Project Dumbphone: Arrival

I received the device on May 6th.

I am excited and nervous. I am switching to a flip phone the day I am writing this. You won’t be reading this until Monday. I will update the rest of this post with whatever is going on until this goes live.

I need to make sure I backup my files, passwords, and unregister from RCS chats. I will probably have issues with texts for the next few weeks I think. Getting used to the old keyboard will be interesting.

I am hoping I spend more time reading and writing instead of on youtube or facebook marketplace now. I am also telling my wife to play only what she wants on the tv so I stop watching shows too.

My rules: I can only use my ipad and laptop to schedule social media posts twice a week for an hour. I can only spend an hour on X on my ipad to respond and interact each week right now. I can watch the three tv shows my wife and I keep up with on the weekend with her. Nothing more.

Getting the Phone Setup

I went to AT&T to get the phone initially setup. I tried importing contacts but it si frustratingly compicated. I managed to get 333 of my 1k contacts uploaded using sonims built in program to read the vcf file. Not sure why it didn’t import the latter 667 contacts though. It does force me to be more aware. I am going through a sort of withdraw I can feel. I no longer have the internet in my pocket. I will have to start carrying around a notebook for sure.

I can write notes and update a calendar on my phone, but much like texting, it is all a pain in the rear end with the 9 digit keyboard. KT9 is the software layout I have heard so much about but honestly I hate it. I prefer the multiclick traditional keys most of the time.

I never had an older phone like this, so I am curious if the keys were just as bad in the old days about registering key presses. I ave to retype so often right it gets annoying.

I have had three days with it. I am hoping to get my contacts moved over before this post comes out and have my phone mailed back in so I am 100 percent on the flip phone by the end of the week.

Conclusion

I switched to this phone to save money, limit my internet exposure, and start to heal my focus while struggling with ADHD. I think my Job is not helping but I haven’t decided what to do about that yet. I am going to keep using this phone, and someday I hope to be able to switch to something like the Mudita Kompact or Light Phone II. I have also considered the Sleke phone. The ability to manage finances and have 2FA available is useful, but without all the social media and browsers is the best option. I like the lightphone ii because it is eink, the Mudita might be as well. I am going to like having a flip phone I think. We will see upon my 30 day update I am certain!