@@the.trollgubbe2642 I never had a smartphone until now (im 42 now). I had to get one because of my job, there was no option for me. Well now that i have it, i never really use it outside my job. Occasionally i listen to music but my mp3 player does a better job in my opinion. What i truely love about my smartphone is the gps function. Im the type of person who is constantly lost and the gps saved me so many times
Exactly dude i practice discipline but let me tell you I’m such a hypocrite when I tell you how many times I’ve said “I need to stop going on tik tok or TH-cam” it’s made me brain rot beyond belief. So I’m glad you admit the flaws all us humans face with such technology.
Opal is an app that blocks your apps. Once their blocked you can snooze the thing (to use maps or loook up tutorials when fixing shit) and it’ll greatly reduce your screen time knowing you have to go to an app to unblock all the other apps lol. I just started it but it’s been helping a lot screen time down 60%
When I really look at my life personally very few of these modern inventions actually do anything "good" for me. Phones just waste my time and leave me stressed. Cars are just another stress to pay for. Society is just a bunch of obligations and scammers. Modern food is just empty calories that make you addicted and fat. Modern jobs are just soulless corporations that don't care about me at all. Almost every service nowdays sucks. Like what's even the point anymore?
I just watched this with tears in my eyes. I don’t know why this connected so deeply with me. Actually I do know why. I was looking for this. This video is going to change the lives of me and my kids. Thank you.
I remember being out of cell signal service while out in national parks, and not really having the ability to check my phone. I'd drive out to this one alcove that was 25 minutes away from my campsite once per day to do so, and having that designated half hour was pretty neat. Applying that restriction by forcing it with your devices seems like a great concept. People might typically argue that it's less efficient to have more devices, but like I said in my note taking video, there's so much opportunity to distract you on a smartphone. You pick up your iPod for a reason, and you dont get deterred from that reason. Congrats on joining the 10k club!
Personally I wish we had walkie talkies that can use ANY communication satellite, tower, ANYTHINg instead of relying on the length you can talk to someone else on walkie talkie until you're out of range. Walkie talkies were the ones my siblings and I used back in the early 2000s before I had cell phones in the 2010s. And personally, it was much, MUCH quicker to use Walkie Talkies considering all you have to worry about was battery life, the dialtone, volume knob, channel numbers, and one button to speak to another person, and that's about it.
I remember the days it was actually not that common seeing people constantly on their phones. This was before the smartphone. Usually the ones who did often were teenagers and young adults. And even back then they were talking about phone addiction, this mostly being about said teens having a addiction texting and calling eachother. Nowadays I don't even have to walk out of my house I can just look out the window and 8 out of 10 the person walking by would either be holding or using their smartphone.
I'm 45, so I've witnessed all these changes accelerate from my young adulthood to now. My phone hasn't made me happier, I feel more beholden to it than anything. I miss having time to myself. I freely admit that part of this is nostalgia. I'm not a minimalist. I wouldn't have a dvd collection or shelves of books if I were. But I'm edging closer to getting a dumb phone and not being quite so beholden to the notifications that demand my attention and time.
Yeah it's crazy to see how fast tech has moved since I've grown up. I got my first phone in high school and it was a dumb phone essentially. Now after living in a "smart" world for the past decade and a bit I don't feel much smarter from it all! It's tough when the whole world has moved this way to now go back to this simpler tech, but I agree the pull to do so is strong. Thanks for the comment!
I have times when I've gotten angry at something I've wanted to (and sometimes have) taken out some anger on my phone and it makes me question why I carry around that thing in the first place.
Start reading maps, signs, remembering phone #s. As a sales person it’ll impress ppl as a normal person it’ll make you more efficient not depending on tech to navigate your daily life
My concern about going back to dumb devices is accessibility issues. Due to my vision loss I depend more on Uber or Lyft and similar apps and technologies more than most. Now, in theory, I could buy a video magnifier with OCR, a computer with assistive software, and a talking cell phone, but add it all up and we’re at least in $2400-$5500 easy - over $1000-$4000 more than a smartphone that can more easily fulfill those roles, and going back to Lyft and Uber, they’re not possible without a smartphone, and while there is accessible public transit, it’s not as convenient, and cabs are more expensive. While there are programs to help cover the cost c they aren’t always the easy to work with, and are very strict on the requirements of qualification. So for my needs, I’m kind of stuck. You did say you wanted to hear my thoughts :-)
LOL Gen x'er here As one from the generation that experienced life before, during, and current craze. I keep a simple light phone 2 in my pocket, along with slim wallet, keys, no car fob, I am legally blind so no driving for me # keys, house tool box, safety box. Small tool options, a lighter, a pen, and Gasp A book ( real physical book ) with obviously White cane, magnify glasses, etc ... for life as a bling guy. I have a small bag. I even go so far as to carry water and snacks from home. so I do not need to spend a lot of money. "OH THE HORROR OF SIMPLICITY" I never feel over burdened, nor under prepared. It is called ADULTING. LOL good vid. Cheers young man.
“Meaning friction” is a great analogy. I recently had the exact epiphany you were talking about. I had hundreds of albums on my iPhone …. but do you think I would ever lie down and actually really listen to one! The funny thing is, I consider myself an audiophile So I bought a quality DAP and now I literally listen to probably 2 entire albums daily….and the sound quality is even better! I’ll never go back …. I deleted all my music off my iPhone. Try it ….you’ll never go back! The whole listening session suddenly becomes became pure and self empowering. Now ….I am using that new found fortitude in other forms of technology combat.
I’ve been feeling this way too. I have over 20k songs stored away in my collection but I rotate between the same 3-5 albums sometimes for a few months at a time, occasionally having a taste for a different artist or genre. Rather than carrying my whole collection with me all the time like I do now, I should just choose my favorite albums, load them up, and work with that until I want to listen to something different.
I started using my iPod and love it! Uninterrupted music! No notifications, messages or commercials! I’ve also always used the Garmin for the same reason!
I LOVE your channel dude! You’re talking my language on so many levels. I’ve been walking a similar path to you, just not recording it. It’s refreshing to see other people doing things differently and adding some resistance to tech.
I use ad blockers, AI ad scramblers, No-Script, I never have the same mac address or IP, and on android devices you can go into developer mode and manually disable your camera, mic, GPS (or spoof location), gyroscope, and so on. This all helps to silence Ad-trafficking if you don't want to give up smart devices or computers. I defiantly dig the idea of having the option to choose between a dumb phone and a smart phone, it lets you take more control when you want it. Great video.
Yeah you have it dialed in by the sounds of it! I think if someone wants to use a smartphone but limit the distraction/tracking elements, doing the modifications you've mentioned are crucial. The dumbphone is great because it's simple out of the box, but if you can do the work to make a smartphone simple and less distracting, then that's a great way to go!
@@Starmast3rmusic Definitely a great end all be all. I was more recommending a simple way to make any device you currently own harder to track for ad companies.
Some things along these lines that I use: a PiHole to block trackers and ads, I use Brave browser with the shields turned on, I try to keep as few subscriptions as possible, I carry around an iPod for music
Funny because the smart phone I have doesn't have a SIM card inside of the device, only Wi-Fi only (Wi-Fi only phones are great if you don't want to get bombarded with updates and ads, just by simply turning off the Wi-Fi on that end). But for most of the communications, I just use a flip phone/burner phone.
I like your commentary on decentralizing - was just talking about this today. I think the next challenge is finding the right amount of decentralization for our devices.
This year I will be 6. That is not years but decades. I am old enough to remember when we had no devices at all to carry. When it was ok not to be reachable. I remember one o my bosses once said, an sms is for his convenience not for others to be able to reach him and disturb him 24/7…. Today we panic if we don’t get an answer on a message within seconds…. Although I like technology and am fascinated by these new gadgets, I am not sure wether this has improved our lives.
Even I carry multiple gadgets. Despite using a smart phone, I still carry a separate media device for music, reading. And it's my way to repurpose old tech and keep my phone's battery last long. Heck. I still use a separate GPS navigator because they still give better routes than phones and I am saving data.
I just realized how addicted I was. I installed a TH-cam Shorts scroll blocker and when I opened youtube, i was clicking on shorts without me even knowing!
I'm saying this before watching the video. We were supposed to make the multiple devices better, But instead We made one device multiple and it overwhelmed us. Simplicity is when one thing does one thing less things.
I was thinking about this today at the gym. I was hating on my playlist and stopped for a full 5 minute in the middle of the gym trying to find something good to listen to and then I remembered that when all I had was an iPod and a dumb phone as a teenager, if I didn’t like the music I would just give up and put my iPod in my pocket. But with Spotify you feel like there must be something good and you can pick it on the go, but it’s just frustrating!!
Great video, you articulated everything so well. I’ve been on the dumb phone and iPod combo for over 2 years now and I cannot fathom going back to a smartphone. Keep up the great work!
I still remember 13 years ago, when a coworker showed up with a smartphone and a 3G internet connection. I thought that was totally unnecessary.. And now I remember in a nostalgic way how things were back then. I still remember one of the most liberating moments in my life was around 2016, when someone stole my smartphone on the street and I had to live my life without it a few days. I felt light, without worries. Thank you for sharing this content. Cheers from Chile, Southamerica.
