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MagyarCheckMag | As schools look to ban smartphones and society realises the impact of doom scrolling, here are 3 phones that can help curb your smartphone addiction
There is no denying the impact that smartphones can have on us, particularly with relation to teens. So much so that schools are looking at banning them. But ditching your smartphone isn’t as easy as you might think. In many countries you need a smartphone to access a bank account or do something as simple as booking a bus ticket. Then there are the conveniences of the modern smartphone, such as turn by turn navigation, Carplay or Android Auto and having a decent camera system in your pocket.
Obviously controlling notifications is a good place to start, but there are still a number of ways you can reduce how much we interact with our smartphones without giving up on all the essential features they offer.
Nokia 8210 4G
The updated 8210 4G (available on Amazon*) runs KaiOS, an operating system that can be found on pretty much every Nokia feature phone and a range of others from different manufacturers.
There are a number of useful apps built in, including GPS navigation (although this is somewhat reduced compared to what you get on a modern smartphone), a web browser, music player, bluetooth and most importantly a 4G hotspot, so you can actually connect something useful.
The KaiOS store carries a range of apps, including basic versions of all the apps you are probably trying to avoid, as well as essentials such as WhatsApp, but you can forget using this to log into your bank. There are versions of Google Authenticator and Telegram but these won’t be found in the KaiOS store.
The camera is predictably terrible and you should be under no illusion that re-learning T9 text input is going to be an exercise in frustration. If nothing else, you’ll reduce the interaction with your phone for that reason alone. The Nokia 8210 4G is best left for those very committed to giving up all the features the modern Smartphone offers, but at only $47.31 it could be worth a punt if you are looking to try out a feature phone.
CAT S22 Flip
This isn’t a folding phone by modern standards, but it does flip. It is a phone that runs Android and all the modern conveniences Android offers (albeit a slightly out of date version). Turn by turn navigation, Android Auto, banking apps, messaging apps and pretty much everything else you can expect to run on an Android smartphone. While this might seem counterintuitive given the nature of this article, the CAT S22 (available on Amazon*) has such a small screen and is so irritating to enter text into, (either by the T9 numerical keyboard or touchscreen), that you won’t want to use it for anything other than the most essential tasks.
The battery life is excellent, the build is robust and complies with MIL-STD-810H, but the camera is pretty awful and the paltry Snapdragon 215 will limit you to all but the most basic tasks. However this might be the solution you are looking for if you need a compromise between a phone that still allows you to do modern tasks, but is less attractive than the slabs of glass we currently use. At a price of $60.98 it is cheap by almost all Android standards and won’t break the bank if you decide you simply can’t live with it.
Light Phone 3
Unlike the other phones here, the Light Phone’s marketing strategy is aimed squarely at those looking to reduce the invasive nature of smartphones. The e-paper display is intentionally boring and displays only words for each of the functions. This is a phone sold as a lifestyle choice.
While you do get access to basic tools such as navigation, music, notes, text messages and alarms, there isn’t much else and unlike the other options here there is no way to extend that functionality beyond what’s built in. No app stores and no sideloading. Light Phone is looking at integrating Spotify and Uber, however for now you may have to accept that what is built in is what you get. At least the Light Phone 3 now has a camera!
Light Phone is selling the anti smartphone, distraction free lifestyle and buying into that doesn’t come cheap. With the Light Phone 3 costing $399 (until July 15th - $799 normally), and the Light Phone 2 (without the camera) costing $299, this is a lifestyle choice you had better be committed to.
Honourable Mentions
If you really can’t live without the features that Android and iOS offer, there are other options available. Similar to the CAT S22 Flip, QinPhone offers the F22 Pro and F21 Pro smartphones that come in candy bar shapes with numerical keyboards and touch screens, but run full fat Android and can be purchased with access to Google Play. Similar to the CAT S22 you can run any Android App you like, but probably won’t want to.
Alternatively, you might consider something like the iPhone SE. It’s small enough to be unobtrusive and less attractive, and if you have the self control you can limit the apps you install, but still be left with those you need. You also have a serviceable camera in your pocket for when needed.
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