I'm looking for the best smartphone to dumb down.

Question:

What android phone would be a good pick? A decent to good camera would be the main spec I guess.

The story and doubts:

Although I really would like to just get a dumb phone, I think it's better to dumb down an older or simpler smart one. Mostly because I have teens, so messaging is a big thing, and I don't want to go back to T9. My 17-year-old lives abroad, so she calls and video calls me a lot through Wi-Fi/WhatsApp. My bank app also needs verification through QR, and I do like to take pictures of my kid and dog. And last but not least, I want to be able to listen to music or podcasts when on my bicycle (I am Dutch, yes).

Now, I have a brand-new Samsung S24 Ultra, Jup. And I gave my 14-year-old my iPhone 12.

What I like about Samsung is the ability to change launchers and use simple grayed-out themes (without going grayscale like on an iPhone).

So, I'm not sure. Dumb down the iPhone 12? Or buy a simple and cheap Android and adjust it to my needs and wishes? I have a feeling there are more options with Android: to clean it up, use a minimalist launcher, and be more strict and mindful with app time? But I'm not sure; I'm quite new to Android.

So again:

What android phone would be a good pick? A decent to good camera would be the main spec. Or....would you just stick with the iPhone12 (I HATE the app-drawer, lol)

I probably use FB 3-4 times a year. Have tried deactivating my account in the past but FB’s settings allow for it to become active again should i click on someone’s link elsewhere. This new ‘threat’ by FB may actually be what i need to leave them for good! Is there a serious downside to this that i may not be considering?

https://imgur.com/a/6yLbwYW

Okay, so… Yeah, I’m a mobile developer and I work all day staring at a smartphone. But in my personal life I’m trying to minimize distractions and reduce my screen time due to mental health and focus reasons. I uninstalled social media apps, turned off all notifications and even turned my phone to grayscale. But it left me wondering if I will be able to do it because of my type of work and even if it will interfere with my work in any way. Maybe I’m just thinking too much. What do you folks think?

I have been working on decreasing my screen time and have been trying to by looking at minimal app launchers, I tried Blank Spaces but didn't want to pay and thought it was pretty boring after a bit too. I liked the aesthetic and was looking for something similar. I found limpio which is a pretty good, it has the title on the widget which is a bit annoying but i got used to it pretty quickly. But it has helped my reduce my screen time so much, I went from 5 hours a day to 2/3 and just makes my phone feel so much cleaner. I also deleted instagram and most other social media applications. Slowly getting there but happy to have apps that help.

https://preview.redd.it/676wevou4ozc1.png?width=1179&format=png&auto=webp&s=a2bbd37993090dd67ecdc39e8a5755f4f87bcb0b

Hey guys!

I’ve been interested in digital minimalism since I deleted my instagram account in 2020, but I only started working on kicking my smartphone addiction at the end of last year. I tried making my GrapheneOS pixel 7 minimalist, but that didn’t work for me, so I purchased a light phone… I like the light phone, but I haven’t been able to fully switch to it because my main method of communication with family/roommates is signal/telegram. The light phone mainly picks up work communications and is used as a hotspot for other devices.

I recently picked up an open box iPad Mini as an experiment to help me manage my ADHD. I use it as a calendar, digital notebook, research tool and creative tool. It’s been really helping me stay organized, and almost completely replaced my smartphone without being as distracting for me.

I’m planning on swapping it for a 256gb model, but I’m debating whether I should use my iPad and Light Phone in tandem or get a cellular iPad to completely replace it. The mini is small enough that I have no problems carrying it around with me, but I’m questioning having a phone on me because the light phone doesn’t have any encrypted communication(important to me), so I’d have to have to use a hotspot and use the iPad for most communication anyways… and I’m able to use MySudo as a text/phone app on the iPad.

The only thing that worries me is combining productivity and communication into one device has the potential to distract me, but I can use focus mode to alleviate that issue.

