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I've failed the no-smartphone life (forum.uncomfortable.business)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

34 comments fedilink hide all child comments

So, after like 8 months of dumbphone only, I've given up.

It wasn't one majorly annoying thing, but just a non-stop death by a thousand cuts. Modern life really requires at least possession of one of these stupid little rectangles, and if you don't have one, you get slowly nibbled to death by the ducks of modernity.

So, rather than redouble my efforts to bend the world to dealing with me wanting to be a bit of a luddite weirdo, I've given up and just..... bought an iPhone SE and paired it with an Apple Watch 8 I already had.

See, the thing I really didn't consider is that I pretty much already had the ideal dumbphone: this AW8 is a cellular version.

It does phone calls, text messages, and has sufficient ties to modern services (music, podcasts, audiobooks, maps, etc.) that it is, by itself, a 60% solution. And just for perfect clarity: there's a lot of things wrong with the watch that make it not an ideal device, with the biggest one being really not fantastic battery life.

For everything the watch doesn't do, I also have the phone, but the phone isn't strictly required, and I can simply leave it at home when I don't want to deal with all the modern smartness and just rely on the watch.

For sure, it's not a cheap solution since an iPhone and a cellular watch is a giant investment even if you go for the "cheapest" versions, and I'm paying for two cellular plans (though, with US Mobile it's $96/year for each so, relatively speaking, still pretty cheap).

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

bought an iPhone SE

Why note get pixel and flash it with GrapheneOS... You stop sundar Google from creeping on you while still getting 95% of use cases covered.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Mostly becasuse, well, I don't like Android.

I've tried it repeatedly over quite a number of years, starting with the G1, and every time I've used it, my general opinion was 'this is fine I guess, but I'd rather have an iOS device instead'. Excepting the two OnePlus devices: those were utter shit. One I was pretty sure was going to catch fire, and one that actually did catch fire. No more crap from them, seriously.

Will say the Nexus 9 tablet rates in the S-tier of all the tablets I've ever owned, though.

And I'm deep in the Apple ecosystem otherwise: Mac, iPad, Watch, AirPods and so on.

And, of course, I don't think there's a wearable smartwatch for android that integrates cellular stuff quite like the iPhone/Watch does in that it'll share calls and messages on a single number. I know there's a lot of stand-alone stuff, and a lot of non-cellular stuff, but the last time I looked there wasn't really a seamless and cheap solution for leaving the phone at home and not losing any of the primary communication aspects of the phone.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

You are not there yet... It is about priority, privacy is not yours

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I'm thinking of getting on board with this. Is there a Pixel phone you recommend?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

At this point, I think pixel 6 is oldest you can go. But really, it's about your budget. I am hearing people still using pixel 4s.

With that being said 9 has better battery and faster charging and that has some value.

Whatever you do, consider open box, used, or refurbished because fuck Google and sundar the creep.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Ok, thank you. I'm new to the world of buying used phones. Usually I just get online through my phone plan provider, so this should be an adventure. Thanks!!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

There is some risk there no doubt, so if you need 100% success and warranty something to do consider. New has best protection.

However, from personal experience and others talking, it is 95% the way to go. I am sure one day I will get a lemon but all the money savings will cover it for me as of today.

I generally start a lot of my purchases now on second hand markets, preferably local. Deny these parasites profit one transaction at a time;)