I know many of you have struggled with various tech-addictions, wondering if the Mudita Kompakt is too smart or too addictive to “solve” or “fix” your compulsive use. I therefore thought it would be helpful to provide a “one-week-in” review of my own use of the Kompakt, having switched over from a literal dumbphone (the Nokia 105) to the Kompakt.
Initial Concerns
Before I bought the Komapkt, I was concerned that it was potentially too smart for me. The touchscreen and app availability - although limited - was a potential threat to the bliss of my dumbphone (with a physical, numeric keypad, a tiny screen, a terrible user interface and zero internet signal, with no apps, except a couple of pre-installed, boring games). The additional beauty of my Nokia is that it’s incredibly small and lightweight.
In other words: I’m actively disincentivised to use the Nokia. I thought switching to the Kompakt would change how I used the device; and restore the compulsion to check my phone, simply because it’s more like a smartphone (its format and its capabilities which, while limited, are much higher than the phone I was using), as above.
However, I’m pleased to report that after a couple of days - once I got past he anxiety of checking everything’s’ working properly (that you’re not missing any messages or calls, checking battery life) - I was able to treat it like any other dumb phone, including the one I had been using for the past year.
I have not picked up the Kompakt any more than I picked up my Nokia and, because the call quality is significantly better on the Kompakt than the Nokia, I was able to call people more, whereas I used to rely on messaging on the Nokia (or emailing via my computer) because the call quality was so bad.
Unboxing and First Steps
The first thing I did (after opening the stylish box it came in with a nice note reminding me why I was buying it; offline, minimalism, etc) was set it up then charge it up to 80% (a useful setting in the settings menu). I then customised my ringtones and alerts, etc, tested the text and call functionality, all of which has - generally - worked really well. (However, it should be noted that the texting keyboard can be difficult. I don’t know if this is due to the size of the keyboard “buttons” or if it’s the slower refresh rate but, again, I don’t mind this too much as it disincentivises me to text and to call instead. There is also a slight echo in certain scenarios when I’m on a phone call, and I’m not sure if this is my network or the Kompakt. It’s ignorable, but it is there. Again, this isn’t a dealbreaker for me, as it’s barely noticeable and may not be the fault of the Kompakt anyway, but potentially worth looking into to see if anyone else notices this.)
In terms of how I’m managing the battery, I’m putting it on Offline+ for around 10 hours a day (around 9pm to 7/8am-ish). From a battery of 80% and using it sparingly, with the Offline+ method above, I still had battery after 7 days, having got down to 20% from 80%. In other words: I only used 60% of the battery capacity over 7 days, which is actually slightly better battery efficiency than my Nokia 105. To be clear: I didn’t test it this way to test the battery. This is genuinely how I use my phones, so this is a real-use case for me and, I imagine, many of you. Bluetooth, wifi and mobile data were off the whole time, as I didn’t want to use any internet or bluetooth products. Again: my purpose is to treat this phone like a dumbphone, with better functionality and options if I needed PDFs or a side loaded app, like Signal.
So, what features did I plan on using the most?
One of the main reasons I bought the phone was the Offline+ mode. I like the idea that I can leave the house and switch it on and be untraceable through my own device (obviously, I can’t account for CCTV or other people’s phones, but my specific whereabouts is difficult to identify outside of these systems. Besides the tin foil hat reasons(!), it really is just nice to have a simple switch to block everything, without having to put it in airplane mode (which doesn’t block GPS) or without having to put it in a faraday bag. If I don’t want to talk to people or I want to know that I have no reason to check my phone, I just flick the switch and, boom, my phone is redundant. I think that’s key for peace of mind as well as security.
The other main reason was the e-ink screen, which works as expected and I appreciate the slow-refresh rates. Some people have complained about this, but I find it’s a good way of keeping some friction between our use of the device and how it should be used. (More on the screen in the conclusion.)
I have not used the e-reader for books, as I prefer actual, physical books but, needless to say, the experience will be a lot better than a normal digital screen. The same is true of notes: I carry a physical notebook and transpose into my laptop when I get home (or a few days later, whenever I can be bothered and still comprehend my handwriting!), so I probably won’t use this feature much, but I have used it a little bit and it’s a nice option for very brief things, if I run out of paper or ink.
The voice recorder is a useful addition. I haven’t used it yet, but I can envisage situations in which I might use it. (For example, making an audio recording of a non-recorded call I’m having on my computer, for future reference, without the other person/people aware of my recording. This could be particularly useful in politically-sensitive or educational situations.)
The keyboard is a QWERTY keyboard and, while this is fine, I would prefer a numeric keypad (even if touchscreen). I would prefer even more slowness and disincentives for messaging than the QWERTY keyboard allows. However, because it is a slow-refreshing e-ink screen, it is still much slower than a normal digital screen, and I appreciate this. A fast-refreshing numerical keypad option would be a nice option to have, versus the slow-refreshing QWERTY keyboard. The user can then decide which method of inconvenience they prefer.
Additionally, the ability to store PDFs of e-tickets is really useful and these display well in the e-reader module (although zooming in and moving around the page is a bit slow, so make sure you’ve already done this before you show/use your e-ticket).
The camera is a nice addition (which is beautifully unusable!) which limits me to quick snaps of useful information or a couple of pictures of family, friends, etc. It is not fun to use: and it shouldn’t be. I love the crippled design. Technology should disincentivise its use. If it doesn’t, technology is using us: and it should be the other way around. Both the camera and e-ink screen/refresh rate contribute to this essential aspect. (The only issue I have with the camera currently is that I cannot transfer the photos to the Mudita Center on Mac or Linux. I think this is being addressed in an upcoming update?)
