@TheLightPhone II | 👍 Podcasts - special review of @jasraj0 on @microdotblog pod 🎙 | 👍 4G signal --- (8/12 FirstWeek FlipPh.one 2021) | filmed in Ealing 📺 --- #digimini #tech: wa.rner.me

@warner Looking forward to seeing what you make of the Light Phone. I am tempted by the MP02 but T9 typing might be a bit too difficult of an adjustment to make.

@simonwoods all monthly vlogs covering different topics (starting with unboxing which was popular on YT) here. Will be looking for a new #digimini phone to use FirstWeek 2022. I’m all for T9 (you’ll see I gave Light Phone Qwerty a 👎) so maybe I should look at yours.

@warner Interesting. I have been experimenting with turning off my iphone and using my apple watch only for a several days at a time. Any thoughts around this approach or do you need to disconnect totally?
Thnings I use only with the Apple Watch:
Phone
Messages
Music (several Playlists)
Podcasts - couple for my walks
Voice Memo Recorder
Maps/Directions
Siri Dictation is really pretty good

Thoughts? Does this approach not capture the full spirit of a flip phone?

I am looking forward to the day that apple would cuts the requirement that a watch REQUIRES a phone. Much like it did with it ditched itunes requirement for iphone.

@terrygrier thx for sharing your sitch Terry!

You inspired me to write-up a think-piece about wearables and digital detox which I hope you’ll find provocative & edifying!

To answer you’re questions more directly:

• Wearables demand a disconnection more (as it’s literally a permanent physical connection).

• severing iPhone-Watch link could be good for allowing phone detox but could entrench permanent wearable so I’m ambiguous on that.

Good luck finding your personal balance!

If experimenting with taking something away (and replacing it with vintage tech: be that flip phone, LightPhone, Casio Watch, Swatch, whatever) sounds easier doing it at the same time as someone else, join me on a FirstWeek sometime. Next one’s in 25 days & 7 hours!

@warner Nice write up.

• are you saying that wearables are more intrusive? I can see you point in your write up that over time they are going to make a wearable more connected or more sticky or whatever - to gather more data and even more personal data.

I emailed you and reviewed the website - I am not sure how the whole First Week thing works. Seems light on details. Maybe I am not looking at it correctly.
I guess I need to get myself a burner flip phone :)

@warner I don’t have the MP02 yet but I’m gonna give it a go. With the Lightphone, I understand why the slowness of the e-ink could become a problem, even in the long run once the detox has kicked in and you’ve developed better habits… but still, I wonder if they’ll make it that much quicker — if it’s even possible — since being forced to go slower might be a feature.

This is why I want to try both, since I think it’s difficult to make any sort of concrete judgement without actually living with one and not having a smartphone available as a back-up.

@simonwoods it’s not the slowness that bothers me, it’s the innacuracy on such a small screen. Hence why I’m open to T9: slow but sure. Reflects bigger principle of #digimini which is: don’t try to overoptimise and end up falling well short. | 100% agree about MUST TRY. Hence why I’m cycling through such devices on an annual basis. (psst. Light Phone II International for sale!) | How much is MP02?

@warner It’s £300 at the moment but, like with the Light Phone there is a delay for orders. Punkt. also make a number of other products to go with the phone and similarly designed tech. Where is the Light Phone on sale? Doesn’t look like it on the website.

Also, yeah I see what you mean. The best option is the one that is clear and with fewer compromises made.

@terrygrier Re. write-up: yes wearables are both most intrusive and hardest to break from

Re. FirstWeek FlipPhone: We used to maintain a full site with explanation & social proof (see archive in footer) but it didn’t feel in the spirit of minimalism / offline. It’s light on details cos it’s ultimately pretty simple (in its purest form): give your smartphone to someone else and don’t login to socials for the First Monday-Sunday of a month. | Here’s key reasoning: Why 1 week? Proven to strike balance between achievability & impact: nearly all participants completed & had growth stories | Why same time? That’s when I’ll be doing that, and sometimes a handful of others: it’s more fun together. | Why with me? I’ve completed it every month since May ‘18 and don’t plan to stop. Plus I’m dedicated to creatively telling/amplifying the stories of digital detoxers. | Why FlipPhone? You could adapt what exact mix of hard&soft-ware you take away, but I suggest adding at least one vintage device for funsies: and yup a BURNER is definitely the sickest!

— look forward to Zooming next week

@simonwoods Pretty sure Light Phone 2 is available at TheLightPhone.com. Perhaps it’s out of stock again though, in which case definitely buy used (for only a 1/4 of a year!) from yours truly! Cos I need to start saving up for self-christmas presenting the MP02. Can’t wait to send Signal messages with T9: the ultimate BURNER experience!

@warner Your song burner is lit! … so well done.

@warner This is the flip I am thinking of getting. I fly fish a lot - and this is a rugged and water proof phone. kyoceramobile.com/duraxe-ep…

@warner One more thought.

For you is it the addiction to the phone or the use of a smart phone and being traceable or just staring at a phone?

For me it was more about beating back the addiction.

I was standing in line at a check out today - everyone on their phone while they waited. I day dreamed.

What is the harm in dumbing down my iPhone so I can still use it when needed?

Also - if I ditch the iPhone for a flippy phone - what do I do with my ipad? I love writing on it. But if the 2nd part is the reason - meaning that now apple cannot be trusted. Then the ipad is out too no?

@terrygrier bought once in US and couldn’t use cos locked to CDMA (like Sprint / Verizon). It’s a big boy! Perf for your uses: take it fishing in case anyone really needs you to row back to shore!!

@terrygrier the downsides of smartphone addiction are all of the above, but less so the “mistrust Apple” (because they are still most trustworthy of bad bunch). Also, except @simonwoods rec. of Punkt (Signal Protocol implementation), not clear that Burner messaging is actually any more “secure”.

@sonicrocketman did a great song about your “standing in line” observation (here’s my cover)

Good question on iPad. When I got my 11” Pro in 2019 I decided I’d limit myself to 1h/day during FirstWeek. I will start publishing my ScreenTime & RescueTime to be more accountable for that from Sep.

@terrygrier Thanks homie. Smartphone’s “screen dopamine, never took dope never been a gurner” so I’d prefer to have a break from iPhone entirely. | To be fair a 4s with core apps (Safari primarily) uninstalled would probably achieve similar effect to a “BURNER-plus” like LightPhone

@warner I do not fully understand your point around this
> low friction to use, low creative productivity

Can you say more or explain this a little more when you have a min?>