The NoPhone(thenophone.com)
thenophone.com
The NoPhone
https://www.thenophone.com
149 comments
This is fun and all, but also incredibly sad. My fiancée previously complained that I was staring at my phone too much (and she was absolutely right). So, I decided to minimise it. Remove all apps and notifications, and kept it in a corner of the kitchen instead of in my pocket.
Even though she has not increased her screen time, it is now obvious to me that SHE is staring to much into that screen. We are all phone junkies.
I have on the odd occasion switched back to a feature phone. My longest streak was about 9 months and it was an interesting experience.
For the first week I found myself looking for it in situations I never noticed, for example while waiting for my coffee to be made. Instead I had to find other things to do, like observe my surroundings, observe other people, be with my thoughts.
There are quite a few things that are _very_ handy having a smart phone around, though. Like Google Maps, or internet banking, but these can be mitigated by having an inexpensive secondary plan and keeping your 'smart phone' in your car, and most others can be managed by a web browser, _when you are at a computer_.
I have even considered what it might be like not having a phone at all for a while, and how odd would that be? I got my first phone at 16 years old and then I was able to contact friends to find out where they were if they were late, or to inform others that I was late, yet it was not very long ago that if you planned to meet someone you were both uncontactable while attempting to meet up.
It used to be a thing that you'd hang around for 30 or 60 minutes to see if your friend would 'show up' but I can't imagine that happening these days, for better or worse.
For the first week I found myself looking for it in situations I never noticed, for example while waiting for my coffee to be made. Instead I had to find other things to do, like observe my surroundings, observe other people, be with my thoughts.
There are quite a few things that are _very_ handy having a smart phone around, though. Like Google Maps, or internet banking, but these can be mitigated by having an inexpensive secondary plan and keeping your 'smart phone' in your car, and most others can be managed by a web browser, _when you are at a computer_.
I have even considered what it might be like not having a phone at all for a while, and how odd would that be? I got my first phone at 16 years old and then I was able to contact friends to find out where they were if they were late, or to inform others that I was late, yet it was not very long ago that if you planned to meet someone you were both uncontactable while attempting to meet up.
It used to be a thing that you'd hang around for 30 or 60 minutes to see if your friend would 'show up' but I can't imagine that happening these days, for better or worse.
And I just droppped my 4 month old new Pixel and it's broken.
The new experiment begins, I guess!
The new experiment begins, I guess!
Getting rid of notifications (banners and badges) goes a long way. Now I only get them for instant messaging, and I don't respond to messages when I'm with someone else.
I realised that I don't need to check emails as they arrive. Very few things require my attention.
I also removed time sink apps, with the exception of reading apps (I read myself to sleep with them).
I also stopped following everyone on some social media, so the feeds are empty, but I'm logged out anyway.
This has worked reasonably well. I am not a phone addict anymore, because my phone doesn't feed the addiction.
I realised that I don't need to check emails as they arrive. Very few things require my attention.
I also removed time sink apps, with the exception of reading apps (I read myself to sleep with them).
I also stopped following everyone on some social media, so the feeds are empty, but I'm logged out anyway.
This has worked reasonably well. I am not a phone addict anymore, because my phone doesn't feed the addiction.
News, asynchronous communication, and other media have a payoff structure not unlike a slot machine's. It can be genuinely hard to determine whether one's consumption of any of them is irrational.
I forgot who said checking notifications is like pulling the slot machine lever, but it's an apt comparison.
Sounds like a Douglas Rushkoff-ism.
breaking the phone habit is imho one of the best things anybody can do these days. Phones often are an all-in-one coping mechanism for other issues: boredom, stress, loneliness, etc. One of the best things I ever did was get off all social media, force myself not to even pick up my phone except to respond to a call or text, and just confront the boredom. After a few minutes of no phone you find yourself actually doing things and focusing again. After a few days you wonder how you could ever have wasted so much time infinitely scrolling through videos or articles that you can't even remember the next day, let alone 4+ years later. In contrast, I've been able to make so many memories gaming, playing music, watching movies with an actual sense of immersion, art, reading, exercising, and so much more. The childlike sense of wonder and excitement that I had as a child all came back as soon as I learned to focus and be in the moment again
Reading a fantastic book called Digital Minimalism on this very subject.
Back when I used social media I noticed I'd be very angry arguing with people I didn't even know. Never meet anyone with a job. Deleted all that crap, moved , and had an amazing partner( she had a JOB) within a month.
Life is right here, if your at a coffee shop and you notice someone reading a book that seems interesting ask about it. Works out much more often than chatting with bots. Even when snapchatting with a "real" person, the "typing" notification felt like a raw anxiety machine. Now I only meet people in real life, text her once if she'd like to get dinner at 8 or so and then move on with my life.
Feels really good to hop off the social media hamsterwheel. Me a few years ago:
Gotta get more followers to get more likes to get more followers to get more likes to get more followers. Then maybe my matches will see how cool and popular I am. It's very much pointless. You'll never be popular enough. Without question I've removed the vast majority of stress from my life by ditching social media. Frankly my life is amazing. But if I'm staring at what other people have all day I'll never recognize it. Everyone will post 'just engaged' photos , no one is posting 'our marriage has been really rough, but I don't want to move back in with my parents'.
Back when I used social media I noticed I'd be very angry arguing with people I didn't even know. Never meet anyone with a job. Deleted all that crap, moved , and had an amazing partner( she had a JOB) within a month.
Life is right here, if your at a coffee shop and you notice someone reading a book that seems interesting ask about it. Works out much more often than chatting with bots. Even when snapchatting with a "real" person, the "typing" notification felt like a raw anxiety machine. Now I only meet people in real life, text her once if she'd like to get dinner at 8 or so and then move on with my life.
