In our journey towards a more mindful, connected, and tech-balanced life, it’s crucial to continually seek out perspectives and insights that inspire and guide us.
Here on the forum, we understand the importance of being present, cherishing real-world interactions, and embracing a lifestyle that prioritizes well-being over constant connectivity.
However, there are some new members who may be new to this lifestyle, so I wanted to
share an article I came across from the NY Times featuring a very interesting perspective:
You can also listen to it- so you can take a break from screen time
Let’s discuss the insights, thoughts, or personal experiences it sparks in you. How does it align with your journey towards a balanced digital life? Do you see yourself making a similar switch, or have you already?
If “smartphone” means any cellphone running iOS or Android, then my Sunbeam Wireless F1 Orchid flip phone technically IS a smartphone, as it uses Sunbeam’s version – called BasicOS – of AOSP.
So, this paragraph in the article caught my eye:
So much of our smartphone use is mindless, she said. We open the phone to do one thing, and then wind up checking five apps in a loop — and then do it all again a few minutes later.
My Orchid flip phone has a minimal set of “apps”; the ones that stand out for me are the Weather app and the Navigation app. So, when I open my Orchid to check the weather forecast, I do not “wind up checking five apps in a loop”; this also is true when I open my Orchid to navigate somewhere.
Sunbeam is not a smartphone. The apps on it are tools. You can’t get addicted to the weather app lol. I am actually considering the new Sunbeam Horizon. As much as I have loved the Punkt the new sunbeam has wave on it so I could take my sunbeam even on family trips with me. As much as I the Cat S22 flip I have does the same things it has access to spotify and I found on my last family trip when I had down time I didn’t read the book I used spotify and it can become addictive as well. I want to be engaged in analog activities. So I am selling my Punkt and deciding between the sunbeam horizon or going back to the light phone. I realized for me I want a dumbphone for the rest of my life as a daily driver. I am 45 and now till the day I leave this planet I am DONE with smartphones. I am going to LIVE in the present moment
What do you think about turning a smartphone ‘dumb’? I have looked into other feature phones as options and the amount of effort it takes to experiment with them has deterred me. I use the Pure to reset habits, but since reliability is still an issue, I go back to my iPhone 8 when I must be available. I have a talk & text plan with optional data, and keeping the data off basically makes it so I don’t use the internet on-the-go (I have this option mainly if I needed maps while traveling). I use iMessages and WhatsApp on my computers so that helps a lot, and maps could be used offline as well. The phone camera works but is poorer than what everyone around me has, so I pretty much get their photos if there is one I’d like (no issue, everyone loves to take photos!). Besides these, the apps are removed so I don’t think much to use them. Perhaps music or podcast sometimes but I don’t listen to either regularly. Phone screen is also in grayscale so it’s less stimulating.
Anyhow I suppose I am still working out what features I do need out of a phone. Recently I traveled where everyone uses WhatsApp in lieu of SMS/ so I got a local data plan for the trip. So this had made a smartphone necessary. (or perhaps not, but the effort it would have taken to not use it was beyond what I can undertake…)
THe main problem with this is if you have a severe addiction you can easily turn it back into a smartphone. For me thats why I choose dumbphones…even with my Cat I eventually put it away and only use it for 2FA for work. My main driver right now is the Punkt…but as of today I am going back to the light phone 2, got a great deal on reddit and got it for 100 bux. Main reason is when I go on a trip I don’t want to take my Cat S22 flip. My last trip I found instead of reading I was listening to podcasts and I did not like that. With getting the light phone 2 I can take it with my on a family trip because it has directions tool on it which is the only reason I can’t take my punkt. I just prefer the dumbphone life…it truly is the better life
I have a dumbphone with KaiOs in it. It has some basic apps
Like WhatsApp ( handy ) YouTube and a google browser ( which I don’t use, because of a small screen ) I have removed the fb app.
@cardio79 I use a yubikey for my logins & it works GREAT.
They key is to have TWO- just in case something happens. I keep one at home in a safe place & one is always with me when I travel.
