too surprised.
As an aside, do some digging on Erik's history and his family. Follow the money and look at his parents. Who were they? What were they involved with? How does one build the relationships and network to become one of the largest private military contractors for the US Government?
For the record, I do not know Erik personally and have never spoken with the man. I have listened to countless interviews, even the most recent ones, and he sounds like he's on the MAGA train. I pray I am wrong about him, however, his background and the various other concerns listed above make me question what his true motives really are.
In conclusion, the product is running on a platform of, "trust the former DOD military industrial complex contractor who's using closed source software and has a former elite Israeli intelligence hacker creating the software".
Hence, hard pass.
I truly wish this wasn't the case. Like too many "patriot" products, however, we believe this is yet another GRIFT product designed to keep those truly wanting privacy and security stuck in the Matrix.
Also, for the record, if I had the money Erik Prince has I'd also be on Tucker Carlson, War Room, Tim Pool, Shawn Ryan... and every other "conservative" talking head radio show. I'd also LOVE to sit and debate Mr. Prince and even Elon Musk about the merits of their phones vs the existing open source solutions already available in the market. Let's put all the facts on the table and let people decide for themselves. If anyone reading this can make this happen, I'm all ears ;)