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I used to carry a feature phone many years ago. When smartphones appeared, I switched to not carrying any phone at all. (I do have a very old smartphone, which

I used to carry a feature phone many years ago. When smartphones appeared, I switched to not carrying any phone at all. (I do have a very old smartphone, which mostly sits at home turned off. Sometimes I turn it on to receive a payment notification or something like that.) This way, at least when I'm outside or hanging out with people, my mind is free. Though my laptop still eats a lot of my time when I'm at home. Maybe it'd be better with an e-ink laptop.

sw104 3y ago
Is it really that hard to have a smartphone and just not install addictive/time-wasting apps on it? I think my daily average screen time is 10 minutes (according to Digital Wellbeing), with less than 10 unlocks. Advantage being that I'm available/able to call somebody in an emergency or I can use the utilities on it when required (maps, translation).
pg5 3y ago
Do you live in an area with great public transportation? My phone is a necessity driving anywhere unless I want to take twice as long due to random spots of traffic.
- lambic 3y ago
  I find my phone even more important using public transport, checking schedules and figuring out which buses and trains I need to get for my destination.
  - NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
    Google Maps is good for that on my phone, in my area. The transit provider also recently introduced mobile fares, so sometimes I use my phone to board (QR-based.) Unfortunately, there is another fare overhaul coming, whereby they will make fares account-based prepaid, and mobile fares will be mutually exclusive with the linked NFC card option. So unfortunately I will need to ditch the mobile fares entirely, because I do not wish to be constantly tethered to my mandatory smartphone if I simply wish to ride a bus somewhere.
- LeifCarrotson 3y ago
  If your car doesn't have a standalone navigation system built in, or it only supports Android Auto/CarPlay which require a phone, they still make automotive GPS units - and they're pretty great now, with built-in traffic, dashcam, and backup cameras: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/818681/pn/010-02729-00 https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/818681/pn/010-02729-00 The trick is knowing where you want to go - Google's search capacity to "find me a highly-rated Mexican restaurant with on the way from Work to Home", not turn-by-turn, routing, or even traffic, is the killer feature. Standalone GPS units have passable search, not just addresses, but nothing compared to that.
pnut 3y ago
As someone who lived to adulthood before cellphones existed, this behaviour is incomprehensible. My phone is my agency. I use it to access information, and to communicate. Why on earth would you subject yourself and everyone you know to arbitrary limitations like that? My mind is plenty free and I use the tool when the circumstances warrant, and not as a mental fidget spinner.
- jeremy_wiebe 3y ago
  Good for you. The problem is that today’s smartphone is essentially built to be an extremely addictive fidget spinner. Those who don’t succumb to that are the exception, not the rule. And before you say that it’s the apps you choose to install, not the phone that’s the problem, I’d say that’s a distinction without a difference.
- inkcapmushroom 3y ago
  I used to feel this way too. Now, for whatever reasons, I am helplessly addicted to the phone. Maybe I'm more depressed recently, maybe it's become more addicting, maybe I finally found the combo of apps which really hit the button in my brain that makes me constantly check it. But it's no longer just a tool for me, and I contemplate replacing it with a dumb phone constantly.
  - ianburrell 3y ago
    I guess I don't consider the phone addictive since I use iPad or computer at home. It is Reddit or Youtube that are addictive. Also, it is possible to make phone into useful tool. I make audible/vibrate notifications for important things so don't need to check phone constantly. Put the phone down and only use it when you need it. Try moving content consumption to another device. Try limiting addictive things to certain circumstances. If that doesn't work, consider deleting the addictive apps and turning the phone into a tool. Smartphone without addiction is more useful than a dumb phone.
    - darkerside 3y ago
      Yeah the cigarettes aren't addictive, it's the nicotine
karmakaze 3y ago
I switched to smartphones with the original iPhone (up to 3GS then Androids). The trick is to not install (m)any apps. There are utility apps like maps/navigation, banking, etc. I use Uber Eats more than I should. But I minimize any social media/infinite scrolling apps. Only recently, I reinstalled WhatsApp because some people didn't know how to reach me, even though my phone number hasn't changed in decades. I presume they upgraded their devices and re-establish their digital contacts but not their 'analog' ones.