Bought myself an iPod classic of off eBay, after one of your recent videos. I've found myself much more productive when listening to music on it compared to my phone.
6:30 "There's a grain of joke in every joke", as they say. First time commenting, but finding this entire channel made me finally realize that I'm not alone in striving for a more minimalistic and simple lifestyle. Thank you!
Thank you for commenting! I agree that it's really heartening to see how many people share these views and are trying so many unique ways to live them in their own lives. Have a good night buddy!
That is the reason why I carry a cheap iPhone 4S with me that do not have cell service while I walk or go to the gym. It can't check email, text, Internet or anything other than play my music. No distraction and pure joy.
I have an out of service iPhone 4 that I use for the same purpose; it's a great music player to have when I go for bike rides and grocery trips! The simplicity of its function is great.
Meaningful friction! What a term! What a concept! As a 57 yo empty nester, this term just hits me right at my core!! THAT’S what I’m missing and didn’t even KNOW it!! Thank you!!
One-hundred percent agreement with your points here. Due in part to my ancient ('50s and '60s) humanist, liberal-arts education (remember what that was?) I'm predisposed to a conservative, "classical" way of appreciating things, including technology. Limits, in this view, enable creativity, rather than impeding it. Devices with limited function usually accomplish that function better than, say, a smartphone. On a personal level, I find that limited devices have a more pleasing personality than their Swiss-Army-knife competition.
I was going to move to a dumb phone like this, but then I decided to switch my IPhone 11 pro to a 13 mini (little screen -> no TH-cam, tiktok and such apps that would be uncomfortable for my not perfect sight), dumbing it down, and now I have a phone that let me do everything, but at the same time makes me watch it only when needed, unfortunately in EU apps like WhatsApp are mandatory, you cannot live with sms alone, and having the possibility to scan codes, is great when you need it. I also ditched my smart band for a G-shock 5610u, and I love it a lot! I also restored a couple of years ago my old beloved iPod 5.5 to ditch Spotify. Now I feel way more in control of my life, without feeling like a slave of my devices.
Coicendetely, I just found my iPod these days.. What a lovely product, the iPod Nano 4. Will see how I can fit it into my routine because I like to go for a walk listening to Spotify podcasts, not sure how I'm going to pull this off easily.
I totally agree with your video! Single use devices, I was one of those 15 years ago who did the same similar to you. I carried my Sprint Motorola Razr V3 for phone calls and text and my Creative Zen X-Fi Portable Media Player. Nowadays, in 2024, my Creative Zen PMP is still chugging along, I use it once or twice a week as it sits waiting for me at the living room coffee table. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Spencer! This is so awesome! I picked up a Light phone 2 (a dumb phone) a couple months ago and I love retro tech and listen to CDs as my main music consumption and it has a made a big difference in my life recently. I am all around happier and make more thoughtful decisions everyday. Thank you for spreading this message, it is awesome to see other people go for more minimalist lifestyles in this media crowded world. Keep up the great work!!
As a teacher of high school students, I showed this video in my class this week. It started some very interesting discussions. However, perhaps it is a tough sell for young people, but let's change the world one mind at a time...
Minimalism can be rather stupid. Perhaps just having 1 smartphone is more "minimal" than 2-3 single purpose devices, but if you know you get distracted easily by all the things a smartphone can do, then having a dumbphone and a music player *is* the more minimal option. I don't know how to put it exactly, but thinking that instead of having a seperate camera, phone, music player, map/gps, notebook, games console, watch, torch, video player, computer, calculator, etc, the better option is to just have the 1 smartphone; it feels like you're giving into the company's desires and trap rather than doing something positive for yourself. Its like thinking that buying the "Eco" or "Green" disposable product means you're doing better for the environment, rather than just not buying the thing in the first place or buying something that will last/can be repaired.
I have an iPhone SE and a ipad , I have essential app on my phone . Mail , Bank , message . But I ´m totally agree with you and everyone who need less technology .
i recently discovered this channel and i just wanna say its helped me a lot iv completely ditched my phone with using a cell2jack and music wise i just went back to my ipod making life just a lot more easier
Cell2Jack, didn't know about that one, looks interesting! How's it been going so far? I won't be ditching my smartphone myself, but I've installed ungoogled LineageOS on my Note 9 and keeping it as clean as possible which is working fine for me. I personally love iPods and my Walkman A55 a lot for having the files on the device itself and not having stupid notification sounds playing while listening to music. /)
Wow buddy I'm glad you've been getting value from the videos! That's great to hear you have made the Cell2Jack work for you. It's a pretty neat little doodad and as you've demonstrated can be used for more than a nostalgia factor. Great work!
I still bring my PSP with me! It is still a lot of fun to play and it has physical buttons without the need of an accessory! I usually get the "Why do you still bring your PSP with you?" question. I get told to just use my phone because it can essentially do everything. But I don't want to use it for everything. It's not the same experience playing games or listening to music, etc. Plus, I don't have to worry about notifications and junk like you said.
The lack of notifications is why I carry around an iPod on me. I already kept my notification settings pretty strict but since watching videos like this one my notification settings have gotten stricter to only notifications that involve direct person to person communication (chatting with IRL and online friends), that's it
The PSP is small, light, pocketable, and has an excellent back-catalog of games. Perfect sidearm in 2024, and that's not even mentioning multimedia and homebrew
I've got a Sony Walkman that I play my cassettes on. I shoot film on my Contax cameras. But I still carry a smartphone around because I need to pay for things and look up stuff, like where I'm going. Sometimes my wife will ask me to book tickets to something or drive her somewhere. So while it's still totally necessary to have, I only use it when I need to.
i got an ipod this week based on your recommendation and it's been such a gamechanger for my screen time! as you said, i never realized how often i would pick up my phone to change a song, and then next thing i knew i'd be down a rabbit hole of instagram or email. with the ipod, i scroll, press play and that's it. plus, i like having to be purposeful with what music i listen to. what albums are the most important to me? (i have plenty of space for thousands of songs, but i have to go through the effort to download and sync). it's inefficient, it can be tedious, but it's on PURPOSE... and i want to live my life purposefully.
I'm very happy to hear you're enjoying your iPod. That's awesome! I agree with the sentiment of living purposefully as well, even if that means adding some tedium to the process to make that happen. And to your second comment: YES! Wasting to upgrade isn't minimalism, and it is very irresponsible for the reasons you mentioned. I love the slogan: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
I have an AGPTEK mp3 player that has video playback abilities. Sure, it's in a super proprietary format, but hey it works! But I mostly use it to play my flac files on the go. I carry it in my pocket wherever I go.
My partner and I are purchasing the Lite Phone III soon. This will give us a freedom from that overwhelming doom scrolling and dealing with unwanted calls.
1000% agree 👍. Purchasing the light phone 2 was one of the best purchases I’ve made in my self development journey. I find that having 1 or 2 options and dealing with the choice is what life is about. I can actually think critically about the decisions I make on a day to day basis. I am my own best friend now. It’s also introduced consistent journaling and I carry my travelers notebook with me everyday all day. I still use an iPhone but I use it 90% for utility and improving my day to day.
I did the same thing 7 years ago, but just bought my first smartphone in 9 years last week. I don't always need it, but I missed having the convenience when I do need it. We'll see how it'll work out, but the honeymoon phase is strong for now. Everyone should do what works for them at a given time, and adapt to whatever works best for you tomorrow.
I’m working on it! I’m trying to turn my iPhone into a dumbphone now that I’ve deactivated it. I use a flip phone for checking in with people, and making calls, and try and use the iPhone for a few TH-cam videos, meditating, and libby. I even bought a calculator to bring with me to my retail job in order to push home staying off of using my flip phone on the floor. Buying physical media I know I’ll use. I even got 15 year old digital camera working again. So if I want to capture a memory, it’s not tied to a phone and I love it!
I get the spirit of this and align with being less dependent and overly connected. And I prefer to achieve it by using airplane mode. No social media. Mostly my watch for calls and texts, my laptop for work stuff. Your approach works really well. Different devices. My approach is different use of devices. All the best on your path to simpler living!
I look forward to your videos dude. Good stuff. I have consistently failed at using my dumb flip phone for long just because I do listen to music often and do need maps to get where I’m going and I just absolutely fail at the not getting distracted thing. But I find your stuff very inspiring to move in the direction of intentional use of technology. The hell of it is, I grew up before the smartphone. When I graduated high school, a cell phone was a luxury item used by lawyers in big cities. We didn’t even have a cell tower in our area yet. So the era I grew up in was IRL interaction, paper maps, music on tapes or CD, disposable cameras, and we did just fine. Somewhere between the end of college and now, we got used to this hyper connected always on life. I know I could be okay without it, but the struggle of getting out of it is real. Thanks for what you do man.
I appreciate the kind words and you sharing your experience! I got my first phone in the summer before high school, and it was essentially a dumb phone. Going back to it isn't always easy for the reasons you mentioned, which is why I'm testing other options for the "perfect dumbphone for a smart world." I am not perfect by any means - the dumbphone is my secondary option which I try to use as much as possible, but with work constraints it hasn't become my full-time as of yet. Keep up the good work and thanks again for the comment!
As someone who works as a creative all day. It's making my downtime more meaningful outside of the macbook and iphone which is the best. Keeps me focused when I need to be. If they want a call they can pay for it. ipod is PURE nostalgia.. havent rebooted mine but its in the original box for when i want it.
