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When my phone died, I was helpless. Does anyone have even 1 phone number they can recall from memory? I couldn't, forcing me to travel home to get my laptop to
by adamwong246 10mo ago
When my phone died, I was helpless. Does anyone have even 1 phone number they can recall from memory? I couldn't, forcing me to travel home to get my laptop to access my contacts. So I make my way home but, oh wait, I can't use the Uber app without my phone. OK, I'll get a taxi! Oh wait, nothing to make a phone call with. I'll take the bus! Thank god I have a debit card on hand to pay, but how do I find a bus station and route home without my phone?! I guess I'll borrow a stranger's phone and call a friend to give me a ride? Oh crap, I can't remember a single phone number!
I am very close to giving up and buying 2 or more working phones at any time, for the same reason I keep a spare tire in the trunk. I would love to see google's Pixel program try this, where you get 2 phones, but are only charged if you activate the spare.
It's is troubling to see Steve Job's dream come to it's full realization- these phones are not a luxury, or even a commodity. Living without a smartphone today is basically impossible.
- walterbell 10mo agoIn the Apple ecosystem, iPad Mini + LTE + VOIP for voice/SMS is a mobile backup device that can double as 2nd monitor for laptop, or dock with an external monitor and keyboard via USB-c. It does require avoiding sevices that mandate non-VOIP SMS 2FA. iPad cost is balanced by use or resale after several years. Sadly, there is no Google Pixel Tablet Mini (or even Pixel Tablet 2). Hopefully the upcoming OEM release of a GrapheneOS-compatible phone will be successful.
- adamwong246 10mo agoThis honestly seems like a hack? And I want to live Apple's garden even less than I want to live in Google's. Smartphone technology has plateaued over the years, which has an unexpected benefit- You don't need the latest model. The older model is much cheaper and entirely sufficient. You can, in fact, go back several generations, to the point that you can get 2 old phones for less than 1 new phone.
- walterbell 10mo agoFor the billion humans in the Steve Jobs ecosystem, new/used iPads are cheaper than new/used iPhones and have good resale value. Cellular iPad has non-duplicative use cases for 99% of time when not needed as backup for mobile phone. Upcoming iPad Mini will likely exit Broadcom WiFi + Qualcomm cellular walled gardens of RF baseband insecurity. Pixel uses Broadcom.
- fragmede 10mo agoThe other device to consider as backup, is an Apple Watch with a cell modem. If you are dumped on the side of the street randomly somehow, I can't say if you'd still have your watch or your iPad, I just know it happened to a friend (got into a fight with the other people on a road trip and was left stranded at a gas station), and he was able to use his Apple watch to get help. And everyone on the road trip patched things up afterwards.
- deleted 10mo ago[deleted]
- analogpixel 10mo agoI haven't carried my cell phone for the past 3 months; I've been fine.