The Growing Trend of No-Tech

skim.me

2 points·ClintonWu··5 comments

I'm waiting for the carrier-tracking paranoia to collide with the no-tech fad. All kinds of hipsters will cancel their mobile internet plans and live off wifi.

(I've been wifi-only for more than 6 months. With wifi everywhere, I'm only without internet in some grocery and clothing stores. I've saved around $500 from this, and my 2-year old Incredible lasts more than 48 hours on a charge. I rarely voice-chat with others so GrooVe IP works well for free.)

Except companies like Sprint force you to get a data plan with new phones. So you don't really get to choose to go Wifi only.

Buy second hand electronics? Go pay as you go using a 'dumb phone' for calls and a wifi device (tablet, iPad, iTouch or similar or even a netbook) for rich media?

Let's break apart these misconceptions:

1. You can buy phones from retailers who aren't carriers.

2. You can buy phones from carriers without signing up for a contract. If Sprint won't sell what you want to buy, then goto Verizon or another who will.

3. You don't need a phone to go wifi-only. This would work with almost any internet device, including tablets and laptops. The concept is the same.

Sure, it's possible but not convenient. Obviously phone carries do not want you to do this and are going to do anything they can to lock you into plans. Their current fear is being a 'dumb pipe' for wireless internet. This next level we're talking about basically makes them obsolete once wifi his a certain saturation.

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