Vintage, But New! A Return to the Dumbphone!

[Spectrum Abuser]

Hi everyone! I've been a user of this forum for the past few years, but due to the real world I had been absent for the better half of the past year. Glad to be back actively contributing to the forum discussion, though!

Onto the thread. I've been into the smartphone race since the iPhone 3G surfaced oh so many years ago. My first new smartphone was the iPhone 4, followed by the Samsung Galaxy SIII two years later, only to go back to the iPhone 4 for iOS's ecosystem. A new era of my life has started, though, and it involves reducing my time spent with technology and increasing my time spent experiencing a different aspect of life that I had been ignoring. That different aspect of life will vary from person to person, but for me it involves being active in the now and enjoying the simple things in life that I once thought were nuisances. Those activities include walking/running without ear buds in, actually talking to people while waiting for a haircut, driving without music blaring, and the list goes on and on.

Now how does any of that involve Alternatives to iOS and iOS devices? Well, it's simple. I'm forgoing my iPhone 4 and in its place I'll be using the most basic phone that you can find on a Walmart shelf as of 2014. More specifically, the Samsung A157V. Why a dumbphone, you might ask? In my journey to reduce my dependency on technology I took a look at where I interacted with it the most. At first I thought I might just sell my home computer and go from there, but my smartphone was actually taking up the majority of my freetime by a good margin. So last week I went out and bought the A157V and switched my service to GoPhone. I've now been without a smartphone for three days as of this posting. I also currently have a Retina iPad Mini, but it being the WiFi only model I just leave it at home.

If anyone is curious about the transition from being connected to the internet every waking minute to being disconnected I'll gladly update the post with my experiences.

Thanks for reading; reply back if you've ever been crazy[or stupid] enough to do something like this! I'm curious!

 

[rui no onna]

Thanks for reading; reply back if you've ever been crazy[or stupid] enough to do something like this! I'm curious!

Yeah, not happening. I'd go into withdrawal within the first week.

I've thought about going back to a dumbphone for the excellent battery life but the only reason I've even considered it is because I've got a cellular iPad and data plans for tablets tend to be cheaper.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Good luck with that transition. I'd be hard pressed to do that. I use my phone for too much to really ever go back.

 

[Lloydbm41]

Some of us grew up during the rotary dial phone and one black and white 13" TV in the house. When we left the house a pay phone was your only option. I completely understand where the op is coming from.

That said, I stay connected to the internet pretty regularly, but moderate it between family, kids, errands, house maintenance, cooking and so on. Moderation is always the key to everything. And if I get nostalgic, I have my Motorola RAZR V3 flip-phone that I can use.

Good luck in your endevour op.

 

[TechGod]

I'm a teen. I cannot be without internet or a smartphone it feels like.

Sad but probably true for most teens.

 

[maflynn]

I use my phone for work and pleasure, I get pages from work when something bad happens, emails asking for help or other information and of course apps that make my life easier and more enjoyable. To that end, I could not and would not stop using my phone and replace it with a dumb phone.

 

[Stooby Mcdoobie]

I don't quite understand your reasoning behind crippling your own convenience by switching to a dumbphone -- or its relevance to any of the things mentioned in your post. Surely you have enough self control to do all the things you mentioned while keeping an iPhone in your pocket.

 

[mclld]

This wont last, if you really cant control yourself you certainly wont be able to stick to this new plan

 

[Jessica Lares]

I have a Nokia 301. It doesn't feel dumb, but it is a dumb phone. I can load eBooks, I can fit pretty much every game you can get for those devices, it has a 5MP camera, and has a MicroSD card slot if you need to store more than 200MB worth of stuff.

I keep it in case I have to travel.

I could have lived with it, but my parents got my brother his first phone and they wanted to add me to their account. It did everything I needed it to do though.

 

[Phil A.]

I'm a teen. I cannot be without internet or a smartphone it feels like.

Sad but probably true for most teens.

My teenage years are nothing but a distant memory and we didn't even have a home phone or colour TV until I was about 8, but I couldn't be without my smartphone or connection to the internet 24 hours a day: Online reliance isn't limited to the younger generation

 

[840quadra]

I use my phone for work and pleasure, I get pages from work when something bad happens, emails asking for help or other information and of course apps that make my life easier and more enjoyable. To that end, I could not and would not stop using my phone and replace it with a dumb phone.

FWIW Most Dumb phones can take care of the pages, and emails just fine. You still have the option of moving back in time .

 

[mattopotamus]

I use my phone for work and pleasure, I get pages from work when something bad happens, emails asking for help or other information and of course apps that make my life easier and more enjoyable. To that end, I could not and would not stop using my phone and replace it with a dumb phone.

This is how I feel.

To the OP, have you "cut the cord" with cable yet? That seems like your next step

 

[JaySoul]

Disconnected yet posting to MacRumors

 

[AppleRobert]

Disconnected yet posting to MacRumors

I cannot due without either a smartphone or MacRumors. Life and tech evolves, not heading backwards ever!

