Have you considered downgrading?

MegaHiro91

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...your phone?

It is no secret that we are very attached to our phones, both in terms of services that more or less requires you to have one, like identification etc, and more superfluous things of entertaining nature like social media. Like, the moment we are bored for just a single minute, like when waiting for a bus or whatever, we pull the thing out to check a couple videos or if someone has posted on our feed. As such, we live in this constant loop of notifications and fear-of-missing-out, and while some may say that this digital world is just how things are now, I am not the only one who thinks that always looking down on our phones has gone too far. I mean even at my work during breaks when I enter the staff room I will more often than not see 4-5 people all just sitting with their phones, prompting me to do the same, even if there really isn't anything I wanna check.

Some days I bring my Miyoo Mini even though I feel awkward sticking out with a gaming device instead instead of a phone, but that's besides the point.

The point is, even though ditching the smartphone altogether means I'd be without handy things like MobilePay, MitID, Rejsekort, Google Maps, Shazam etc. and even though you could argue one doesn't have to go that extreme instead of just deleting the social media apps or mute them, I am just altogether tired of smartphones and the constant notion to pull it out of my pocket to check "what's up?"

Therefore I long for simpler times and have contemplated getting a classic phone (or today so-called dumbphone), preferably in the form of a flipphone, that is only capable of very basic shit.

Again, I am not saying I am against the use of smartphones as that is just the times we live in and one can't fight progress... but again, I have just personally grown tired of our attachment to them. I am not saying I would downgrade forever, but I do feel I need a so-called "detox".

dumbphone.jpg
 
I wish I (feasibly) could!
I held on to my phone for years and years, but eventually - specifically around the time everyone I know had switched to using messaging apps and/or moved to various other countries - I pretty much had to use a smartphone if I wanted to stay in contact with people.

If it was still possible to reach people simply via calling them or via text messages, I'd love to, but where I live it has become a practical requirement.
Hell, public transport around here for example has slowly begun to make using their various apps a (functional) prerequisite to using their services, so at least in my corner of the world things aren't going to change any time soon.
 
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Yeah I would also have loved to downgrade to a non-smart phone, but I have a TTRPG group to run and those fuckers are hard enough to contact with a smartphone.

I've just started relagating my use to specific things. I don't use it for the news, or to scroll on any form of social media. Instead, I've started using my CD and Cassette players more for music and my laptop for internet-based stuff.

It's way easier to separate your real life from the phone when you don't rely on it for everything in the world. I've honestly not even minded having the more powerful phone around at this point to be honest, I just think that to a certain degree, you've got to try and develop the willpower to stop doing something that we know is addictive and bad for us. If that means cutting out everything from TikTok to Reddit, then so be it.
 
I have a flip phone with dual sim and it dosent have social media. Has the snake game on it but my primary phone is a samsung i only really use it to make outgoing calls and tik tok app
 
Yeah I would also have loved to downgrade to a non-smart phone, but I have a TTRPG group to run and those fuckers are hard enough to contact with a smartphone.

I've just started relagating my use to specific things. I don't use it for the news, or to scroll on any form of social media. Instead, I've started using my CD and Cassette players more for music and my laptop for internet-based stuff.

It's way easier to separate your real life from the phone when you don't rely on it for everything in the world. I've honestly not even minded having the more powerful phone around at this point to be honest, I just think that to a certain degree, you've got to try and develop the willpower to stop doing something that we know is addictive and bad for us. If that means cutting out everything from TikTok to Reddit, then so be it.
Fair, and you're right, some of us aren't "capable" of completely ditching it because we rely on some of its functions, and to that extend you tread on my own point that one doesn't have to outright ditch it but just develop the willpower to now go on tiktok every other second.

I have that willpower, as I am not on tiktok in the first place (I consider it brainrot to the eleventh degree) and I have severely cut down my use of both facebook and twitter. But again, I am just tired of having it around and have it be an insperable part of me. Back in the day a phone was just something you had, it was handy, but in no way an inseperable part of your life (unless you were addicted to texting). Whereas today we ARE pretty much screwed if we don't have one. I mentioned MitID which is a Danish identification app that you NEED in order to access things like your bank, pay online, or access other public services.
 
I am like an illiterate child when it comes to smartphones. The only things mine does are making calls, sending messages and playing a bunch of mp3s I crammed onto a microsd card. The only feelings I have ever harbored for its other functions are either disdain or indifference.

superfluous things of entertaining nature like social media
I dunno, man. I have yet to speak to anyone who regularly uses social media and doesn't make it sound like their personal Vietnam war.
 
