After 10 years I'm downgrading to a dumb phone

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martinkr

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I jumped on the smartphone bandwagon with the original Galaxy S circa 2011. I liked it, though I spent waaaay too much time browsing the Web. Been an Internet addict since we got home web access.
In summer 2013 I upgraded to a Lumia 520. I couldn't get used to the ecosystem so I bought a Samsung Galaxy Young a few months later. I liked that phone and used it for quite a while and gave the Lumia to my mom.

I then bought the Sony Xperia SP. It was bad & I quickly switched back to the Galaxy Young. Then I used my mom's new Galaxy J5 for a while until I bought an iPhone 6S (my first and last iPhone, I hate the flat look on the iOS). After the n-th glass-breaking of the iPhone I'm back to sharing the J5 and wasting too much time browsing.

Now I'm planning to downgrade to a dumb phone so I no longer waste my time browsing the Internet. My reasons:

- I'm a web addict! I don't want to be part of the always-looking-down-at-their-phones-on-the-bus/pub crowd. I think the Nokia 150 doesn't have Internet functionality. Other Nokia feature phones have Fb or web though. :eck:
- Phones no longer feel special - Most all look the same & have the same apps. I find them too big. I miss 4- and 5-inch screens. I don't like bezel-less phones and the way the speaker/camera is like a black dot/line up there in the top bezel. :shocked: Also Custom ROMs are no longer that big, on my Galaxy Young I had removed all web browsers and Search Engines so I ould easily use it just for calls and the weather app. With newer phones it's easier to break things.
- Internet is not the same - Since boomers & the low-IQ crowd got on it fulltime I feel most online communities have become too toxic. Esp. political fights. Fb is notoriously toxic and I deleted mine. :smile:
- I hate having to clean my screen from fingerprints & screen protectors feel weird.
- They shatter too easily. Even screen protectors don't help.
- Battery life's huge on dumb feature phones.

Has anyone went that route? Was it easy? Worth it?
Now if I could find an old smart phone whose web browser no longer works properly I'd love that but most used ones look abused. I think physical buttons are better for me as screens make me think it's a device to browse web on, enabling my addiciton. No iPhone or Android could offer a tile showing my Photos or a People tile showing the photos of my contacts like WP did, though so good riddance!
 
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TechFreak1

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May 15, 2013
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Well... there are a few options.

1) If you want a truly "dumb" phone in new condition in 2021 then your only option a cheap phone for those who are sight impaired otherwise you are just wasting money as none of the "dumb" phones will do what you are seeking as they all have WiFi, browsers and social media apps now.

If you don't want to spend that much, then your only option is really ebay, craigslist, gumtree, electronics recyclers etc.

2) In terms of phones with out of date browsers etc, you have a decent amount of options such as Touch Pro 2, Samsung B7610, Any Wp 7.x device, Any Wp 8.x device etc.

Maybe this will help idk... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3) If you feel that you are addicted to the web and constantly looking at your phone and given that you've stated that publicly is a step in the direction you want to take. The next step would be just limit the use of your phone or web browsing i.e. if your at home leave the phone in your room or something only browse the web at certain times etc

Find a hobby, start learning a new skill such as learning to play an instrument, learn a new language etc.

If you become cynical in your ability to not be glued to your phone then you will continue to be glued to your phone as it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy :winktongue:.

Should you really want to make some concrete changes, then your going to have start with some reaaal hard objective analysis of yourself to begin with and the most important to thing is - never blame others or yourself for any perceived negatives - that's a downward spiral. Always be a pragramatic optimistic, as hard it seems, always be a pragmatic optimistic and look at the silver lining.

Pragmatism is mandatory as the world does not revolve a single person lol and by being pragmatic you will tend to start looking at solutions as opposed to solely focusing on a problem. By looking at solutions, you can set yourself achieve goals.
 

Sex Pistols

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I've the same. I'm so bored that my Android phone doesn't work like I want and everywhere Google app's are needed as 'native app'!?
I'm thinking that I only use my Android phone for wallet, so I can pay everywhere, and to control devices, like headset in helmet on my bike, Sleep&Awake klok, Dyson hot/cool-vent., tv-remote, Spotify (also in my car), ect.
But Outlook with email is a app which is also faster than pc/laptop. And with Outlook there's come a printer-app with copy/scanner.
I don't have FB, Instagram or Messenger and have to kill Whatsapp and Telegram.
Wheater-app, Security-app, bank-app's (wallet with nfc pay or online buy on laptop are needed).
Further what to do with app's like WC-central, MSpoweruser, XDA, and other news app's all about your favorite stuff. For me apart of computers hard/software I like motorbikes, cars. I've 2 bikes and like to know all of it, the latest news. For my car, Mercedes CLK430 with V8 engine spare parts, forums for resolving a problem.

If those app's and/or websites app/shortcut where only on your Android than there will always be the problem that security updates and Android upgrades stops every 2year! I've bought an OnePlus Nord because it will be support till 2022 and for security updates 2023. Of course the hardware isn't crap over 2 years from now.

I've some old cellphones which I can try if they still work, because 2G is not working in my country I believe. And only a cellphone on network 3G is what we need than?!?
PUNK
 
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