Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone • Hacker News Board

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#131

Post by chias » Sat, May 16, 2026, 4:58 PM UTC

troyvit wrote: post #126

epolanski wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. 1. My bank doesn't allow to go in person without an in-app taken appointment. 2. My nephew can't play football in his team, because the team has an app to book/signal your availability. No other way. 3. Half of restaurants in my area do not have non-QR code menus, they just don't. 4. McDonald's will make me pay the scam pricing you get without the app. 5. My doctor gives documentation only and exclusively in di…

> 3. Half of restaurants in my area do not have non-QR code menus, they just don't. Not knocking this list, the shit is real. But I just had a lovely imaginary conversation with a server asking them what they would recommend and then trying something brand new.

I've had this conversation for real. The server's recommendation was that I scan the QR code.

That was my last time going to that restaurant.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#132

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel » Sat, May 16, 2026, 4:58 PM UTC

SoftTalker wrote: post #86

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #76

The challenge isn't buying it, the challenge is being able to do phone things with it. Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Banking, government, authentication, postal service and public transit apps are just some of t…

You can exist, but life will be as inconvenient as it was in the 1990s (though importantly, it didn't seem inconvenient at the time, it was just the way things were).

> as inconvenient as it was in the 1990s

That's not true, because in the 1990s there was no presumption that everyone has a major-vendor smartphone. Now, the ways to do things without a smartphone are often disappearing, so things are more inconvenient. For example, ticket machines and printed schedules for public transit are going away in many places.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#133

Post by svl » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:00 PM UTC

amunozo wrote: post #92

SoftTalker wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can exist, but life will be as inconvenient as it was in the 1990s (though importantly, it didn't seem inconvenient at the time, it was just the way things were).

I disagree. You cannot even book appointments in a lot of banks today, a thing you could do in the 90s. Like that, a lot of services are unavailable without a smartphone and its non-smartphone equivalent is not available anymore.

This might be country specific? Specifically dependent on laws in the fields of consumer-protection and keeping things universally accessible.

I don't own a smartphone. I have never owned a smartphone. There are inconveniences, and big organizations definitely try to push you toward the way of doing things which has the lowest costs for them - but there are no actual blockers. There is always a path involving actual humans, and regular phone calls (or emails or paper forms).

Reactions tend to be wistful variations of "I wish I could" or "but how do you?" - and it's really always about the most trivial inconveniences.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#134

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:01 PM UTC

gib444 wrote: post #102

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #76

The challenge isn't buying it, the challenge is being able to do phone things with it. Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Banking, government, authentication, postal service and public transit apps are just some of t…

> Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone If my phone breaks, I will die? :) Perhaps it's this spreading of this lie that it's impossible to live without a phone that is contributing to the problem

No, but you will likely be inconvenienced to a similar level as losing your house keys, and lose access to important services. You won't immediately die, because most people can survive for quite some time on nothing but questionable river water and a piece of cardboard under a bridge, but there is a difference between survival and existing in society.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#135

Post by rjrjrjrj » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:02 PM UTC

SoftTalker wrote: post #122

rjrjrjrj wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Technically, sure you probably can spend a large amount of time, energy, and money to find alternative non-smartphone ways of navigating through modern life. Practically, you need a smartphone. Engaging an attorney != practical

That's the thing. The larger amount of time, energy, and money we spent on doing banking in the 1990s was real. The web, and then mobile apps, made a lot of that more convenient. But it's not impossible to live the old way. You can still write paper checks, go to the bank to make a deposit and get cash, etc. It used to be normal, everyone did it, now it seems extremely inconvenient for most people.

It is extremely inconvenient.

Both because a dwindling minority of people do old things the old way; and because new things (eg Netflix and Uber) are designed for the new way, even if they don't absolutely require it.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#136

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:03 PM UTC

bdangubic wrote: post #99

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #76

The challenge isn't buying it, the challenge is being able to do phone things with it. Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Banking, government, authentication, postal service and public transit apps are just some of t…

> Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. millions of people would like a word… > Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Absolutely not, if there is “critical service” that requires an iPhone or Android you call an attorney. > Banking, government, authenticati…

> can and should fight

I disagree, because the impact on my quality of life from fighting the fight is just not a level of sacrifice that is sensible.

> There are now and there always will be alternatives

The problem is that those "alternatives" often come with serious downsides, from higher cost, to massive inconvenience, to having to work around simply not having a service. And while most of the time it's possible to work around it, most people quickly hit the limit where the cost isn't bearable.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#137

Post by ecesena » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:04 PM UTC

I’m surprised that the Seeker is not even mentioned. I understand it’s Solana, it’s blockchain, whatever people think about it... to me it’s the only serious attempt at creating an app store that can compete with apple or google. What’s the point of independent hardware if the whole sw stack is them?

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#138

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:06 PM UTC

O1111OOO wrote: post #118

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #76

The challenge isn't buying it, the challenge is being able to do phone things with it. Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Banking, government, authentication, postal service and public transit apps are just some of t…

> Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. Is it the phone or just the mobile operating system? I do most of my phone stuff on a tablet that I keep at home - where it's safer. I am currently using an Android phone (without an account) for GPS, phone calls (contacts), internet, games, email (alternatives to google), etc... But for those critical and sensitive apps (banking, etc)... I consider thos…

That doesn't solve for services that by definition need to be accessed on the go, e.g. public transit, parcel pickup, luggage lockers, rental bikes, restaurant menus, paying for parking, etc. (some of these may not mandate phones in your area yet or may allow mobile web alternatives, these are just examples where I've seen strong pushes towards apps or at leas in many places).

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#139

Post by SoftTalker » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:10 PM UTC

troyvit wrote: post #126

epolanski wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. 1. My bank doesn't allow to go in person without an in-app taken appointment. 2. My nephew can't play football in his team, because the team has an app to book/signal your availability. No other way. 3. Half of restaurants in my area do not have non-QR code menus, they just don't. 4. McDonald's will make me pay the scam pricing you get without the app. 5. My doctor gives documentation only and exclusively in di…

> 3. Half of restaurants in my area do not have non-QR code menus, they just don't. Not knocking this list, the shit is real. But I just had a lovely imaginary conversation with a server asking them what they would recommend and then trying something brand new.

When I go to a restaurant that has QR-only menus, I won't make a scene about it, but it lowers the mental rating I give the place and I'm less likely to return.

Re: Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

#140

Post by bdangubic » Sat, May 16, 2026, 5:11 PM UTC

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #136

bdangubic wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Nowadays, you can no longer exist in society without a phone. millions of people would like a word… > Most things will work but it takes one critical service that doesn't have a viable workaround, and you're forced to buy (and possibly carry) a "mainstream" phone just for that. Absolutely not, if there is “critical service” that requires an iPhone or Android you call an attorney. > Banking, government, authenticati…

> can and should fight I disagree, because the impact on my quality of life from fighting the fight is just not a level of sacrifice that is sensible. > There are now and there always will be alternatives The problem is that those "alternatives" often come with serious downsides, from higher cost, to massive inconvenience, to having to work around simply not having a service. And while most of the time it's possible…

> I disagree, because the impact on my quality of life from fighting the fight is just not a level of sacrifice that is sensible

Interesting. I feel then that if this is the case we cannot complain then, no? If the fight is not worth fighting (I think that it is) than complaints about it are pointless (for the lack of a softer word…)