I’m making my first post here on Leminal Space because I hear it’s a better alternative to Reddit. One that’s more privacy-oriented, less rage-baity, and less pro-corporate.
About 9 months ago, I made the switch from a smartphone to a flip phone, and boy did it make my life so much better. I’ve become less dependent on technology, and I’ve become more self-sufficent. Printing maps with MapQuest and MyOSMmatic have been quite a lot of fun. And I also feel smarter because “Googling things” have become much more inconvenient.
Carrying a notebook with me has also allowed me to draw more, and I also feel less distracted. Anyone else switched to a flip phone? If so, what are your ways to manage life without a smart phone?
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My daughter switched to a flip phone around the same time. She was mostly inspired my my wife and I, though we went different directions. I am on GrapheneOS with no connected external accounts of social media, while my wife got a Minimal Phone with an e-ink screen which curtailed a lot of social media and doom scrolling and increased ebook reading.
My daughter’s flip phone (Nokia) actually has turn by turn directions, though it is clunky. It can technically play music from an sdcard, but it is also very clunky so she doesn’t bother.
I did. I have an s22 flip. Not fully “dumb”, it runs android mobile. But so lacking on resources it is basically a dumb phone, with Spotify and maps. Fits my use case fine and much less distractions and constant gamifiyijng. I Miss NFC payments the most and my banking app won’t even run on it, but it does the job of being a communications device just fine.
I’ve though about one of these but the videos I’ve seen make it look very annoying to use.
They are, and that’s the idea. Rejecting convenience allows you to think and be more independent.
I am Einstein and the most independent person alive right about now then. I’ll flat out go to 5 failed invidious links that take forever to not load just so I don’t have to use YouTube. What an absolutely disgusting platform! I can’t believe people still use it. I’d rather just make my own goddamn videos and entertain myself for all the bullshit they do.
I didn’t have to switch because I’ve never used a smartphone to begin with. My current dumbphone has a great UI, touchscreen for easy input even though it’s a very small screen, headphone jack, SD card slot, etc. It can act as a hotspot and has maps/voice navigation and current weather + daily forecast. The Tello service plan I have (uses T-Mobile network) is about $9.40/month. That’s with 1 GB data, but you can get unlimited data if for some reason you want that.
There is also a subscription available ($3.50/mo) which gives you live updated maps, voice dictation, and hourly weather but I haven’t needed those things. I just use the offline maps (more private anyway–you periodically download the latest map data), and I don’t need the other stuff. (edit: I have a Sunbeam Wireless phone and live in the US).
There are some inconveniences of course, like all the businesses you interact with want you to install their tracking apps, but I wouldn’t put that kind of crap on it even if I did have a smartphone. The main one that causes me issues is the grocery store that has special discounts (“digital coupons”) on some items if you use their app. I already have their damn store card which gives me the sale price on most stuff but now they also have this digital deal crap. I can work around that by going to their website ahead of time and look at what all digital coupons they have that week, and click on the ones I want so they will be on my card, which gives me the discount at checkout without needing their app–but I strongly resent having to do that. If they want to put something on sale, put it on sale for everyone! But no–it’s all about tracking you. Pigs. But I digress. Point is I get by fine without a smartphone, ymmv.
May I ask what phone you’re using? Sounds nice!
It’s a Sunbeam Wireless F1 Pro.
A few weeks ago I pre-ordered the new Jolla phone, which is not a dumbphone by any means. But I am still curious, whether some of the benefits you described still apply, when there are no android or ios apps present.
Thanks for your writeup!
I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Back when I started getting more serious about internet privacy I had the idea of switching to a de-Googled phone but when I found out that’d be expensive as hell I had a second idea to get a flip phone and spread out what I use it for across devices. My laptop for services like YouTube and streaming, MP3 player for music, a digital camera for my camera, etc. Also expensive but the individual devices are cheaper so I can more easily slowly chip away at it, first thing I’m getting is an MP3 player because I got my Dad to buy me one for Christmas.
An mp3 player is good but I don’t recommend flip phones. The build quality is pretty bad from my experience with alcatel and I think mobiwire may have the same issue.
Well there’s a lot more companies that produce flip phones than two and I’ve heard good things about a couple brands
I actually use a tablet for map and other things but I only use if for specific things and don’t have it on me all the time. I do have a smartphone because of previous work needs but I don’t use it for personal things.
Less rage baity. Hahaha good one!. Engaged and enraged, that’s the Lemmy way, just like reddit.
I think the idea of a dumbphone is precisely for dumb people… or perhaps for addicts with no self-control. If you can’t control your phone use and have to resort to buying another phone, which I’m sure they’ll sell you at an exorbitant price, it’s because there’s something broken in your psyche. Buying another device isn’t going to change your mindset.
Tell that blatant oversimplification to anyone who has ever switched to a dumbphone.
