Surviving Modern Life with a Flip Phone (Barely)
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Mama was right: Smartphones are frying our brains. App locks, screentime reminders, digital detoxes: we’ve tried them all. Nothing sticks because hone

I’ve been using a flip phone as my daily driver for a while now. The smartphone is still around, but it mostly sits in a drawer until bureaucracy or banking apps force me to use it.

For me, the benefits are clear: less distraction, more focus, better sleep. But I know for many people it’s not so easy. Essential apps, social pressure, work requirements… these are real blockers.

I’d like to start a discussion (almost like an informal poll):

  • If you thought about switching, what’s the single biggest thing that holds you back?

  • Is it banking? Messaging? Maps? Something else?

I’m genuinely curious because if we can identify the main pain points, maybe it’s possible to work on solutions or even start a small project around it.

So: what would need to change for you to actually give a flip phone a try?

  • JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    2·
    4 hours ago

    I simply wouldn’t. A dumbphone does mostly the things I don’t use a phone for.

    And I don’t mean fortnite and tickytocks, I’ve grown up through (most) of the history of mobile phones, I started with my mothers old Nokia 2110 back in like… 1998? I remember how awesome it was to finally have a phone, then to be able to get the bus schedules with the painfully slow WAP connection so I didn’t have to call home, then to have navigation, replace the mp3 player, camera, and eventually even mostly my laptop.

    I want to have a datapad with access to all the devices and information in my pocket at all times. If I need it to do something, I know there’s an app for it probably. It’s awesome.

    I’d really prefer that the datapad wouldn’t then leech all of my information in return, though.
    Oh, and bring back physical keyboards. I’d give my left nut for an HTC Desire Z with 2025 hardware.