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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: 5, Interesting) by Random2 on Wednesday March 26 2014, @02:03PM
The primary motivating factor switching me from an iPhone to a regular cell phone was cost; why would I pay ~$1,000/year + $600 for a device when I can do $40/year and a $50 device if all I use it for is to make calls?
I never had much interest in the phone apps or using my phone as a computer when I had... a (already payed for) computer. Or paying for streaming internet content when I could access the internet.. on my (already payed for) laptop and internet connection. Or using the GPS capabilities when I could use... my (already payed for) GPS.
But most people I know don't go for that option, because 'ooh status' and 'ooh shiny' and 'ooh I have to be like everyone else'. At least marketing seems to be alive and well.
If only I registered 3 users earlier....
(Score: 1, Interesting) by NullPtr on Wednesday March 26 2014, @02:41PM
> But most people I know don't go for that option, because 'ooh status' and 'ooh shiny' and 'ooh I have
> to be like everyone else'. At least marketing seems to be alive and well.
Either that or they want to surf, email, stream, game, take photos/video, use facebook, shop, chat etc etc as well as make phone calls.
Don't you have a phone at home? If so, why have another phone? You didn't get a mobile phone because everyone else did, but if they get smartphones then it's down to `marketing`?
Your costs are way out, too. I paid £400 for my phone almost 2 years ago, with no contact, and I pay £12 a month for unlimited data and more minutes than I can use (hardly surprising as I use about 5 minutes a month). That's hardly extravagant.
(Score: 2) by egcagrac0 on Wednesday March 26 2014, @03:18PM
The phone at home doesn't serve me well when I'm not there.
Convincing someone to buy 1 device to do the same thing as the 7 they already own - yes, that's marketing. (Yes, I understand that "only one item to carry" is a significant convenience - but most of the time, I got by not carrying all that other stuff just fine.)
I'm glad that you're a savvy shopper. The prices you've found are hardly representative of the market around here - ours are typically about double that for the monthly plan (non-contract), with a mediocre service area to go with it.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday March 26 2014, @03:29PM
Yes, everybody who sees things differently from you must have been corrupted by slick advertising.
Slashdolt logic: 1600 x 1200 > 1920 x 1200
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Daniel Dvorkin on Wednesday March 26 2014, @03:50PM
And the computer at home doesn't allow you to web surf, check e-mail, shop online, etc. when you're not there either. IOW, the justification you have for carrying a "dumb" cell phone is exactly the same as the justification other people have for carrying smart phones. I'm actually with you in sticking with an antique flip phone, but you're giving yourself way too much credit, or other people way too little.
Pipedot [pipedot.org]:Soylent [dev.soylentnews.org]::BSD:Linux
(Score: 3, Interesting) by egcagrac0 on Wednesday March 26 2014, @04:26PM
In my case, the "computer at home" is portable - I take it with me.
In fairness, I do understand why you might carry a Leatherman all the time, and keep a set of tools in the workshop, too. I don't really understand why you'd get a Leatherman to leave it in the workshop - which is a bit what it sounds like if you're already carrying a laptop and have a GPS in the car.
As far as usability, texting on a dumb phone seemed a lot easier and faster (even without T9 input acceleration) - there were buttons, I could work them with one hand, and I didn't have to look at the thing (much) to do it. The smartphones seem to want both thumbs, both hands, and often use a simulated keyboard on the screen (which wants both eyes, too). (Voice input and I don't get along.)
(Score: 1) by tathra on Wednesday March 26 2014, @04:56PM
T9 made texting really fast, but once you get used to it, Swype input is pretty dang fast too, especially with a stylus. i only do single letter input when i'm too intoxicated to get the word right or when the word wont show up (like with a lot of profanity at first; there's probably a way to add new words in but i'm pretty sure it does it automatically after using it a few times, so its unnecessary). it does still take two hands though.
(Score: 1) by dyingtolive on Wednesday March 26 2014, @05:18PM
Yeah, Swype's gotten me to the point where I can top with about 80% accurate without evil looking at the scirt.
(Score: 1) by redneckmother on Wednesday March 26 2014, @09:55PM
I don't have a hardline at home - I'm in the boonies. I paid ~2000 USD for a commercial cellular repeater to get service in my house - and it is EXTREMELY limited.
All that I expect from my "phone" is voice calls. I don't need no steenkin "doodads".
(Score: 2) by Random2 on Wednesday March 26 2014, @03:44PM
I only have 1 phone, which the cell phone I carry with me so I can go on 8-hour trips across the country and have a way to contact help if I get stuck in a ditch somewhere. The iPhone I had was a gift, and was on someone else's plan (which I promptly discontinued once I saw haw ludicrously expensive it was).
My costs are accurate for the US market, such as the $190/month ($2280/year) plan for 20Gb data [att.com] which isn't even the 3rd most expensive option. They are not accurate for your clearly European market, which apparently isn't infested by companies that are basically the scum of the earth and drive prices to absolutely ridiculous levels.
If only I registered 3 users earlier....