Feels really good to hop off the social media hamsterwheel. Me a few years ago:
Gotta get more followers to get more likes to get more followers to get more likes to get more followers. Then maybe my matches will see how cool and popular I am. It's very much pointless. You'll never be popular enough. Without question I've removed the vast majority of stress from my life by ditching social media. Frankly my life is amazing. But if I'm staring at what other people have all day I'll never recognize it. Everyone will post 'just engaged' photos , no one is posting 'our marriage has been really rough, but I don't want to move back in with my parents'.
HN is social media.
> HN is social media.
Strongly disagree.
Social media is where one shares ones social life (it's in the name!). HN, like many other sites dating back to the days of USENET, is a subject discussion forum; in HN case, a technical / IT discussion forum.
Granted, there are sometimes crossovers between the two, but HN certainy isn't one of them.
Strongly disagree.
Social media is where one shares ones social life (it's in the name!). HN, like many other sites dating back to the days of USENET, is a subject discussion forum; in HN case, a technical / IT discussion forum.
Granted, there are sometimes crossovers between the two, but HN certainy isn't one of them.
I still crave (you)s on HN. Even though HN has no notifications or inbox. I still check my threads frequently to see if anyone has replied to me.
Maybe you are happy using throw-aways and shouting into the void, but I think that is a minority.
I don't think it would qualify, since there's no connection between users' profiles. You can't set up a "friends" list, or any other kind of group.
I must agree with the parent commenter: HN is social media.
Oh, maybe it's not exactly like facebook or Twitter, but it ticks so many other boxes.
I could list many, and argue about them (arguing: another staple of social media), but the most important to me is that HN is effectively a procrastination tool, and it's associated with that mental "fix" of instant gratification.
It's different from facebook in that HN is more heavily moderated and more focused, but other than that, it triggers the same kind of (bad) habits, at least in my case.
Oh, maybe it's not exactly like facebook or Twitter, but it ticks so many other boxes.
I could list many, and argue about them (arguing: another staple of social media), but the most important to me is that HN is effectively a procrastination tool, and it's associated with that mental "fix" of instant gratification.
It's different from facebook in that HN is more heavily moderated and more focused, but other than that, it triggers the same kind of (bad) habits, at least in my case.
You are free to pick a different definition. "Permits arguing and procrastination" would make it a pretty big category, including all online forum and chat systems back to the Usenet / BBS and maybe CompuServe / Prodigy days (I don't know enough about the last two).
uh yeah, those things are absolutely social media as well
Usenet seemed more social than HN, as I remember it from the 1990s. You'd go back to the same groups, and see the same people posting. On HN, I don't usually see any name I remember.
I regularly see names I remember on HN: tptacek, pron, dragonwriter, lmm, coldtea, etc.
It's not exactly the same as contacts on Facebook, though it's closer to Reddit. Definitely social media.
It's not exactly the same as contacts on Facebook, though it's closer to Reddit. Definitely social media.
Regardless of whether it's social media or not, HN is a huge digital waste of time. Try to think of more than 10 posts that really improved your life over the years. Now realize that you probably look at more than 50 HN posts a day. I would spend much less time on HN, but it's an addiction, like most things digital.
My experience has been different. I consider HN to be a kind of 'finger on the pulse' for my profession as a programmer, and in that regard it's fantastic.
Reddit, on the other hand, is a huge time sink (some good, some bad, I read an awful lot of short fiction on Reddit, and I consider that a positive).
I can think of dozens upon dozens of posts that were useful over the years! In a way HN has reduced the amount of networking I have had to do in order to see what people are interested are in, as they are posted here!
Reddit, on the other hand, is a huge time sink (some good, some bad, I read an awful lot of short fiction on Reddit, and I consider that a positive).
I can think of dozens upon dozens of posts that were useful over the years! In a way HN has reduced the amount of networking I have had to do in order to see what people are interested are in, as they are posted here!
I've found a lot of good things on HN. I'd say it's near a net zero as far as time lost vs new things learned goes.
Yeah and I would have deleted it along with my other accounts if it weren't for the "no procrast" feature too.
On that note, to today's 10,000: HN has a "noprocrast" feature that can help you break off the habit slowly. I love the defaults (20 minutes every three hours) and it's enforced across devices. Go to your profile to set it up.
Someone reading a book at a coffee shop probably doesn't want to be bothered by someone asking about it.
It’s fun watching people raised in a world where all communication happens on a screen dismissing the things people used to do to communicate as impossible.
I do it myself. Even though I spent half my life in a word where the only way to talk to a friend was to pick up a phone and dial their number, today’s Jason recoils violently from the idea of doing something so rude and invasive as that.
So just in case: in a previous world, sitting in a prominent place doing superficial activity such as reading, smoking, or looking at a phone screen was a signal that one was open to casual conversation.
I do it myself. Even though I spent half my life in a word where the only way to talk to a friend was to pick up a phone and dial their number, today’s Jason recoils violently from the idea of doing something so rude and invasive as that.
So just in case: in a previous world, sitting in a prominent place doing superficial activity such as reading, smoking, or looking at a phone screen was a signal that one was open to casual conversation.
> So just in case: in a previous world, sitting in a prominent place doing superficial activity such as reading, smoking, or looking at a phone screen was a signal that one was open to casual conversation.
That's not universally true. To my understanding, places like Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland), Japan, and Russia have historically had cultures that don't encourage randomly walking up to strangers and striking up a conversation.
That's not universally true. To my understanding, places like Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland), Japan, and Russia have historically had cultures that don't encourage randomly walking up to strangers and striking up a conversation.
They will either not look up, or quickly answer and go back to the book if so. It’s okay if that happens.
It's sounds silly, but the way I've broken the phone addiction is with a watch. I've got it paired as a family member through my wife's phone, and it has a cell plan so the only phone number I have is through the watch. My work requires me to have a mobile "phone" and I get a stipend for having the service, so I'm required to have something. This serves that purpose, but for my mental health, the mindless scrolling and surfing are gone because the apps on this thing are too small for my middle age eyes to bother with. And with work internet access being restricted, I've pretty much broken the smartphone habit. Yes feels like an expensive way to break a habit. I agree, but all things factored in, it meets every requirement and gives me a lot of hours back in the day for what you mentioned: reading, exercising, study.
