(is a meme allowed here?)

from left to right, top to bottom:

• current library book (trying to go at least once every two weeks, if not every week)
• kyocera ky-42c (northeastern US, my daily driver for 6 months this august)
• ipad (only use for health apps + drawing)
• sonic wallet (sick as hell)
• car keys (car keys)
• sony WF C701N earbuds (hard to see but they're clear plastic, also sick as hell)

not pictured:

• kodak pixpro c1 (used to take the picture, only really carry to special events like concerts/parties)
• prozac (elaborated on below)

the backstory:

>i used to be super deep into social media, since i had previously made accounts on tiktok/instagram to showcase my cosplay projects. during the pandemic some of my videos blew up, and keeping up with comments/making more content meant that my screentime hit double digit hours. the attention felt like crack during my manic episodes, and i'm embarrassed to admit that i've spent thousands of dollars on filming equipment and cosplay supplies for characters i didn't really know or care about just because i knew it'd get views. during lows i wasn't immune, since the rude comments (and there were plenty, given that it's social media) got under my skin even more than usual and i felt the obsessive need to monitor and filter all negativity from my online experience. this also fed into doomscrolling, which lead to constant pressure to comment on any and all social movements that were happening at the time. it was exhausting having to constantly monitor everything i did, both online and IRL (since my coworkers were starting to get my videos on their feed, which is something that still creeps me out to this day) to ensure that i didn't say or do anything that wasn't "correct".

>at some point i asked myself if i really wanted to keep performing for tens of thousands of strangers on the internet daily, and realized the answer was a resounding NO. i immediately deleted the social media accounts that were algorithm-only, realized that i enjoyed the peace of mind, and slowly began purging all social media from there. in early 2025 i started contemplating the idea of moving to a dumbphone, but was a bit hesitant given my previous spending problems. as a sort of middle ground, i bought a $40 tcl flip 2 off of ebay and told myself that i could upgrade to something nicer if i stuck with it for six months. i was able to keep that promise to myself, and now i'm rocking the much-sleeker kyocera ky-42c (my only regret is not splurging a little and getting the red one, but oh well!).

>i want to make it clear that this is a summarization of a process that took place over 5 years, that the process was NOT easy, and that some days it is tempting to give up and go back to that life.

>(as an aside: i wish the sub had a little more grace for younger people who are just starting out and asking "dumb" questions about changing from a lifestyle they've probably only ever grown up knowing, but that's a rant for another day)

the current:

>i've been off of social media and using a dumbphone for a year now and i can't ever imagine remaking my accounts, let alone going back to a smartphone. i don't want to pretend that cutting out social media and getting rid of my smart phone completely cured all of my mental health issues immediately, but it was a huge factor in finally getting out of online echo chambers and going to therapy/starting medication and i feel like i wouldn't have sought help if i was still worrying about "looking crazy" or "attention seeking".

>i don't want to credit prozac completely for my recovery either, but it feels like i've had the toolbox all along and prozac was just the key to actually opening it. i've always known logically that going to the gym, reading, and/or talking to others in real life would make me feel better, but i never had the energy or mental wellbeing to actually do so. i'm still hoping that i can get off of it in the future, but for now it's made me function like an actual human being again and i wish the stigma around it hadn't kept me from pursuing it sooner.

>the newfound stability also means that i'm able to work a fulltime job, something i'm ashamed to admit that i was too depressed to even imagine doing beforehand. i still cosplay here and there (as well as drawing and writing, other hobbies i was too miserable to make time for), but now i can actually focus my time and energy on smaller, more in-depth projects that i'm actually proud of instead of churning out massive amounts of expensive slop to cash in on social media trends.

>even more exciting: with the savings i've built up, i've been able to pay off debts that i accrued during the pandemic, and am now able to focus on travelling/visiting friends for the first time in almost a decade. i've never left the east coast before, and now i'm able to actually plan for travelling to other continents- something i never would have considered a year ago!

TLDR:

>during the pandemic i got rid of social media, and the time away from the internet made me realize that refusing to address/treat my mental health was only making my life worse. i got rid of my social media/smartphone, went to therapy, got medicated, and now i feel like i'm able to live for the first time in years. i've gone from 'trying to force social media as a job while being constantly miserable offscreen' to 'working a full-time job, keeping my hobbies as hobbies, and using my phone for 30 minutes a day tops'.

