I’m making my first post here on Leminal Space because I hear it’s a better alternative to Reddit. One that’s more privacy-oriented, less rage-baity, and less pro-corporate.
About 9 months ago, I made the switch from a smartphone to a flip phone, and boy did it make my life so much better. I’ve become less dependent on technology, and I’ve become more self-sufficent. Printing maps with MapQuest and MyOSMmatic have been quite a lot of fun. And I also feel smarter because “Googling things” have become much more inconvenient.
Carrying a notebook with me has also allowed me to draw more, and I also feel less distracted. Anyone else switched to a flip phone? If so, what are your ways to manage life without a smart phone?
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How are you handling random 2-Factor challenges to email? (CGP Grey has a story of the DMVs sending codes to his email while physically at the location.)
How many people have a story of needing email while out in the physical world? (Email adoption is still not 100% in the USA, 92.4% in Nov 2023.)
Idk how general it is, but for my uni acc 2fa you can simply get a USB stick with tokens on it. Friend does the same for their e-id to avoid linking it to their phone number.
My daughter switched to a flip phone around the same time. She was mostly inspired my my wife and I, though we went different directions. I am on GrapheneOS with no connected external accounts of social media, while my wife got a Minimal Phone with an e-ink screen which curtailed a lot of social media and doom scrolling and increased ebook reading.
My daughter’s flip phone (Nokia) actually has turn by turn directions, though it is clunky. It can technically play music from an sdcard, but it is also very clunky so she doesn’t bother.
I used a flip phone and eink device (Sunbeam F1 Pro Maple paired with Boox Palma) for 1.5 years after realizing I was addicted to my smartphone. Last month I switched back to just a smartphone (Pixel 9a w/ graphene OS). I loved using the flip phone, and I attribute that period of my life to big changes in how I see technology in general. However, I realized I didn’t really need that setup anymore, plus I never liked having to carry two devices with me. During that time I found what I need/want in a phone and can comfortably determine what is helpful and unhelpful for my life. Essentially I broke my addiction and these days barely use my phone.
A few weeks ago I pre-ordered the new Jolla phone, which is not a dumbphone by any means. But I am still curious, whether some of the benefits you described still apply, when there are no android or ios apps present.
Thanks for your writeup!
I tried an Alcatel candy bar phone but I don’t recommend it. The parts are cheap. The keypad can feel inconsistent. Eventually the static on the line got so bad that I had to abandon it after about 1 year. Not worth it!
No, because you can no longer send private encrypted messages and everything will have to go over government owned telecom like SMS or cell towers, which are not encrypted.
I wonder if a smartphone with e-ink display would be a good solution.
Good enough for secure messaging & calling apps, usable with their existing touch-UIs, yet devoid of the addictive potential enabled by vibrant colour, smooth-scroll, and video.
Can even still use the camera – just need to wait until you ‘develop’ them by transferring to another device/medium with full colour or a video-capable display.
Janky phones like the pinephone exist for those who want to fully go over internet. Also currently GrapheneOS looks like the best option for both privacy and security.
My thing is, a dumb phone has the features I would like to do without on my smart phone. Telephone and SMS ARE THE GODDAMN PROBLEM. If people who were not explicitly whitelisted by me out of band had no method of contacting me, that’d be great.
there are some eink ‘smartphones’ that are wifi only, bigme hibreak is one. obviously nothing will beat a pixel with graphene on it tho
I spend way too much on my smart phone. That’s correctable, but I depend on Uber/Lyft. I think I would need to get a cheap android and just have the discipline to put only essential apps like ride share, maps, encrypted messenging and like nothing else. Not even email, Lemmy, bill pay, grocery delivery, etc
Good luck with not logging into your email account. Mine is web mail so it’s always there.
I would NOT reccomend ridesharing apps, and would instead opt for things like your local taxi, walking/biking, or taking public transportation if you’re lucky enough to have it. If you absolutely HAVE to use ridesharing apps, I would use a laptop or something and go to a ridesharing website instead.
As for maps, you will want to get a paper map from your local library or distribution center, or print a paper map from your local government website. Asking for directions can also be fun. If you can’t find a paper map of your area, you can make one instead with MyOSMatic.
If all else fails, you can print directions with MapQuest. Never rely on location tracking or battery life ever again!
Respectfully, I am incapable of driving and need to get to doctors appointments and no longer live in an urban environment where cabs and public transportation is highly accessible.
It is what it is.
