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Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

pam-moore.com

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Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#261

Post by iforgotpassword »

kingofhdds wrote: post #257
iforgotpassword wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "help, I'm being detained in Paris!" "I was mugged and need a passport!" And they conveniently let you keep your 1000$ iPhone ;). But these are all situations where I could just make a regular call with my dumb phone as well. Sure roaming costs will kick in, but that's even worse for data. My current provider charges 2€/min for calls outside the EU and 1€ per 50kb (yes that's not a typo). In all seriousness though,…

You can buy a cheap prepaid sim, and save yourself from data roaming tariffs. And it is the moment when smartphones shine - you'll have the same IDs/handles/usernames in messengers. With a feature phone your identity (your number) will change.

True, unfortunately depending on country it can be quite involved to buy a sim card. Here in Germany a year ago they changed it so it's required the seller validates your identity. Since this is a somewhat involved process pretty much all discount brands chose not to do this in the store but require postal or video ident, the latter being the only viable option if you only stay a week or two, but you need to find some place to make that video call in the first place, have all the documents at hand, hope the call center worker speaks some English which is less likely the cheaper the provider... I observed the same in China. 8 years ago I could walk into some tiny store in an alley, point at a sim card without knowing what I'm doing and after some back and forth with mostly gestures and writing down numbers I was all set. Last year they required my passport and proof that I stay at a hotel that registered me with the local police station. I couldn't possibly manage that without the help from a local.

Since this drifted somewhat away from the original topic let me add that I'm quite curious about KaiOS devices as it seems it might offer a suiting compromise for my needs. It got most popular messenger apps so I could take advantage of improved connectivity with people but the experience is still limited enough to prevent information overload and playing around with it too much. The selection of devices is just too limited at the moment.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#262

Post by mantas »

elcapitan wrote: post #155
mantas wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in EU, but in not-so-reliable public transit country. Outside of major towns, smart phone won't help you much to get most accurate time table. Paper timetable in the station is the only source of true information. You may find multiple contradicting timetables on the web and just hope they haven't been changed since then. Nobody cares to post emergency updates on the web. Sticker in the station it is. GPS live…

Which country is that? Just out of curiosity (fellow European).

Lithuania. Our beloved Trafi does wonders. But it doesn't cover obscure little towns :(

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#263

Post by jordigh »

closetohome wrote: post #249
maccard wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As youve mentioned in your post, you rely on other people having a personal phone so that you don't need to carry one. Regarding the GP, this is presumably dependent on the country you live in. In the UK you have a specific clinic you sign up with. None of the 4 clinics I've used have taken walk in appointments, all have required phoning that morning to get a scheduled appointment that day.

Reminds me of all my friends who proudly didn't own cars in college. But whenever we went somewhere they suddenly needed a ride.

There's no shame in relying on the help of others and there's no hypocrisy either. I'm prepared to being unable to get a neighbour to let me use a phone. I can accept that. If I'm able to get help, that's great, and if not that's also something I can accept. I have only done this once ever, anyway. Such a rare occasion does not outweigh the happiness and peace of mind that I get by being without a phone.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#264

Post by jordigh »

frogpelt wrote: post #247
jordigh wrote: post #59

I don't have a phone. At all. Whenever government things or banks ask me for a phone number, I just say none. Persistent computer forms that won't take no for an answer are fed the phone number of the company that is asking for a phone. Most people find this utterly unthinkable and seem to project their anxiety of not having a phone on to me. What about emergencies? How do you do this? How do you do that? What if thi…

Have you lived this way for long? Has it become your trademark? Maybe you kind of want to get a phone now but since you've gone this long without one, it's like a streak or a reputation you don't want to ruin?

I'm not famous or important enough to have a streak or reputation worth preserving. I have considered some situations in which I may reconsider owning a mobile phone. Besides not wanting to have a source of distraction always on and always on me, I also do not want a device that I cannot control and cannot ever fully trust.

A phone without internet connexion that I can completely trust (i.e. free all the way down to the baseband) is something that I would consider owning.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#265

Post by jriot »

I have used a flip-phone for the past five years and two years before that I didn't use a cell phone at all. Though I didn't need to write an entire article defending my choice.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#266

Post by jriot »

exodust wrote: post #191
MisterOctober wrote: post #53

Dumbphone user since 2006 here. Non-Luddite. Main reasons for avoiding the switch : 1) When not using computers for work [or chess] purposes, I want to spend as little time as practical staring at a screen. I have lots of non-computer activities to attend to [gardening, studying, home maintenance, etc etc] and a family to look after. 2) I am a strong adherent to the notion that one is well-advised to maintain awarene…

You're in a gloomy waiting room. You arrived early, so could be waiting awhile. Nothing to read except a few old Vogue magazines. You're by yourself, you didn't bring a book. Your inventory is a wallet, keys, and flip phone. What is your next move?

Sit there and think.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#267

Post by GW150914 »

exodust wrote: post #254
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would say that your example scenario isn’t necessarily an argument for having a smartphone, it is a reason to always have a Kindle with you that contains a few hundred books. (You can leave the Kindle in airplane mode at all times and get everything you want to read from pirated ebook websites, no need to deal with Amazon's ecosystem and DRM).

"Never leave home without my flip-phone and kindle" said nobody ever. Your smartphone might have the kindle app or e-reader app or something. You can put it on flight mode, and enjoy.

”Never leave home without my flip-phone and kindle"

I’m that way, as are more than a few people I know if you freely substitute “book” or some other e-reader for Kindle.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#268

Post by inawarminister »

poisonarena wrote: post #93
koolba wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not a Luddite by any stretch and I’ve had smart phones since they were quite dumb, but your reasons don’t ring for me: > I can communicate with my fiancee even when she's in another country (international sms = fail). It facilitates instant communications. Email across the planet has been around since day one. > I can have a fiancee who's in another country. I can assure you this was possible pre-smart phone. > W…

My 23 year old girlfriend lives in Japan, she is not reading hackernews. If I told her that we can't talk on whatsapp or LINE anymore because I want to get a flip phone because 'the good old day', and we need to switch to email, I don't think she would be very enthusiastic about the next 2.5 months I am away.

You can use LINE in your desktop without a smartphone though

I agree about WhatsApp issue.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#269

Post by elcapitan »

mantas wrote: post #262
elcapitan wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which country is that? Just out of curiosity (fellow European).

Lithuania. Our beloved Trafi does wonders. But it doesn't cover obscure little towns :(

Oh ok, but good to know :) I always wanted to visit the baltic countries once, and I usually travel around with public transport, so I'd have to consider that when planning I guess.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#270

Post by culot »

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #217
culot wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's precisely the reason I stick with Windows Phone as well. Even with a flagship-level phone Windows Phone is super slow, so, on top of what you mention, it makes me not want to use it as much. Being so limited is rather freeing.

> Even with a flagship-level phone Windows Phone is super slow This hasn't been my experience at all. I have the absolute bargain basement Lumia 640 as a backup phone and it feels positively snappy. Perhaps it's because I have barely anything running on there?

My Lumia 640 actually feels snappier than my Lumia 950 in some ways. I dont understand that, its been the same with all of the Lumia 950s I've used. The 950 has a nice camera though, and that display is great reading books.
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