 

[maflynn]

FWIW Most Dumb phones can take care of the pages, and emails just fine. You still have the option of moving back in time .

Not with my company, the setup is either a pager or a smart phone with a text. I don't think a dumb phone would be useful for that.

 

[Spectrum Abuser]

Disconnected yet posting to MacRumors

I didn't say that I was going to cancel all of my bills, sell my home, and move out into the woods. I just want a break from the internet when I'm out and about.

This is how I feel.

To the OP, have you "cut the cord" with cable yet? That seems like your next step

I don't pay for a traditional TV bundle. I do pay for a steady DSL line and a Hulu+ subscription, though.

 

[TechGod]

My teenage years are nothing but a distant memory and we didn't even have a home phone or colour TV until I was about 8, but I couldn't be without my smartphone or connection to the internet 24 hours a day: Online reliance isn't limited to the younger generation

My parents tell me "Stop using your phone, we lived without them!"

That really irks me because you could live without them is because YOU DIDN'T HAVE THEM!

At least that's what I feel like saying to my parents.

 

[mclld]

Well you can live without a cell phone, but why unless you have to?

 

[Jibbajabba]

Yeah, not happening. I'd go into withdrawal within the first week.

I've thought about going back to a dumbphone for the excellent battery life

That was actually my thought too ...

----------

My parents tell me "Stop using your phone, we lived without them!"

That really irks me because you could live without them is because YOU DIDN'T HAVE THEM!

At least that's what I feel like saying to my parents.

I presume they got a car ? Tell them to walk because the generations before them didn't have them

 

[pdqgp]

I'm forgoing my iPhone 4 and in its place I'll be using the most basic phone that you can find on a Walmart shelf as of 2014.

my smartphone was actually taking up the majority of my freetime by a good margin.

If anyone is curious about the transition from being connected to the internet every waking minute to being disconnected I'll gladly update the post with my experiences.

Thanks for reading; reply back if you've ever been crazy[or stupid] enough to do something like this! I'm curious!

Funny you should post this here....my wife and I have done the same thing but not completely cold turkey. She has a 4s and me a Note 3 and we've resided to leaving the smart phones at home during some key important times for us as a family.

Going out with family to dinner, parks, etc. doesn't require a smart phone and with most of what we need it for at those times which is just emergencies and perhaps calling family and friends, we find carrying a similar phone as yours helps us stay focused on each other. Sounds sad to say that but it's true. Look around and everyone in the world is more focused on a phone than who they are with.

We each now carry a cheap $20 phone with us most of the time. For $10mo each it's worth it. Not to mention for me, it's difficult to pocket a Note 3 when riding a bike in shorts and a t-shirt.

 

[AppleRobert]

I have been reading and posting here enough to know that the only focus truly lost by most of us is not being able to stick to a single device. But that is really just tech evolving and a hobby more than obsession.

If one is glued to a smartphone in their lives more than anything, I rather not say what is truly going on especially if it includes spending more than they can afford.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Dumb phones have their advantages .....

You don't have to baby it like the average smartphone.
Battery life will outshine all smartphones.
The ones that are flip phones feels more natural when talking on. (My work phone is a flip phone)

Disadvantages of dumb phones ....

T9 typing/messaging, don't want to go back to that.
Most have POS camera.
No apps on dumb phones. I pay most of my bills right from my smartphone.
GPS/Maps suck if it actually exist on that specific dumb phone.

 

[sunapple]

I would only consider a dumb phone to replace my iPhone for a combination dumb phone + iPod touch. The iPod will do everything my iPhone does (yes, I really like apps and I don't think I can easily live without them), but will be cheaper, slimmer and more colorful.

Those five phone calls and 10 SMS's I make per year can easily be handled by some cheap dumb phone..

Of course, an iPhone would be a better solution for some reasons, but this is still a decent low-cost solution. I'll be buying an iPhone 6 though

 

[Spectrum Abuser]

Just a quick update. It's been five days now without my iPhone and I honestly don't miss a single feature. As stated I have a Retina iPad Mini for internet/social media browsing while at home, but on the go it's just me and my clamshell; clamshell being the nickname for my A157V. To be fair I wasn't entirely a heavy user to begin with in terms of talking/texting. My iPhone was basically just a mini tablet that also had a phone application on it. Nonetheless I have had a hard time getting used to opening my phone to use it. That part is still growing on me.

 

[Nukemkb]

I would only consider a dumb phone to replace my iPhone for a combination dumb phone + iPod touch. The iPod will do everything my iPhone does (yes, I really like apps and I don't think I can easily live without them), but will be cheaper, slimmer and more colorful.

Those five phone calls and 10 SMS's I make per year can easily be handled by some cheap dumb phone..

Of course, an iPhone would be a better solution for some reasons, but this is still a decent low-cost solution. I'll be buying an iPhone 6 though

I've had similar thoughts. As wifi becomes more prevalent, the need for other than a basic phone and an iPod touch recedes.