AGM M9 4G - Reliable phone for calls and texts. Anything like banking or WhatsApp I just use on my computer.

iPhone 3GS - Basically an iPod with notes and a few games.

AirPods Pro 3 - 👂.

I've been using my Samsung Folder 2 for a while now and I love it so much. Though the downside for me is the battery.. it doesn't even last a day.

I was thinking about getting the MIVE Sytle folder 2 because of the better battery and newer Android version.

Does anyone have experience with using it long term? :)

Even if it's designed for "seniors"... just... why.

TCL Flip 3 running KaiOS. Dude what the hell.

Fellas,

I’m 42 and I’ve never ever used smart phones. I’ve only used Nokia and Samsung dumb phones before.

When HMD released the new 3210 I immediately bought it. Honestly it turned out to be below my expectations and what it should/could have been.

Anyway, recently I dropped it to water, dried it with silica, now it’s working except one button and the backlight is always on. It’s still useable but I want to use it as an excuse to get a new one.

I live in Turkey, not all brands and models are available here. Still many options…

I want a relatively newer dumbphone with 4G, user friendly os, responsive/fast buttons and os, and durable battery. I’m not using the camera but it could as well have one.

What’s your recommendations?

I’ve searched but couldn’t find a general review post. Sorry if I’ve missed it, a link could do…

Thanks in advance,

Testing Java games on the Qin F21 Pro using a Java emulator. I didn't expect it to run this well! Here's some gameplay. Does anyone else still use this phone or play Java games?

i’m almost done setting up my phone, and i’m honestly surprised by how much this little thing can handle. this is the kyocera digno ketai 3 (903kc), and so far texting, calling, and using data have all been working great. :)

i really miss when phones looked like this. i’ve found myself doomscrolling way less, and it’s made me appreciate conversations and being present a little more. i’m still keeping my iphone around for banking and a few apps, but i can definitely see why people love these.

what dumb phone do you use? :) would love to hear your stories!

Me encanta el concepto de los dumbphones.

Realmente no puedo prescindir de mi smartphone principal para gestionar cosas del día a día, así que suelo utilizar a ratos un dumbphone.

Llevo días mirando el Commodore Calback 8020 FE y al final me he decidido a comprarlo. Estoy deseando que llegue aunque todavía tendré que esperar un poco.

Estoy loco?

- Field Notes Notebook
- Sharpie S-gel 0.7
- Modded 3DS
- Camillus knife
- Sony NWE394/B MP3 Player
- Zyn
- AT&T Cingular Flex 2 Smart Flip (Cricket)
- Wallet

I've thought about switching to a dumbphone for a long time. What spurred me to bite the bullet was that my four year old, who copies everything I do, had started making lego/paper phones and pretend to be scrolling.

We don't let our kids use any smart devices for obvious reasons and I figured there's no reason not to hold myself to the same standard.

The benefits outweighed the inconvenience right away. Just the fact of not having my smartphone in my pocket feels freeing. I have more free time, I can read a book or hold a conversation without the voices telling me to check my phone every 10 seconds, and I have more time to be present with my family.

Now for the practical details, I work remotely in IT. I do require my smartphone for 2-factor authentication (for what I couldn't switch to SMS) so I deleted 75% of the apps and it sits across the room. There was one day where I reinstalled Facebook to look for something on marketplace--and I was having trouble signing in on my laptop--Immediately I caught myself randomly opening the app and scrolling without even thinking so it got deleted again.

Navigation-wise the Cingular Flex 2 has KaiOS and a rather-challenging-to-use Google Maps app, but it gets me where I need to go. I will admit I've grown a bit more dependent on my wife, who still has a smartphone (shes talking about making the switch too), for directions, googling stuff, etc..

My favorite thing about my EDC is my pocket notebook, in which I write stuff I want to look up later, notes to put in my Obsidian vault, grocery lists, to do lists, doodles, etc..

Finally, I want to thank this community for probably changing my life, y'all are awesome.

I was recently considering updating my flip 2 when I saw that the flip 4 5g had come out, but quickly dropped that idea when I heard it didn't have android os. Is there a newer phone comparable to the Flip 2 in terms of features while still being android?

My main draw is that it has no touchscreen, like the Cat S22, because that seems like its pretty much a smartphone imo.

I guess im just hoping for a more capable Flip 2 style phone that has an updated version of android, but I want to hear everyone's opinions.

I'm using my s20 fe 5g for 3 years now so do I need a battery change ? Please help !