Music? Get an MP3 player. Navigation? Get a paper map. Want less stress? Learn to not rely on a smartphone. This is what people fail to understand. People functioned before smartphones were even a thing. People, especially younger people are just too conditioned to think outside the box.

Or, continue to deal with the smartphone rat race. It’s that simple.

I’m glad I can use unlocked phones in Canada. And I was able to use a custom ROM on the Pixel 3 to remove every trace of Google. But honestly, the XP3Plus just spares me such a headache from modern tech. If I am being blunt, I don’t want to deal with anything big tech at all now. So, I am also glad I never got a career in IT. Tech of today is just so full of shit. It’s all locked down, boring and manipulative.

A technique? Yeah. It’s called keeping your WIFI off and mobile data off. As in disconnect completely. You’ll regain your time and sense of autonomy, and your phone will last a lot longer on a single charge.

Same thing applied when I still had my Pixel 3 phone; it also lasted 2 weeks. I used it literally for nothing but calling. Other than that, it was left on the table untouched, and completely disconnected. Until the screen somehow broke inside and wouldn’t turn on, making me decide to just stop using smartphones altogether as they are just too fragile. Not to mention, high maintenance; which I didn’t want to deal with anymore.

What a shitty law. Is this in the UK? If so, figures.

Well, if the bank apps only support Android and iPhone, you’re pretty much hooped. Aren’t you? A Linux phone won’t help you.

So, the only option is to use the smartphone for nothing but the silly app. Or, do things the old way. Go to the bank and do your banking there.

Then just use the flip phone for the everything else.

Cash? And avoid banks that force apps?

Being bored… It’s how I got back into writing and doing digital art again. Along with picking up Japanese again, and getting back into archery and even beach volleyball at the park. And coincidentally, it was because I not only filtered big platforms with my PiHole server and my hosted SearXNG instance (by filtering my search results of all big tech and huge platforms), I also turned to RSS feeds to avoid any future algorithm manipulation.

The getting rid of the smartphone (for a flip phone) was just the cherry on top; as I wasn’t using it for anything else but for calling by then.

All that helped give me my creativity back. If only Ulrich could see through the charade, he’d have a lot less stress over this smartphone rat race. Because in all truth, smartphones have steadily become not worth it.

Nice!

Someone will eventually make a better phone OS,

I’m not hoping on that; especially if big tech is involved in anything that becomes mainstream. The best option is just to avoid the mainstream.

but in the short term it seems smart to move to a dumb phone and offset everything else to a device tou can actually control.

That’s the real point I am making. But people who put their entire life into their phone are incapable of this. And that’s what’s depressing about all of this. Because of addictive social media algorithms, people hinge their entire lives on their phone.

You act like a typical social media addict (policing comments that weren’t even directed to you; along with being unable to resist commenting). Guess it’s clear why you can’t bear to live without a smartphone, huh? Keep going. You’ll only prove my (and youmaynotknow’s) point more. But really, I thought you said you were done with me earlier. Isn’t that what you said? Well, I said my piece as far as things one can do. Time for a block. You got enough attention from me.

Enjoy keeping up with the smartphone rat race! 😂

You act just like a typical social media addict. Now it’s clear why you can’t bear to live without your smartphone. 😂

You want to keep your soul? Then go back to the old way of doing things. Using a paper map that shows all the routes. And to get bus schedule times, I’m sure they have something like Teleride that you can call or text. It’s what I do; considering I went back to a flip phone for the sake of my sanity.

ThinkPads are built to last. I have one that is 17 years old running as my Pi Hole server to not only clear out all the ads and trackers online, but also any mainstream social media platforms and anything big tech related.

And as the cherry on top, a Raspberry PI to host my own SearXNG instance with a blacklist applied to that as well; to filter mainstream tech sites, big tech and also all mainstream social media platforms from my search results.

It’s been refreshing.

I gave up and went back to a flip phone. XP3plus. More durable, way less of a headache compared to smartphones that are high maintenance. Sure, it runs Android. But they big factor is, it’s a scaled down version of Android; it comes that way out of the box. Just basic apps and no app store. It’s been a breath of fresh air.

Best part? It’s designed to be a utility. Not a human pacifier with social media apps.

Instead of waiting, you could just go to a flip phone as a temporary measure. It’s a lot less on the mind. Believe me. And you may feel in the end, that you won’t need a smartphone anymore.

Eh… Leave him. He was just looking for attention; pretty sure he has every social media app under the sun on his smartphone. And he wants to make excuses that it’s for things like banking. Or work, apparently. Seems like a huge cop-out to avoid the real issue at hand; being held hostage on social media because of those addictive algorithms at play. 🙄

Simply put, he doesn’t want to take the initiative to make any changes for himself. So, he’ll defend that you can’t go through life without a smartphone anywhere. That’s how much smartphone users of today are held hostage by big tech. Again, the user is the slave, and the smartphone is their master.

Like, why don’t I have this problem with banking? Where I ‘MUST’ use a smartphone? Sure, my bank has an app, but I am not ‘forced’ to use it. I can get along quite fine with just using a web browser at home.

Seems like many people who use smartphones at every waking hour, forget the whole concept of what freewill is about. 🤣

Well, you came to realize that the smart devices made by big tech are now designed to manipulate the user. Not benefit them. Think about it. The phones come all preloaded with social media crap. So, it’s just a tap away. And it’s all so the big tech companies can monetize their attention; never letting go of them.

Gradually, more people are realizing this. And, I, for one, am happy the education system in my country is pulling the smartphones out of the schools. The younger people just can’t function anymore, and it shows. Even the teachers are just as addicted.

As for me, I just went back to a flip phone. So much less of a headache.

For observing the chaos over that poor decision? 😂

Keep on avoiding the issue then, and keep up the good fight with the smartphone ecosystem. It will never end for you. For as long as you defend the smartphone ecosystem, and that you want to avoid the fact that the smartphone controls your life. This is what I mean; tech, like the smartphone isn’t serving the user anymore. Instead, the smartphone has become your master. And you, its slave.

Just look around; people walking down the street with their heads buried in their phones. It tells you all you need to know about who is the master and who is the slave.

PS: Use a different bank if they force you to only use an app. Just a thought? Just like restaurants forcing QR codes; walk away. You can make the choice any time you like. 🙂

1. I have a separate flip phone with a number to get a verification code to access my bank account at home. It’s only used for getting codes (and nothing else). So, no chance of a SIM swapping.

2. I just said I do my online banking at home (with a local only encrypted password manager; KeePassXC). Why would I do online banking in public in general when I do my online banking at home? In public, that’s taking a huge risk; regardless of the device you use. I just couldn’t dream of doing anything confidential in public; cafes, trains, anywhere. It’s a huge unnecessary risk, and I choose to avoid it entirely.

3. And you are avoiding everything I am telling you, choosing to continue to make excuses for yourself. That’s why you will forever be where you are.