I'm very prone to wasting my time on my laptop just watching YouTube videos for hours, and I want to limit my screen time and make it more active and purposeful without just blocking websites, so I want to have a way to have something pop up on my laptop when I turn it on that will immediately ask me to set an intention for my screen time (and maybe where I could list things I want to spend time doing). I've heard about this being a thing on smartphones, I was wondering if there is an equivalent or a way for me to create this on my Windows laptop. Anyone got any suggestions?

Hey I I’ve seen my friend have this thing where his instagram on android has the explore page and reels blocked on instagram. I have an instagram photography page so I do need to check it and manage it on my phone. It’s just a very convenient workflow for me.

I’m also planning on getting rid of YouTube on my phone… all the news and propaganda is so raigebaity and depressing…one thing that worked is I started clicking not interested in those videos, and started watching stuff I like such as “new age stuff”, “conspiracy theories”, and “photography” and it’s entertaining.

Do you guys know of any methods at all?

EDIT: forgot to ask the question

I’m 14 and I’m thinking on ditching all the apps every else uses and be more free with myself. However at the same time, it would feel weird for me to say “Oh I deleted snapchat” etc. What do I do in this case? Do I delete all my social? Or keep them?

My screen time is 6h+. That’s sick. 🔫

I know a lot of people will say that the Apple Watch is just an extension to the iPhone and yes, so it is in many ways I know. Apple makes it really hard to go standalone but this is how I see it up.

Hardware: iPhone 12 Pro Apple Watch 8 with LTE and Carrier (QWERTY-keyboard from AW7) AirPods

Setup: iPhone in a well hidden place at home ;), charger connected and paired to the watch and connected to internet.

Now be prepared to scale down the watch so you loose a lot of functionality. The watch will no longer be what it is meant to be with all its functions, though it will be a pretty good 2024-dumb phone with some bonuses that aren’t dumb at all!

Wrist detection off so you can get all notifications. In this way it can’t feel if you wear it or not and sends everything to the watch.

Set up passcode so you can use credit cards and lock the watch while you want.

While charging it will automatically lock the watch and during that time, you can get LOUD notifications from calls and I think alarms. No other loud signal will go through - but as long as I get it, everything else goes to notifications center on watch like messages, WhatsApp etc.

Tweak what notifications you want and not from iPhone. Work through how you want your watch and use haptic and sound or not haptic and sound. You find what’s best for u. I’m neurotic as I am so haptic is almost always off and sound on sometimes 😄

Always on display on. It should be like a mobile from 2002. Since it doesn’t have wrist detection on you can use it while not wearing it, just keep it unlocked.

Bluetooth on on watch, Bluetooth off on iPhone. In this way calls you initiate/answers on watch won’t be handoffed to iPhone - with consequence you can’t speak from watch 😅. Works fine with AirPods.

I use a really minimalistic watch face to not get dragged in to mindless scrolling - that’s though already not especially exciting since the screen is so small. One of the complications is though messages so I can see on watch face - directly after taking of charger and unlocked it again - if I got a text or not.

Use a lot of shortcuts: Browser
Favorite websites/bookmarks WhatsApp send messages Take notes that sends to notes at iPhone

Link for some already prepared shortcuts: cellular shortcuts

Apps: WatchChat 2 for syncing history of WhatsApp chats (History of conversation only shows up while near iPhone though)

Streamlets for radio (works with watch speaker)

Spotify

iOS Mail app (don’t know if it updates automatically so I keep gmail app with notifications on from iPhone - and check iOS mail app to read full mail)

Authy for two-factor logins

Enpass with passcode on watch for keeping other passwords etc

Personalize the stack for getting all info I need during the day: Weather, UV-index etc Calendar and Reminders (use Siri to add appointments etc)

Loss/dosent work: WhatsApp calls (only texting) No camera No QR-reading ofc No access to notes at iPhone No doom scrolling at instagram Facebook browsing ;) No pulse detection I think No security that locks the watch if someone attacks me and snatches the watch while wearing Some other health stuff, activity stuff I think

Conclusion: Since I can now totally rely on the watch I don’t put myself in situations for picking up my iPhone and suddenly doom scrolling wasting my days.