This is also my experience. Since getting a watch (with LTE) I’m much more willing to leave my phone in the house or car on walks or when I’m out. I have a phone too - it’s just necessary for when I travel for work / if I need to do anything while away from the computer.
I guess it’s phases of connectedness - an iPad let’s me be more mobile than my computer. My phone let’s me be more mobile than my iPad, and my watch covers the rest. Do I need this level of connectedness? Probably 3x per year. But those three times are absolutely critical and it gives me peace of mind if I’m on vacation - if my watch isn’t ringing I’m free to do whatever it is in front of me.
I did the digital minimalism thing (and need to do it again soon), but a watch is a nice forcing function. And calls have to be short because they are on speaker phone (or EarPods / Bluetooth, which overall is a good setup).
If apple keeps going the way they are going, I will need a very strong argument to get my kid a smartphone in 10 years when I can get them a watch that allows them to make calls, send limited texts, and not get wrapped up in social media / taking photos all the time.
I guess it’s phases of connectedness - an iPad let’s me be more mobile than my computer. My phone let’s me be more mobile than my iPad, and my watch covers the rest. Do I need this level of connectedness? Probably 3x per year. But those three times are absolutely critical and it gives me peace of mind if I’m on vacation - if my watch isn’t ringing I’m free to do whatever it is in front of me.
I did the digital minimalism thing (and need to do it again soon), but a watch is a nice forcing function. And calls have to be short because they are on speaker phone (or EarPods / Bluetooth, which overall is a good setup).
If apple keeps going the way they are going, I will need a very strong argument to get my kid a smartphone in 10 years when I can get them a watch that allows them to make calls, send limited texts, and not get wrapped up in social media / taking photos all the time.
What watch? Apple? I like that idea
Boredom is amazing.
I spent four hours today demolishing a deck alone. I was afraid to break my phone so I left it.
Four hours of work without music or podcast. My brain went to all kinds of places and I solved like five different coding problems I was faced with at work.
I should really bill my employer.
I spent four hours today demolishing a deck alone. I was afraid to break my phone so I left it.
Four hours of work without music or podcast. My brain went to all kinds of places and I solved like five different coding problems I was faced with at work.
I should really bill my employer.
I am trying to cure myself with a surrogate.
The surrogate is Facebook Oculus Quest VR.
This might seem funny at first, but there are some advantages: while you stare at the screen, you also move at the same time, which I feel is important for health. The battery runs after an hour or so, and you have to put the device away. At this point I usually feel the need to do something again, but I'm no longer 'after work tired', and can do something productive like go jogging or do house chores.
The experiment is still going on, I feel it is promising.
The surrogate is Facebook Oculus Quest VR.
This might seem funny at first, but there are some advantages: while you stare at the screen, you also move at the same time, which I feel is important for health. The battery runs after an hour or so, and you have to put the device away. At this point I usually feel the need to do something again, but I'm no longer 'after work tired', and can do something productive like go jogging or do house chores.
The experiment is still going on, I feel it is promising.
I realized that having an older phone (Nexus 6P) helps not use it because it is so slow and annoying to use that I dread having to interact with it. So I still have the necessary features like navigation, on-the-road connectivity, company VPN authentication etc. but past that don't get addicted to time wasters at all.
Boredom, as they say, makes you creative.
So you can of course use your phone to cope with boredom — install a couple of good drawing / painting apps, music creation apps, study-something apps. Use them when bored.
Just stay away from the endorphin-pedal games which teach you nothing and are not a work of art to be experienced.
With that, a conscious act of putting down your phone and looking around is important. You can make it a habit without abandoning the phone altogether.
So you can of course use your phone to cope with boredom — install a couple of good drawing / painting apps, music creation apps, study-something apps. Use them when bored.
Just stay away from the endorphin-pedal games which teach you nothing and are not a work of art to be experienced.
With that, a conscious act of putting down your phone and looking around is important. You can make it a habit without abandoning the phone altogether.
>Boredom, as they say, makes you creative.
I have never heard this maxim. Is it well known?
The Pet Shop Boys sang, I would never find myself feeling bored 'cause we were never being boring.
I have never heard this maxim. Is it well known?
The Pet Shop Boys sang, I would never find myself feeling bored 'cause we were never being boring.
(1) https://www.google.com/search?q=boredom%20required%20for%20c...
(2) Ask any animal trainer, like a dog trainer.
(2) Ask any animal trainer, like a dog trainer.
Aah, yes, of course. I'd call it 'blue sky thinking'. I definitely came at the expression and not what it was saying. Thank you.
> ...Phones often are an all-in-one coping mechanism for other issues
While I agree in principle for healthy people, it's a waste of time, but for people for whom light entertainment is their medicine... would you rather they be drinking?
This comes up a lot re: video game addiction.
The jury's still out on the impact of social media and light entertainment (i.e. YouTube) on mental health. UK teens for example are doing far fewer drugs, getting pregnant from unsafe sex much less often, rising in school rankings, despite less sleep and higher levels of reported anxiety from watching more YouTube and Instagram.
"Everything in moderation" is kind of reductionist, of course we'd prefer that an asinine activity whose harm must be marginally declining the more people use it, not less, for the average person, substitute a harmful one like, I don't know, smoking meth. That's definitely happening for some people.
While I agree in principle for healthy people, it's a waste of time, but for people for whom light entertainment is their medicine... would you rather they be drinking?
This comes up a lot re: video game addiction.
The jury's still out on the impact of social media and light entertainment (i.e. YouTube) on mental health. UK teens for example are doing far fewer drugs, getting pregnant from unsafe sex much less often, rising in school rankings, despite less sleep and higher levels of reported anxiety from watching more YouTube and Instagram.
