Finding the Perfect Balance: A Storyteller's Quest for Minimalism with the Mudita Kompakt

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Hello, Mudita team!

My name is Dominick, and I have a bit of a story to share—a story that I hope will convey just how much I value minimalism in technology and how that has led me to your doorstep.

For years, I’ve been an admirer of minimal phones, embracing their simplicity in a world that often feels overwhelmingly connected. My journey began with the Light Phone, and now I’m currently participating in Punkt’s Digital Detox challenge, where I’m exploring the capabilities of the Punkt MP02. It’s been a fascinating experience to see how these devices handle the essentials of communication, stripping away the noise to focus on what truly matters.

You see, aside from my day job, I’m a storyteller—quite literally. I travel the world, particularly the Mediterranean, capturing the intimate, free-spirited moments of couples who choose to elope. It’s a beautiful calling, but one that requires me to stay connected with engaged couples who reach out to me from all corners of the globe. While 90% of my communication happens on WhatsApp and iMessage via my Mac, WhatsApp’s requirement to have an active SIM card in a primary device has thrown a wrench in my minimalist plans.

I recently tried the BOOX Palma, but alas, without a SIM card, WhatsApp wouldn’t allow it to function as the main device. As you might imagine, this complicates things, especially since WhatsApp Web and other linked devices to that main device. Many in my situation have turned to affordable dumb phones like those from Nokia, Energizer, Blackvue, or even CAT flip phones, but this solution isn’t perfect. You must always have the phone on you, just in case WhatsApp decides it’s time to re-authenticate, which somewhat defeats the purpose of minimalism. And with WhatsApp dropping support for KaiOS, the options are dwindling.

So, you can imagine my delight when I received your survey about the Mudita Kompakt! I’ve been following the development of this device with great interest, and I’m already planning to purchase one as soon as it becomes available. When I saw your question about WhatsApp support, I knew I had to share my backstory. Yes, I do need WhatsApp on the phone, but not for chatting—I would disable all notifications. My primary need is to have WhatsApp installed as a bridge to connect my other devices.

I’m curious—do you have a clear strategy for this, and what are the thoughts of your development team on integrating such a feature?

Looking forward to your thoughts and to the future of the Mudita Kompakt.

Warm regards,
Dominick

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@dominick Thank you for sharing your story with us! We really appreciate it! We love hearing about the journeys our community takes in order to live a balanced life. While, I cannot currently comment on any apps or features of Mudita Kompakt (outside of what we have already revealed) I wanted to ask you if you’ve tried using Whatsapp on the Web.
We discussed the topic here:

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Thank you for your reply @urszula
I tried whatsapp web but it always requires a phone companion according to whatsapp

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@dominick My work around is that I used an OLD smartphone to register the account and then log in on the web. Then I just put the simcard back into my Mudita Pure. It works for me.

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I indeed tried this @urszula but since I often travel I have to bring the old phone with me since whatsapp requires relinking when changing locations. And I had 2 instances with airport security where they were curious why i brought several phones with me and why I use a ‘dumb phone’ when I have a phone with apps. Once they said ‘We see this kind of behaviour in people who have something to hide’…

I saw the Punkt MC02 has an option to install apps like whatsapp but then dail down the privacy possibilities, the balanced phone also seems to allow whatsapp.

But when the kompact turns out not to support whatsapp I probably will need to have a seperate phone like the cat flip phone but it doesnt really feel right to have several phone while trying to minimize…

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They seem to be dumber than the phone. It is perfectly normal for anyone to have multiple phones. You could have one from your employer for instance.

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Really??? I’ve never had this happen to me, even though I often travel with my Pure, BlackBerry and sometimes even a gasp a smartphone.

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I would have 1 from my employer and 2 personal phones and I think that triggers something…

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I have two personal numbers for redundancy and was considering a third one based on the deals the operators have to offer. Even with a dual-SIM phone, I would need more than one in that case. The problem is these officials follow instructions and are not allowed to think. When they see something different, it confuses them.

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Yes it is.
But also to life in a more minimal way I think its better to go with devices that meet specific needs instead of piling up devices for one of 2 specific needs.

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