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Ask HN: Recommendations for ‘minimalist’ (e.g. not too ‘smart’) phones?

22 points by lostgame ↗ HN
Hello HN:

My close friend and I had a conversation today about doomscrolling, and I think it finally kicked me into gear.

I’m an iOS developer for a living, and I am just oversaturated at this point from the entire smartphone experience. I’m tired of the constant feeds and notifications, and while I am aware I can turn them off and change certain settings, I am finally ready to just keep my iPhone as a device I develop for/on, like my MacBook; and find an alternative.

I am impressed by this ‘Punkt’ phone[0, and I like that it can still be used to tether, and supports Signal, even - but for the feature set it seems kind of expensive.

Can anyone here at HN, who I’m sure has been in a similar situation - offer some advice on models to pick? I’m ideally looking for something around $300-400.

[0] https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09NRKVYF4/ref=cm_sw_r_api_i_CW2GWFATNPKSRG54EV1F_0

32 comments

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imnotjames
I like a lot of the light phone 2 but similar to the punkt the price tag for features is really lacking.

Plus, that battery.. ehh..

peterfarkas
On certain Android devices (Samsung, or Xiaomi's MIUI,for example) there is a mode called Ultra Battery Mode, or Battery Saving Mode, which only allows you to pick 6 apps, and in exchange the phone will run for a week on one charge. I actually use it for this specific reason - helps to focus and shuts off the constant stream of notifications. I think you would be able to get one even cheaper than your budget, as most models would have this feature. The good and bad thing about it is that you can switch it off and use it as a normal phone if you would like to.
Buttons840
Does limiting to 6 apps enable that? Or is the 6 app limit just marketing or part of the theme?
arbeitandy
With my pixel 5 running android 12/13, the similar mode is called 'extreme battery saver' - it felt like that's available for all android phones? I disabled most apps in extreme battery saver mode except for the podcast and map app. Then kept the phone running in extreme battery saver mode 24/7. only enabling email app temporarily during lunch hours. - running like that, a full charge usually lasts more than 2 days and the phone is super quiet and fast.
peterfarkas
My friend's OnePlus does not have it, that's why I threaded lightly with saying that it should be available on all Android devices. But I guess you are right, and it should be available on the vast majority of them.
mindslight
How about just not installing all of the user-hostile apps on your main phone? For the longest time I ran a microg/f-droid phone that only had Free software like Conversations, Element, DAVx (CalDAV), OsmAnd, etc. There were very few notifications, because it wasn't running any software that was made by people who wanted to spam me.

For engaging with the surveillance economy, I use a different device (a few, actually). There's always a whole bunch of notifications waiting on the home screen, but it's silenced and I only pick it up for specific tasks so who cares. Most of the time I don't even bother to clear the notifications.

gandalfff
Get a Windows phone
lostgame
Uhh...about a decade too late, there...
gandalfff
This would be for someone who wants a smartphone that can only function as a dumb phone.
twobitshifter
You could try a iphone 13 mini with screentime. Or just screentime on your ios device.
lostgame
I just hit 'ignore', lol - there's definitely a lack of self control I am absolutely well aware of - but I've only recently quit alcohol; I think I need to take it one thing at a time. A device that is actually limited in its functionality will help the most, right away.
crossroadsguy
Seriously. This is such an absurd feature. You hit “ignore” twice and then again maybe again and bingo! You essentially rendered the feature useless.

It should have an option to completely block access for the time and maybe nothing less than a horrible authorisation allows you to override that.

lostgame
Right? Like...a series of passwords or something...alongside some big red warning screen...idk...

The feature, as-is - is not just useless; but borderline hilarious.

frxx
I was thinking to do the same thing and have been considering an eInk phone like the Hisense A5. I'm thinking the eInk screen will take the fun out of many things, but will still allow you to message your friends/family. They're not cheap and some of them don't allow custom roms, and I gotta say, I would like a smaller one than the ones I found on the market, but still an option.

Another idea is to turn your phone to BW mode. In iOS this is possible with the accessibility color filter, for Android there should be an option in the developer options. I'm using that for now and I think it helps a lot.

jkcchan
iPhone SE is a good compromise if you don't want to fully make the switch. The smaller screen is hard to watch media so I don't have any media apps on my phone.
thenerdhead
I wrote a book on this topic (link in my bio).

Would love to give you a copy if you're struggling to find boundaries with your phone.

lostgame
I would truly love that. My email is in my profile.
anthonyhn
I have an old Nokia N900 phone that runs a custom alpine linux-based rom (postmarketOS). Given the limited hardware resources, small screen size, and sliding keyboard, you'll be mostly running terminal applications on this phone (some GUI apps works but the experience is mixed). There are some unofficial terminal clients for Signal [0], and iirc hacker news works with the lynx terminal browser. The N900 might work for this scenario as a feature-minimal phone, but depends on your use cases.

[0] https://github.com/boxdot/gurk-rs

selfhoster11
Worth mentioning that at least on my N900 stock Maemo, battery life is pretty crap and totally unpredictable. In my experience it’s as likely to discharge in 4 hours, as it is to last 9 hours and still have some charge.

That said, N900 was an amazing breath of fresh air compared to the stifling monopoly of iOS and Android, and actually worked unlike modern Linux phones.

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gerbler
Not sure if this is an option, bit I have a pixel 3 Android and have explored a few custom launchers to achieve this.

Currently I use "minimalist phone", I've also used Siempo. Both are amazing, cut down on phone clutter and allow you to aggressively manage notifications.

matt_s
Don’t install doom scrolling apps especially any social media or news. I find food, travel and maps apps helpful. Also notes, todos and your preinstalled phone stuff.

If your argument against that is you’ll end up in the browser on those sites then maybe try correcting the behaviors. Like if you wanted to lose weight and eliminated all junk food in your house but still end up at the gas station buying candy, soda, chips and crap then address the behaviors because tricking yourself isn’t going to address the root cause.

selfhoster11
In my experience, keep the iPhone and build some self-control. Have separate phones for work and YouTube. Avoid social media apps like the plague (because they really are a plague on attention).
nicbou
It's easier to make a regular smartphone minimalist than to buy a minimalist smartphone. Do the environment a favour.

My iPad is disconnected from everything else. It's made to draw and read, nothing more. It has only 4 apps and all notifications are turned off.

My smartphone is also very quiet, because I aggressively disabled notifications. I only get instant messages and calls. Everything else is off. If that's too much, there's silent mode.

idatum
I also take this approach with a low-end Pixel. Only a Signal message or call notifies.

No social media apps also key.

prirun
This works great for me. I have only a few apps, like a piano tuner, don't use Safari on my phone, and its peaceful. The key to me is to stop looking at the phone as a computer and use it just for texting and calls.

I bought a refurb, like-new, unlocked iPhone XR 64GB in 2020 for $500 on eBay to replace an Android phone, because Google's forced updates kept breaking basic phone features, like zooming a picture. I had updates and WiFi disabled, but somehow they managed to shove updates on me anyway. That and their constant nagging for more permissions for basic things like texting and speech-to-text.

jjice
One route you could go is using an old android phone that just makes using it painful. My old phone would crash while opening Snap chat or taking a picture. Definitely made me use it less.

Needless to say, I bought a decent phone and just heavily rely on scheduled "do not disturb". YMMV

robbiejs
Im using an android phone and the paid app appblock which works great. You can have a friend setup a passcode so you cannot deactivate the restrictions yourself,