REALLY? That’s a lot of money.
Yeah not cheap, its the duties that get you, I understand its made from premium materials etc but at the end of the day when you have a better option in the Kompakt at a MUCH BETTER price point, I am glad I cancelled my pre-order of the LP3. It was the price combined with e-ink, I just LOVE e-ink and cannot part with it, plus over time realized being able to sideload as well just points more choice in your hands. Being able to add apps that that are tools is to me a major reason the Kompakt is just a much better option for the masses.
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I’ve been thinking about cancelling my LP3 preorder. I have just received my order confirmation email, as I’m one of the first that backed the phone. I have been trying to convince myself to not cancel, but in the past months, I discovered it just may not be what I’m looking for.
See, I bought my current smartphone just 1.5 years ago, and it is perfectly capable and cost ~200€. I don’t keep a lot of apps on it, but I still spent a significant amount of time in the browser. There are also other concerns; being located in Europe, the shipping is a rather steep 50€, and I expect the customs to be just as much, getting me to 470€, and who knows what will happen with the tarrifs. The price isn’t really that much of a deal, but the phone is tied to Light’s cloud platform for managing and uploading apps and files, which could render the phone pretty much unusable if the company goes under (hopefully not, they have been quite trustworthy). The maps cannot be used offline (I currently utilize OpenStreetMap-based Organic Maps) and there are no secure messaging options.
Recently our country’s train carrier added service fees for buying tickets at a cash desk or in the train. I’m a student and the trains are free for me, if I use their app or website. This would be an additional expense (1€ per trip) without it. I primarily use Signal for family chats and video calls, then Discord for school to text and call with friends and Whatsapp for other relatives and contacts which use it. That means I have to have a smartphone, even if I would keep it in a drawer, as both Signal and Whatsapp require a phone number entered into their apps. Discord is not a problem in this scenario.
Sometimes, I need a web browser to register attendance on lessons, but that can always be resolved by talking to the teacher, we are people after all.
I was thinking about public transit navigation, for that I use an app too. Though I’m lucky to study in a city with phenomenal transit (relatively speaking; a lot of people are never content with what they have available), so after a year I learned where approximately the tram lines take me and the most important transfer hubs, and I can typically just walk to the nearest stop, which has the lines listed along with a network map.
Okay, so I’m also considering getting the Kompakt. But do I even have a good reason? Both phones look super sexy, especially the Kompakt’s screen, but I’m in no need of a new phone. In my tech drawer I can still find like 6-7 functioning-but-considered-obsolete smartphones, that may just need a battery replacement and a custom ROM installed. I already have perfectly capable hardware.
But then there’s the topic of distractions and after many tries, I know I can’t completely get rid of them. The key is knowing my long-term plans, setting reasonable goals, appreciating any progression, whatever small, taking care of myself and regularly changing activities to not burn out. This is much easier when someone plans for you, in my case this is the assignments from uni filling all my free time and my job, too 
Honestly, I’m still not quite sure. I just may give a try to the Kompakt while it is at this price and return it within 14 days if it’s not what I imagine.
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@john_dumpling Totally appreciate your thoughtful breakdown—this was such an enjoyable read. You clearly get what you need tech-wise, and it’s awesome to see someone approach things so mindfully instead of just chasing specs or trends.
Now, full disclosure: since I’m partial towards Mudita devices, so yes, I may have a soft spot for Mudita Kompakt (okay, fine, I adore it 
). But I also genuinely respect how you’re weighing the why behind each decision—not just the what. That’s the whole vibe we’re about at Mudita: being intentional with tech, not just minimal for minimalism’s sake.
Sounds like you’ve already built some healthy habits—recognizing your limits, being aware of distractions, staying grounded in your goals—and that’s half the battle. If Kompakt can support you in that journey and help reduce the friction between digital tools and real-life priorities, then maybe it is worth a try. And if not? Our 14-day return policy’s there for exactly this reason—try it, feel it out, no pressure. 
Whatever you decide, I think you’re asking all the right questions. And if you do end up giving Kompakt a go, I’d love to hear your thoughts—especially coming from someone who clearly knows their stuff!
Wishing you clarity in your decision—and smooth rides on those trams!
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Yeah just yesterday I saw Jose’s review and I a part of me was like wow that phone looks so nice I could have had it next week!
But ultimately the cost is just too much, and if I decided to change my mind and order one now its even more like 1100 plus, I just can’t justify paying that price when there is another option at a fraction of that cost the Kompakt, that has a e-ink screen, allows you to sideload apps and has a more minimal design. Don’t get me wrong I do love the light phone team, I have used the light phone for awhile now and I will miss its size but I know with the Kompakt it will feel great in the hand, I read a review of the LP3 where the person said on long calls the sides of the LP3 dig into your ear, that it feels odd in the pocket, all turn offs for me.
Ultimately , I have a tremendous about of respect for both companies but with Mudita, I have the harmony, I have their t-shirt, I have their headphones, I just LOVE the brand and the best decision I made was cancelling my LP3 order, but to each their own, There is no right or wrong answer, you have to pick the device that makes you the BEST VERSION of you, mindful and present.
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Good points as always Urszula, I was defintely guilty of believing there was just one way to minimalism, and that simply is not the case. Tech and smartphones are here to stay, they are not the enemy and we can’t blame companies, WE have to take ownership over our own digital health and find the balance that is right for us.
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Sideloading has never been an advantage. Enjoy your very compact android smartphone, Unihertz has also some if you like these. Jelly, Jelly Max you can choose the size of your liking 
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I disagree. I wouldn’t have been able to make the MK work for my needs without the capability to sideload Signal, my password manager and 2FA. The lack of spotify would also make it a pain to use.
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Sideloading isn’t enabled by default, and it’s only a disadvantage if you let it be one. Also, have you ever used Punkt’s version of Signal? My gosh how i wished they would have just let me download the official app instead… Having the developer option at all shows us the company respects us and understands us enough to let us mess around with it imo.
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Sorry I think I wanted to formulate my opinion differently. I think I wanted to say that “sideloading was never meant to be an advantage” and I agree with you that for many people this is the “feature” that they need to dare to go with the Kompakt. I’ll definitely try the bare bones experience first and try to stick to it.
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On a seperate note, and not calling anyone out in particular, the Mudita Kompakt is an entirely different phone with an entirely different approach than the Lightphone. Although I understand they have a common goal, I think it’s unfortunate that their release dates almost match up and that everything Mudita does or doesn’t do is compared to Light.
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I really love the LP3, even with some Apps (Signal / Whatsapp) the battery is great 2 days easy maybe 3. The build quality is one of the best I ever had… I think this is a keeper for a long long time. Still curious about the Mudita. 
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@miauzgenau So you were able to sideload? I read on Reddit (a post by @Jose_Briones) That LightPhone is closing this option.
https://www.reddit.com/r/LightPhone/comments/1k10nuk/psa_the_android_layer_method_is_getting/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
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Yes but that would be impossible for someone who knows Android… Since I unlocked the bootloader in the developer options on Android 14. But they just want to make it harder to get into instead of a button combination
.
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I haven’t gotten mine yet. I’m going to be in the next shipment once they make another batch. So, I probably won’t receive my phone until June. Even if accessing it will be harder, do you know if with whatever they are doing, I will still be most likely able to access it in some capacity?
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I love that orange case!
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