4 ms·

What did you settle on? I’m starting to fantasize this reality too. I have an iPhone now.

mydriasis 3y ago
I'm going to be getting a Nokia 6300 4G. Smart enough to have google maps, dumb enough to stay out of my head. I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) so my dumpy little phone will have to do the job. That's like, the #1 thing I _really need_ out of a phone; the rest is distracting trash. The best part is that you can pay _ridiculously low_ prices month to month through various carriers. Like $15 / month in the US, on top of the phone being $70. Good stuff in my opinion. I thought I was getting off good with ~$45 a month for Google Fi.
- the_third_wave 3y ago
  > I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) Get a second-hand Android device for those tasks, install LineageOS and F-Droid/Aurora Droid, don't put in a SIM card and you're set for much less than $300. You'll be running free software - e.g. OsmAnd for mapping using off-line maps, no connectivity necessary - and you won't be feeding Google (et al) your data as you will using that Nokia. The battery will last a long time with connectivity disabled as well, longer than that on those $300 GPS receivers.
  - mydriasis 3y ago
    ... This is a _fascinating_ idea. I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there and just switch to a dumb phone entirely for... phone purposes? It looks [0] like this shouldn't be too tough... [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I
    - 6581 3y ago
      >I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there GrapheneOS is available for the 4a.
      - saltcured 3y ago
        To be clear, there is no need to replace the stock firmware unless you are taking a hard ideological stance. You can install F-Droid on most any Android phone, then install OSMAnd+ from F-Droid over WiFi, download some maps, and then turn off the networks to use it offline as a GPS-only device. Replacing the firmware with something de-googled would make it more certain that don't login with a Google account during initial phone setup nor send any telemetry during that period before you go offline, or if you go back online eventually for map updates etc. Also, if you're going to use it offline as just a "GPS tool", you might not care about other issues like getting firmware updates. It won't be subject to attack if you're offline and not browsing the internet...
        mydriasis 3y ago
        Gotcha -- okay! I'll check out F-Droid first. Thanks!!
sourcecodeplz 3y ago
That's just an exercise though really. You NEED a smartphone nowadays for everyday life: banking, gym access, maps, etc.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  I really don't. I exercise at home. I can just go to the bank, or if I have a balance inquiry, call them. They also have a desktop web application that I can use. The only one I really need on that list is maps, which my dumpy trash-heap will have.
- FourHand451 3y ago
  Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but why do you need a smartphone for gym access?
- lrvick 3y ago
  Not had a smartphone or even a cell phone plan in years. I live in silicon valley and run a b2b company. I manage bank accounts, travel a lot, keep up with friends, clients, and peers, etc etc, and get by fine with looking up directions before I leave with a paper map as a backup. Turns out you actually do not NEED a phone. I have a very digitally connected lifestyle which makes it that much more important I be -disconnected- whenever a workstation screen is not in front of me so I can be -present- in whatever I am doing or with whomever I am doing it with.
  - davidf18 3y ago
    [dead]
- eimrine 3y ago
  You can have a non-ios non-android device for maps, visit a non-requiring a smartphone gym, use a plastic card instead of NFC and a website instead of bank app. Also use phone/email for voice/text conversations instead of 14 apps every one of which are full of ads.
  - 3y ago

I'm going to be getting a Nokia 6300 4G. Smart enough to have google maps, dumb enough to stay out of my head. I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) so my dumpy little phone will have to do the job. That's like, the #1 thing I _really need_ out of a phone; the rest is distracting trash. The best part is that you can pay _ridiculously low_ prices month to month through various carriers. Like $15 / month in the US, on top of the phone being $70. Good stuff in my opinion. I thought I was getting off good with ~$45 a month for Google Fi.

the_third_wave 3y ago
> I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) Get a second-hand Android device for those tasks, install LineageOS and F-Droid/Aurora Droid, don't put in a SIM card and you're set for much less than $300. You'll be running free software - e.g. OsmAnd for mapping using off-line maps, no connectivity necessary - and you won't be feeding Google (et al) your data as you will using that Nokia. The battery will last a long time with connectivity disabled as well, longer than that on those $300 GPS receivers.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  ... This is a _fascinating_ idea. I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there and just switch to a dumb phone entirely for... phone purposes? It looks [0] like this shouldn't be too tough... [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I
  - 6581 3y ago
    >I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there GrapheneOS is available for the 4a.
    - saltcured 3y ago
      To be clear, there is no need to replace the stock firmware unless you are taking a hard ideological stance. You can install F-Droid on most any Android phone, then install OSMAnd+ from F-Droid over WiFi, download some maps, and then turn off the networks to use it offline as a GPS-only device. Replacing the firmware with something de-googled would make it more certain that don't login with a Google account during initial phone setup nor send any telemetry during that period before you go offline, or if you go back online eventually for map updates etc. Also, if you're going to use it offline as just a "GPS tool", you might not care about other issues like getting firmware updates. It won't be subject to attack if you're offline and not browsing the internet...
      - mydriasis 3y ago
        Gotcha -- okay! I'll check out F-Droid first. Thanks!!

sourcecodeplz 3y ago

That's just an exercise though really. You NEED a smartphone nowadays for everyday life: banking, gym access, maps, etc.

mydriasis 3y ago
I really don't. I exercise at home. I can just go to the bank, or if I have a balance inquiry, call them. They also have a desktop web application that I can use. The only one I really need on that list is maps, which my dumpy trash-heap will have.
FourHand451 3y ago
Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but why do you need a smartphone for gym access?
lrvick 3y ago
Not had a smartphone or even a cell phone plan in years. I live in silicon valley and run a b2b company. I manage bank accounts, travel a lot, keep up with friends, clients, and peers, etc etc, and get by fine with looking up directions before I leave with a paper map as a backup. Turns out you actually do not NEED a phone. I have a very digitally connected lifestyle which makes it that much more important I be -disconnected- whenever a workstation screen is not in front of me so I can be -present- in whatever I am doing or with whomever I am doing it with.
- davidf18 3y ago
  [dead]
eimrine 3y ago
You can have a non-ios non-android device for maps, visit a non-requiring a smartphone gym, use a plastic card instead of NFC and a website instead of bank app. Also use phone/email for voice/text conversations instead of 14 apps every one of which are full of ads.
- 3y ago