"Everything in moderation" is kind of reductionist, of course we'd prefer that an asinine activity whose harm must be marginally declining the more people use it, not less, for the average person, substitute a harmful one like, I don't know, smoking meth. That's definitely happening for some people.
>... but for people for whom light entertainment is their medicine... would you rather they be drinking?
While I don't find anything wrong with light entertainment being one's medicine, why make the assumption that drinking is the next viable 'medicine' in line? Are there not countless alternatives to drinking to remedy "boredom, stress, loneliness, etc."? Picking up hobbies? Sports? Anything else?
Edit: I want to clarify I'm not judging those who cope with alcohol - I'm 5 years sober, I've been there, I get it. I just don't know why we should assume OP wants people to become alcoholics.
While I don't find anything wrong with light entertainment being one's medicine, why make the assumption that drinking is the next viable 'medicine' in line? Are there not countless alternatives to drinking to remedy "boredom, stress, loneliness, etc."? Picking up hobbies? Sports? Anything else?
Edit: I want to clarify I'm not judging those who cope with alcohol - I'm 5 years sober, I've been there, I get it. I just don't know why we should assume OP wants people to become alcoholics.
Isn't a similarly low-effort activity like drinking the more likely alternative for the kind of person who relies heavily on social media to fill their lives? Higher effort activities like hobbies and sports and such are obviously healthier alternatives, but anyone can already do them and they probably would if they had any inclination to do them in the first place.
That's an unwarranted assumption.
Phones, games, apps, and social media are, quite literally, engineered to be addictive.
Addiction is powerful. There are plenty of cases of star athletes ending up as homeless junkies, and this isn't because they lacked the ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies.
Especially for the generation of kids raised on (and often by) smartphones and tablets. Breaking those addictions can open up a universe of new possibilities, and provide much more positive outlets for all of the energy previously invested in games or social media.
Phones, games, apps, and social media are, quite literally, engineered to be addictive.
Addiction is powerful. There are plenty of cases of star athletes ending up as homeless junkies, and this isn't because they lacked the ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies.
Especially for the generation of kids raised on (and often by) smartphones and tablets. Breaking those addictions can open up a universe of new possibilities, and provide much more positive outlets for all of the energy previously invested in games or social media.
> Addiction is powerful. There are plenty of cases of star athletes ending up as homeless junkies, and this isn't because they lacked the ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies.
Yes, I'd argue that it literally is because they lacked the ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies. Ask any star athlete junkie what he thinks is more healthy and more fulfilling: hobbies & sports, or whatever drug they ended up addicted to? They know what's better for them. For one reason or other, they don't do it. If the reason is addiction, that literally implies that they can't do it and addiction overpowers their ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies as a replacement.
> Breaking those addictions can open up a universe of new possibilities
Except you're not breaking these addictions, you're just sequestering or discouraging one particular abuse. Sometimes that helps. After all, teenage abstinence isn't zero percent effective. After all, cold turkey isn't zero percent effective. Though, the universe of possibilities they open tend to be relatively unreliable compared to teenagers having sex anyway & junkies returning to drugs, or safe sex & methadone.
> Phones, games, apps, and social media are, quite literally, engineered to be addictive.
No they're not, they're engineered to be engaging. There's no evidence I know of that phones, apps, etc consistently induce anything close to the addictive response in humans as the addictive substances we know of. Frankly, claiming that these things are "engineered to be addictive" is flat out misleading and conflates the extremely consistent & brutal consequences of addiction as science understands it with the much less understood area of social media.
Yes, I'd argue that it literally is because they lacked the ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies. Ask any star athlete junkie what he thinks is more healthy and more fulfilling: hobbies & sports, or whatever drug they ended up addicted to? They know what's better for them. For one reason or other, they don't do it. If the reason is addiction, that literally implies that they can't do it and addiction overpowers their ability to engage in higher-effort, healthy hobbies as a replacement.
> Breaking those addictions can open up a universe of new possibilities
Except you're not breaking these addictions, you're just sequestering or discouraging one particular abuse. Sometimes that helps. After all, teenage abstinence isn't zero percent effective. After all, cold turkey isn't zero percent effective. Though, the universe of possibilities they open tend to be relatively unreliable compared to teenagers having sex anyway & junkies returning to drugs, or safe sex & methadone.
> Phones, games, apps, and social media are, quite literally, engineered to be addictive.
No they're not, they're engineered to be engaging. There's no evidence I know of that phones, apps, etc consistently induce anything close to the addictive response in humans as the addictive substances we know of. Frankly, claiming that these things are "engineered to be addictive" is flat out misleading and conflates the extremely consistent & brutal consequences of addiction as science understands it with the much less understood area of social media.
Holy false equivalencies!
You've managed to take... Well a bunch of things which do not create physiological dependency and decide they're exactly equivalent to opiates.
You've managed to take... Well a bunch of things which do not create physiological dependency and decide they're exactly equivalent to opiates.
These are all fair points reasonably made.
Therapy first, phone detox second.
> and just confront the boredom
"If you are bored, you are not paying attention."
"If you are bored, you are not paying attention."
I've gotten in the habit of turning mine off regularly. I'll just turn it off in the evening and turn it on in the morning if I don't need an alarm (which... I have an alarm clock, I just tend to not use it).
I use it mostly for person to person communication and kid photos (the only things on my home screen are Messages, Signal, Hangouts, Element, the actual phone app, and the camera - everything else is buried over in the App Library), I've got most distraction websites blocked with 1BlockerX (not that it's hard to get around, but it's a good hurdle to jump), and about the only notifications I get are messages from people, plus emails on infrequent accounts (main account is poll only, no notifications).
It works well, though I still struggle with how much time can go vanishing down the rabbit hole of "I'm bored, I wonder what's on the internet today..."
I really need to get a "house phone" set up on an old cell phone. Get one of those "You only pay if you use it" plans, though I expect the spammers and scammers would cost me a lot of money that way.
