Re-read this book and it has made me question even devices such as the Kompakt. Yes texting will be a breeze now with the Kompakt but is this a good thing? Cal Newport argues that even texting can turn into an addiction with the added danger that you are having conversations with people over text that would be more ideal if they were face to face. He argues that you should consolidate texting into certain periods of the day where you respond to people but these responses are more logistical (where to meet up for coffee etc)
I know for myself over the past week or so I have found such freedom in actively following these recommendations. I just got my blue bird today and although I hate flip phones I think this is what I need, it decreases my chances of texting because it is cumbersome to do, yes there is speech to text and its excellent on the blue bird but I have found I have been very diligent in making sure I am not having deep conversations with anyone over text. I have a friend I use to text a lot back and forth during the day and now we are able to meet face to face once a week because our daughters are in the same ballet class and I find our conversations just so much better and I value them even more because we now rarely text back and forth like we use to.
I don’t know ultimately if I will keep the blue bird or stay with the Kompakt. I am confident by the time the Kompakt comes out using my flip phone the way I intend to use it will help keep those same habits in check when the Kompakt gets here. We shall see what I decide but I can say I really enjoy the new relationship I have with my phone. Now when I am at the library the phone is away out of sight in my book bag as I work and I only check it here and there way less than I use to.
I think even with dumb phones we should still strive to save our best conversations with people over the phone or face to face. Texting has made us lazy, whether you have a smartphone or dumbphone real conversations need to happen over the phone or in person
2 Likes
I agree. Plus, there is a privacy aspect to this here in the USA, where text messages and telephone calls (POTS, VoIP, and cellular) travel over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The U.S. federal government, through its PRISM program, captures every text message as well as meta data about every PSTN-traversing call.
So, among the three in the USA,
- texting is the least private (because PRISM captures both meta data and content of each message),
- phone calls are more private (because PRISM captures meta data about each call but not the content of each call), and
- face-to-face conversations are the most private.
I now keep the text messages that I create as vague as possible (such as “I will see you next week!”). And, even if a friend or relative sends a privacy-abusing text message to me (such as “Congratulations on your frontal lobotomy!”), I now prefer to respond with a telephone call or a face-to-face conversation.
2 Likes
@minimalist4life Mudita Kompakt is designed to offer flexibility, so it can serve as a simple, distraction-free communication tool while still being user-friendly enough to avoid frustrations like T9 texting. I love Mudita Pure as much as you do, but the texting was frustrating.
The goal is to strike a balance: giving you the tools to communicate efficiently while encouraging healthier habits, like saving meaningful conversations for face-to-face or voice interactions, just as you’ve described.
It’s wonderful to hear how intentionally using your current phone has reshaped your habits and relationships. That’s exactly the type of freedom we hope Mudita Kompakt can support, which is helping users stay connected without falling into the trap of constant engagement. It’s all about finding the right balance that works for you, and it sounds like you’re already well on your way to achieving that. 
As you know, we do offer a 14 day return policy, so if Mudita Kompakt is not what you hoped it would be when it arrives, you can send it back.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts once the Kompakt arrives!
3 Likes
^ I plan to use a first-person variation of this brilliant phrase when friends and relatives ask me why my daily driver is a Mudita Kompakt instead of a traditional smartphone, or even a deGoogled one. – such as “My Kompakt helps me to stay connected without falling into the trap of constant engagement!”
1 Like
Yeah lets be honest here I am keeping the Kompakt lol
2 Likes
I can see why you stuck with the Orchid for as long as you have, It honestly is the best dumbphone on the market, for the digital minimalist it is perfect. What I love about the Bluebird is it has waze on it, I love that directions app because unlike the directions app on the Light phone or the kompakt it does not help you avoid traffic. I know I will end up keeping the Kompakt and I am confident I will be able to use it intentionally because I have so many months to continue my disciplined use of the Blue bird
2 Likes
Another fantastic thing about the Sunbeam is how you can create custom music playlists, Light phone 2 has been out forever and it has never been able to create custom playlists, and the pure had a TERRIBLE music player, even though I am not a fan of flip phones I can honestly say my first 24 hours with this phone I have been more present then I have ever been. I barely use the phone and my online time today total has been less than 30 mins
2 Likes
It’s not a good one 
We’re not really proud of that
1 Like
Another fantastic thing about Sunbeam is you can add custom ringtones etc. I added the Mudita Pure ringtone from their you tube commercials as my ringtone
I am really hoping the Kompakt has that same ringtone, that ringtone is literally my fav ringtone of all time lol
2 Likes