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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 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.