6 ms·

I fought having a phone through to 2008 - now I'm reconsidering wanting one again if there was a pure messaging device right now with no voice - I'd bite their

by mtkd 9y ago

I fought having a phone through to 2008 - now I'm reconsidering wanting one again if there was a pure messaging device right now with no voice - I'd bite their hand off I don't need a mobile browser or even apps - all they do is stop me from disconnecting from work for a few minutes or hours - I don't think always-on is good for anyone over time

thomk 9y ago
https://www.apple.com/ipod/ https://www.apple.com/ipod/
- mtkd 9y ago
  you can't get SMS I need a 2 week battery life, LCD screen, SMS/pager thing, with a Blackberry physical keypad and no voice or apps - and a simple mute switch
  - pilsetnieks 9y ago
    So get an old blackberry and turn on call barring.
  - bgun 9y ago
    So build your own. http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Smartphone/ http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Smartphone/ Manufacturers are under no obligation to provide you with a device to your particular specification, unless of course you are the one paying them under contract them to do so.
    - wutbrodo 9y ago
      > Manufacturers are under no obligation to provide you with a device to your particular specification I don't think wishing that a niche was filled constitutes assuming that manufacturers have any obligation.
      - nylonstrung 9y ago
        A niche that appeals to almost no one and alienates the telcos that manufacturers partner with. So it looks like the free market is working in this case.
        ksk 9y ago
        >So it looks like the free market is working in this case. That is not necessarily a good thing.
        ralmeida 9y ago
        Why not?
        ksk 9y ago
        Free markets are just a tool we came up with to serve us, the general public. Where they don't, we don't let them operate. A public utility should not be operating in a free market (and I'm glad they don't).
        ralmeida 9y ago
        Who exactly is 'they' in this case? Also, what is the 'public utility' involved here? Wasn't the root comment talking about manufacturers?
        ksk 9y ago
        It was in the context of telcos dictating rules to manufacturers.
        ralmeida 9y ago
        It totally is working, but merely 'wishing' a product exists does not, IMO, imply that: a) they think manufacturers have any obligation (moral or legal) to do so b) that it should exist c) that more people would use it Maybe OP was just 'thinking out loud'.
technologia 9y ago
Not trying to be an ass but isn't the device you want called a 2 way pager?
- mtkd 9y ago
  yes, but with a larger screen and keyboard not sure why such negativity on that comment - I've met many people who see a phone as a distraction, but want to retain some instant communication capability there is a real hivemind phenomenon on HN that mobile apps are everything next - what if that's not the case - what if people don't want to be tracked, profiled, remarketed to 24/7 - what if they just want the 4 messages they get in a day that are worth reading?
  - TeMPOraL 9y ago
    It's not a HN hivemind, but there are voices saying that indeed. Maybe I'm weird, but I'm utterly disappointed with apps. Each piece of functionality is being partitioned into vendor-locked blobs that do much more on the cloud that they reasonably should, and almost none of that is interoperable with each other. If we call smartphones mobile computers, then we're throwing away 90% of power that comes with having all that compute on your person.
nylonstrung 9y ago
I'm sure you can find an android device that has a physical keypad, root it and disable any call or mobile data functionality while keeping SMS intact.
- onli 9y ago
  Actually, that's not that easy. There are not many android phones with keyboard, and even less with a proper community for rooting it. I wouldn't know a single one.
  - s73ver 9y ago
    If all they want is messaging, with no apps, then any of the older ones should be fine.
  - djsumdog 9y ago
    I don't think there's anything decent with a physical keyboard anymore. It's sad. I'd seriously welcome the extra thickness for something like the old HTC Evo Shift.
muppetman 9y ago
Buy an Android device. Disable all apps you don't want, keeping only the apps you do want. I'm sure you'll find a good reason to argue why this isn't what you want/need.

by mtkd 9y ago

thomk 9y ago

https://www.apple.com/ipod/ https://www.apple.com/ipod/

mtkd 9y ago
you can't get SMS I need a 2 week battery life, LCD screen, SMS/pager thing, with a Blackberry physical keypad and no voice or apps - and a simple mute switch
- pilsetnieks 9y ago
  So get an old blackberry and turn on call barring.
- bgun 9y ago
  So build your own. http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Smartphone/ http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Smartphone/ Manufacturers are under no obligation to provide you with a device to your particular specification, unless of course you are the one paying them under contract them to do so.
  - wutbrodo 9y ago
    > Manufacturers are under no obligation to provide you with a device to your particular specification I don't think wishing that a niche was filled constitutes assuming that manufacturers have any obligation.
    - nylonstrung 9y ago
      A niche that appeals to almost no one and alienates the telcos that manufacturers partner with. So it looks like the free market is working in this case.
      - ksk 9y ago
        >So it looks like the free market is working in this case. That is not necessarily a good thing.
        ralmeida 9y ago
        Why not?
        ksk 9y ago
        Free markets are just a tool we came up with to serve us, the general public. Where they don't, we don't let them operate. A public utility should not be operating in a free market (and I'm glad they don't).
        ralmeida 9y ago
        Who exactly is 'they' in this case? Also, what is the 'public utility' involved here? Wasn't the root comment talking about manufacturers?
        ksk 9y ago
        It was in the context of telcos dictating rules to manufacturers.
      - ralmeida 9y ago
        It totally is working, but merely 'wishing' a product exists does not, IMO, imply that: a) they think manufacturers have any obligation (moral or legal) to do so b) that it should exist c) that more people would use it Maybe OP was just 'thinking out loud'.

technologia 9y ago

Not trying to be an ass but isn't the device you want called a 2 way pager?

mtkd 9y ago
yes, but with a larger screen and keyboard not sure why such negativity on that comment - I've met many people who see a phone as a distraction, but want to retain some instant communication capability there is a real hivemind phenomenon on HN that mobile apps are everything next - what if that's not the case - what if people don't want to be tracked, profiled, remarketed to 24/7 - what if they just want the 4 messages they get in a day that are worth reading?
- TeMPOraL 9y ago
  It's not a HN hivemind, but there are voices saying that indeed. Maybe I'm weird, but I'm utterly disappointed with apps. Each piece of functionality is being partitioned into vendor-locked blobs that do much more on the cloud that they reasonably should, and almost none of that is interoperable with each other. If we call smartphones mobile computers, then we're throwing away 90% of power that comes with having all that compute on your person.

nylonstrung 9y ago

I'm sure you can find an android device that has a physical keypad, root it and disable any call or mobile data functionality while keeping SMS intact.

onli 9y ago
Actually, that's not that easy. There are not many android phones with keyboard, and even less with a proper community for rooting it. I wouldn't know a single one.
- s73ver 9y ago
  If all they want is messaging, with no apps, then any of the older ones should be fine.
- djsumdog 9y ago
  I don't think there's anything decent with a physical keyboard anymore. It's sad. I'd seriously welcome the extra thickness for something like the old HTC Evo Shift.

muppetman 9y ago

Buy an Android device. Disable all apps you don't want, keeping only the apps you do want. I'm sure you'll find a good reason to argue why this isn't what you want/need.