I left home the other day without my phone. After getting over the panic... It was the first in a longtime I looked out the window on the train, people watched, payed attention to the trees. I live in a great city. I like the Internet, but know I would benefit leaving it at home. Thanks for the video
Was already on board and planning a switch off my smartphone, but you listed some fantastic points I hadnt considered! The return to single/minimal use devices allows you to pick and choose what companies you support! The easiest way to fight back against a bad company is to never give them money, and this helps us return to choice! It also make it easier to abandon ship when the captain starts doing questionable things you dont agree with (forcing customers to sign binding arbitration agreements... YUCK).
While I'm not going as far as only carrying 'dumb' devices, the phone I do carry is 7 years old at this point. On which, I have taken the effort of removing all intrusive apps, replacing this with mostly F-Droid sourced apps which perform their task without distractions. The device itself is in a weird middle-ground of being slow enough to where I avoid using it more than needed, but where I don't mind it when I do need it. If I need to do anything more advanced than checking my schedule or reading a relevant message specifically directed at me, I pull out my laptop and dedicate time to just doing that, quickly. After which, I put the laptop and my thoughts about said thing away and turn my attention to my surroundings again.
Absolutely no conflict. I love having multi-one purpose devices. I still carry an iPod, for almost 3 months now, and I also deleted instagram and Facebook, my happiness has improved 10-fold.
Whilst I agree with you about the privacy reasons for not using a smartphone, I think most of that can be achieved on a Google Pixel with Graphine OS installed, which is what I use. It even lets you have seperate profiles, so you could set up one with no apps, so it acts as a dumb phone, one for music etc. Pretty much everything else you pointed out are to do with willpower, like that comment said. I usually turn off notifications for most apps, which tends to be enough to keep me focused on doing what I want to do. I also don't see myself not regularly carrying around a phone. I just think it is very important to be able to make emergency calls at all times. I know there was a time before smart phones where if something happened people would knock on a door and ask to use someones phone, but this wastes valuable minutes and to be honest since almost everyone owns a smartphone these days I'm not sure how easy it would be to find someone willing to open the door for a stranger to use their phone.
my way of dealing with this at the moment is just restricting the amount of software i have on my phone. I have almost no social media and i am looking to upgrading all my devices in a way where it is as hard as possible to track me. However, im still working on finding the best way to do that.
I love that this popped into my recommendations! As soon as i finished the video I hit the subscribe button. I, too, am a single use/reuse/re-purpose type of person. I've never owned a smartphone...and am planning to hold out for as long as I possibly can, because after seeing the addictive effect they seem to have on so many people I decided that was _not_ the road I want to walk down on. So, instead I have: * A simple "dumb" flip phone with the essential built-in apps (like FM radio, calendar, calculator etc..) and ridiculously long battery life. Yes, it has internet access, which I only really use to check the weather. And yes, it has email, something I _never_ bother to set up in any phone. I've had it since 2016...still going strong. * My _old_ 3G "dumb" phone (an LG 306G) that became my "mp3 player' with the addition of a large capacity microSD card. It has playlists of my favorite songs...the songs I _never_ get tired of listening to, and it's just a little bit bigger than a regular Ipod, or MP3 player. A great way to reuse tech! * Speaking of reusing...I still have my very old 2G "dumb" phone (a Samsung Seek), which still works beautifully as timer and calculator...and could be a back-up music player too. * I still use my digital camera. In fact, I like to take specific trips to just photograph in nature. It is a very conscious 'special' trip set up for me. * I also still use my mini "boombox" CD player, because I have a collection of CDs that I _love_ and see no reason to trash them. * And I also still have a DVD player, because - again - I have a large collection of DVDs (Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, or _all_ of the Star Wars series, anyone? That's just for starters) that I love and - yes, again - I see no reason to trash them. I even have my laptop set up as more of a "desktop", because I seldom leave the house with it. I guess I just prefer to.."do the internet" in *my* own time and at *my* own pace. That means comfy at home with a great cup of coffee, music playing softly on the background, with lazy time on my hands (like right now 🙂). It works beautifully for me...and that's what it's all about: what works for each of us.
Thanks for the detailed comment and the subscribe! It sounds like you have a very well thought out technology setup - very intentional! Keep up the good work and I hope you enjoy future videos :)
I open my phone with the intention to be productive and I’m immediately fighting the distractions. I have ADHD and separating “apps” from the smart phone is so helpful for every day function. I pick my MP3 player up i wont get distracted by some unrelated notification on it, its faster to pull my digital camera out than it was to go thru my apps in my phone to find the camera app. When i have to check my emails or my bank app or whatever because my apartment requires we pay rent thru an app, i use my tablet and i cant fit that in my pocket so its not the same distraction level as my smartphone. Plus idk call me paranoid but I’ve never felt comfortable using my phone as my wallet but thats just me.
Recently turned my old iPhone X in a black/white Spotify machine without internet and all apps removed from the home screen. Still need to get in the groove of it, but I think it can help me be more intentional. Currently use it in the gym already, which definitely helps with focus on sport. I recognize my issue with stimulation and distraction, hope to get better with it soon!
The reason I love mp3 players, like an ipod is because I work in a warehouse environment. I can plug it directly into my speakers while carrying my phone on me to answer work calls. I never have to worry about losing signal and the sound quality is better. I had an ipod nano (RIP) and it even picked up local radio stations so I could listen to sports games on the FM signal... which is SO much better than on an app or website; better sound quality, no cutting out, less ads etc... I really wish they'd bring ipods back! Mine are all toast.
I've been carrying around iPods for about a year I'd say, and I love using that as my music player. I've cancelled my Spotify so I can own the songs that I have in my library. I still carry around a smartphone but I've taken steps to make it as least intrusive as possible. Some steps I've taken to take control away from my smartphone are (feel free to suggest more, I'd love suggestions): 1) Turn off raise to wake and tap to wake 2) Deleted all social media apps that do NOT involve direct person to person communication (removed: reddit, instagram, youtube // kept: discord, snapchat) 3) Set my wallpapers to a solid color to make my phone less enticing 4) Deleted lots of apps I either don't use or don't want to use 5) Notification settings are incredibly strict (only notifications allowed: calls, texts, discord notifications cuz I use this to chat with IRL/online friends)
The transition to decentralizing from a smartphone can be expensive. I carry a Nokia 3210, Sony Walkman and Sony RX7 camera. It was worth the switch! Not only do I careless but I have almost zero distractions. I still have my Iphone SE but it's there for emergencies (when the going gets tough). Thank you for your video!
Coming at it as a musician, there is plenty to be said for single-use devices. A physical metronome is always going to be better for serious practice than an app on a smartphone; same goes for clip-on tuners/tuner pedals, because there’s nothing I love more than getting an ad for Royal Match when I just wanna tune my guitar or practice some scales! I’ve started using a portable CD player again for this reason of “choose your own adventure”. Sometimes I want to listen to an album on my commute to work, and don’t want to have to deal with the distractions of my phone, nor the distractions of searching through Apple Music for something to listen to. Similarly I have a Paperwhite Kindle for when I don’t have the space for a physical book (or I don’t want the book to get damaged).
yeah I get the idea, but for I prefer adding friction on my current phone, i.e. removing unwanted apps, blocking apps for certain time or limiting the time usage. That way I don't need to spend more money on a new phone, plus buying an old iPod, modding it and all. I get it, it looks cool, but I'd rather add friction instead of adding all that extra spend...
I had the same conundrum as you expressed and thought a lot about it. I looked at my needs and how I consume. I made the decision to go with an iPhone SE 3. Why? I can control what apps I install, it’s small so easy to use as a phone but sucks as a consumption device. It’s got 5g and eSIM so it’s future proof and I can hotspot with it wherever I travel. The camera is ok but not a replacement for a real camera. I’ll keep it for 5 years. one thing, it was really helped cut down my device usage.
My fiance and I both use smartphones, but we have talked about how nice things were when devices had specific purposes. Like using a laptop to web browse instead of always just picking up your phone (then getting stuck on social media apps, checking messages, checking tons of notifications, and not ever actually even checking what you got on for). I have over time sorta switched back to having some dedicated devices. She bought me an ipod for xmas one year cause I always wanted a dedicated music device again and we found refurbished 5th gen Nanos for cheap (the one I always wanted growing up). Have a laptop I use for gaming, one I use for video streaming and music production and general web browsing, and a tablet that I only use for reading. And it really does help to separate the tasks I want to do to prevent unnecessary distractions. It's possible one day we may ditch smart phones, but there are things with them that are somewhat necessary (I have to use a verification for my work sign ins for one, and I watch youtube on work breaks which is less a need but more a want for it, and researching things away from home when shopping around for things I may not know a lot about). Either way, it definitely does feel nice to be using some dedicated use devices again.
I don’t know why people want dumb phones? I use my iPhone 14 Pro just for listening to music / podcasts or reading books . And sometimes( because at work I have a phone provided by the company )I need it at work ( WhatsApp/ Teams ) . I don’t use any social media app like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, instagram. My smartphone is on silent 24/7 and even I choose what messages or phone calls to pick up! Even photos I don’t do with it 😂 Do I need a dumb phone?