- A: You do NOT have to buy a dumbphone for a high price, or even an average one. There are MULTIPLE options ranging from the hyper-marketed “mental health” phones, the classic and rugged flip phones, or even the previously-popular smartphones like the iPhone 6s that are “dumb” by today’s standards and are SAGNIFICANTLY cheaper than what they used to be. It takes SERIOUS RESEARCH to pick out the ideal dumbphone for you, and if you know where to look and what phone to buy, switching will be cheap, easy, and seamless. Also, rugged flip phones and older smartphones are built to last. Imagine not having to buy a new phone every year. Imagine not dealing with planned obsolecence.
- B: Blame the addicts all you want. But smartphones are literally DESIGNED to be addicting, and society in general is too centralized around the smartphone. Many cities and workplaces REQUIRE you to download a stupid app meant to steal your data and keep you dependent on your phone. It’s possible to get around these restrictions without a smartphone, but that takes serious brainpower (Something you think dumphone users don’t have, but the very existence of dumphone users in today’s smartphone-dependent/anti-dumphone society prove you wrong).
- C: Your comment is speaking from ignorance, and it reeks of it. Wether you can admit it or not, switching to dumbphones doesn’t JUST change your mindset. It LITERALLY changes your life. You are FORCED to think and change your strategy when living your day-to-day life.
Get this, if an addict GETS RID OF THE THING THAT THEY’RE ADDICTED TO in order to stop being addicted, then maybe the sollution is more effective than you think! Who could’ve seen that coming?!
If you wait long enough every smartphone becomes a dumb phone 😒
I would have to surrender too much privacy and pay far more per month to use a dumbphone. No E2EE messaging and tracked by cell towers all the time (I use VoIP over wifi). When I’m out the phone is in my pocket 90% of the time. I take it out to check my shopping list or look at the store flyer.
printing maps? i cannot tell if this post is a caricature or not
Inconvenient but studies shows that offline navigation is better for our brains
What’s wrong with printing maps?
I suppose the only thing wrong with printing maps is that it wastes paper and ink, but at the very least you don’t have to worry about location tracking, and you become less dependent on technology. You don’t have to worry about battery, internet, or “recalculating” whenever you take a wrong turn.
Well, paper is renewable and black ink is mostly carbon. There’s an environmental impact, no doubt, but the data center running Waze is got an impact too
Once I was driving at 100 km/h and Google suddenly told me to turn right in 100 or 200 metres (rural road). I almost soiled myself. True story.
That brings me back to the 1990s.
No, because you can no longer send private encrypted messages and everything will have to go over government owned telecom like SMS or cell towers, which are not encrypted.
I wonder if a smartphone with e-ink display would be a good solution.
Good enough for secure messaging & calling apps, usable with their existing touch-UIs, yet devoid of the addictive potential enabled by vibrant colour, smooth-scroll, and video.
Can even still use the camera – just need to wait until you ‘develop’ them by transferring to another device/medium with full colour or a video-capable display.
Janky phones like the pinephone exist for those who want to fully go over internet. Also currently GrapheneOS looks like the best option for both privacy and security.
How are you handling random 2-Factor challenges to email? (CGP Grey has a story of the DMVs sending codes to his email while physically at the location.)
How many people have a story of needing email while out in the physical world? (Email adoption is still not 100% in the USA, 92.4% in Nov 2023.)
My workplace requires me to login with an authenticator app, but they also “required” me to use the Microsoft Authenticator App (jokes on them, I use Aegis Authenticator).
How I manage to get around this is by carrying not one, but TWO dumbphones on me. (Depending on your dumbphone, only one would be required.) My main dumphone (Sonim XP3 Plus) is perfectly compatible with my carrier (T-Mobile), but it can’t install apps/APKs. My secondary dumbphone (Kyocera Digno 902kc) isn’t compatible with my carrier, but it ABSOLUTELY CAN install APKs.
Depending on your dumbphone, you might not need two like me. You probably only need one. You might not even need a Japanese Flip Phone as your secondary. As long as it connects to WiFi and can install APKs, you’re good.
I wouldn’t call a phone that can install APKs a dumb phone.
Then by that logic, dumbphones in America practically don’t exist. If you live in the US, you NEED a 4G VoLTE phone if you intend to call and text people. If you have anything lower, you CAN use a third party calling and messaging app, but you will need WiFi at ALL TIMES.
That being said, just because it installs APKs doesn’t make it a smartphone. Not all APKs are compatible with dumbphones. Even if they are, a lot of them are inconvenient if not impossible to use. Good luck being able to use Facebook on a dumbphone.
The whole idea of the “ideal dumbphone” is to have a phone that has everything you need and ONLY that, but you’re not going to be using it a lot or feel dependent on it.
Idk how general it is, but for my uni acc 2fa you can simply get a USB stick with tokens on it. Friend does the same for their e-id to avoid linking it to their phone number.
My thing is, a dumb phone has the features I would like to do without on my smart phone. Telephone and SMS ARE THE GODDAMN PROBLEM. If people who were not explicitly whitelisted by me out of band had no method of contacting me, that’d be great.
there are some eink ‘smartphones’ that are wifi only, bigme hibreak is one. obviously nothing will beat a pixel with graphene on it tho
