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moylan writes:
An article from the Chicago Tribune discusses people who are changing their smartphone for a dumbphone. From the article:
When Ryan Gleeson punches out a text message or takes a call on his cellphone at parties, he prepares to hear questions from onlookers, and sometimes snickers. That's because the 24-year-old carries a $50 flip phone - the Samsung Gusto 2. There's no touch screen or apps. No Web browsing capabilities. No collection of music to enjoy through earbuds.
"Definitely it's like a black sheep in the room when I pull it out," said Gleeson, a postproduction associate at a documentary production house in Lincoln Park. "I work with a lot of Apple people - creative types. Everyone has an iPhone." Gleeson is among cellphone users who choose to be dialled out of the world of iPhones, BlackBerrys and Androids. In an increasingly connected and accessible culture, these stalwarts have chosen hand-held devices that offer only the basics, despite the social isolation and limitations that may come with them.
For Gleeson, hanging up the iPhone demonstrates no "grand realization about humanity," he said; rather, it's a way to tamp down his compulsive email checking. With the basic phone, "It's a lot easier now to just step away and say, 'I'm not going to work right now,'" he said.
[...a survey] found that 35 percent of U.S. adults carry a cellphone that is not a smartphone.
As someone who got rid of an iphone and android device and replaced them with 2 feature phones I thought I was in the minority. But I have noticed more and more folk around carrying a second dumbphone for when the battery goes on their smartphone. Anyone else doing this?"
[Editor: Yes, me!]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Ben4jammin on Wednesday March 26 2014, @01:57PM
Have caused me to consider this as well. Last time I got a phone was told by ATT that there had to be a data plan on the phone. Considering the extra costs, I wouldn't be surprised to see people go back to "dumb" phones if they are significantly cheaper
(Score: 4, Informative) by everdred on Wednesday March 26 2014, @02:37PM
It sounds like the latest Nexus phone, bought direct from Google, is a good call for people who want to go data-plan-free. Relatively low-cost, unlocked, 100% yours, no-contract. The amount you save by going without the data plan should pay for the phone in, what, about a year?
Now if AT&T is saying that you need a data plan with any smartphone, regardless of whether you bought it from them or brought it yourself, you should tell them where they can shove it.
We don't take no shit from a machine.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by visaris on Wednesday March 26 2014, @03:14PM
This is what Verizon told me last time I stopped by one of their locations (a month ago?). I would have to add a data plan if I wanted to use (attach) a smart phone to my existing plan (shared with the wife or I'd just leave Verizon). It's required. I don't really want a smart phone anyways as I want a physical qwerty keyboard. So, I now use the Samsung Intensity II. Not the greatest, but has what I want...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 26 2014, @10:36PM
Try looking into switching to a MVNO https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_State s_mobile_virtual_network_operators [wikipedia.org] and you should be able to find something that fits your needs/wants a little better.
I wanted to stay on Verizon's network and ran into the same problem as you (no smartphone without data). I switched to a MVNO and I've used a Droid 3 and an LG Ally (both with physical keyboards and around $40 and $20, respectively). A basic android phone with the complete text-only wikipedia (aardict) and offline maps (osmand) comes in handy.
My MVNO in 1337 speak so this looks less like an advertisement: P463 P1u5
(Score: 1) by tftp on Wednesday March 26 2014, @10:56PM
Yes, this is correct. AT&T and Verizon tack the data charge to your bill automatically, as soon as they see a smartphone's IMEI/MEID on the network. They don't care who you bought the smartphone from - as long as it is on air they want your money.
I'm in the same boat. I'm carrying an ancient flip phone. It's on third battery now. Bits and pieces of the plastic chipped off years ago. But it works. I have no desire to pay for the data plan that I will never use. I do not need a portable browser that is as large as a few postage stamps. I do not need Twitbook, or any other "social" networks. I'm too busy with my first life to worry about the second one. I can survive without email for a few hours just fine; all the other time I'm near computers.
If this requirement is lifted, I would get a smartphone to just act as a small computer. I have a tablet that runs some of my ham radio software. A phone could do that too. But I will not pay for the data service.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 27 2014, @09:02AM
Check out Wikipedia's list of MVNOs and find one that uses your current network. Most allow smartphones without data and are typically cheaper per month (even with the early termination fees from your old contract).
Check the other replies to the parent for a link.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by mmcmonster on Wednesday March 26 2014, @04:34PM
You should look into Go Phones or similar pay-as-you-go options.
My smartphone broke and I needed a phone for a few days. Got a Go Phone from Target. The phone was $40 (it was an Android smart phone on sale) and the prepaid three month plan was another $20 or 30. No long term contracts.
And the nice thing was that I could have picked up a slightly better smart phone for $10-30 more or gotten an even dumber phone for $10-20 less.
Now, I can use it as a secondary line and reactivate it whenever I need it, or give it to my kids as a YouTube device when they're being especially good.
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Wednesday March 26 2014, @08:47PM
Another one I've looked into, and am considering going with, is Zact
http://www.zact.com/ [zact.com]
Two fairly inexpensive phone options, and pay only for what you use.
Since I use the phone only a couple days a month, even a $10 prepay is mostly wasted. :(
(Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday March 26 2014, @08:38PM
Unfortunately it is required.
I already ran into this setting up a phone for an older gentleman. Doesn't use email or Internet and just wanted a "freakin god damn phone".
Month after month I was running into issues talking with the provider since they were charging like $15 in overage fees for Internet use.
Turned out the phone itself is generating traffic. So whether or not you want the data plan, smartphones are just little computers after all, you are using up bandwidth.
Of course a $15 overage fee for what amounted to a few megabytes of base line traffic is beyond unreasonable. That's like me asking for your first born because you scuffed my shoe.
(Score: 2) by everdred on Thursday March 27 2014, @11:28AM
That's insane. Am I reading this right when I assume that not having a data plan on the carrier in question means automatically being on some kind of pay-per-MB de-facto data "plan," and that there's no way to say "really, don't allow data for my account at all"?
Can I also ask whether this is a GSM or CDMA carrier?
We don't take no shit from a machine.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday March 27 2014, @02:26PM
CDMA
Was told that it was Verizon's network they were using.
Yes, per MB is de facto.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Ethanol-fueled on Wednesday March 26 2014, @03:26PM
I'm also with ATT* and have been talking shit for years about smartphone users on Slashdot. The reason why I sold out and upgraded was because ATT recently changed their pricing structure, so I'm paying the same amount (including the payments for my new phone) with a new smartphone as I was with my old dumbphone - fifty bucks a month, and that includes a data plan. Yeah, foreigners, I know we're still getting ripped off.
Dumbphones are now significantly cheaper according to the newer rules. However, there might be a time when I actually need to use some of the enhanced functionality on my new phone, and better to have it than not. I still navigate with maps and atlases and leave my phone in my car or at work on silent mode.
And most importantly, I still understand that it's rude to be fiddling with my smartphone during conversation, that it's rude to be playing music aloud in public while headphones are available, that it's annoying to show a lack of patience by constantly playing with my phone during lectures or work. This should be common fucking sense to all of you, even those of you starting your first class or job. We got 2 new people where I work and instead of seizing the opportunities they had, they sat there for 2 whole weeks thumbing their phones waiting to be told what to do. We're already looking for replacements, by the way.
* Before the NSA scandal broke, I angrily called ATT customer service to complain about a charge, and I told the manager that I demanded his helping the unconstitutional spying of the NSA stop. Must have blown his mind when the Snowden scandals broke a year later, haha