For my first phone i got a flip phone running Android. I've had this idea that i need a smart phone to be able to do things like certain jobs and stuff, but i think that's only what i want to think, not how it actually is. Also absolutely love the iPod classic
I use a nokia 2720 flip phone for text, calls and youtube (ad free by default mind you) and that basically covers my communications. I use a SONY mp3 player for music while walking or doing the groceries. As for photos I use an analogue AGFA 35 mm. Sure photos are low res (though I do like the grain and saturation) and I can only take like 36 from a single film, but at least I don't come back from a single day trip with 2000 photos that I'm probably never gonna look at ever again.
I carry multiple devices. Turned the LG V60 into a digital music player that houses all of my music. An ipod does not have enough space to atore my library. Running wired in ear monitors. I also carry a 360 camera as well. The only thing i really use my phone for things that i really have to.
Love the idea, I had a "dumbphone year" myself some time ago. What keeps me from going back to dumbphone is banking applications, and other websites that require a smartphone to authenticate; any tricks about that?
Thanks dewd! Like your points of view. Another media method for a "wireless" FLAC player is a sandisk clip jam and Koss headphones. Just took the wires and taped them onto the two sides and top. Makes for high-fidelity that feels like you're just wearing headphones. A+ in my book :) I'm guessing people have probably done this with iPod shuffles etc too
I recently started to go back to an MP3 player. It's a Sony Walkman NW-A306. It can do everything a phone or tablet can, but I choose not to use it that way. I actually have songs on it too. It connects to the Bluetooth in my car. I don't need to deal with it not working if I don't have signal or WiFi and no notifications randomly come through. I still keep a smartphone because I use it to do delivery apps. I usually use my desktop computer when I'm home. I use a Garmin GPS in my car as it's far more accurate and gives me direct routes.
I use my ipod all the time going on walks or bike rides. Being able to use the click wheel to change the volume, go forwards or backwards, or play / pause is super useful. But one day I accidentally broke my ipod trying to open it. Started using an android phone with poweramp. The UI was nice, but I HATED taking the phone out of my pocket and turning the screen on just to jump through a long music mix or pause the track. It was so clunky. I ordered some new internal parts for my ipod off ebay and slapped it back together. Happy days once again 😊
I was inspired by this vid to also go on a bit of a 'decentralization' journey! Thank you for so eloquently describing what I already had been feeling.
It's definitely hard to break free from the chains that bind us. Employers now requiring two-factor among other things makes it a bit more difficult to get rid of smartphones. A dumbed down android phone running an e-ink would be a good alternative, but then you have to worry about security.
Fantastic points made there Spencer, I'm becoming more and more with you on all this. You're right in all of it, companies/governments are wanting us to go to a cashless society, use one piece of technology for everything, only listen to them so that you don't see what's really good on etc. I do need to invest in an iPod I think again. It's more to carry yes but I've had that most of my life with different devices like an ipod/mp3 player plus a wallet, plus a phone lol
Glad I'm winning you over buddy! Yeah if you can't find an iPod that's a good deal there are some good alternatives on Amazon. The Sandisk ClipJam I mentioned before I've heard good things about, and I've seen the HIFI Walker 2 also recommended frequently. Maybe I'll test those out in a future video. Hope you're well buddy!
@@spencers-adventures definitely, it wouldn't have taken much though 😉 oh niceone yes that woukd be great if you could! I'll look those up! I just got a steam deck so that's a whole other level for me as I don't do pc gaming lol
@@adamwragg4606 I'm gonna recommend Elite Obsolete Electronics, this dude sells ready-to-use iPods, even modded ones. This is the guy I bought my first iPod from and I've grown my collection from there. (I admit I got into iPods cuz of Dank Pods)
Wow! You are sooooooo right! This is what I do. And exactly for the reasons you describe, but I never managed to articulate it as well as you. Well done.
im with you. im carrying ipod classic 6th gen.. and iphone se 1st gen 16gb.. for the literal basics of the basics.. call.. text… imessage.. facetime.. and messenger.. thats it.. no email etc.. i even uninstalled 1st party apps from apple that are not really needed.. im down with 1gb storage left.. and im still surviving.. loving this tad bit simplicity.
i really want to do an experiment like this. a dumb phone, an mp3 player (if i don’t find my ipod laying around somewhere) and a film camera, truly enjoy a detox.
It’s such a nice detox as you said. Hard to go full bore into that forever with our smart world, but certainly great tools to disconnect and get back some sanity!
Makes me think of that old Bible verse that says “The way to Hell is wide, and the path to Heaven is narrow”, point being that sometimes the harder path is the best one to take. Love the video, God bless you my man! ❤
My iPhone is like my Swiss Army Knife. It's an invaluable multitool I can't do without, but I control what apps are in it and carefully manage how they function. Even then, smartphones are practical for certain things and shouldn't be used for everything even though they literally can. The screens are too small for certain things like watching TH-cam or reading. For these I either use a tablet or a computer. And tablets are not practical for things like word processing or video editing. For these I use a computer with a keyboard and mouse. When I go camping, I take my iPhone to check the weather, maps, listen to music, take photos, and other things that allow me to enjoy the experience of camping, and because I manage what apps I have and how the apps I have function, I'm not distracted by things like social media because I don't let them find me. And not bringing my tablet or computer allows me to avoid doing other things that take away from the experience of camping. Other than my phone, I just bring a solar powered battery charger for the phone and a camping stove for myself:p
I really liked the video! I also carry an iPod for my audio needs and just started my digital library in order to get rid of streaming services. The phone on the other hand is something I really would like to do, but it makes communication with my family and friends really convenient, however I resourced to having a limited on my iPhone, so I just limit social media to a couple 15 min a day and after a couple of days I didn't even use the 15 minutes. It has been a game changer, but you still need some will power. I thought putting a limiter was not going to make the difference, but having that little barrier actually helped me. So anyone who can't give up their phone, but want to, give this a try, just limit the apps that are consuming your time and stick to it.
In the end we're all different and everyone has their own preferences and needs. in my case I carry just a dumbphone (Nokia 105, the old 2015 one) and no music player because I rarely go out somewhere alone and so I'm always entertained, but I can definitely understand carrying an iPod, I would carry one too if I'd ever need music on the go, though in my opinion, nothing beats a cheap pocket FM radio, whipping out the aerial and enjoying a good radio station :) but in the end, just use whatever works for you and suits you best and that's it, enjoy the peace and simple living!
There’s nothing wrong with having separate devices, iPhones and androids are starting to become a problem. I’m getting tired of the smartphone and I’m getting tired of the dings and beeps! I like technology but i don’t want it in my pocket all the time. It’s annoying.
Exactly, and personally I feel we can do things with tech a lot better the more something has a specialized niche instead of piling them together at the cost of quality in all areas weakening because it's spread out the more you add
It's astonishing to hear the death of the point-and-click, just from having been a kid a little more than 10 years ago seeing every parent at the auditorium with one flashing every second at a time while we performed whichever school play. It really is telling of the times seeing how widespread consumerism has allured.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
I see an iPod, I click!!
FR iPod forever
iSee iPod iClick!
Same here, When i saw the iPod and dumbphone i immediately clicked without even reading the title.
Me too kid. Me too.
Same. iPods are great, even in 2024. I love my 4th gen.
This type of "minimalism" that you were criticized for is called normal life for anyone born before smartphones existed.
Yeah, had no smart phone until I was 45
I remember Obamas 📱device being referred to as a "Crack" Berry😂
@@the.trollgubbe2642 I never had a smartphone until now (im 42 now). I had to get one because of my job, there was no option for me. Well now that i have it, i never really use it outside my job. Occasionally i listen to music but my mp3 player does a better job in my opinion. What i truely love about my smartphone is the gps function. Im the type of person who is constantly lost and the gps saved me so many times
Going on a walk with just an mp3 player and some good tunes is a great experience
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@@ZeSpektrumhow is it a great experience?
just did it and you were right, no phone, no distractions, just music and a walk is amazing
I doubt any person saying that "you just need more willpower" is actually exercising more willpower.
Exactly dude i practice discipline but let me tell you I’m such a hypocrite when I tell you how many times I’ve said “I need to stop going on tik tok or TH-cam” it’s made me brain rot beyond belief. So I’m glad you admit the flaws all us humans face with such technology.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve deleted social media apps only to redownload them a week or two later.
@@dtwings1223 I just deleted tik tok TH-cam will be the only thing I’m on now haha. You’re 100% spot on
Opal is an app that blocks your apps. Once their blocked you can snooze the thing (to use maps or loook up tutorials when fixing shit) and it’ll greatly reduce your screen time knowing you have to go to an app to unblock all the other apps lol. I just started it but it’s been helping a lot screen time down 60%
They prob wake up smacking their 🥩 knowing dang well they ain’t exercising willpower
A person once said in a podcast: "What level of inconvenience are you willing to accept to live a more meaningful and peaceful life?"
The Matt Fradd?
When I really look at my life personally very few of these modern inventions actually do anything "good" for me.
Phones just waste my time and leave me stressed. Cars are just another stress to pay for. Society is just a bunch of obligations and scammers. Modern food is just empty calories that make you addicted and fat. Modern jobs are just soulless corporations that don't care about me at all. Almost every service nowdays sucks.