sw104 3y ago

Is it really that hard to have a smartphone and just not install addictive/time-wasting apps on it? I think my daily average screen time is 10 minutes (according to Digital Wellbeing), with less than 10 unlocks. Advantage being that I'm available/able to call somebody in an emergency or I can use the utilities on it when required (maps, translation).

pg5 3y ago

Do you live in an area with great public transportation? My phone is a necessity driving anywhere unless I want to take twice as long due to random spots of traffic.

lambic 3y ago
I find my phone even more important using public transport, checking schedules and figuring out which buses and trains I need to get for my destination.
- NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
  Google Maps is good for that on my phone, in my area. The transit provider also recently introduced mobile fares, so sometimes I use my phone to board (QR-based.) Unfortunately, there is another fare overhaul coming, whereby they will make fares account-based prepaid, and mobile fares will be mutually exclusive with the linked NFC card option. So unfortunately I will need to ditch the mobile fares entirely, because I do not wish to be constantly tethered to my mandatory smartphone if I simply wish to ride a bus somewhere.
LeifCarrotson 3y ago
If your car doesn't have a standalone navigation system built in, or it only supports Android Auto/CarPlay which require a phone, they still make automotive GPS units - and they're pretty great now, with built-in traffic, dashcam, and backup cameras: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/818681/pn/010-02729-00 https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/818681/pn/010-02729-00 The trick is knowing where you want to go - Google's search capacity to "find me a highly-rated Mexican restaurant with on the way from Work to Home", not turn-by-turn, routing, or even traffic, is the killer feature. Standalone GPS units have passable search, not just addresses, but nothing compared to that.

pnut 3y ago

As someone who lived to adulthood before cellphones existed, this behaviour is incomprehensible. My phone is my agency. I use it to access information, and to communicate. Why on earth would you subject yourself and everyone you know to arbitrary limitations like that? My mind is plenty free and I use the tool when the circumstances warrant, and not as a mental fidget spinner.

jeremy_wiebe 3y ago
Good for you. The problem is that today’s smartphone is essentially built to be an extremely addictive fidget spinner. Those who don’t succumb to that are the exception, not the rule. And before you say that it’s the apps you choose to install, not the phone that’s the problem, I’d say that’s a distinction without a difference.
inkcapmushroom 3y ago
I used to feel this way too. Now, for whatever reasons, I am helplessly addicted to the phone. Maybe I'm more depressed recently, maybe it's become more addicting, maybe I finally found the combo of apps which really hit the button in my brain that makes me constantly check it. But it's no longer just a tool for me, and I contemplate replacing it with a dumb phone constantly.
- ianburrell 3y ago
  I guess I don't consider the phone addictive since I use iPad or computer at home. It is Reddit or Youtube that are addictive. Also, it is possible to make phone into useful tool. I make audible/vibrate notifications for important things so don't need to check phone constantly. Put the phone down and only use it when you need it. Try moving content consumption to another device. Try limiting addictive things to certain circumstances. If that doesn't work, consider deleting the addictive apps and turning the phone into a tool. Smartphone without addiction is more useful than a dumb phone.
  - darkerside 3y ago
    Yeah the cigarettes aren't addictive, it's the nicotine

karmakaze 3y ago

I switched to smartphones with the original iPhone (up to 3GS then Androids). The trick is to not install (m)any apps. There are utility apps like maps/navigation, banking, etc. I use Uber Eats more than I should. But I minimize any social media/infinite scrolling apps. Only recently, I reinstalled WhatsApp because some people didn't know how to reach me, even though my phone number hasn't changed in decades. I presume they upgraded their devices and re-establish their digital contacts but not their 'analog' ones.