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I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

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Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#211

Post by KellyCriterion »

memcg wrote: post #203
bufordsharkley wrote: post #56

I've still never had a smartphone (technically my flip phone, a Kyocera Dura, is an android device, but it can't install apps so I'll consider it suitably "dumb") Occasionally I need to tote along a tablet because several places (some MLB venues, for one thing) will either require a smartphone, or impose a severe surcharge for the convenience of not using it. Anyway, I really regret that we didn't impose dumbphone pr…

I still use two Kyocera Cadence LTE flip phones, but I bought a few smartphones for my children over the years. Also have an iPad that was a gift and I have used it to deposit bank checks. Instead of constantly checking my phone, I just watch people constantly checking their phones.

....and in fact it is really interesting to see, what other people are doing with their smartphones and what content they consume :-D

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#212

Post by KellyCriterion »

MisterTea wrote: post #48
burningChrome wrote: post #18

I have a motorola smartphone. I don't have google play installed. I mainly use obtainium for app installation. Its a bare bones phone and it drives my business partner crazy. "Just log into our instagram account and. . .right, you don't have insta installed on your phone." "Can you log into our scheduling app and. . . right, you don't have that installed on your phone either." Some of the more painful things you have…

> - Not having any banking apps on my phone. Every time my son needs a few bucks in his account, my wife has to do it if we're out. This is the most tyrannical things about smart phones -- banking apps. I get it, the bank wants to ensure the platform is not a liability. But it forces most of us to use one of the only two "trusted" mobile providers on earth: Google or Apple, both of which are American (and I'm an Amer…

...and switching phones/devices with all these banking 2FA apps is the worst...

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#213

Post by Melatonic »

memcg wrote: post #203
bufordsharkley wrote: post #56

I've still never had a smartphone (technically my flip phone, a Kyocera Dura, is an android device, but it can't install apps so I'll consider it suitably "dumb") Occasionally I need to tote along a tablet because several places (some MLB venues, for one thing) will either require a smartphone, or impose a severe surcharge for the convenience of not using it. Anyway, I really regret that we didn't impose dumbphone pr…

I still use two Kyocera Cadence LTE flip phones, but I bought a few smartphones for my children over the years. Also have an iPad that was a gift and I have used it to deposit bank checks. Instead of constantly checking my phone, I just watch people constantly checking their phones.

Meanwhile the local security guard probably is watching you on a camera wondering why you don't have a smartphone

Until they get distracted by theirs

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#214

Post by t0bia_s »

bufordsharkley wrote: post #56

I've still never had a smartphone (technically my flip phone, a Kyocera Dura, is an android device, but it can't install apps so I'll consider it suitably "dumb") Occasionally I need to tote along a tablet because several places (some MLB venues, for one thing) will either require a smartphone, or impose a severe surcharge for the convenience of not using it. Anyway, I really regret that we didn't impose dumbphone pr…

Our constitution (Czech rep.) doesn't require to own or communicate with smartphone.

Argument that you own dumb phone is weak. I have devices capable to use apps, I simply refuse.

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#215

Post by t0bia_s »

SoftTalker wrote: post #160
bufordsharkley wrote: post #56

I've still never had a smartphone (technically my flip phone, a Kyocera Dura, is an android device, but it can't install apps so I'll consider it suitably "dumb") Occasionally I need to tote along a tablet because several places (some MLB venues, for one thing) will either require a smartphone, or impose a severe surcharge for the convenience of not using it. Anyway, I really regret that we didn't impose dumbphone pr…

The problem is not smartphones per se. They are very handy. They eliminate the need to carry a thick wallet full of physical ID cards, credit cards, membership/discount cards, etc. They help you if you are lost (who even gets lost anymore, with navigation and maps in your pocket). They let you access information and entertainment wherever you are. The problem is the tracking and invasion of privacy, and that all trac…

Ads are aspect that worries me least (it is simple to block it in entire home network).

Tracking weakening safety, privacy and in massive scale allows social engineering by state. Just look how unhealthy most people react on politics. "Divide and conquer" was never more achievable in massive scale like today.

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#216

Post by jolmg »

warkdarrior wrote: post #161
osicjsfjhdhf wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I’m protecting by myself From… what?