Like what's even the point anymore?
I just watched this with tears in my eyes. I don’t know why this connected so deeply with me. Actually I do know why. I was looking for this.
This video is going to change the lives of me and my kids. Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it - take care!
I remember being out of cell signal service while out in national parks, and not really having the ability to check my phone. I'd drive out to this one alcove that was 25 minutes away from my campsite once per day to do so, and having that designated half hour was pretty neat. Applying that restriction by forcing it with your devices seems like a great concept. People might typically argue that it's less efficient to have more devices, but like I said in my note taking video, there's so much opportunity to distract you on a smartphone. You pick up your iPod for a reason, and you dont get deterred from that reason. Congrats on joining the 10k club!
And I literally have that same shirt.. Urban outfitters 2017 or something lmao!! My only shirt from there. Great color.
An imposed limitation like you mentioned can be quite illuminating! Love that. And the shirt is actually an old Wind River that I thrifted!
Personally I wish we had walkie talkies that can use ANY communication satellite, tower, ANYTHINg instead of relying on the length you can talk to someone else on walkie talkie until you're out of range. Walkie talkies were the ones my siblings and I used back in the early 2000s before I had cell phones in the 2010s. And personally, it was much, MUCH quicker to use Walkie Talkies considering all you have to worry about was battery life, the dialtone, volume knob, channel numbers, and one button to speak to another person, and that's about it.
I remember the days it was actually not that common seeing people constantly on their phones. This was before the smartphone. Usually the ones who did often were teenagers and young adults. And even back then they were talking about phone addiction, this mostly being about said teens having a addiction texting and calling eachother. Nowadays I don't even have to walk out of my house I can just look out the window and 8 out of 10 the person walking by would either be holding or using their smartphone.
iPod and dumb phones don't invade my privacy. Kudos to you
My 4th gen doesn't ask me of anything. I ask it for good sounds, it play good sounds; that's it
My 20 year old ipod still works, battery life sucks but it's enough to get through 2-3 workouts. Newer mp3 players seem expensive
I'm 45, so I've witnessed all these changes accelerate from my young adulthood to now. My phone hasn't made me happier, I feel more beholden to it than anything. I miss having time to myself.
I freely admit that part of this is nostalgia. I'm not a minimalist. I wouldn't have a dvd collection or shelves of books if I were. But I'm edging closer to getting a dumb phone and not being quite so beholden to the notifications that demand my attention and time.
Yeah it's crazy to see how fast tech has moved since I've grown up. I got my first phone in high school and it was a dumb phone essentially. Now after living in a "smart" world for the past decade and a bit I don't feel much smarter from it all! It's tough when the whole world has moved this way to now go back to this simpler tech, but I agree the pull to do so is strong. Thanks for the comment!
I have times when I've gotten angry at something I've wanted to (and sometimes have) taken out some anger on my phone and it makes me question why I carry around that thing in the first place.
Start reading maps, signs, remembering phone #s. As a sales person it’ll impress ppl as a normal person it’ll make you more efficient not depending on tech to navigate your daily life
My concern about going back to dumb devices is accessibility issues. Due to my vision loss I depend more on Uber or Lyft and similar apps and technologies more than most. Now, in theory, I could buy a video magnifier with OCR, a computer with assistive software, and a talking cell phone, but add it all up and we’re at least in $2400-$5500 easy - over $1000-$4000 more than a smartphone that can more easily fulfill those roles, and going back to Lyft and Uber, they’re not possible without a smartphone, and while there is accessible public transit, it’s not as convenient, and cabs are more expensive. While there are programs to help cover the cost c they aren’t always the easy to work with, and are very strict on the requirements of qualification. So for my needs, I’m kind of stuck. You did say you wanted to hear my thoughts :-)
Fr💀
LOL Gen x'er here As one from the generation that experienced life before, during, and current craze. I keep a simple light phone 2 in my pocket, along with slim wallet, keys, no car fob, I am legally blind so no driving for me # keys, house tool box, safety box. Small tool options, a lighter, a pen, and Gasp A book ( real physical book ) with obviously White cane, magnify glasses, etc ... for life as a bling guy. I have a small bag. I even go so far as to carry water and snacks from home. so I do not need to spend a lot of money. "OH THE HORROR OF SIMPLICITY" I never feel over burdened, nor under prepared. It is called ADULTING. LOL good vid. Cheers young man.
“Meaning friction” is a great analogy.
I recently had the exact epiphany you were talking about.
I had hundreds of albums on my iPhone …. but do you think I would ever lie down and actually really listen to one!
The funny thing is, I consider myself an audiophile
So I bought a quality DAP and now I literally listen to probably 2 entire albums daily….and the sound quality is even better!
I’ll never go back ….
I deleted all my music off my iPhone.
Try it ….you’ll never go back!
The whole listening session suddenly becomes became pure and self empowering.
Now ….I am using that new found fortitude in other forms of technology combat.
That’s a great tip and a very intentional way to actually listen to the music. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been feeling this way too. I have over 20k songs stored away in my collection but I rotate between the same 3-5 albums sometimes for a few months at a time, occasionally having a taste for a different artist or genre. Rather than carrying my whole collection with me all the time like I do now, I should just choose my favorite albums, load them up, and work with that until I want to listen to something different.
I started using my iPod and love it! Uninterrupted music! No notifications, messages or commercials! I’ve also always used the Garmin for the same reason!
I LOVE your channel dude! You’re talking my language on so many levels. I’ve been walking a similar path to you, just not recording it. It’s refreshing to see other people doing things differently and adding some resistance to tech.
Glad you’re enjoying the videos buddy, I appreciate the kind words!
I use ad blockers, AI ad scramblers, No-Script, I never have the same mac address or IP, and on android devices you can go into developer mode and manually disable your camera, mic, GPS (or spoof location), gyroscope, and so on. This all helps to silence Ad-trafficking if you don't want to give up smart devices or computers. I defiantly dig the idea of having the option to choose between a dumb phone and a smart phone, it lets you take more control when you want it. Great video.
I just run a pixel device with graphene OS. Problem solved.
Yeah you have it dialed in by the sounds of it! I think if someone wants to use a smartphone but limit the distraction/tracking elements, doing the modifications you've mentioned are crucial. The dumbphone is great because it's simple out of the box, but if you can do the work to make a smartphone simple and less distracting, then that's a great way to go!
@@Starmast3rmusic Definitely a great end all be all. I was more recommending a simple way to make any device you currently own harder to track for ad companies.
Some things along these lines that I use: a PiHole to block trackers and ads, I use Brave browser with the shields turned on, I try to keep as few subscriptions as possible, I carry around an iPod for music
Funny because the smart phone I have doesn't have a SIM card inside of the device, only Wi-Fi only (Wi-Fi only phones are great if you don't want to get bombarded with updates and ads, just by simply turning off the Wi-Fi on that end). But for most of the communications, I just use a flip phone/burner phone.
I like your commentary on decentralizing - was just talking about this today. I think the next challenge is finding the right amount of decentralization for our devices.
This year I will be 6. That is not years but decades. I am old enough to remember when we had no devices at all to carry. When it was ok not to be reachable. I remember one o my bosses once said, an sms is for his convenience not for others to be able to reach him and disturb him 24/7…. Today we panic if we don’t get an answer on a message within seconds…. Although I like technology and am fascinated by these new gadgets, I am not sure wether this has improved our lives.
Even I carry multiple gadgets. Despite using a smart phone, I still carry a separate media device for music, reading. And it's my way to repurpose old tech and keep my phone's battery last long.
Heck. I still use a separate GPS navigator because they still give better routes than phones and I am saving data.
I just realized how addicted I was. I installed a TH-cam Shorts scroll blocker and when I opened youtube, i was clicking on shorts without me even knowing!
Hey, could you tell me how you did that?
I'm saying this before watching the video.
We were supposed to make the multiple devices better, But instead
We made one device multiple and it overwhelmed us.
Simplicity is when one thing does one thing less things.
I was thinking about this today at the gym. I was hating on my playlist and stopped for a full 5 minute in the middle of the gym trying to find something good to listen to and then I remembered that when all I had was an iPod and a dumb phone as a teenager, if I didn’t like the music I would just give up and put my iPod in my pocket. But with Spotify you feel like there must be something good and you can pick it on the go, but it’s just frustrating!!
I miss the iPod, windows xp and MSN days
100% so do I, that was just the right amount of tech for us.
Minus msn for me bu yeah same. Have gone back yo a t9 phone. Doro 6880
Great video, you articulated everything so well. I’ve been on the dumb phone and iPod combo for over 2 years now and I cannot fathom going back to a smartphone. Keep up the great work!
I still remember 13 years ago, when a coworker showed up with a smartphone and a 3G internet connection. I thought that was totally unnecessary.. And now I remember in a nostalgic way how things were back then. I still remember one of the most liberating moments in my life was around 2016, when someone stole my smartphone on the street and I had to live my life without it a few days. I felt light, without worries. Thank you for sharing this content.
Cheers from Chile, Southamerica.
Bought myself an iPod classic of off eBay, after one of your recent videos. I've found myself much more productive when listening to music on it compared to my phone.
6:30 "There's a grain of joke in every joke", as they say.
First time commenting, but finding this entire channel made me finally realize that I'm not alone in striving for a more minimalistic and simple lifestyle. Thank you!