I would have to surrender too much privacy and pay far more per month to use a dumbphone. No E2EE messaging and tracked by cell towers all the time (I use VoIP over wifi). When I’m out the phone is in my pocket 90% of the time. I take it out to check my shopping list or look at the store flyer.
you may want to croos-post this in the degoogle community.
You can do that here? How do you do that?
See if there’s a cross post button on your post. I’m not sure what leminal space use as a backend. For example piefed has built in cross posting function.
If you’re on mobile and using an app, see if that app has a cross post function as well.
Otherwise most common way I see done is to make a new post on degoogle with a link to your OP here.
Welcome:)
I didn’t have to switch because I’ve never used a smartphone to begin with. My current dumbphone has a great UI, touchscreen for easy input even though it’s a very small screen, headphone jack, SD card slot, etc. It can act as a hotspot and has maps/voice navigation and current weather + daily forecast. The Tello service plan I have (uses T-Mobile network) is about $9.40/month. That’s with 1 GB data, but you can get unlimited data if for some reason you want that.
There is also a subscription available ($3.50/mo) which gives you live updated maps, voice dictation, and hourly weather+radar but I haven’t needed those things (edit: though I’d like to have the radar). I just use the offline maps (more private anyway–you periodically download the latest map data), and I don’t need the other stuff. (edit: I have a Sunbeam Wireless phone and live in the US).
There are some inconveniences of course, like all the businesses you interact with want you to install their tracking apps, but I wouldn’t put that kind of crap on it even if I did have a smartphone. The main one that causes me issues is the grocery store that has special discounts (“digital coupons”) on some items if you use their app. I already have their damn store card which gives me the sale price on most stuff but now they also have this digital deal crap. I can work around that by going to their website ahead of time and look at what all digital coupons they have that week, and click on the ones I want so they will be on my card, which gives me the discount at checkout without needing their app–but I strongly resent having to do that. If they want to put something on sale, put it on sale for everyone! But no–it’s all about tracking you. Pigs. But I digress. Point is I get by fine without a smartphone, ymmv.
May I ask what phone you’re using? Sounds nice!
It’s a Sunbeam Wireless F1 Pro.
If you wait long enough every smartphone becomes a dumb phone 😒
I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Back when I started getting more serious about internet privacy I had the idea of switching to a de-Googled phone but when I found out that’d be expensive as hell I had a second idea to get a flip phone and spread out what I use it for across devices. My laptop for services like YouTube and streaming, MP3 player for music, a digital camera for my camera, etc. Also expensive but the individual devices are cheaper so I can more easily slowly chip away at it, first thing I’m getting is an MP3 player because I got my Dad to buy me one for Christmas.
An mp3 player is good but I don’t recommend flip phones. The build quality is pretty bad from my experience with alcatel and I think mobiwire may have the same issue.
Flip phones from my understanding typically use a Google based OS as well as plain SMS and calls are not encrypted. If I were you I’d use the Punkt MP02 phone because it’s very basic but uses Signal still for communication encryption. Otherwise I’m happy for you that you went through with it and are enjoying it
Isn’t the Punkt phone overpriced (In the case where you pay lots of money for a phone that does less. My Sonim XP3-Plus)? How well does it work with T-Mobile? Is it better to ditch T-Mobile entirely? (Gonna be difficult, my family likes the deal bundle too much.) And how hard is it to De-Google a Sonim XP3-Plus?
- Also, I have to take a Kyocera Digno 902kc with me to work. My Sonim XP3-Plus doesn’t let me install APKs, meaning I can’t use the Aegis Authenticator app to log into work. And I can’t use my Japanese 902kc to make calls or texts, so I have to take my Sonim XP3-Plus with me to work, too.
Obviously, the Punkt phone can’t install apps, and I am REQUIRED to have an authenticator app to log into work. What would be the best way to go about this?
I am REQUIRED to have an authenticator app to log into work
Do they pay you an allowance to install their app on your private phone? I was using a Nokia 2720 and my employer gave me a hardware token.
No. They want me to install the Microsoft Authenticator app. I use Aegis, >:3
Ask your job to buy you a phone. That’s what I did at my last job.
It is expensive for what it is but it’s really the only option I’m aware of that keeps things simple and has Signal (or anything other than normal SMS and calling). Not sure what cell provider it works with. I also know nothing about the Sonim.
As far as a smart phone goes for your authenticator you could put Lineage on a Hisense A9 phone. It’s an eink smartphone
