Hacker News Reader

Comment by ldbooth | Hacker News Reader

I tried a flip phone for a week but got tired of explaining to people why I didn't receive the picture they texted me, and I was carrying my no-SIM smartphone around for the audiobooks anyway. It does feel like taking the proverbial digital leash off, and rather than text replying I was calling everyone back for convenience. I sure have strayed socially. I shall find this middle ground and report back.

View on HN

Ha, yeah we're in a really weird space right now where our tech is awesome and terrible. I wonder if it will get better. It would be cool to have like a feature phone but where the features are at current tech levels (and include maps), but there are no random notifications to manage, no social apps (instead of requiring you to have the discipline not to install them)... idk.

I read a blog post [1] the other day about someone who was using their Apple Watch as their primary "smart" device. Aside from pictures (and maybe a few other features?) you can effectively have all of the utilities of a smart phone without the temptation to get sucked into the device. I've been slowly transitioning to this and have been enjoying it so far.

It doesn't really help with the notifications, but you can effectively cut out most of the noise via basic iPhone settings.

[1] - https://www.reddit.com/r/digitalminimalism/comments/m730dz/i...

The LightPhone is working on getting there. I've been using it for about a year now as my primary mobile.

E-ink? Brilliant.

I went the feature phone route, bog standard Nokia with a 64 GB SD card in it for music/etc.

I managed three months and then a customer sent me an iPhone because sending SMS's was too much of a hassle when everyone else was on Slack 24/7, and because their authentication scheme was changing and they required a smart phone app for 2FA.

Years later, I still refuse to put Slack on my phone (now an Android), but I can't get away from various app requirements connected to my business number, and I can't be bothered to have two separate phones when I have two SIM slots in my phone anyway.

The best part of using a flip phone is that you slowly realize that none of the notifications we are constantly distracted by are that urgent. It's a good way of cutting down the social media fat. Most of the digital interactions we have in our day-to-day are really because you were online at the time, which could be interpreted as you are available for some têtê-à-têtê.

I've stuck with the flip phone all along with no regrets. Pictures can be forwarded to your email for later viewing (though at a reduced resolution). There seems to be no way to see emojis, though, as they all appear as little squares (whether you perceive this as a benefit or a drawback).

You have motivated me to try it again... Switching the sim today. The hands free calling while driving is another feature to solve for. I'm going wired headset.. 2000 is back! =)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com