Thank you for commenting! I agree that it's really heartening to see how many people share these views and are trying so many unique ways to live them in their own lives. Have a good night buddy!
That is the reason why I carry a cheap iPhone 4S with me that do not have cell service while I walk or go to the gym. It can't check email, text, Internet or anything other than play my music. No distraction and pure joy.
I have an out of service iPhone 4 that I use for the same purpose; it's a great music player to have when I go for bike rides and grocery trips! The simplicity of its function is great.
Meaningful friction! What a term! What a concept! As a 57 yo empty nester, this term just hits me right at my core!! THAT’S what I’m missing and didn’t even KNOW it!! Thank you!!
One-hundred percent agreement with your points here. Due in part to my ancient ('50s and '60s) humanist, liberal-arts education (remember what that was?) I'm predisposed to a conservative, "classical" way of appreciating things, including technology. Limits, in this view, enable creativity, rather than impeding it. Devices with limited function usually accomplish that function better than, say, a smartphone. On a personal level, I find that limited devices have a more pleasing personality than their Swiss-Army-knife competition.
I was going to move to a dumb phone like this, but then I decided to switch my IPhone 11 pro to a 13 mini (little screen -> no TH-cam, tiktok and such apps that would be uncomfortable for my not perfect sight), dumbing it down, and now I have a phone that let me do everything, but at the same time makes me watch it only when needed, unfortunately in EU apps like WhatsApp are mandatory, you cannot live with sms alone, and having the possibility to scan codes, is great when you need it. I also ditched my smart band for a G-shock 5610u, and I love it a lot! I also restored a couple of years ago my old beloved iPod 5.5 to ditch Spotify. Now I feel way more in control of my life, without feeling like a slave of my devices.
Thanks for the mention in the video. I’m glad I could help. Great video as always!
Of course buddy - you put it so well I wanted to make sure you got the credit you deserved. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Coicendetely, I just found my iPod these days.. What a lovely product, the iPod Nano 4. Will see how I can fit it into my routine because I like to go for a walk listening to Spotify podcasts, not sure how I'm going to pull this off easily.
I totally agree with your video! Single use devices, I was one of those 15 years ago who did the same similar to you. I carried my Sprint Motorola Razr V3 for phone calls and text and my Creative Zen X-Fi Portable Media Player. Nowadays, in 2024, my Creative Zen PMP is still chugging along, I use it once or twice a week as it sits waiting for me at the living room coffee table. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Spencer! This is so awesome! I picked up a Light phone 2 (a dumb phone) a couple months ago and I love retro tech and listen to CDs as my main music consumption and it has a made a big difference in my life recently. I am all around happier and make more thoughtful decisions everyday. Thank you for spreading this message, it is awesome to see other people go for more minimalist lifestyles in this media crowded world. Keep up the great work!!
As a teacher of high school students, I showed this video in my class this week. It started some very interesting discussions. However, perhaps it is a tough sell for young people, but let's change the world one mind at a time...
Minimalism can be rather stupid. Perhaps just having 1 smartphone is more "minimal" than 2-3 single purpose devices, but if you know you get distracted easily by all the things a smartphone can do, then having a dumbphone and a music player *is* the more minimal option.
I don't know how to put it exactly, but thinking that instead of having a seperate camera, phone, music player, map/gps, notebook, games console, watch, torch, video player, computer, calculator, etc, the better option is to just have the 1 smartphone; it feels like you're giving into the company's desires and trap rather than doing something positive for yourself.
Its like thinking that buying the "Eco" or "Green" disposable product means you're doing better for the environment, rather than just not buying the thing in the first place or buying something that will last/can be repaired.
Maybe it's stupid to you but it's not to others
I have an iPhone SE and a ipad , I have essential app on my phone . Mail , Bank , message . But I ´m totally agree with you and everyone who need less technology .
i recently discovered this channel and i just wanna say its helped me a lot iv completely ditched my phone with using a cell2jack and music wise i just went back to my ipod making life just a lot more easier
Cell2Jack, didn't know about that one, looks interesting! How's it been going so far? I won't be ditching my smartphone myself, but I've installed ungoogled LineageOS on my Note 9 and keeping it as clean as possible which is working fine for me. I personally love iPods and my Walkman A55 a lot for having the files on the device itself and not having stupid notification sounds playing while listening to music. /)
Wow buddy I'm glad you've been getting value from the videos! That's great to hear you have made the Cell2Jack work for you. It's a pretty neat little doodad and as you've demonstrated can be used for more than a nostalgia factor. Great work!
I still bring my PSP with me! It is still a lot of fun to play and it has physical buttons without the need of an accessory! I usually get the "Why do you still bring your PSP with you?" question. I get told to just use my phone because it can essentially do everything. But I don't want to use it for everything. It's not the same experience playing games or listening to music, etc. Plus, I don't have to worry about notifications and junk like you said.
The lack of notifications is why I carry around an iPod on me. I already kept my notification settings pretty strict but since watching videos like this one my notification settings have gotten stricter to only notifications that involve direct person to person communication (chatting with IRL and online friends), that's it
The PSP is small, light, pocketable, and has an excellent back-catalog of games. Perfect sidearm in 2024, and that's not even mentioning multimedia and homebrew
@@mysticaxolotl8215 Exactly!!
I've got a Sony Walkman that I play my cassettes on. I shoot film on my Contax cameras. But I still carry a smartphone around because I need to pay for things and look up stuff, like where I'm going. Sometimes my wife will ask me to book tickets to something or drive her somewhere. So while it's still totally necessary to have, I only use it when I need to.
i got an ipod this week based on your recommendation and it's been such a gamechanger for my screen time! as you said, i never realized how often i would pick up my phone to change a song, and then next thing i knew i'd be down a rabbit hole of instagram or email. with the ipod, i scroll, press play and that's it.
plus, i like having to be purposeful with what music i listen to. what albums are the most important to me? (i have plenty of space for thousands of songs, but i have to go through the effort to download and sync). it's inefficient, it can be tedious, but it's on PURPOSE... and i want to live my life purposefully.
I'm very happy to hear you're enjoying your iPod. That's awesome! I agree with the sentiment of living purposefully as well, even if that means adding some tedium to the process to make that happen. And to your second comment: YES! Wasting to upgrade isn't minimalism, and it is very irresponsible for the reasons you mentioned. I love the slogan: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
I have an AGPTEK mp3 player that has video playback abilities. Sure, it's in a super proprietary format, but hey it works! But I mostly use it to play my flac files on the go. I carry it in my pocket wherever I go.
My partner and I are purchasing the Lite Phone III soon. This will give us a freedom from that overwhelming doom scrolling and dealing with unwanted calls.
1000% agree 👍. Purchasing the light phone 2 was one of the best purchases I’ve made in my self development journey. I find that having 1 or 2 options and dealing with the choice is what life is about. I can actually think critically about the decisions I make on a day to day basis. I am my own best friend now. It’s also introduced consistent journaling and I carry my travelers notebook with me everyday all day. I still use an iPhone but I use it 90% for utility and improving my day to day.
Yes, got the message. Concept. To choose what is esssential. What to do, when to do, Why to do. Thanks Spencer for sharing this.
I did the same thing 7 years ago, but just bought my first smartphone in 9 years last week. I don't always need it, but I missed having the convenience when I do need it. We'll see how it'll work out, but the honeymoon phase is strong for now. Everyone should do what works for them at a given time, and adapt to whatever works best for you tomorrow.
I’m working on it! I’m trying to turn my iPhone into a dumbphone now that I’ve deactivated it. I use a flip phone for checking in with people, and making calls, and try and use the iPhone for a few TH-cam videos, meditating, and libby. I even bought a calculator to bring with me to my retail job in order to push home staying off of using my flip phone on the floor. Buying physical media I know I’ll use. I even got 15 year old digital camera working again. So if I want to capture a memory, it’s not tied to a phone and I love it!
I get the spirit of this and align with being less dependent and overly connected.
And I prefer to achieve it by using airplane mode. No social media. Mostly my watch for calls and texts, my laptop for work stuff.
Your approach works really well. Different devices.
My approach is different use of devices.
All the best on your path to simpler living!
I look forward to your videos dude. Good stuff. I have consistently failed at using my dumb flip phone for long just because I do listen to music often and do need maps to get where I’m going and I just absolutely fail at the not getting distracted thing.
But I find your stuff very inspiring to move in the direction of intentional use of technology. The hell of it is, I grew up before the smartphone. When I graduated high school, a cell phone was a luxury item used by lawyers in big cities. We didn’t even have a cell tower in our area yet. So the era I grew up in was IRL interaction, paper maps, music on tapes or CD, disposable cameras, and we did just fine.
Somewhere between the end of college and now, we got used to this hyper connected always on life. I know I could be okay without it, but the struggle of getting out of it is real.
Thanks for what you do man.
I appreciate the kind words and you sharing your experience! I got my first phone in the summer before high school, and it was essentially a dumb phone. Going back to it isn't always easy for the reasons you mentioned, which is why I'm testing other options for the "perfect dumbphone for a smart world." I am not perfect by any means - the dumbphone is my secondary option which I try to use as much as possible, but with work constraints it hasn't become my full-time as of yet. Keep up the good work and thanks again for the comment!
im addicted in digital minimalist videos
As someone who works as a creative all day. It's making my downtime more meaningful outside of the macbook and iphone which is the best. Keeps me focused when I need to be. If they want a call they can pay for it. ipod is PURE nostalgia.. havent rebooted mine but its in the original box for when i want it.
