The Light Phone • Hacker News Board

Re: The Light Phone

#111

Post by bcatanzaro » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 3:52 AM UTC

I got one of these for my 13 year old. We’re trying to ease her into having a phone without giving her Instagram etc. quite yet, since we think smartphones can be dangerous for mental health of young teens.

The phone has been a mix of good and bad. The software is still somewhat buggy. I think the hardest thing is that the eInk screen ghosts a lot and has a very long refresh cycle, which really can get in the way of using it. There are times when you just can’t read the screen because it has so much ghosting. Emoji work but are so tiny they are hard to read.

Overall - I still like it and hope it gets updated software to add the missing features (music, for example). But the screen is a pretty big compromise. I’d probably be happier if they used a standard LCD screen.

Re: The Light Phone

#112

Post by crimsonalucard » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 3:55 AM UTC

TheGallopedHigh wrote: post #27

megablast wrote: post #22

The light phone. Here is a 100mb webpage plus useless background video introducing our minimalistic concept.

Otherwise known as marketing; which is often useful for selling products not necessarily aimed at tech users.

Don't think tech users are better than other people. They fall for marketing tactics too.

Re: The Light Phone

#113

Post by crimsonalucard » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 3:59 AM UTC

It's like a flip phone but marketed towards these posers who want to "get away" from technology.

Just buy a flip phone.

Re: The Light Phone

#114

Post by paxys » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:14 AM UTC

It's like the world collectively decided to forget that basic feature phones and cheap prepaid plans have always existed and continue to exist.

Re: The Light Phone

#115

Post by Aloha » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:24 AM UTC

paxys wrote: post #114

It's like the world collectively decided to forget that basic feature phones and cheap prepaid plans have always existed and continue to exist.

I strongly suspect the people funding this don't know anyone who don't buy a flagship phone.

Re: The Light Phone

#116

Post by doesnt_know » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:25 AM UTC

jxcl wrote: post #32

ITT: People complaining that a purposefully minimalist phone doesn't have the very specific feature that they want. If the point is to be reachable by a loved one in an emergency and nothing else, this seems like a reasonable option.

> If the point is to be reachable by a loved one in an emergency and nothing else, this seems like a reasonable option.

Not even close. You can get a basic phone plus sim card for like $40 or less and then pay a few dollars (or less) a month on prepay to keep it connected to the network.

This is a toy secondary phone for those with disposable income, not a valid low-income alternative.

Re: The Light Phone

#117

Post by lostgame » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:26 AM UTC

dotnetcore wrote: post #98

mrspeaker wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's in the zeitgeist a bit now. Some people (I'm certainly one) are looking to unhook from their phones - get away from convenience and immediacy and... the internet in general (typing this from Emacs, so it seems more forgivable!). I know at least 5 people - a large percentage of my close network ;) - who would be interested in this device. I'm sure there's a big enough market for it if the execution is rig…

why not just put the phone down? i have a android phone but i don't check it 24/7 and sometime i even let the phone ring. you can treat your smart phone as old boring phone by using it like a old boring phone.

You significantly overestimate people’s level of self control and also the amount of money time and effort companies put in to make these technologies addictive.

Re: The Light Phone

#118

Post by ksec » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:29 AM UTC

I just wish Apple make a modern thinner All Screen iPhone 4. ( Even smaller than iPhone SE ) The screen should be about 4.7" @ 19.5 : 9.

The smaller screen absolutely destroy all gaming and even Internet browsing experience. The UX is so bad you dont want to use it, but still give you the choice should there be a need. While retaining all the essential such as Email, WhatsApp, Calling, Uber, And Music etc.

Re: The Light Phone

#119

Post by ip26 » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:35 AM UTC

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #109

ricardobeat wrote: post #41

I got mine still in the box in a drawer somewhere. The main selling point for me were the additional features compared to the original. From the FAQ: > These tools are currently being developed and will be released in the coming few months These tools being the promised features of Music / Notes / Calculator / Directions / Ride hailing, and "coming months" being the end of 2019. It's been almost two years since the l…

I thought the whole point of this phone was to NOT have those things.

Nobody bought the Light Phone to escape the dopamine drip of Calculator.

Re: The Light Phone

#120

Post by dangus » Sat, Jan 04, 2020, 4:40 AM UTC

Modern smartphones already give you the tools to stop abusing your phone’s dominance of your attention.

Screen time and other similar controls let you limit your usage of distracting apps. Or just don’t install them and learn some self control. Put your phone in your bag instead of your pocket, or maybe leave it at home sometimes.

A black and white phone missing basic features compared to a modern Nokia feature phone along with being currently unavailable to purchase without waiting is, overall, a shitty proposition.

And I didn’t even see the price before writing all that out. $350. No way. A KaiOS device seems way more sensible.