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Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

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Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#201

Post by kemps4 »

perlgod wrote: post #18

You will be in a tough spot if you're in the USA. All the nice Nokias and decent low-tech phones are rapidly becoming useless as carriers phase out 2g (and even 3g) coverage to free up bands for LTE and now 5g. If your "dumbphone" doesn't support VoLTE you'll be frustrated with dropped calls and spotty service everywhere. I know this from experience. I settled on T-Mobile's only "dumbphone" - the Alcatel GoFlip [1].…

I also have recently acquired an Alcatel goflip- mostly to minimize distractions (I am a student - need time to study). It does what I need. It allows me to have time without a swiss army knife of distractions (including things we ought not look at) and still lets me make a call or pull up directions. Go ahead, free yourself.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#202

Post by marttt »

quickthrower2 wrote: post #124
marttt wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used my 1st gen 3310 daily for 13 years. Eventually the antenna died and it turned out to be impossible to find reliable batteries. Mom, on the phone: "I can't HEAR you again! Go and GET yourself a DECENT phone! I am going to BUY you one myself! ..." After this, my phone almost always died. An excellent phone, though. Saved me from smartphones (I've never owned one). It also served well as a bottle opener when I wa…

Damn how did I not know about using the 3310 as a bottle opener (being a 20-something when I had one). Anyway here is the proof: https://metro.co.uk/2015/04/18/this-is-how-you-use-your-old-...

Haha, I can't believe there actually is a video for this. I'm from Estonia and it seemed like a a standard skill among 18+ year olds here in the early 2000s. You had to try beer, and you had to try opening the bottle with a 3310.

I suppose I should say "timeless Finnish design" now. :)

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#203

Post by ixxivvix »

davzie wrote: post #95
rinchik wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it runs Android. What a bummer. Otherwise this phone looks perfect

Check this thread out that explains Google really has no control over the device: https://twitter.com/punkt/status/1103276818340212737

Just an aside, but that’s a concerningly long thread. Responses like these are kind of important enough that they shouldn’t be easily lost or hardly seen (especially since it’s a reply to someone). Case in point: the way I found this thread since you linked to it, but I could be wrong and it might’ve been said somewhere in their website

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#204

Post by Double_a_92 »

paulcarroty wrote: post #198
crazynick4 wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I tried turning my smartphone into a "dumbphone" and using it less, but I honestly lacked the self-control to put the stupid thing down Did you remove the browsers and app store as well? I got rid of everything except for phone/texting, Slack (for work), and non-bingy convenience apps like Maps/Yelp/etc. On Android, it can be done with the adb shell without rooting, even the 'uninstallable' apps like Google search…

> Did you remove the browsers and app store as well? It's possible with adb or root, but buy a $500-$800 device for removing basic apps? Failed logic IMHO. > Not sure about Apple. You can't.

You can get a decent smartphone for under 200$.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#205

Post by paulcarroty »

checkyoursudo wrote: post #114
perlgod wrote: post #18

You will be in a tough spot if you're in the USA. All the nice Nokias and decent low-tech phones are rapidly becoming useless as carriers phase out 2g (and even 3g) coverage to free up bands for LTE and now 5g. If your "dumbphone" doesn't support VoLTE you'll be frustrated with dropped calls and spotty service everywhere. I know this from experience. I settled on T-Mobile's only "dumbphone" - the Alcatel GoFlip [1].…

I was looking at getting one of those Alcatels. Can it broadcast a wifi hotspot, such that you could tether a laptop or tablet? I couldn't tell from the listed specs.

Yes, it can: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-35636

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#206

Post by paulcarroty »

torvald wrote: post #91
perlgod wrote: post #18

You will be in a tough spot if you're in the USA. All the nice Nokias and decent low-tech phones are rapidly becoming useless as carriers phase out 2g (and even 3g) coverage to free up bands for LTE and now 5g. If your "dumbphone" doesn't support VoLTE you'll be frustrated with dropped calls and spotty service everywhere. I know this from experience. I settled on T-Mobile's only "dumbphone" - the Alcatel GoFlip [1].…

A quick search and it does not seem to be available for sale in Europe.

ebay.com

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#207

Post by paulcarroty »

davzie wrote: post #95
rinchik wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it runs Android. What a bummer. Otherwise this phone looks perfect

Check this thread out that explains Google really has no control over the device: https://twitter.com/punkt/status/1103276818340212737

Android and 'no Google controlled device' sounds like sci-fi.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#208

Post by paulcarroty »

spricket wrote: post #143

If you care about privacy and have about $100 + 4 hours you can get a Galaxy S5 running LineageOs without GApps (use F-Droid store) . Almost completely OSS besides a few manufacturer blobs you can't really work around. I have a "normal" Android phone I use for work but my S5 is my daily driver for everything else. Works great, hardest part is setting up stuff to replace FAANG. I use ProtonMail, Open Camera, Matrix/Ri…

LineageOS still use Google services for DNS and connectivity checks. I'd be non surprised if this number will be much more. Also, every third-party app can easily track you and steal data, check the news.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#209

Post by srkiranraj »

rakic wrote: post #33

Punkt MP01 https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp01-mobile-phone/ Punkt MP02 https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/ Light Phone https://www.thelightphone.com Light Phone 2 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/light-phone-2 Nokia 3310 https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_int/nokia-3310

If you loved Light Phone, you should try this android app "Less Phone". It is brilliant.

If you want both smartphones and don't want to get distracted during office hours or private time.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best “dumb” phone?

#210

Post by mar77i »

lewiscollard wrote: post #100
mar77i wrote: post #62

I'm using the new nokia 8810. The keyboard is annoying, but otherwise with this phone you have a hotspot turned phone in a classic shape with you. KaiOS isn't too bad either (no google stuff on my phone too).

woohoo, somehow I managed to miss this existing. I had an original 8110 back in the day and every now and then since I've daydreamed about just how cool it would be to have that same form factor with modern internals. It's real! Yeah, I might just have to pick one of those up. :) What do you object to about the keyboard? And is it squishy rubber like the original 8110 or something harder?

It's definitely hard, with something squishier underneath.

Maybe I have a manufacturing one-off, but for me, the keys tend to trigger multiple times when I press them. I can hardly enter an entire phone number without accidentally double-hitting at least one of the numbers.

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