I left home the other day without my phone. After getting over the panic... It was the first in a longtime I looked out the window on the train, people watched, payed attention to the trees. I live in a great city.
I like the Internet, but know I would benefit leaving it at home. Thanks for the video
I replaced my smartphone with htc chacha 9 months ago, and i'm happy wit it.
Was already on board and planning a switch off my smartphone, but you listed some fantastic points I hadnt considered!
The return to single/minimal use devices allows you to pick and choose what companies you support! The easiest way to fight back against a bad company is to never give them money, and this helps us return to choice!
It also make it easier to abandon ship when the captain starts doing questionable things you dont agree with (forcing customers to sign binding arbitration agreements... YUCK).
While I'm not going as far as only carrying 'dumb' devices, the phone I do carry is 7 years old at this point.
On which, I have taken the effort of removing all intrusive apps, replacing this with mostly F-Droid sourced apps which perform their task without distractions.
The device itself is in a weird middle-ground of being slow enough to where I avoid using it more than needed, but where I don't mind it when I do need it.
If I need to do anything more advanced than checking my schedule or reading a relevant message specifically directed at me, I pull out my laptop and dedicate time to just doing that, quickly.
After which, I put the laptop and my thoughts about said thing away and turn my attention to my surroundings again.
Both old and new technology have their own pros and cons, so be careful what you wish for because the grass is not always greener on the other side.
Absolutely no conflict. I love having multi-one purpose devices. I still carry an iPod, for almost 3 months now, and I also deleted instagram and Facebook, my happiness has improved 10-fold.
Whilst I agree with you about the privacy reasons for not using a smartphone, I think most of that can be achieved on a Google Pixel with Graphine OS installed, which is what I use. It even lets you have seperate profiles, so you could set up one with no apps, so it acts as a dumb phone, one for music etc.
Pretty much everything else you pointed out are to do with willpower, like that comment said. I usually turn off notifications for most apps, which tends to be enough to keep me focused on doing what I want to do.
I also don't see myself not regularly carrying around a phone. I just think it is very important to be able to make emergency calls at all times. I know there was a time before smart phones where if something happened people would knock on a door and ask to use someones phone, but this wastes valuable minutes and to be honest since almost everyone owns a smartphone these days I'm not sure how easy it would be to find someone willing to open the door for a stranger to use their phone.
Fr💀
You all I fixed my walkman today. Buying Nokia soon too, I love this simplicity. Thanks for sharing your video.
my way of dealing with this at the moment is just restricting the amount of software i have on my phone. I have almost no social media and i am looking to upgrading all my devices in a way where it is as hard as possible to track me. However, im still working on finding the best way to do that.
I regret selling my old iPod Classic. I am however trapped under the apple umbrella.
Just buy an Android, or better yet get a Linux phone, if you dare.
I love that this popped into my recommendations! As soon as i finished the video I hit the subscribe button.
I, too, am a single use/reuse/re-purpose type of person. I've never owned a smartphone...and am planning to hold out for as long as I possibly can, because after seeing the addictive effect they seem to have on so many people I decided that was _not_ the road I want to walk down on. So, instead I have:
* A simple "dumb" flip phone with the essential built-in apps (like FM radio, calendar, calculator etc..) and ridiculously long battery life. Yes, it has internet access, which I only really use to check the weather. And yes, it has email, something I _never_ bother to set up in any phone. I've had it since 2016...still going strong.
* My _old_ 3G "dumb" phone (an LG 306G) that became my "mp3 player' with the addition of a large capacity microSD card. It has playlists of my favorite songs...the songs I _never_ get tired of listening to, and it's just a little bit bigger than a regular Ipod, or MP3 player. A great way to reuse tech!
* Speaking of reusing...I still have my very old 2G "dumb" phone (a Samsung Seek), which still works beautifully as timer and calculator...and could be a back-up music player too.
* I still use my digital camera. In fact, I like to take specific trips to just photograph in nature. It is a very conscious 'special' trip set up for me.
* I also still use my mini "boombox" CD player, because I have a collection of CDs that I _love_ and see no reason to trash them.
* And I also still have a DVD player, because - again - I have a large collection of DVDs (Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, or _all_ of the Star Wars series, anyone? That's just for starters) that I love and - yes, again - I see no reason to trash them.
I even have my laptop set up as more of a "desktop", because I seldom leave the house with it. I guess I just prefer to.."do the internet" in *my* own time and at *my* own pace. That means comfy at home with a great cup of coffee, music playing softly on the background, with lazy time on my hands (like right now 🙂).
It works beautifully for me...and that's what it's all about: what works for each of us.
Thanks for the detailed comment and the subscribe! It sounds like you have a very well thought out technology setup - very intentional! Keep up the good work and I hope you enjoy future videos :)
I open my phone with the intention to be productive and I’m immediately fighting the distractions. I have ADHD and separating “apps” from the smart phone is so helpful for every day function. I pick my MP3 player up i wont get distracted by some unrelated notification on it, its faster to pull my digital camera out than it was to go thru my apps in my phone to find the camera app. When i have to check my emails or my bank app or whatever because my apartment requires we pay rent thru an app, i use my tablet and i cant fit that in my pocket so its not the same distraction level as my smartphone. Plus idk call me paranoid but I’ve never felt comfortable using my phone as my wallet but thats just me.
1:08 Spencer wins the internet with "Enrique Iglesias" as a cover on his iPod! A great album.
Recently turned my old iPhone X in a black/white Spotify machine without internet and all apps removed from the home screen.
Still need to get in the groove of it, but I think it can help me be more intentional.
Currently use it in the gym already, which definitely helps with focus on sport.
I recognize my issue with stimulation and distraction, hope to get better with it soon!
The reason I love mp3 players, like an ipod is because I work in a warehouse environment. I can plug it directly into my speakers while carrying my phone on me to answer work calls. I never have to worry about losing signal and the sound quality is better. I had an ipod nano (RIP) and it even picked up local radio stations so I could listen to sports games on the FM signal... which is SO much better than on an app or website; better sound quality, no cutting out, less ads etc... I really wish they'd bring ipods back! Mine are all toast.
I've been carrying around iPods for about a year I'd say, and I love using that as my music player. I've cancelled my Spotify so I can own the songs that I have in my library. I still carry around a smartphone but I've taken steps to make it as least intrusive as possible.
Some steps I've taken to take control away from my smartphone are (feel free to suggest more, I'd love suggestions):
1) Turn off raise to wake and tap to wake
2) Deleted all social media apps that do NOT involve direct person to person communication (removed: reddit, instagram, youtube // kept: discord, snapchat)
3) Set my wallpapers to a solid color to make my phone less enticing
4) Deleted lots of apps I either don't use or don't want to use
5) Notification settings are incredibly strict (only notifications allowed: calls, texts, discord notifications cuz I use this to chat with IRL/online friends)
The transition to decentralizing from a smartphone can be expensive. I carry a Nokia 3210, Sony Walkman and Sony RX7 camera. It was worth the switch! Not only do I careless but I have almost zero distractions. I still have my Iphone SE but it's there for emergencies (when the going gets tough). Thank you for your video!
Coming at it as a musician, there is plenty to be said for single-use devices. A physical metronome is always going to be better for serious practice than an app on a smartphone; same goes for clip-on tuners/tuner pedals, because there’s nothing I love more than getting an ad for Royal Match when I just wanna tune my guitar or practice some scales!
I’ve started using a portable CD player again for this reason of “choose your own adventure”. Sometimes I want to listen to an album on my commute to work, and don’t want to have to deal with the distractions of my phone, nor the distractions of searching through Apple Music for something to listen to. Similarly I have a Paperwhite Kindle for when I don’t have the space for a physical book (or I don’t want the book to get damaged).
yeah I get the idea, but for I prefer adding friction on my current phone, i.e. removing unwanted apps, blocking apps for certain time or limiting the time usage. That way I don't need to spend more money on a new phone, plus buying an old iPod, modding it and all. I get it, it looks cool, but I'd rather add friction instead of adding all that extra spend...
Brand new smartphone: 500-1500 USD
Modded/refurbished iPod: $80-150 USD
Dumbphone: $50-150 USD
Do the math
A question everyone should ask themselves is:'Why do I feel the need to be constantly distracted and unaware of my surroundings?'
I had the same conundrum as you expressed and thought a lot about it. I looked at my needs and how I consume. I made the decision to go with an iPhone SE 3. Why? I can control what apps I install, it’s small so easy to use as a phone but sucks as a consumption device. It’s got 5g and eSIM so it’s future proof and I can hotspot with it wherever I travel. The camera is ok but not a replacement for a real camera. I’ll keep it for 5 years. one thing, it was really helped cut down my device usage.
