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    My phone is an ereader now

    (www.davepagurek.com)
    327 points wonger_ | 12 comments | 31 Aug 25 02:58 UTC | HN request time: 0.002s | source | bottom
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    colingauvin ◴[31 Aug 25 11:30 UTC] No.45082362[source]▶
    I picked up one of these and have been having a number of issues, but have somehow managed to stick with it and my life is much improved as a result. Device usage has been much, much more intentional. I wouldn't say I'm cured of my scrolling addiction, but the time I spend scrolling has been relegated to just the latest hours of the night, and even then, significantly less.

    The trick about this phone is that because it is full fat Android, everything is possible. But because it is low refresh rate black and white screen with a physical keyboard, everything is also a pain in the ass. Rather than hear a chat message notification and immediately get the urge to pull out my phone and engage, I actually now get slightly annoyed because typing out a proper response with proper grammar is going to be a pain in the ass.

    The company is pretty lousy and doesn't communicate well. They have missed every single deadline they've ever set for themselves. The software is glitchy but usable (I have all the same issues mentioned in the article with the autocorrect, refresh settings, fingerprint, etc). All those things are fixable and hopefully do.

    The phone itself is very weak hardware and the screen protector and case still haven't shipped. I had my phone in my back pocket and it did not survive that, I got two cracks along the edge and a slight bend. Still works though, but I have switched it to my front pocket.

    Android Auto works great in both my vehicles, so maps/navigation are not an issue. Bitwarden works. Duo auth works. Banking apps work. Roon works. Podcasts work. Things that I need, that other dumb phones can't provide.

    But the critical thing is, I am trying to avoid using the phone because it is just a pain in the ass to do things on. For this, honestly, I'd pay 10x the list price because it has given me so much of my life back. I actually had a mini crisis when I realized I was bored, with nothing to do in the evenings after work, because I had so much time back. (Don't worry, channeling that time into productive hobbies now).

    I would highly highly highly recommend this if you want to spend less time on your phone but need certain functions a smartphone provides.

    replies(4): >>45082407 #>>45082432 #>>45082447 #>>45083104 #
    1. jama211 ◴[31 Aug 25 11:46 UTC] No.45082447[source]▶
    We live in a strange world when people are intentionally making their devices worse to use to try and discourage themselves from using them
    replies(5): >>45082570 #>>45082769 #>>45084151 #>>45084738 #>>45092680 #
    2. colingauvin ◴[31 Aug 25 12:10 UTC] No.45082570[source]▶
    It started when I had my first kid and he wouldn't sleep and I would lay there awake all night just thinking of all the stressors in my life. I'd use the phone to distract myself. Then that gradually just turned into a crutch for all stress. That was pretty hard to stop.

    I've tried a number of different things but nothing stuck. I've had this phone for a few months now and it has really done the trick.

    replies(2): >>45082800 #>>45083992 #
    3. LeifCarrotson ◴[31 Aug 25 12:48 UTC] No.45082769[source]▶
    It's like candy - so tasty that you can't stop eating it until you're diabetic and obese. People will absolutely structure their diets to make them "worse" (less tasty) because they want, at a higher level than their taste buds want sugar, to stay healthy.

    A trillion dollar industry exists to profit off of gluing eyeballs to screens. Making the device other than what this industry designed it to be is not self-sabotage, it's self-interested!

    Read "Supernormal Stimuli" by Barrett for some other examples of this phenomenon.

    replies(2): >>45082960 #>>45084378 #
    4. rpdillon ◴[31 Aug 25 12:56 UTC] No.45082800[source]▶
    This is a a microcosm of so much addiction, at least in my experience. Friction really matters in giving your mind a moment to pause and consider. I think adding friction by getting a less capable phone is a great technique, similarly to how I'd hide the candy/alcohol/TV remotes if folks in the house are addicted. It doesn't remove the opportunity, but it makes it tougher.
    5. gyomu ◴[31 Aug 25 13:20 UTC] No.45082960[source]▶
    Yep, exactly this. If I have anything with sugar in the house, it'll get consumed in 24-48h. The solution is to just not have anything with sugar in the house.

    If I want to splurge with a chocolate or ice cream bar, I take a walk to my corner store and buy just one, and eat it right away. It's extremely cost inefficient compared to if I bought a gallon of ice cream from the store, but that's not what I'm optimizing for here.

    6. solaire_oa ◴[31 Aug 25 15:35 UTC] No.45083992[source]▶
    This happened for me as well. It adds insult to injury that lying awake, unable to sleep properly for months straight, doomscrolling (or just being online too much) further saps your mental health in an already drained and depressed state.

    It's a pretty messed up negative feedback loop. If you find yourself in this state, audiobooks are a good alternative.

    7. matthewfcarlson ◴[31 Aug 25 15:55 UTC] No.45084151[source]▶
    Individuals are going up against corporations spending millions if not billions on R&D to figure out how to make their products “stickier” or habit forming. Can you blame people for pursuing more aggressive approaches to try and reset their habits?
    replies(1): >>45086173 #
    8. mapontosevenths ◴[31 Aug 25 16:23 UTC] No.45084378[source]▶
    I've been using an nfc card based thing called brick to add friction and halt doomscrolling.

    Essentially I use my normal phone, but lock specific apps. To unlock those apps I must scan the nfc card I keep in my car. That means getting up and going outside.

    That tiny bit of added friction has cut my screentime in half and made me more productive, and less stressed.

    There are other devices like it now, for example Bloom.

    9. numpad0 ◴[31 Aug 25 16:58 UTC] No.45084738[source]▶
    Is this common behavior with other addictive substances? e.g. mixing bitterants trying to weaken own addiction?

    wait a minute, from behavioral science perspectives, does it work as intended, or does it work against the aim?

    replies(1): >>45087739 #
    10. jama211 ◴[31 Aug 25 19:19 UTC] No.45086173[source]▶
    I mean, whatever works man. That bean knitting app is kinda neat too
    11. halgir ◴[31 Aug 25 22:40 UTC] No.45087739[source]▶
    Apropos mixing bitterants, it's quite common to apply a bitter nail varnish to help people stop biting their nails. Not an addictive substance, but an addictive behavior.
    12. ikr678 ◴[01 Sep 25 13:50 UTC] No.45092680[source]▶
    Adding/reducing friction is a reliable way to change behaviour, and the companies know this too.

    I dont save my card details to prefill, I don't use nfc payments and I keep a low balance in the transaction account my debit card, in order to be more intentional about my spending.