In the case of this thread, the OP is protecting themselves from Google tracking by using a de-Googled phone. But they do not seem to care that Google is tracking their spouse.

> But they do not seem to care that Google is tracking their spouse.

Rather, I imagine it would be a bit hard to get them into doing that, given the difficulties it can imply.

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#217

Post by noman-land »

culebron21 wrote: post #162

Learn to say "no". It's freaking easy. I do have a smartphone, and every time someone asks me to install something on it, or ask for my phone number for "accumulating bonuses", I say simple and dry "no" looking into their eyes. When there's a queue behind me, they'll just show loading icon on their face a couple of seconds, and then proceed, because of pressure. Otherwise, when there are no more people, they feel lik…

You can just as easily say "no thanks" and smile instead of being a creep who stares at people silently. Some checkout worker is not your enemy.

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#218

Post by johnnyanmac »

autoexec wrote: post #182
SoftTalker wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is not smartphones per se. They are very handy. They eliminate the need to carry a thick wallet full of physical ID cards, credit cards, membership/discount cards, etc. They help you if you are lost (who even gets lost anymore, with navigation and maps in your pocket). They let you access information and entertainment wherever you are. The problem is the tracking and invasion of privacy, and that all trac…

> Ads are at the root of all the problems with the modern internet and mobile tech. Ads aren't the problem. It's really the tracking and invasion of privacy which are the problem. Ads are just the publicly acceptable justification companies will use for invading your privacy. People don't care about giving up their privacy if they think it's just for ads because nobody really cares about which ad they get served. Som…

>Ads are just the publicly acceptable justification companies will use for invading your privacy.

No, it's a primary means. Companies don't care about your data unless they can make money off of it. A few can utilize it directlty for their product (examples you highlight a few of), but for the majority it's a cost of doing business at best, and a waste of server space at worst

Otherwis, your data in bulk is only financially useful for ad companies researching ways to maximize their ROI. The kicker is that the government allows those for their own, separate reasons. But for companies you always need to follow the money.

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#219

Post by johnnyanmac »

t0bia_s wrote: post #215
SoftTalker wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is not smartphones per se. They are very handy. They eliminate the need to carry a thick wallet full of physical ID cards, credit cards, membership/discount cards, etc. They help you if you are lost (who even gets lost anymore, with navigation and maps in your pocket). They let you access information and entertainment wherever you are. The problem is the tracking and invasion of privacy, and that all trac…

Ads are aspect that worries me least (it is simple to block it in entire home network). Tracking weakening safety, privacy and in massive scale allows social engineering by state. Just look how unhealthy most people react on politics. "Divide and conquer" was never more achievable in massive scale like today.

>Just look how unhealthy most people react on politics

I think that's more due to civil unrest and its resulting polarization more than anything. Bread and circuses still works just fine today. But the bread is growing thin and evrn the circus can't distract from drastically more expensive gas, groceries, and rent.

Also doesn't help that the circus chose to forgoe long term idyllic control for maximizing short term profits by algorithmically boosting "rage bait". Anger spills over eventually.

Re: I don't have a smartphone or at least I wish I didn't

#220

Post by Markoff »

burningChrome wrote: post #18

I have a motorola smartphone. I don't have google play installed. I mainly use obtainium for app installation. Its a bare bones phone and it drives my business partner crazy. "Just log into our instagram account and. . .right, you don't have insta installed on your phone." "Can you log into our scheduling app and. . . right, you don't have that installed on your phone either." Some of the more painful things you have…

everything worked for me in Cromite and Firefox

I find Organic Maps working perfectly fine

as email client I would suggest abandoned Nine Mail, works fine without gapps

Weawow is great weather app with plenty of sources to choose fom

don't really understand your complaints, seems like you are using some slow budget motorola phone which is causing issues like Organic Maps you mention

btw. I dont have any banking apps either, I am perfectly fine with everywhere using bank card and just in case I carry small cash in wallet, if I need to send money I can do it from computer where I sit most of the days anyway, why would I be doing it somewhere outside apartment? that's like trimming your nails outside apartment, sure you can do it, but why it wouldn't wait for home?

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