I use it mostly for person to person communication and kid photos (the only things on my home screen are Messages, Signal, Hangouts, Element, the actual phone app, and the camera - everything else is buried over in the App Library), I've got most distraction websites blocked with 1BlockerX (not that it's hard to get around, but it's a good hurdle to jump), and about the only notifications I get are messages from people, plus emails on infrequent accounts (main account is poll only, no notifications).
It works well, though I still struggle with how much time can go vanishing down the rabbit hole of "I'm bored, I wonder what's on the internet today..."
I really need to get a "house phone" set up on an old cell phone. Get one of those "You only pay if you use it" plans, though I expect the spammers and scammers would cost me a lot of money that way.
> Get one of those "You only pay if you use it" plans, though I expect the spammers and scammers would cost me a lot of money that way.
I don't know what country you're in, (here in the UK I'd expect anyone would call that 'Pay As You Go (PAYG)') but could spammers and scammers really cost you anything? By calling/texting you? Even for pan-European stuff only the initiator pays these days.
I don't know what country you're in, (here in the UK I'd expect anyone would call that 'Pay As You Go (PAYG)') but could spammers and scammers really cost you anything? By calling/texting you? Even for pan-European stuff only the initiator pays these days.
I'm in the US.
There are three types of plans here.
* Standard postpaid contract. The flagship plans, lots of perks that may or may not be useful, used to have cell phones every 2 years.
* Prepaid plans, or "poor person plans." They're cheaper, usually lower priority on the network in the event of congestion, and work just fine as far as I'm concerned (I'm on one, US$30/mo for unlimited call/text and a whopping 2GB of data, of which I rarely use more than about 500MB, and half of that is system services).
* "Pay per day used" plans. These are something along the lines of a flat $2 for every day the phone is used to receive or send a call or text. They'd be perfect for an infrequently used cell-phone-as-house-phone that never left the property, but the scammers and spammers would make every day a "used" day, it seems.
There are three types of plans here.
* Standard postpaid contract. The flagship plans, lots of perks that may or may not be useful, used to have cell phones every 2 years.
* Prepaid plans, or "poor person plans." They're cheaper, usually lower priority on the network in the event of congestion, and work just fine as far as I'm concerned (I'm on one, US$30/mo for unlimited call/text and a whopping 2GB of data, of which I rarely use more than about 500MB, and half of that is system services).
* "Pay per day used" plans. These are something along the lines of a flat $2 for every day the phone is used to receive or send a call or text. They'd be perfect for an infrequently used cell-phone-as-house-phone that never left the property, but the scammers and spammers would make every day a "used" day, it seems.
In the US, without an inclusive calls plan (i.e. what you call a contract in the UK), both caller and recipient pay - it appears that you pay for "air time" (time in an inbound or outbound call). Most people will be on a contract with unlimited "air time", which effectively gives unlimited inbound and outbound calls without charge.
Operator billing models are seldom rooted in reality, and often are quite counter productive - 4G originally was a "pay extra" feature, despite the fact it is in an operator's interest to get users onto 4G due to the increased spectral efficiency, and better performance with weaker signals (so less complaints). They designated VoLTE (4G HD calling) as a premium feature for contract users, but it actually reduces the load on the legacy voice network. And don't start me with WiFi Calling, which is also often a contract premium feature, but actually trunks the call over a connection the user already pays for (and avoids using the cellular network!) - common sense plays little part in how operator billing works.
In the UK look up the "termination rate" if you're interested - this was the mechanism through which the receiving side of the call made money and was able to offer receiving of calls for free.
Operator billing models are seldom rooted in reality, and often are quite counter productive - 4G originally was a "pay extra" feature, despite the fact it is in an operator's interest to get users onto 4G due to the increased spectral efficiency, and better performance with weaker signals (so less complaints). They designated VoLTE (4G HD calling) as a premium feature for contract users, but it actually reduces the load on the legacy voice network. And don't start me with WiFi Calling, which is also often a contract premium feature, but actually trunks the call over a connection the user already pays for (and avoids using the cellular network!) - common sense plays little part in how operator billing works.
In the UK look up the "termination rate" if you're interested - this was the mechanism through which the receiving side of the call made money and was able to offer receiving of calls for free.
One silly trick: put your phone into greyscale mode. Without the colours, a lot of the addictive time sinks are just less exciting.
Indeed! And the "BRIGHT RED WARNING NOTIFICATION SOMETHING TO CHECK!" bubbles aren't nearly so grating either. They're still present, easy to read, but not as visually abrasive.
What's really funny, on iOS, at least, is that the accessibility settings persist across device upgrades. You can configure a triple tap of the home button (or power button on newer devices) to toggle the accessibility option, so you can toggle quickly between greyscale and full color. This is nice if you're showing people photos, though I do tend to forget to switch it back.
I set up the option for someone on their phone years ago, and they'd apparently not used it much, because they entirely forgot I'd done it. On a phone or two later in their upgrade cycle, he had it laying on the table (locked), so I reached over and triple tapped the power button. And the setting had persisted all these years such that it still jumped to greyscale!
There are very, very few things that you can't do with a modern smartphone when it's in greyscale - any sort of colorblind aware application should be distinguishable without color details, and if you're not showing photos to people, it's entirely possible to go months in greyscale. I suggest trying it out!
(however, if you take a screenshot to show off your fancy new greyscale scheme, be aware that they're still taken in color)
What's really funny, on iOS, at least, is that the accessibility settings persist across device upgrades. You can configure a triple tap of the home button (or power button on newer devices) to toggle the accessibility option, so you can toggle quickly between greyscale and full color. This is nice if you're showing people photos, though I do tend to forget to switch it back.
I set up the option for someone on their phone years ago, and they'd apparently not used it much, because they entirely forgot I'd done it. On a phone or two later in their upgrade cycle, he had it laying on the table (locked), so I reached over and triple tapped the power button. And the setting had persisted all these years such that it still jumped to greyscale!
