Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#11

Post by danbolt » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:46 PM UTC

dman wrote: post #8

alchemism wrote: post #6

I've just abandoned using a smartphone in favor of a $20 dumb Alcatel phone that can only do three things: calls, alarms, and an FM radio. It doesn't even vibrate. I offloaded every other functional use into my tablet, in this case an iPad Pro. The phone battery lasts for days on standby; I can drain my tablet battery without concern. I can leave the tablet at home if I want to stay light or if I want to stay focused…

What do you do for navigation? (Thats literally the only feature keeping me with a smart phone right now).

Part of me wonders if the parent poster has an inexpensive data plan for the tablet? I'd be tempted to do something like that, actually.

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#12

Post by sk1pper » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:47 PM UTC

dman wrote: post #8

alchemism wrote: post #6

I've just abandoned using a smartphone in favor of a $20 dumb Alcatel phone that can only do three things: calls, alarms, and an FM radio. It doesn't even vibrate. I offloaded every other functional use into my tablet, in this case an iPad Pro. The phone battery lasts for days on standby; I can drain my tablet battery without concern. I can leave the tablet at home if I want to stay light or if I want to stay focused…

What do you do for navigation? (Thats literally the only feature keeping me with a smart phone right now).

I've done this in the past, and I would pull up the route in Maps on the tablet and then take it with me. But that doesn't handle getting lost, or last minute detours, etc.

Seems like keeping an iPad with cellular data around would be a good solution, but it starts to risk being "too good."

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#13

Post by cabaalis » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:47 PM UTC

alchemism wrote: post #6

I've just abandoned using a smartphone in favor of a $20 dumb Alcatel phone that can only do three things: calls, alarms, and an FM radio. It doesn't even vibrate. I offloaded every other functional use into my tablet, in this case an iPad Pro. The phone battery lasts for days on standby; I can drain my tablet battery without concern. I can leave the tablet at home if I want to stay light or if I want to stay focused…

I'm interested in doing something similar. Does the tablet have cell? What do do you when out and about, away from wifi, and need something? How do you carry the tablet around?

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#14

Post by bungie4 » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:48 PM UTC

When my Nexus 5 dies, I plan on going back to my old Sony-Ericsson feature phone. Just before I retired it I put in a bigger battery. I can fit 3 of them in any pocket I care to choose. It ran 2 weeks on Standby before giving up the ghost. As for functionality. I'm old. Voice/Text/Camera. I've gone for years and years without having a data plan. I typically xfer about 10 texts a month and I might get 1 or two voice calls. Which leads to my next point; I even managed to get rid of my cell plan. I ported my number to my employers plan, he covers it all. I've got unlimited everything on the corporate account. So I save about $500/yr. Do you think I'm gonna invest double that in a new phone? Pfft.

Different strokes for different folks, but I wouldn't miss it at all.

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#15

Post by pishpash » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:48 PM UTC

iodiniemetra wrote: post #4

lolive wrote: post #3

The phone is not smart or dumb. The user is.

Considering that the darker edges of "app engagement" are trying to replicate gambling addiction, I hesitate to call users dumb when they don't act in their best self interest.

Actually most of the pressure has been social, i.e. peer pressure. "Why aren't you using this app? How can I reach you?" etc. Just have to say no and stick to your own plan.

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#16

Post by teebot » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:48 PM UTC

dman wrote: post #8

alchemism wrote: post #6

I've just abandoned using a smartphone in favor of a $20 dumb Alcatel phone that can only do three things: calls, alarms, and an FM radio. It doesn't even vibrate. I offloaded every other functional use into my tablet, in this case an iPad Pro. The phone battery lasts for days on standby; I can drain my tablet battery without concern. I can leave the tablet at home if I want to stay light or if I want to stay focused…

What do you do for navigation? (Thats literally the only feature keeping me with a smart phone right now).

I've done exactly the same move 9 months ago. Nokia 3310 and carry an ipad+data if I'm on the move for a few days.

My car has a builtin GPS. Navigation has been an issue only once when joining a friend to a restaurant on foot, believe it or not I asked my way around and found the place.

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#17

Post by sandov » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:49 PM UTC

For those who want their phone to respect them, while still maintaining smart functionality, I recommend LineageOS, it's a distribution of android without all the google's proprietary crap.

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#18

Post by Clubber » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:49 PM UTC

rubidium wrote: post #9

dman wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you do for navigation? (Thats literally the only feature keeping me with a smart phone right now).

Not OP, but can answer. What everyone used to do.

Drive around lost, unwilling to ask for directions?

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#19

Post by ctrl-j » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:49 PM UTC

rubidium wrote: post #9

dman wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you do for navigation? (Thats literally the only feature keeping me with a smart phone right now).

Not OP, but can answer. What everyone used to do.

Get lost and have to stop/call for directions?

Abandoning modern technology doesn't seem like the better alternative in this case.

Re: Is a Dumber Phone a Better Phone?

#20

Post by masklinn » Thu, May 17, 2018, 6:49 PM UTC

sk1pper wrote: post #12

dman wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you do for navigation? (Thats literally the only feature keeping me with a smart phone right now).

I've done this in the past, and I would pull up the route in Maps on the tablet and then take it with me. But that doesn't handle getting lost, or last minute detours, etc. Seems like keeping an iPad with cellular data around would be a good solution, but it starts to risk being "too good."

Nokia has dumb-ish phones which can act as wifi hotspots (e.g. the 8110 4G which runs KaiOS). So an alternative would be that + tablet, if you really need to you turn on the hotspot and can connect to the net.