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The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

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Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#51

Post by wlindley »

shinycode wrote: post #3

When the tool is too powerful for our capacities of self-control, maybe some people should roll back to the was things were before. - a simple phone with SMS - a desk computer in the living room for internet and email, shared between everyone - a camera - an ebook reader (or just books and newspaper)

I have a kitchen phone and a desk phone (both VOIP), a Linux workstation, a DSLR camera, a radio, and read real books and play CDs. Also an RCA Orthophonic High Fidelity phonograph for 78, 45, and 33⅓. After the last Star Trek went off the air, and Jeopardy! went woke, there was nothing to watch on TV and it got left behind somewhere.

Computers are nothing but free software. Had a mobile phone (a flip-phone with real buttons) for years but never used it, and just let it lapse, as being unnecessary. Never understood why so many folks bought into being abused by their handheld pocket computers, and paying for the "privilege." Anyone who gives MS/Apple/Google/Amazon (the evil MAGA) money is being an enabler for the abuse of others.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#52

Post by DaSHacka »

volatilecarbon wrote: post #10

The grayscale suggestion is pretty interesting. I was skeptical it would make any difference, but I tried it and my home screen instantly felt more calming to look at at. It seems like we really underestimate how much visual complexity exhausts us. Not sure how long I'll keep it like that, but I think I'll leave it for now as I've been trying to minimize my phone for a while now (biggest difference was removing socia…

For anyone on Android, you can bind holding down both volume buttons at the same time to toggle grayscale on/off.

To do this, go in Settings, then `Accessibility > Color and motion > Color correction`, and set it to grayscale.

While still in the `Color correction` submenu, click `Color correction shortcut`, set it to `Hold both volume keys`, and toggle it on.

I just discovered this myself, but with the ability to quickly flip it off when needed (taking pictures/watching videos/etc) I may actually end up keeping it enabled this time around.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#53

Post by robertlagrant »

madeofpalk wrote: post #49
robertlagrant wrote: post #7

I've uninstalled all social media, which is the main notifications hook. I really think the power of apps is in notifications, and it's best to cut them out. If I want to see a Tweet or a Facebook post, probably because someone I know on Whatsapp sent me it, I'll use the website. I don't want to be dragged in by notifications. Anyone else the same?

Hacker News is a social network.

Can you expand on the point you're making? I'm not sure what it is.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#54

Post by etrautmann »

madeofpalk wrote: post #49
robertlagrant wrote: post #7

I've uninstalled all social media, which is the main notifications hook. I really think the power of apps is in notifications, and it's best to cut them out. If I want to see a Tweet or a Facebook post, probably because someone I know on Whatsapp sent me it, I'll use the website. I don't want to be dragged in by notifications. Anyone else the same?

Hacker News is a social network.

Sure? It’s not really very similar to Instagram or TikTok even if we all spend some time here. I hardly know anyone else by name or expect them to know me. There’s little to no social clout and few users here are “influencers” in the conventional sense.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#55

Post by sgarland »

nottorp wrote: post #42
seba_dos1 wrote: post #12

iPhone is already dumb. It's a toy that's not within the control of its user, and Android is only marginally better. I'm using GNU/Linux on my phone and while it offers me the power of a full unrestricted computing device in my pocket, it only ever distracts me with things I explicitly opted into. Despite of some of its shortcomings, it really ends up being a much calmer and more usable experience overall.

Tbh it's much easier to turn off all notifications on iOS than other platforms. But say, what happened to Ubuntu? I haven't used desktop linux in quite a few years (in spite of doing headless linux projects 2/3 of the time), now I have a project that requires that I see the desktop and it feels... spammy. What's with all those notifications and auto downloading of updates? Do they want to remind me why my main deskto…

Canonical has a poor track record of freedom in general, IMO, at least for desktop. Ubuntu Server is pretty straightforward, but unless you need the extended security updates or Livepatch, I don’t see the point.

Between telemetry enabled by default, pushing everything to Snap, and their brief “let’s send searches to Amazon” experiment, it’s a no from me. I’m not a purist who refuses to use non-free things, but I don’t particularly like being herded towards a single way of doing something (Snap). systemd is nearly at my breaking point as it is.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#56

Post by em500 »

There is no science behind this, and the article spends far too many words for something that's very simple to accomplish:

1. Hard reset your iPhone

2. Remove Safari and AppStore (via Settings -> Screentime restrictions -> Content & Privacy Restrictions) and have someone trusted set a Screen Time password.

That's all. You still have weather reports, agendas, alarm clocks, maps, translators, phone+messenger, email, a music player, a camera, but zero time wasters. With this setup you can give an iPhone to a 6 year old with zero anxiety about "screen time" (which in reality is really internet time: disable internet access and they're bored with the phone in less than a day).

Pretty much everything that we tell ourselves we really need instantly are lies: almost nothing is really so time sensitive that it can't wait till you're behind a desktop/laptop.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#57

Post by pololeono »

cocoflunchy wrote: post #18

I have in my backlogs of projects (one day I will have time for them...) an extreme "dumb smartphone". I want to have maps, whatsapp, chatgpt, a document scanner, my banking app, a guitar tuner... these are tools. So I need both an app whitelist (there are only so many apps that I actually use on my phone) and a website blacklist (no more HN, reddit, twitter, facebook, news websites, etc). I can use those on my compu…

I have some expirience implementing an extreme dumb phone: I did it on a samsung smartphone using "Google family link" which is the parental control feature of android. You need a second ios or android device (yes the family link app to control your "children" also exists for IOS). This device you store in an inaccessible location and you tie it to an account of which you dont remember the password (just write a long sequence of random characters on a sheet of paper and store it in the same inaccessible place)

Then you set everything up: You install the desired apps on the main phone. You prevent installation of additional apps through parent phone. You blacklist all addictive websites.

(You can also block all preinstalled apps, in my case I had to block the browser app from Samsung, because the family link app does not restrict this browser it can only restrict chrome)

I ended up with a very watertight dumb phone. One goal was also to prevent any access to porn through the phone. This is also a process, because sometimes you find new ways to access such content despite the google family filters. Then you just blacklist those additional ways.

What I still have:

WhatsApp (people suggest sometimes to just use a feature phone or light phone, but this is not an option because at least in europe you need whats app, else you are excluded from social life)

Spotify

Phone

SMS

Chrome (blocked: news, porn, online shops)

App for Public Transportation

Maps

Notes

Camera

Banking

I can also recommend the "Olauncher" launcher.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#58

Post by macintux »

etrautmann wrote: post #54
madeofpalk wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hacker News is a social network.

Sure? It’s not really very similar to Instagram or TikTok even if we all spend some time here. I hardly know anyone else by name or expect them to know me. There’s little to no social clout and few users here are “influencers” in the conventional sense.

And no personalized algorithm designed to generate anger/engagement, hurrah.

Re: The science behind an iPhone dumb phone

#60

Post by em500 »

cocoflunchy wrote: post #18

I have in my backlogs of projects (one day I will have time for them...) an extreme "dumb smartphone". I want to have maps, whatsapp, chatgpt, a document scanner, my banking app, a guitar tuner... these are tools. So I need both an app whitelist (there are only so many apps that I actually use on my phone) and a website blacklist (no more HN, reddit, twitter, facebook, news websites, etc). I can use those on my compu…

It can be done in iOS: in Settings -> Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions you can disable almost any app, including Safari and App Store. Ask a trusted person to set a Screen Time Passcode (and keep safe backups) and you'll have pretty much zero opportunity to waste time on a phone. (You'll probably waste it on a laptop instead.)
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