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The Quest for a Dumber Phone

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Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#3
Here's an example of living with the light phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7G1pWYVtBg

Honestly I think using an Android phone with minimal apps, or having two profiles, one for work, one for play/weekends makes the most sense. And on iPhone using screen time to force your grip from app vices makes more sense than the self punishment of these phones.

That said my ADHD makes me want to buy one of these https://skysedge.com/unsmartphones/RUSP/index.html

Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#4
This was a very thoughtful piece. I appreciate the honest discussion of the struggle between giving up great apps for the sake of being distraction free. I've looked into the light phone but there's no support for Spotify, which is a big detractor for. I believe they added basic map functionality, but no streaming music is hard as my taste has exceeded my personal digital library

Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#5
post #4

This was a very thoughtful piece. I appreciate the honest discussion of the struggle between giving up great apps for the sake of being distraction free. I've looked into the light phone but there's no support for Spotify, which is a big detractor for. I believe they added basic map functionality, but no streaming music is hard as my taste has exceeded my personal digital library

consider streaming/downloading (& supporting) independant radio like WFMU.org

not saying it's going to scratch all the itches that Spotify would, but it definitely will scratch some you didnt realize you had, which is a fun experience on it's own

Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#6
I had a flip phone the last year and switched to a Light Phone 2 the other day after I dropped the flip phone and broke some internal connections. It's been great for my focus, information overload, and the minor inconveniences are, well, minor. The next OS is supposed to get calendars + 2-way sync, so between that and directions/music/podcasts, it's a pretty full featured device while still preventing a lot of mindless engagement.

Occasionally I break out the iPhone for a Lyft ride to the airport or something, but beyond that there hasn't been much of a need.

Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#7
post #4

This was a very thoughtful piece. I appreciate the honest discussion of the struggle between giving up great apps for the sake of being distraction free. I've looked into the light phone but there's no support for Spotify, which is a big detractor for. I believe they added basic map functionality, but no streaming music is hard as my taste has exceeded my personal digital library

I have a separate audio player that I was carrying with my flip before I went to the Light Phone. A bunch of them have Spotify support, and it seems like you can spend from $100 to $400 to $800 to $thousands, depending on your appetite. Separate devices has its downsides (net price can be higher, more pocket space), but also has the upside of having devices focused and potentially higher quality. An option if you're thinking of it!

Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#8
I've posted this here before, but I've figured out a way that makes an iPhone work as a semi-smart phone for me.

I delete all app that I waste time in, but keep one that are useful. (I won't blow two hours scrolling Lyft, and it's very helpful sometimes) I then set screentime permissions to block websites I don't want to use (like reddit), and prevent app downloads. I set a screentime password and give it to my partner.

This way I get all the "benefits" of a smartphone with none of the scrolling and time wasting. It's also very easy to switch it back to a full smartphone, get the password from my partner and turn off screentime. I'll do this when I travel internationally for work.

Hope this setup helps some others.

Re: The Quest for a Dumber Phone

#10

Here's an example of living with the light phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7G1pWYVtBg Honestly I think using an Android phone with minimal apps, or having two profiles, one for work, one for play/weekends makes the most sense. And on iPhone using screen time to force your grip from app vices makes more sense than the self punishment of these phones. That said my ADHD makes me want to buy one of these https://…

> Here's an example of living with the light phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7G1pWYVtBg

That's expensive for a phone with basically zero features...

Why not just buy a nokia 3310 (the new one) for around 60eur, where you get a better, faster phone, with basically the same limitations as any other of the dumbphones, but it's cheaper and works faster and has a better screen? Also, the ergonomics are better, dual sim, sd card slot for music... and again, no apps, no emails, no notifications.. just a phone as it used to be (well.. with music and bluetooth).

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