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Ask HN: Who has ditched their phone and what is your replacement?

by assemblylang on 6/29/22, 6:26 PM with 38 comments

Hello HN, who here doesn't use a phone and what do you use as a replacement?

I've been using my phone less and less these days, and it feels like a chore to use a modern phone now. Touch interface is slow and imprecise, apps and webapps are slow, bloated, and keep removing useful features, adblock on some systems are clunky or non-existent, VoIP and SMS are basically dead, the interface changes nearly every year (on android at least), and many other small grievances. I can get things done so much quicker on a computer with a keyboard compared to the touch interface on a phone, using a keyboard and a full desktop environment is so precise, quick, and just enjoyable to use.

However, I am still hanging onto my phone for a few legacy uses, what are some good replacements for these:

* Mobile wifi * VoIP * SMS

Also, I am still interested in mobile computing as a concept, I've looked into the pinephone and that may be a good replacement for me in the future (keyboard attachment, linux apps), but am fine completely ditching mobile computing and just carrying around a small, light laptop if I can't find an ergonomic mobile replacement.

Anyone ditch their phone, how do you get by without it?

  • by Gnarl on 6/29/22, 9:43 PM

    I have no cellphone. Not since ~2003 when I finally cancelled my cellphone subscription altogether. That was GSM/flip-phone. Never got a smartphone. I have a fancy business landline phone on my desk with an address book, different ringtones (VIP/client, friends etc.) and an answering machine.

    I am a freelance consultant for 20 years. I never lost a client or a job over not being reachable by cellphone 24/7. I return emails and calls asap when I get home. When I make appointments to meet someone, I always arrange a plan-b. No phone-call-micro-managing needed, like "where are you standing..?". I arrange beforehand a main meeting spot and an alternate spot. I am patient and can wait 15 minutes, no problem. I print out bus & train time tables, maps of the area with routes marked and have an offline map viewer (Cruiser) on my laptop if needed. That, and a sense of direction is all I need to get around.

    The main reason for dropping cellphones is that they give me headaches and other neurological symptoms. Yes, its the RF and I don't care what people think of that. Its the RF.

    The other reason for never getting a smartphone is that I had a PalmPilot once (a non-wireless handheld computer), and I would load websites onto it for offline browsing while commuting. Soon I realized that the constant context-switching had fragmented my attention so by the time I reached the office, I could hardly concentrate. Now I carry books and a notepad in my backpack. Much better for my brain.

  • by rg111 on 6/29/22, 9:08 PM

    Maybe, not the answer you are you are looking for, but I replaced the phone, with a... phone, but without a SIM card.

    So much peace now. I use VOIP through Telegram and Signal. I use email.

    I get extremely fine-grained control over who can reach me, and when can I be reached.

    I made this switch since February, 2020, and my life became better by 10-15% better automatically.

    My phone hasn’t rang and I hadn't answered in the last 2.5 years. I love this.

    So much better for mental health and wellbeing.

    Now, I talk, but only with prior notice.

  • by runjake on 6/29/22, 10:11 PM

    I haven't ditched my iPhone, it's too useful and it's more secure than any dumb phone I've peeked under the hood at.

    Instead, I've just invested in my own willpower and worked on not spending all my time on it -- albeit sometimes this involves deleting apps.

  • by PaulHoule on 6/29/22, 6:31 PM

    For years I've used Skype on a PC. With Skype you can create and fund an account with a credit card than it takes to wait in line to wait in line at the AT&T store. Microsoft looks positively customer-centric compared to the wireless industry.

    The minus is that some services will accept and send SMS to Skype and others won't. If you want to register on, say, OkCupid, Skype won't work.

    I have looked into services you can connect a SIP phone to and the story is depressing. There are numerous vendors who are beyond sketchy who are priced similarly to Skype, but the reputable vendors are $20 a month or more.

    I’ve also used Skype on numerous tablets, both android and iOS. The experience is a lot like using a phone but better. For one thing upstate NY has cell phone dead spots bigger than some European countries, my farm is in one of them. Since every gas station has free WiFi I get better phone coverage with my tablet than with a cell phone.

  • by simonblack on 6/30/22, 8:03 AM

    While I haven't ditched my smartphone, I rarely use it as a smartphone. I generally use it as a plain old phone (audio only) and a camera. You could probably remove everything else from my phone and I wouldn't notice it.

    For everything else I use a desktop computer. That has a resolution of 1920x1080 on a 27" screen, which will be upgraded in a week or so to 2840x2160 on a 43" screen.

    I dislike intensely using those tiny little phone screens for anything serious. I liken those as being the same as restricting yourself to performing "keyhole surgery". Sure you can do it, but why would you put yourself through the hassle?

  • by muzani on 6/30/22, 6:34 AM

    A smart watch actually works quite well for communication - urgent messages and calls. It's not a full replacement, but I've been able to keep my phone away without worrying that I'm missing out on anything important.

  • by sjtindell on 6/29/22, 8:41 PM

    Google maps is hard to replace for me, being out with friends and someone says “here’s my address” and we just map it, too easy.

  • by d--b on 6/29/22, 9:49 PM

    2-factor-authentication is the biggest hurdle. I need the smartphone to do anything bank related and work related

  • by alexklarjr on 6/29/22, 9:33 PM

    idk but ios is much better ui than any desktop os.

    I used ipod touch for ditching mobile surveillance for good since 2012, about 6 years ago i started using ipad mini. At some point I thought about getting iphone max modded to remove lte modem, but I heard they might not activate, and ipad mini is even better for video calls and actual work.

    The good thing is apple does no want your phone or card for services if you not buying anything and top notch privacy browser is just enough to have access to any app possible, if built in/free apps are not enough.

    I still have phone number registered to my flat and have voip redirection / recordings sent to my self hosted mail.

  • by ggktk on 6/29/22, 10:39 PM

    I haven't ditched my phone, but ever since I started using a Macbook, I have been only using my iPhone maybe 10 minutes a day (mostly in the bathroom). I read/write SMS, browse photos, toggle hotspot etc. from the Macbook.

  • by digisign on 6/29/22, 9:14 PM

    I got a nice Casio PRO-TREK watch with all the fixins (sans wireless) for hiking.

    Am in the market for an enthusiast mirrorless camera, but haven't yet pulled the trigger. Some of them have wifi, which I'm trying to avoid.

  • by daly on 6/30/22, 12:45 AM

    Ditched my cell phone over a year ago. I have a landline hanging on the wall.

    I "get by without a cell phone" just fine. People who want / need to speak to me call.