All agreed and I’m down for sacrifice (even for the camera, I have a good old Sony NEX 5 that still makes outstanding photos that modern mid-range smartphones can’t compete with).
Going down to practical things, I might have more problem with having a web browser on Kompakt (and refreshing this forum every now and then lol, my activity here tells a lot) than having a damn authenticator or alternative texting app.
I think you’re right about leaving Internet at home. I brought up the necessity of thinking wider than just about the smartphone because my work is 80% laptop and 50% out of that requires Internet access.
Would you call sideloading a weather app a bad thing if Mudita didn’t provide it out of the box?
I’ve had my iPhone SE in Kompakt-simulator mode for around five months now. Unfortunately you can’t delete the browser app Safari. Because I know it’s there, I sometimes find it hard to resist looking up inessential facts like “How many time zones does Brazil have?” or “How many films has Eric Cantona made?”
Psychologist says we use apps compulsively to mask the slightest hint of loneliness. I suppose it’s possible that a weather app could be used in that way but clearly it’s not a Pandora’s box of low quality connection like a browser or social media.
Of course, when you’re out-and-about, you can just look up at the sky instead of looking down at an app. We forget to do that. Perhaps we don’t know how to read the sky anymore. But it will give you a better idea for the next hour or so.
Weather reports are for planning ahead. And that we can do that home.
We have spent the last 18 years clinging on excuses for having a smartphone. “It’s useful for this. It’s useful for that.” Yes, but at what price? It turns out it’s a huge price. The Kompakt is a great opportunity to say “Enough”. All this sideloading is just last-minute nerves.
You’re right, I chose a wrong example. Calculator might be a better one. Of course, you don’t need that, simple maths should be pen and paper at worst. Not my point in asking that question.
Idiocracy also seems prophetic with smartphones having their role as can openers to reach the state of society from that movie, which originally was meant to be a low-cost comedy from Beavis and Butthead creator…
@howardbannister Totally agree with your points on weather apps.
Haven’t y’all played Stardew Valley?! The weather report is at home!
Also, theres an interesting book i cant wait to get into called: How to Read Nature: An Expert’s Guide to Discovering the Outdoors You’ve Never Noticed by Tristan Gooley. It also gets into how to read weather on your own.
Bro, let’s be honest, meteoroligists are never correct anyway.
Beavis and Butthead were infantilised by television. Perhaps everything about screens is infantilising. They’re just an exaggerated form of the game “Peek-a-boo”. One of the most common words in television scripts is “Next…”. Today that has become the infinite scroll.
Way I see it, its matter of choice
WAP - most used in US and Africa - many users, distracting
Viber - most used at least in East Europe - many users, many adverts
Telegram - Best for discussions and file transfers, less users
Signal - Best for privacy, least users - too bad!
That said, I tested that only Telegram can be used on multiple OSs and PCs while WhatsApp / Signal / Viber are linked to just one phone number. Thus Telegram is most portable
Its strange mechanism. Polling population for preferences and taste opinion used to be expensive. Nowadays its automated by Google services incl Android and Android apps - and you have to consent it to be AI advertisment targeted (or who pays most like political campaigns).
One of major reasons why I am pro dumb phones and using PC for advanced options - where more can be controlled.
Even with Kompakt OS approach, this cannot be avoided by using apps. we discuss here.
I really like the base apps on the Kompakt, instead of sideloading I’d wish for some extra functionality in some of them. For example playlists/folders in the music app. Adjustable breath indicator in the meditation app, tick boxes in the notes app, local multiplayer in the chess app etc.
My extra 2 apps would be:
QR code reader which has access to a browser window, but I shouldn’t be able to open the browser at will.
@sivihk I would be cautious about the source of the APKs for banking. Make sure you get them from the bank itself, not some random APK distribution website.
If I had to choose two essential apps for my Kompakt, Signal would be a must for staying connected with friends and loved ones via text, and an efficient RSS reader optimized for e-ink would be ideal.
Without the temptation of doomscrolling videos, RSS feeds offer a more streamlined way to access only the information that matters to the user, directly from preferred sources.
Of course, you don’t need that, simple maths should be pen and paper at worst. Not my point in asking that question.