Maps will be useful too but I’m happy to stop and, you know, ask directions, so their presence on the device isn’t essential for me: but I’m glad it’s there as an option.
I should also say: the warm-toned torch is a very nice feature. I can’t stand bright white lights, so having the warm-toned torch option is an amazing and well-thought-out feature to include (thank you Mudita)!
As for the other features, I don’t plan on using them and they don’t add any value to me, personally. The calculator and calendar is useful but standard in all dumb phones. The music player, chess, etc. are fine to include but, again, I can go without.
What else?
The box includes meditation cards, which are a really nice touch. It refocuses you as to why you bought he phone in the first place and, actually, they’re quite useful. Well-written and very zen! I’m sure they’ll be useful at some point. (They even come with a little piece of paper and origami instructions!) It’s this pointless zen, fun stuff which, on the face of it, serves no purpose and sounds like a gimmick, but actually makes a big difference and doesn’t come across as gimmicky at all. Everything is high quality and everything is re-centered around the concept of less digital, more spiritual (or physical, if you prefer that word).
The same is true for the Meditation app. I haven’t used it (as a christian, I tend to pray, rather than meditate); but, again, I welcome its inclusion as it’s a reminder to stop looking at the phone.
I have not yet side-loaded any apps. I want to see how it functions without any additions and I want it to be as dumb as possible. But I know I will need to re-register my Signal account at some point, and knowing the phone has this functionality was one of the main reasons I bought it, as every other dumbphone - except the Punkt MP02 , does not have it. I did not get the Punkt for two reasons: first, most people seem to say the software is clunky and Pigeon (their Signal alternative) is not that great and quite “buggy.” It was also a very similar price to the Mudita Kompakt once I’d bought it in the sale and used a discount code, so there was really no reason to get it except for the lower resource use (due to the Punkt being much smaller). However, Mudita seems to have a slightly better approach to sustainability, so the difference is probably minimal (although - to be clear - much greater efforts should go into ethically sourcing materials for future Mudita technology, especially for phones which require so many rare earth minerals, metals, etc. A big leaf should be taken from the latest Fairphone in this regard. More on this, below).
Note: (The CAT S22 flip phone has Signal functionality: but Caterpillar provides the Israeli military with the bulldozers it uses for its genocide, apartheid and ethnic cleansing in both Gaza and the West Bank, so I’m boycotting their products, in line with the BDS Movement list: Act Now Against These Companies Profiting from the Genocide of the Palestinian People | BDS Movement). (I also found out, after I bought the Nokia 105, that Nokia is also engaged in multiple Israeli government contracts so, for the record, I would never buy Nokia/HMD, either.)
Concluding remarks
Obviously, I’ve only had it a week, so I can’t comment on LONGEVITY. I know some people have had some issues with different things, like screen discolouration but, based on the forum comments, this seems to be an outlier and covered by warranty for the rare occasion it occurs.
I would want Mudita to focus on SUSTAINABILITY more seriously, ensuring at least 50%+ of product materials used are from recycled and/or ethically-sourced materials and supply chains, to rival Fairphone.
There’s no peace and zen without looking after people and planet.
The e-ink screen is good and I would take it any day over a digital screen. However, I would like it to be even less bright. Sometimes, I find even the e-ink screen with no additional light is too bright/clear for indoor use. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not hurting my eyes - but I have a bit of photosensitivity and it’s not an ideal base level of brightness (even though it’s still better than a digital screen). I’m not sure if it’s possible to change that, as e-ink is what it is: but if it is possible, that would be great. (Maybe this is an issue with the default colour on the Lock Screen, in particular, as it seems brighter than the home screen? If so, maybe it can be fixed or provided as an option to reduce base-brightness of e-ink screen in a software update.)
Again, I would like a numeric keypad option for messaging, in addition to the QWERTY default keypad. This should be easy to add in a software update.
Speaking of screens, I would appreciate a privacy screen protector. This might help with the above problem but it is also a basic security function in today’s world. If I want to read or write private notes or messages in public, a privacy screen is essential, not just a standard screen protector.
What about price?
The base price of $439 is maybe a little high. However, I would be happy to pay it if it had a similar or greater sustainability focus than the Fairphone 6. I’m happy to pay more for ethically-sourced and sustainable materials, products and services, as many people are. But I am not happy to pay more for a slightly bigger profit margin. It seems this is what was chosen, instead of doing more to source components ethically and sustainably. This is my biggest gripe. (Mudita: Pease fix for all future products!!!)
I will also say there seems to be a lock screen quirk: I have the requirement for a passcode on in my settings, but I am still able to unlock the phone with just my fingerprint. I’d like to be forced to use fingerprint and passcode. Am I doing something wrong or can this be fixed in a future update? Again, it’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but requiring both is security common-sense and seems weird to not have, when it’s not difficult to implement.
There is also an issue around being able to turn-off vibrate on SMS and other alerts. I’ve turned off all haptic functionality and there are still light vibrations when I receive texts and other alerts, but not phone calls and not when I type. Mudita seems to be aware of this and, again, hopefully fixed in an upcoming update.
So, overall, what do I think? Probably the best “dumbphone” on the market. Its intentional slowness is appreciated and does not come at the expense of functionality, but use. It is a phone that is meant to be used as sparingly as possible, but has all the functionality you need if you need to use it. It’s dumb (positive) in its user experience and smart in its limitations. That’s probably the best thing I could say about it: and that’s a great solution for me and for a lot of people.
I’d give it 7.5/10, scoring -2 for ethical and sustainable sourcing and repair options, and -0.5 deduction for some software quirks/improvements.