Take what you want and dispose the rest.

Just too see if it works. This post was written from iPhone 😂

I'm thinking of using two negative behaviors (excessive screenshotting/bookmarking and obsessive scrolling) to make a positive one: "scroll" through all these screenshots of supposedly quality content I've recorded over the years. Have you done something like this?

I like the concept of using a minimalist launcher, but I find that I need quick access to some work apps during the day. Especially their widgets, to quickly glance at my inbox or calendar. The notifications on my work apps are all restricted to work hours, but I'd like to have 2 completely different experiences on my phone based on work hours.

I'm basically looking for a launcher that would, effectively, allow me to have 2 phones, 1 for work and 1 for every hour I'm not at work. Ideally, the launcher would be pretty basic Android from 9-5, then switch to fully minimalist outside my work hours.

Does that exist in one of the available launchers today?

Hello! I've been using an Apple Watch SE for a while, but I've come to realize that I don't use its "smart" features as much as I thought I would. Mostly, I use it to tell the time, set alarms, receive notifications, and track my activities. Last September, I switched to the Garmin Forerunner 255 because it had all the features I needed and was more focused on running, which is something I do 4-5 days a week.

I recently read "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport, and it made me think about my use of notifications. As a result, I turned off most of the notifications on my phone and watch, as well as any distracting features on the watch like fancy watchfaces or widgets.

Right now, I only use my watch to tell time, set alarms, and track my activities. I'm considering switching to a regular watch altogether, but I'm hesitant because of the health and activity tracking features. Do I really need a smartwatch to be healthy or go for a run?

What do you think? Do you think it's a good idea for me to switch to a regular watch?

I decided to delete instagram for the next couple of months and see how it goes. I mainly used to be in touch with some friends but it was too much for me. I don’t post that much, but seeing people posting about their happy lives, how they appeared to have everything figured out, made me extremely anxious. I used to spend hours just scrolling and watching people’s lives. I realized I was just wasting time and trying to escape from my own duties and stuff. It was just facade to cover all the stuff going on in my life. Maybe it is not the app itself but something that has to do with me, we will see how it goes.

Hi everyone, I'm a 23(M) facing a challenge that I believe everyone in this subreddit can relate to: "Am I cutting out too much technology?". Disconnecting from the internet is not just a habit change, it's a complete lifestyle overhaul. Each time I try to break free from my excessive online habits, I feel the pressure of countless factors nudging me back. It's almost impossible to completely separate the good elements of the internet and social media from the bad elements--and to keep it that way.

I've always battled with dopamine addiction and a lack of motivation. I recognize that mindlessly scrolling through my phone is a problem, and I'm actively trying to change how I engage online.

Despite my efforts, it's proving more complicated than anticipated. I'm concerned about three major issues: missing out on educational content, losing touch with popular culture, and sourcing reliable news and information.

My goal is to remove as much of the internet/social media/technology from my life as I can, retaining only LinkedIn for professional purposes. I'm starting by deleting TikTok from my phone, where I spend about five hours daily. Fortunately, I'm not attached to other platforms like Facebook or Instagram, so I don't have to worry about them.

However, YouTube poses a bigger challenge. It's a valuable resource, and I find it hard to imagine completely cutting it out. How do you manage platforms that are addictive yet informative? Should I set a daily limit?--Or only watch content that benefits me? While it sounds feasible to "only watch content that benefits me", I doubt my ability to stick to such rules without veering off into less productive content.

Another concern is staying culturally connected. Although it might seem trivial, maintaining a basic understanding of pop culture is important for social interactions. I fear becoming disconnected might hinder my ability to engage with others effectively, much like someone who's overly sheltered might struggle.