There are very, very few things that you can't do with a modern smartphone when it's in greyscale - any sort of colorblind aware application should be distinguishable without color details, and if you're not showing photos to people, it's entirely possible to go months in greyscale. I suggest trying it out!
(however, if you take a screenshot to show off your fancy new greyscale scheme, be aware that they're still taken in color)
Yes!! I love greyscale mode so much! Here are some other tips I found helped me (incl using Screen Time as a pattern interrupt!) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-simple-immediate-hacks-impr...
I wrote an Automator script to do this with my computer and it really helps bolt yourself down to crank out a work sesh. In the context of programming, not having color-coded syntax slows me down enough to think through the work instead of typing away immediately. It's almost a meditative exercise that reminds me of switching from digital cameras to shooting, processing, and scanning black and white film.
The problem I face is that I am quick to turn off the greyscale or any other measure I would have taken.
I do read a lot on mobile so it is a productive entertainment for me but the problem is that constant exposure is not a good thing especially if the time it occupies is your family time.
I do read a lot on mobile so it is a productive entertainment for me but the problem is that constant exposure is not a good thing especially if the time it occupies is your family time.
Hacker News without orange? Oh my.
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That is the main reason I don't have a phone.
I know that I'm addicted to the internet and screens, and I know I'd be that guy compulsively picking up my phone every 30 seconds to see if something is going on. Doubly so if I were in a social situation where it was "easier" to stare at my phone than actually talk to humans.
I think of it a lot like a recovering alcoholic not wanting to go into a bar - it's just best to avoid the temptation altogether.
It can be inconvenient not have a phone from time to time, but overall I think my life is better without one.
Whenever I'm asked for my number and I explain I don't actually have a phone, literally every single person gushes "OMG, I wish I could get rid of mine!". That helps keeps me motivated to deal with the inconvenience. (Like people complaining about horrid hangovers to recovering alcoholics)
I know that I'm addicted to the internet and screens, and I know I'd be that guy compulsively picking up my phone every 30 seconds to see if something is going on. Doubly so if I were in a social situation where it was "easier" to stare at my phone than actually talk to humans.
I think of it a lot like a recovering alcoholic not wanting to go into a bar - it's just best to avoid the temptation altogether.
It can be inconvenient not have a phone from time to time, but overall I think my life is better without one.
Whenever I'm asked for my number and I explain I don't actually have a phone, literally every single person gushes "OMG, I wish I could get rid of mine!". That helps keeps me motivated to deal with the inconvenience. (Like people complaining about horrid hangovers to recovering alcoholics)
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1. Buy a joke, laugh
2. Put it in a drawer for 10 years
3. Throw it away, eventually into the ocean to add more microplastics as it breaks down.
Maybe just laugh of the idea but don't actually buy it.
Maybe just laugh of the idea but don't actually buy it.
Better to get the NoPhone Air. If you buy in bulk, maybe they'll send it without the retail packaging.
I thought most of the ocean "plastic" was really paint.
Meh, more plastic in the ocean is fine ;p
Source: Seaspiracy
I just watched that. That’s not what they said. They said that more than half the plastic was from fishing equipment. And that the most dangerous plastic was also fishing equipment.
I absolutely hate this. It's funny, as a joke, but the fact that someone has produced, marketed and made this drives me insane.
The waste it produces for no reason is in my opinion unconscionable - I spent more time than I admit checking through the site to see if it's a parody with no real available product, and then double checked the comments here hoping to validate that the whole thing wasn't real.
The waste it produces for no reason is in my opinion unconscionable - I spent more time than I admit checking through the site to see if it's a parody with no real available product, and then double checked the comments here hoping to validate that the whole thing wasn't real.
Considering the carbon footprint of datacenters, replacing your phone with a NoPhone may have a positive impact on the environment.
I've seen wooden handcrafted versions of this and thought: "Cute, I guess there might be niche market for it".
Chunks of useless throwaway plastic that will end up polluting our oceans, not so cute.
Chunks of useless throwaway plastic that will end up polluting our oceans, not so cute.
a small rounded plate with a mirror, nophone selfie pro
A Claude glass (or black mirror) is a small mirror, slightly convex in shape, with its surface tinted a dark colour. Bound up like a pocket-book or in a carrying case, Claude glasses were used by artists, travelers and connoisseurs of landscape and landscape painting. Claude glasses have the effect of reducing and simplifying the colour and tonal range of scenes and scenery to give them a painterly quality. The user would turn their back on the scene to observe the framed view through the tinted mirror—in a sort of pre-photographic lens—which added the picturesque aesthetic of a subtle gradation of tones.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_glass
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26524041
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14439863
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_glass
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26524041
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14439863
yea. I don't think it's a guy trying to make money with a cute joke that's to blame for global pollution. You're barking up the wrong tree. I'm not trolling you, but i doubt these guys are making millions of their product. They simply want to live. We shouldn't be punishing them for the sins of the Great Polluters.
We all "simply want to live". Not having microplastics in everything, everything we eat, everything we drink, etc, etc, goes a long way towards that.
I'm not "punishing them for the sins of the Great Polluters", I'm just expressing an opinion on a public forum. Sadly, the only way we have to change the behavior of "the Great Polluters" is showing them we care.
I see enough plastic garbage on our beaches, I try to minimize my own plastic waste and will call people out on it. It may not change the world, but it are the only tools I have.
I'm not "punishing them for the sins of the Great Polluters", I'm just expressing an opinion on a public forum. Sadly, the only way we have to change the behavior of "the Great Polluters" is showing them we care.
I see enough plastic garbage on our beaches, I try to minimize my own plastic waste and will call people out on it. It may not change the world, but it are the only tools I have.