My fiance and I both use smartphones, but we have talked about how nice things were when devices had specific purposes. Like using a laptop to web browse instead of always just picking up your phone (then getting stuck on social media apps, checking messages, checking tons of notifications, and not ever actually even checking what you got on for). I have over time sorta switched back to having some dedicated devices. She bought me an ipod for xmas one year cause I always wanted a dedicated music device again and we found refurbished 5th gen Nanos for cheap (the one I always wanted growing up). Have a laptop I use for gaming, one I use for video streaming and music production and general web browsing, and a tablet that I only use for reading. And it really does help to separate the tasks I want to do to prevent unnecessary distractions. It's possible one day we may ditch smart phones, but there are things with them that are somewhat necessary (I have to use a verification for my work sign ins for one, and I watch youtube on work breaks which is less a need but more a want for it, and researching things away from home when shopping around for things I may not know a lot about). Either way, it definitely does feel nice to be using some dedicated use devices again.
I don’t know why people want dumb phones?
I use my iPhone 14 Pro just for listening to music / podcasts or reading books .
And sometimes( because at work I have a phone provided by the company )I need it at work ( WhatsApp/ Teams ) .
I don’t use any social media app like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, instagram.
My smartphone is on silent 24/7 and even I choose what messages or phone calls to pick up!
Even photos I don’t do with it 😂
Do I need a dumb phone?
Fr💀
For my first phone i got a flip phone running Android. I've had this idea that i need a smart phone to be able to do things like certain jobs and stuff, but i think that's only what i want to think, not how it actually is. Also absolutely love the iPod classic
I use a nokia 2720 flip phone for text, calls and youtube (ad free by default mind you) and that basically covers my communications. I use a SONY mp3 player for music while walking or doing the groceries. As for photos I use an analogue AGFA 35 mm. Sure photos are low res (though I do like the grain and saturation) and I can only take like 36 from a single film, but at least I don't come back from a single day trip with 2000 photos that I'm probably never gonna look at ever again.
@@Pickle-k6q Yeah probably didn't use the right terminology, apologies.
I carry multiple devices. Turned the LG V60 into a digital music player that houses all of my music. An ipod does not have enough space to atore my library. Running wired in ear monitors. I also carry a 360 camera as well. The only thing i really use my phone for things that i really have to.
Love the idea, I had a "dumbphone year" myself some time ago. What keeps me from going back to dumbphone is banking applications, and other websites that require a smartphone to authenticate; any tricks about that?
I carry a phone, an mp3 player, a flashlight. My phone has a light and an mp3 player but the stand alone devices do those tasks much better.
Thanks dewd! Like your points of view. Another media method for a "wireless" FLAC player is a sandisk clip jam and Koss headphones. Just took the wires and taped them onto the two sides and top. Makes for high-fidelity that feels like you're just wearing headphones. A+ in my book :) I'm guessing people have probably done this with iPod shuffles etc too
I recently started to go back to an MP3 player. It's a Sony Walkman NW-A306. It can do everything a phone or tablet can, but I choose not to use it that way. I actually have songs on it too. It connects to the Bluetooth in my car. I don't need to deal with it not working if I don't have signal or WiFi and no notifications randomly come through. I still keep a smartphone because I use it to do delivery apps. I usually use my desktop computer when I'm home. I use a Garmin GPS in my car as it's far more accurate and gives me direct routes.
I use my ipod all the time going on walks or bike rides. Being able to use the click wheel to change the volume, go forwards or backwards, or play / pause is super useful. But one day I accidentally broke my ipod trying to open it. Started using an android phone with poweramp. The UI was nice, but I HATED taking the phone out of my pocket and turning the screen on just to jump through a long music mix or pause the track. It was so clunky. I ordered some new internal parts for my ipod off ebay and slapped it back together. Happy days once again 😊
If that phone had a sidekick styled keyboard, I’d be all for it. Texting with numbers is a nightmare
I was inspired by this vid to also go on a bit of a 'decentralization' journey! Thank you for so eloquently describing what I already had been feeling.
Good point well made, I'm following suit, ive went back to the late 90s
It's definitely hard to break free from the chains that bind us. Employers now requiring two-factor among other things makes it a bit more difficult to get rid of smartphones. A dumbed down android phone running an e-ink would be a good alternative, but then you have to worry about security.
Fantastic points made there Spencer, I'm becoming more and more with you on all this. You're right in all of it, companies/governments are wanting us to go to a cashless society, use one piece of technology for everything, only listen to them so that you don't see what's really good on etc.
I do need to invest in an iPod I think again. It's more to carry yes but I've had that most of my life with different devices like an ipod/mp3 player plus a wallet, plus a phone lol
Glad I'm winning you over buddy! Yeah if you can't find an iPod that's a good deal there are some good alternatives on Amazon. The Sandisk ClipJam I mentioned before I've heard good things about, and I've seen the HIFI Walker 2 also recommended frequently. Maybe I'll test those out in a future video. Hope you're well buddy!
@@spencers-adventures definitely, it wouldn't have taken much though 😉 oh niceone yes that woukd be great if you could! I'll look those up! I just got a steam deck so that's a whole other level for me as I don't do pc gaming lol
@@adamwragg4606 I'm gonna recommend Elite Obsolete Electronics, this dude sells ready-to-use iPods, even modded ones. This is the guy I bought my first iPod from and I've grown my collection from there. (I admit I got into iPods cuz of Dank Pods)
Wow! You are sooooooo right! This is what I do. And exactly for the reasons you describe, but I never managed to articulate it as well as you. Well done.
Thank you very much for the kind words! Glad to hear we’re in line on this thinking
I have been using my iPod for 20 years now. Mostly in my car. No interruptions.
im with you. im carrying ipod classic 6th gen.. and iphone se 1st gen 16gb.. for the literal basics of the basics.. call.. text… imessage.. facetime.. and messenger.. thats it.. no email etc.. i even uninstalled 1st party apps from apple that are not really needed.. im down with 1gb storage left.. and im still surviving.. loving this tad bit simplicity.
What's the name of the song at the end of your videos? I really like your channel, keep it up! 😊
I’m glad you are enjoying! The song is actually a little western-style track I wrote for the outro - we can call it The Song With No Name for now 🐎
i really want to do an experiment like this. a dumb phone, an mp3 player (if i don’t find my ipod laying around somewhere) and a film camera, truly enjoy a detox.
It’s such a nice detox as you said. Hard to go full bore into that forever with our smart world, but certainly great tools to disconnect and get back some sanity!
Makes me think of that old Bible verse that says “The way to Hell is wide, and the path to Heaven is narrow”, point being that sometimes the harder path is the best one to take. Love the video, God bless you my man! ❤
Thanks for sharing that verse :) appreciate the comment!
My iPhone is like my Swiss Army Knife. It's an invaluable multitool I can't do without, but I control what apps are in it and carefully manage how they function. Even then, smartphones are practical for certain things and shouldn't be used for everything even though they literally can. The screens are too small for certain things like watching TH-cam or reading. For these I either use a tablet or a computer. And tablets are not practical for things like word processing or video editing. For these I use a computer with a keyboard and mouse.
When I go camping, I take my iPhone to check the weather, maps, listen to music, take photos, and other things that allow me to enjoy the experience of camping, and because I manage what apps I have and how the apps I have function, I'm not distracted by things like social media because I don't let them find me. And not bringing my tablet or computer allows me to avoid doing other things that take away from the experience of camping. Other than my phone, I just bring a solar powered battery charger for the phone and a camping stove for myself:p
No dumb phones, no mp3s, just CDs. When I'm outside, I don't need music as a distraction, period
I really liked the video! I also carry an iPod for my audio needs and just started my digital library in order to get rid of streaming services. The phone on the other hand is something I really would like to do, but it makes communication with my family and friends really convenient, however I resourced to having a limited on my iPhone, so I just limit social media to a couple 15 min a day and after a couple of days I didn't even use the 15 minutes. It has been a game changer, but you still need some will power. I thought putting a limiter was not going to make the difference, but having that little barrier actually helped me. So anyone who can't give up their phone, but want to, give this a try, just limit the apps that are consuming your time and stick to it.
Great tip! I think that’s a perfect way to get the most from your smartphone while minimizing distraction. Glad you enjoyed the video!
In the end we're all different and everyone has their own preferences and needs. in my case I carry just a dumbphone (Nokia 105, the old 2015 one) and no music player because I rarely go out somewhere alone and so I'm always entertained, but I can definitely understand carrying an iPod, I would carry one too if I'd ever need music on the go, though in my opinion, nothing beats a cheap pocket FM radio, whipping out the aerial and enjoying a good radio station :) but in the end, just use whatever works for you and suits you best and that's it, enjoy the peace and simple living!
There’s nothing wrong with having separate devices, iPhones and androids are starting to become a problem. I’m getting tired of the smartphone and I’m getting tired of the dings and beeps! I like technology but i don’t want it in my pocket all the time. It’s annoying.
Exactly, and personally I feel we can do things with tech a lot better the more something has a specialized niche instead of piling them together at the cost of quality in all areas weakening because it's spread out the more you add
You’re the best, dude:) I look forward to every video you do! So helpful and fun! :)
I'm so glad to have your positive attitude in the comments every video buddy! It means a lot!!
@@spencers-adventures Always, my brother 🙌
It's astonishing to hear the death of the point-and-click, just from having been a kid a little more than 10 years ago seeing every parent at the auditorium with one flashing every second at a time while we performed whichever school play. It really is telling of the times seeing how widespread consumerism has allured.