Gooseberry
The Gooseberry is a inexpensive, proprietary cell phone offered by the Freehold for maximum security: Electronic intrusion is much more difficult, requiring more fundamental exploits than those that target popular operating systems. The Gooseberry emulates more popular operating systems to meet bare minimums of cell phone services, and cannot run most mainstream software. The system isn't a guarantee of privacy since communications can still be monitored via the larger cell phone network, but the phone itself and the data stored on it are protected. Attempts at cracking the phone may also trigger a self-destruct program, erasing the proprietary software and user data. Some newer models of Gooseberries include physical means of self-destruction.
A Gooseberry provides a +3 equipment bonus for the purpose of defending against electronic intrusion and attempts to extract stored data, but only provides a +1 equipment bonus for other smart phone uses. If a Gooseberry is seized by someone sufficiently skilled in Computer, they can study its system to reduce the protection bonus of other Gooseberries. In the BriarNet, a Gooseberry's bastion has a Fortification rating of 2. Some applications have been ported or reinvented to work on the Gooseberry OS, but software selection is much more limited. An exclusive application called Promise allows Changelings to keep a record of all their various Sealings, Oaths, and Bargains.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
The Gooseberry is designed to be cheap by smart phone standards and built under some similar principles to burner phones. Each contains an easily accessible slot for a SIM card used in mainstream phones, allowing the owner to quickly remove their basic info and dispose of a compromised or incriminating device. Gooseberries are also relatively easy to customize for people with experience modifying hardware and software. The Autumn Court currently refuses to release the full source code out of concern for leaks, but assures privacy has been respected. They can, however, safely extract data in the event of a crime committed against the freehold.
History
Gooseberries have gradually spread as part of the Silver Spire's culture, particularly among younger courtiers who are more familiar with technology. Those who resist adopting the phones may take on the risk of owning a mainstream phone out of simplicity or distrust of the other Courts' suspected monitoring. Others take the Luddite approach and spurn smart phones altogether. Recursive Studios routinely posts a number of free, simple games for the OS in on the Silver Spire's website and tries to encourage other computer-savvy Changelings to contribute.
Significance
Gooseberries are the Silver Spire's attempt at cybersecurity in the modern age, when it has grown much more difficult to conceal their activities from other secret societies as well as authorities. Many of the freehold's members distrust the devices, eschewing them completely or restricting their use to avoid close monitoring by the Autumn and Winter Courts, who are suspected to have snuck their own backdoors into the software.
Gooseberries are largely resticted to Buena Vista, though some have sold or traded to activists and criminals who appreciate cybersecurity. When a phone is disposed of, it is typically easy to destroy, reducing the chance of reverse engineering or restoration.