I prefer my Palm phone[0]. It is so tiny I can't really DO anything with it unless it is a legit emergency. But when I do need it, there is wifi, cell, browser, google maps, and gps. The "life mode" is fantastic, no calls or notifications at all until you unlock the screen. Combined with a really short battery life when the screen is on, it is the perfect daily driver for me and my outdoors lifestyle. Also charges in like 15 minutes.
However, I have a regular mega phone with wifi only for lounging on the sofa, so I still have that problem when I'm at home :/
[0] https://palm.com/pages/product
However, I have a regular mega phone with wifi only for lounging on the sofa, so I still have that problem when I'm at home :/
[0] https://palm.com/pages/product
I wish there was a tiny 4G LTE phone with the same form as mid-2000s nokia: a screen just big enough to read texts on and most of the space occupied by physical buttons for dialing. Preferably with a firmware that is never expected to be updated.
I think you still want an OS that is updated, if only for security reasons.
I'm using a Nokia 2720 Flip (https://phonesstorekenya.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Noki...), a phone from a line of those old-time phones: big physical buttons, 4 directional keys. It runs KaiOS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaiOS) a recent OS that targets low-end "dumbphones" but still gives them modern functionalities. Most are unneeded in the context of the thread (Facebook, Ok Google) but some might be useful (there's Whatsapp if you really need it, emails)
There's a list of devices that are sold with it in the wiki page. It's primarily targeted at emergent markets but you definitely can buy them. Bonus: because they're simple, they're cheaper
I'm using a Nokia 2720 Flip (https://phonesstorekenya.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Noki...), a phone from a line of those old-time phones: big physical buttons, 4 directional keys. It runs KaiOS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaiOS) a recent OS that targets low-end "dumbphones" but still gives them modern functionalities. Most are unneeded in the context of the thread (Facebook, Ok Google) but some might be useful (there's Whatsapp if you really need it, emails)
There's a list of devices that are sold with it in the wiki page. It's primarily targeted at emergent markets but you definitely can buy them. Bonus: because they're simple, they're cheaper
> I think you still want an OS that is updated, if only for security reasons.
The trick is to make it simple enough there is nothing to update. I still have and use my 2006 Motorola Razr (also have a Palm phone). Of course the razr doesn't get updates but there's nothing to update. It can't run any external code, it can't connect to anything and no sensitive data ever enters or exits it. So, it's the perfect phone.
I'd pay anything for a new phone just like the Razr but with 4G or later, zero additional features. Only reason I also have the Palm phone is that 2G doesn't work everywhere anymore so I need a backup.
The trick is to make it simple enough there is nothing to update. I still have and use my 2006 Motorola Razr (also have a Palm phone). Of course the razr doesn't get updates but there's nothing to update. It can't run any external code, it can't connect to anything and no sensitive data ever enters or exits it. So, it's the perfect phone.
I'd pay anything for a new phone just like the Razr but with 4G or later, zero additional features. Only reason I also have the Palm phone is that 2G doesn't work everywhere anymore so I need a backup.
Thanks! That Nokia 2720 Flip looks pretty decent. It's certainly the best I've seen so far. It's too bad it runs a full featured operating system and the applications are web/js based. That's a no go for me.
To be honest as a user you don't see the difference with 2000s-era featurephones: the UX is the same (same kind of menus, same D-pad navigation, same slowness here and there ...). You don't have any idea it's all a bunch of javascript files; it's not like you have ad-ridden bloated sluggish websites.
As a user I don't believe it matters that much what OS or what language you're using as long as it's stable and functional. KaiOS definitely fits the bill
As a user I don't believe it matters that much what OS or what language you're using as long as it's stable and functional. KaiOS definitely fits the bill
Is it possible to run a more free OS on it? I don't really want all that Google crap.
This looks great! I was a little worried about the Jelly2.
If that only had enough storage for my music and a fingerprint unlock, I'd get it. Really even just a fingerprint unlock would be enough. I can't stand face unlock.
Check out the Jelly 2 https://www.unihertz.com/jelly-2.html
https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/unihertz-jelly-2
That looks amazing... Thanks!
I just use the regular swipe code, frankly I'm not opening it that many times a day anyway, I think it's a feature not a bug.
There's a durability test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1riMzZ6CjUI. Seems like a solid device.
But... will it blend?
For $7.50 you can get a dummy phone which looks a lot more realistic. A quick search on Aliexpress shows this for the iPhone X, and there are plenty of other options. (I had a bunch of the iPhone 8 models for a work project. The only downside is the glass is most definitely NOT Gorilla Glass).
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001708486523.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001708486523.html
I don't think mimicking a real phone as closely as possible is the intent
Back when I lived in Japan, stores had plastic dummy phones to show you what they looked like and let you pick them up. I guess that went away when the “Galapagos style” phones died off.
They still do that in restaurants with displays of incredibly realistic fake food called sampuru, there's a huge industry around it.
This is a great joke. But I'm skeptical this will actually illicit any behavior change. I think a better approach is to try to change our current phone usage patterns. I've been working on a timelock wireless charger to do just that: https://pausbox.com/
What if someone needs to call 911?
It mentions integrating with your phone's do not disturb functions. Usually in an emergency someone will call you multiple times in a row and, presumably, this would open the shell.
And unless you live alone, which many don't, other people will usually have phones.
You can also buy a dumb phone specifically for emergencies, 911 doesn't require a paid line.
And like other's said, you can probably pry that sucker open. It looks flimsy honestly, with no lock or dead bolt connecting the two parts in the front...
And unless you live alone, which many don't, other people will usually have phones.
You can also buy a dumb phone specifically for emergencies, 911 doesn't require a paid line.
And like other's said, you can probably pry that sucker open. It looks flimsy honestly, with no lock or dead bolt connecting the two parts in the front...
These things are not high security safes. You can probably smash the damn thing easily if you really want your phone, an emergency bypass may even be provided for that reason.
But that thing looks somewhat expensive, and the idea that you may break it should be enough to keep you away from the usual distractions.