I wish I (feasibly) could!
I held on to my phone for years and years, but eventually - specifically around the time everyone I know had switched to using messaging apps and/or moved to various other countries - I pretty much had to use a smartphone if I wanted to stay in contact with people.

If it was still possible to reach people simply via calling them or via text messages, I'd love to, but where I live it has become a practical requirement.
Hell, public transport around here for example has slowly begun to make using their various apps a (functional) prerequisite to using their services, so at least in my corner of the world things aren't going to change any time soon.
You're right in that smartphones have become such an integral part of our society that some public services pretty much require it. Here in Denmark you aren't required to have one to use public transport as plastic cards are still available, but it is undeniably convenient to just check-in via an app.

What it IS required for is MitID. An identification app that you need in order to use various services like paying online and accessing your bank. Unless you need to use those on the go you COULD just leave your smartphone at home and only pull it out when you need this app, but I would also really miss the map feature when I am out and about.
 
i dont rly use my phone for much... i kinda wish i had a better phone cause i would emulate tons of games if i could
 
i dont rly use my phone for much... i kinda wish i had a better phone cause i would emulate tons of games if i could
Get a Miyoo Mini Plus then? I for one 100% prefer a dedicated gaming device with physical buttons over a touch screen.
 
Kind of a hard thing to do with work involved
 
My phone wasn't connect to Internet I use for gaming Emulator and contact my parents, so i fine.
 
you can find old ringtones over on Internet Archive. Old Java games too!
 
I'd rather not. I upgraded once shit stopped working on my iPhone 4 and again when my SE's home button completely became unreponsive
Plus I don't use it for games, I need it for school and to keep in contact with people.
 
Nope, My SmartPhoney is EndgameMobilePC, I have subbed always online 24/7 on a mobilenet.
Its fully my laptop replacement: use for sms/phone duh, online banking, bills, ordering food/grocery/goods/gadgets, rgt/news/etc browsing, video streaming,downloader accesspoint for roms/pc games, retro emu/android gaming/apps, sleeping sound app. I literally sleep, awake and between with my SP everyday, I dont exit without SP.
Think about it, it took millions of years before we have these Tech last 30yrs where our ancesters can fantasize about magic.
 
I guess its a big problem because I get a new "its really that damn phone" video recommended to me every time I open YouTube. But I feel so out of touch because my current phone is like 10+ years old and 1/3rd of the screen doesn't work so I can't type anything or log into apps. So its pretty much a dumbphone or even worse. But even if I had a good phone I doubt I'd go doomscrolling since I don't use social media all that much anyway ::cirnoshrug On the other note, its fascinating to me how people now searching for ways to decentralize their phones and how ditching social media is considered cool.
 
I have always(around the cellphone inception late nineties), been seen them with suspicion... Seen my classmates obsessed with those and throwing insane amounts of money for the "super one with camera.
They're also tied to companies very prone to "total surveillance".
Also as an introvert the whole 24 hours connected lifestyle, lets just say it's not a pleasant thing.
The little time, I had one(dumbphone) it was riddled with unscrupulous "sellers of smoke".
 
I still have my old Nokia on life support and am seriously consider gunning for a flip phone for everyday use as well.
 
I don't really plan on it since I rarely ever use my phone, I only use it for the purpose of keeping contact, watching Youtube if I'm out and all that (I also don't really use social media that much). Nor interested in upgrading it, as long as I get the basics then it's all good. Respect to those who still keep the classics alive though.
 
I would want to downgrade my Android just to use cool apps again but then new apps wouldn't work.
 
imagine spending money to have less, that's consoomer bs even in "minimalism" the main idea seems to be making people buy new stuff

i use a fairphone 3+ pretty old by today's standard (it's fucked up that five years is considered old) i installed lineage OS cause the stock one was draining all my battery at night now i cannot run bank apps on it cause of the conspiracy to get everyone to use unmodified spyware so i have to use my tablet to access my bank accounts

i still have instagram & tiktok on that phone cause i can't get away from parasocially stalking some people i like but i mostly got enough will power to not doomscroll all day long i just check the app once a day to stalk for two secs then get off

i need to start using airplane mode more often so that phone networks won't locate me all the time
 
Personally I've considered it, I don't really use my phone as it only comes out of my pocket when needed, such has someone phoning or texting me but that's pretty much it. 99% of the time it's for communications and nothing more. My desktop PC is where I use the internet. Suits me fine, I can't help but notice when I'm out and about that most people are staring at their phones and to me it's not normal. I also don't have any social media or anything so I suppose that's why my phone barely gets used.
 

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