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Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

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Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#131

I use https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qqlabs.min... which has several things that pester you when opening certain applications. It also makes the home screen quite dull. Combine this with a monochrome display and the phone considerably loosens its grip on you.

I think it will work just fine in combination with Intenty. Of course, it might be too challenging to use the device with so many obstacles. But if that helps to be more mindful about phone usage, why not?

Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#132
post #111

I just deleted an app a month until I was happy. My phone got so boring after a few months of this I started forgetting it when leaving home. Ended up using it so little on the go, wifi was enough and canceled my cell phone plan. Been four years since I had cell service or regularly carried any internet capable devices and I have never been happier. My anxiety has plummeted and my attention span and productivity have…

how do you listen to music then?

I still use an ipod classic. My music taste hasn't changed in 2 decades.

Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#133
post #111

I just deleted an app a month until I was happy. My phone got so boring after a few months of this I started forgetting it when leaving home. Ended up using it so little on the go, wifi was enough and canceled my cell phone plan. Been four years since I had cell service or regularly carried any internet capable devices and I have never been happier. My anxiety has plummeted and my attention span and productivity have…

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#134
post #111

I just deleted an app a month until I was happy. My phone got so boring after a few months of this I started forgetting it when leaving home. Ended up using it so little on the go, wifi was enough and canceled my cell phone plan. Been four years since I had cell service or regularly carried any internet capable devices and I have never been happier. My anxiety has plummeted and my attention span and productivity have…

This is great advice. I deleted everything that has an infinite scroll of new stuff and set my phone on airplane mode where possible. Life is better. I frequently go about with no phone and I have better focus. Paradoxically I now enjoy my phone much more. It has a compass a camera and a bunch of cool utilities. It’s easier to appreciate how nice maps or translate is when you need to jump for them.

Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#138
post #111

I just deleted an app a month until I was happy. My phone got so boring after a few months of this I started forgetting it when leaving home. Ended up using it so little on the go, wifi was enough and canceled my cell phone plan. Been four years since I had cell service or regularly carried any internet capable devices and I have never been happier. My anxiety has plummeted and my attention span and productivity have…

Can confirm that physically separating myself from my phone has had benefits for me. For the last two years it's usually either sitting in another room when I'm at home, or in my bag when I'm out, always on silent. Switched off an hour before bed. This is enough to eliminate the distraction for me.

The main benefit is really just having more free time, focus and attention that you can channel into things you actually care about. So if anyone needs motivation to un-tether, think of it like this: being a phone user cuts your life roughly in half (in terms of the portion of time that's actually available to you to use).

I could go even more extreme on the phone decoupling, for instance I still bring it with me if I'm going to a bar or something, but at the moment I'm more focused on whittling down social media usage on computers as well. It does feel like the endgame could be a better life through just abandoning most of the tech that was cooked up in the last 15 years.

Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#139
post #123

Great idea, I'm a bit worried about security. To have control over phone unlocking the app has to be pretty privileged, right?

It does not list any special privilege except drawing over other apps. I think the author could justify the network permission or they could remove it, but I personally don't consider it a big problem as-is anyway.

https://developer.android.com/training/permissions/requestin...

The Play Store lists these permissions:

* view network connections * full network access * run at startup * draw over other apps * prevent device from sleeping

The only one that gives me pause is "draw over" because it would allow the app to capture screen content, and that is only concerning because of "full network access" enabling it to send data. I'm not sure why this app would require _both_ of these permissions.

https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.actureu...

Re: Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

#140
post #111

I just deleted an app a month until I was happy. My phone got so boring after a few months of this I started forgetting it when leaving home. Ended up using it so little on the go, wifi was enough and canceled my cell phone plan. Been four years since I had cell service or regularly carried any internet capable devices and I have never been happier. My anxiety has plummeted and my attention span and productivity have…

what do you do when you need a phone number?

Not OP, but I've been meaning to pick up a used business phone and connecting it to a VoIP number for a home phone
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