But that thing looks somewhat expensive, and the idea that you may break it should be enough to keep you away from the usual distractions.
Now what I want to see is a real clinical study of quitting (or reducing) addictive phone use with this thing. Because fake cigarette can actually work for some people quitting smoking, why this one wouldn't? The same technique might work for video games or social networks too.
Completely agree with you. Do not buy it for the joke. Buy it when you want to fight your cellphone addiction. Good I feel naked when I leave my house without a phone. This thingy can help in the first months of a cold restart into a cellphone free life.
While this is a great solution, I've found my Light Phone II to be a very solid replacement for my old dumbphones. Group texting that works! Cloud syncing your contacts! Wifi tethering if you really need it!
I have one, with the SELFIE accessory.
Rock solid, never gave me any trouble. Works exactly as advertised.
It was on Kickstarter first, iirc. I laughed so hard that I bought one.
Rock solid, never gave me any trouble. Works exactly as advertised.
It was on Kickstarter first, iirc. I laughed so hard that I bought one.
I've to admit that I could not figure out that this is or not an April fool Joke.
I'm a phone minimalist/essentialist. I did started early with "smart" phones and was on the forefront of most new phones, including being one of the early iPhone users. However, I did realize that this was not good for the lifestyle I want to live. So, I've been leading a No-Phone-ish Life[1] by early 2011.
The screen greyscale thing do not work with me. The one key app that I need color is Maps (Google/Apple).
Someone in the comments mentioned pairing your phone with a Watch. Yes, this works. I have practically stopped using the phone in and around the house or even while walking/running down in the community spaces where I live.
1. https://no.phone.wtf
I'm a phone minimalist/essentialist. I did started early with "smart" phones and was on the forefront of most new phones, including being one of the early iPhone users. However, I did realize that this was not good for the lifestyle I want to live. So, I've been leading a No-Phone-ish Life[1] by early 2011.
The screen greyscale thing do not work with me. The one key app that I need color is Maps (Google/Apple).
Someone in the comments mentioned pairing your phone with a Watch. Yes, this works. I have practically stopped using the phone in and around the house or even while walking/running down in the community spaces where I live.
1. https://no.phone.wtf
I live in a place where mugging is somewhat usual, and this could actually be useful if it were slightly cheaper and looked a bit more like a phone, so that I could carry it around and handle that instead of my real phone.
I remember seeing this on Shark Tank years ago and didn't think much of it. Now I have a toddler who always goes after our phones so maybe this will be a good gift for him.
We have and I have seen other parents use old phones or old remote controls for this.
For young toddlers, say 1-2, this works for a day or two up to maybe a week. Then they learn to distinguish between the ones you go for and the ones you don't.
They want to do what you do, they will go for your phone, pen, laptop, glass etc precisely because it is yours.
Later, say 2.5-3 and up, when they are capable of self sustained imaginary play having a prop is nice. But by then, anything will do because the play is in the imagination.
For young toddlers, say 1-2, this works for a day or two up to maybe a week. Then they learn to distinguish between the ones you go for and the ones you don't.
They want to do what you do, they will go for your phone, pen, laptop, glass etc precisely because it is yours.
Later, say 2.5-3 and up, when they are capable of self sustained imaginary play having a prop is nice. But by then, anything will do because the play is in the imagination.
I'm sure he'll love it.
i'd get one for nomoney
I found setting my phone to black-and-white makes me want to look at it less.
On iPhone, the setting is buried under accessibility > display and text size > color filters
On iPhone, the setting is buried under accessibility > display and text size > color filters
I was going to say that you could set this as an Accessibility shortcut to toggle Color Filters by triple clicking the home button, but realized while typing that most iOS devices no longer have home buttons.
I have it set to a triple-click of the lock button on mine.
This is a great tip, thank you.
I had one of these after i finished college abroad for like 2 months until I got an actual phone - miss those days. Everyone _hated_ me whenever i brought it up. What fun. If only I didn't have to go on call so i could make this my permanent phone :)
My fiancé's phone habit (Instagram, TikTok) is seriously hurting her potential to find a job and our relationship. I've tried to talk to her about it but the discussions never end well. I don't know what to do.
Changed to a Nokia 225 a couple of weeks ago. Either when you do that, or delete everything on your smart phone and have nothing to do on it, you realise just how much time people around you look at their phones.
Reminds me of this app: https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/10/binky/
It's crazy, I noticed I liked the phone in my hands, and I scurry around to try to find my phone if I realize it's not there.
Crazy. I even tried the light phone.
What a funny-mess. As a joke I got it. Better invest in education, or craft it from wood, but not plastic!
And FBI won't break into it!
Good point; actually they should tout their excellent security more.
[deleted]
I am thinking of buying a old stupid phone, guess it will make me more productive.
(2014)
That means it had some time to mature and get over teething problems, apart from not being vaporware anymore.
Surely the NoPhone Air is still vaporware still? ;)
Not exactly, its plastic bag is quite real and tangible.
Yeah, but their software updates come too few and far between for my taste. And come on: no security bugs in all those years? Coverup!
A waste of plastic really
Hilarious -- but does it actually help anyone?
Funny gift perhaps? There are multiple "nothing" products at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/CRAZY-STONE-Nothing-Everything-Transp...
https://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Box-Nothing-Stocking-Anniversa...
https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Stocking-Stuffers-Anniversary...
https://www.amazon.com/Witty-Dehydrated-Essential-Hilarious-...
https://www.amazon.com/CRAZY-STONE-Nothing-Everything-Transp...
https://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Box-Nothing-Stocking-Anniversa...
https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Stocking-Stuffers-Anniversary...
https://www.amazon.com/Witty-Dehydrated-Essential-Hilarious-...
They will be making 99% margins on volume
I was a fan of this before it was cool
Looks cool, how does this compare to iPhone 12 Pro?
(2014)
Shark tank throwback :p
Carry a pocket notebook instead.
i need one which doesn't support 5g