Ask HN: Which minimalist phone would you choose in 2022? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Which minimalist phone would you choose in 2022?

18 pointsjhor18 comments

I only set two criteria: 4G or 5G and hotspot. So far my list contrains: LightPhone II, Punkt MP02, and Nokia 2720 Flip

What would you add/choose?

Thanks

What about lockdown mode? I install minimal apps and I for one am excited to try this out. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/07/apple-expands-commitm...

I used the light phone for a while, it was great, but then I needed e-mail for work. So I’ve opted for an IPhone SE now…

My requirements for a minimal phone were touch sreeen and QWERTY keyboard. Which put the light phone up front. My spouse still uses theirs.

My pinnacle minimal phone would be a little larger light phone (think original iPhone size) that also had an e-mail app.

Thanks for your comment. Was the eink screen refresh lag a trouble on daily use?

It was definitely noticeable when coming from a smart phone, but it didn’t really get in the way. And after using it for a little bit you get used to it.

iPhone SE

iOS is quite clean, the phone is affordable, has a great chip, and will be supported for many years, certainly longer than any non-Apple phone you buy.

I'd rather avoid smartphones as much as possible.

It's become so hard to do in modern life - I just keep data turned off and turn it on for brief moments when I need it (lyft, maps, latch).

Doesn’t that mess up all received texts due to I message needing data?

If you want, you can disable _a lot_ of smart features on an iPhone. If you’re paranoid you can lock the re-enabling behind a passcode you give to a trusted person.

My first smartphone (because 3G is being turned off soon) is a Motorola G Power 2021, with the lowest resolution, slowest processor option available (less pixels in the same form factor --> less power consumption, and I'm old so little pixels are too small for me to see anyway) It runs for multiple days on a charge. It will serve as a hotspot, if you want it to.

I'm using Mint Mobile, for $15/month.

I uninstalled Twitter, Facebook, etc. I did install AdBlock browser. I've disabled all notifications except for calls and texts, so that my family can reach me.

I almost never check email, and the same is true on the phone.

I got a Sonim XP3 as an emergency / backup phone. It sits in my go bag, turned off, with an AT&T prepaid plan ($100 / year). I check it every few months and the charge has barely dropped from 100%. It's a bit bulky and expensive, but seemed the best for my use case.

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/sonim-xp3

iPhone SE with as few apps installed as possible.

I wouldn’t trust the security on the other phones you listed and dumbphones are buggy and insecure.

iOS fails in providing basic security feature viz. VPN. https://www.michaelhorowitz.com/VPNs.on.iOS.are.scam.php

VPN is not a basic security feature. VPN by design is not supposed to provide security. It's marketing. When BlackBerry died, the reins on security issues were taken over by Apple. It can be debatable, but currently there is nothing more sensible.

The person to whom you are responding understand how old phones work and why they are dangerous. You probably left out all the other indicators.

Yes, I use the first-generation iPhone SE, which still gets updates.

Unless you consider the topics of 'privacy' and 'security' to be distinct for semantic correctness, I don't know what you mean. VPN is not supposed to provide security??

Many thanks to all

GrapheneOS.org has a browser-based install, will offer you a cheap 4/5G phone with no apps by default.

Battery life is absurd for hotspotting.

Blackberry

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