Lastly, I'm uncertain about how to stay informed. I'm skeptical of most news sources, viewing much of it as irrelevant or biased. I think by and large, keeping up with current events just makes people angry and depressed at stuff that doesn't matter. Yet, I wonder about the best way to stay updated on important events without falling back into old habits. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if the tradeoff is even worth it.

In summary, my three main challenges are: losing access to useful online material, diminishing my social connectivity, and becoming uninformed. I hope some of you can share your experiences or advice on navigating these issues.

I want to downgrade to a dumbphone, maybe a Light Phone or something similar. But the main challenge is, I'm living overseas and almost all communication I have with my family and friends is via Whatsapp calls or texts.

I can get away with checking texts later on the day, but I'd like to have a way to be able to make and receive international phone calls. Is there any solutions for it?

I have been thinking for months about a way to tackle my phone pick-up habit. My kids are 2 and 4, and I know they are affected by how much I pick up my phone. I have a lockbox that helps a ton, but I want to continue exploring ideas.

I have a flip phone with a different number, and some days I use that and set a “do not disturb while driving” message on my iPhone so that if anyone or a school needed me, the text reply has the flip phone number. I have considered the light phone but texting photos in group messages is a dominant way all my family keeps in touch. Every sibling and grandparent in our family uses Apple devices so iMessage group chat is convenient.

I had an idea and am curious if anyone has tried it. What if my iPhone was simple with just texts, calls, google maps, their school notification app, etc. (just essentials with no infinite scrolls). My husband could lock the App Store via a screentime passcode, so I wouldn’t have the code. But I could buy an iPhone to use as an iPad mini essentially. It would only work on WiFi, no cellular, and I would lock it up until my downtime during naps or after bedtime. That could have internet browsing, YouTube, email, etc. for when I just want some lounge time on a phone. With this approach, I could have a device that is very convenient, more addictive, but easier to lock away when I’m caring for kiddos.

Thoughts?

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https://preview.redd.it/ogym7k6wnlyc1.png?width=525&format=png&auto=webp&s=408b8a39bccab739125b3658160c45c5e435201b

this is a powerful extension i use on edge.

using this i can watch a video, no comments to read, no recommendations to bing watch, not even video description, no like/disllike. just the video player.

Hi everyone. This is the setup I made to use my android phone minimally, maybe it will help someone.

• No apps on the home screen
• In the application list, selected applications can be hidden
• When opening distracting apps, a screen asking "do you really need it now?"
• Grey mode enabled when opening distracting applications
• Application does not open when usage limit is exceeded

Here are the screenshots.

Used applications

• Launcher: mlauncher (it has many features, I recommend you try it)
• Wallpaper: dual wallpaper (I choose plain black and white, you can choose another wallpaper)
• App specific grey mode: tasker (paid)
• Time limit: Ascent, Digital Wellbeing

https://preview.redd.it/m9n7otlcalyc1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f440ad5bc3170be91f3416235d87254d1902c346

1. Qin F21 Pro android phone

(has touch but I mainly use buttons & T9 Keys)
2. Airpods Pro
(I need good noise cancelling hahah)
3. my purse
4. powerbank
5. M6 Music Player from FIIO which supports Spotify
(but hardware Is pretty slow)

My bigger setup would also include

my digital analog clock (technoline)
small book for notes and pen
my laptop
small black handbag to carry all that stuff

Share your opinion and advice about that if you like!

I just want a break from all the noise. Everyone I talk to (friends, relationships, etc), I stay in touch with via social media. It’s really hard to just up and quit without people thinking there is something wrong or that I’m purposefully avoiding them. How do you guys deal with this?

I know that the right people will understand, but I can’t expect everybody to care enough, if that makes sense. Everyone uses it these days and not everyone is willing to accommodate for you. What if someone unexpectedly contacts me during that time? I recently moved to a new city so I’m constantly meeting new people and can’t afford to put off new prospects for too long. Modern circumstances really make it impossible to put the poison down for good.

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