That "device that's worth as much as a used iPod" costs ~$40 including a power supply and has the potential to do far more than just allow you to play music wit

That "device that's worth as much as a used iPod" costs ~$40 including a power supply and has the potential to do far more than just allow you to play music without notifications (which was already possible on your phone). It can help you gain freedom on the 'net in general, not just play some music. If you turn down notification sounds or just switch the things off altogether you will not get notifications from any apps, new or old. In short, why complicate things by carrying around another device when you can put that effort into creating a single device which can help achieve digital freedom? In both cases you'll have to do some work, either by scouring the 'net (or thrift stores) for older equipment which can be refurbished or by building a 'personal server' (which could also be achieved using an old laptop which will give you higher performance but will use more power).