Mastodawn

This $450 Semi-Dumb Phone Is Barely Even a Phone

“Meadow gives you some apps along with calls and texts, but don’t plan on having a big contact list.”

It limits you to 12 contacts.

The premise–a mostly dumb phone with some access to music and navigation only–isn’t bad but the execution is. I don’t want to be locked into some very specific apps in my semi-dumb phone. The article also makes this good point:

The deal becomes even less appealing when you consider that you can just, you know, buy an actual dumb phone for around $50 if you’re really that hellbent on taking a break from TikTok.

This $450 Semi-Dumb Phone Is Barely Even a Phone

Meadow gives you some apps along with calls and texts, but don't plan on having a big contact list.

Gizmodo

PMmeTrebuchets 7h ago

All of these people buying dumb phones instead of just downloading a text launcher on their phone and calling it a day. Like I’m not about to go waste money on a dumb phone when I can (1) set up a text based launcher and (2) uninstall Instagram. I have a perfectly good Samsung, and I’ve switched to using it more as a tool than a source of dopamine.

Too many peopl fall for the hype of these objects bc it’s easier than taking accountability, and easier than taking the initiative to do something on your own.

other_cat 7h ago

I’m not sure what you mean by text launcher. Do you mean like a custom launcher that only displays text and not icons?

PMmeTrebuchets 7h ago

Yeah, sorry, I could have worded that better. I use o launcher pro (but the free version works great). There are others, that’s just the one I use. No icons, no notification badges, nada. I set my phone to grayscale unless I’m taking a photo.

other_cat 7h ago

Oh, no notification badges sounds heavenly. I don’t consider myself addicted to my phone but I do get twitchy if I see any dots or anything.

WhatsHerBucket 6h ago

If you’re on iOS you can disable the notification badges.

calliope 5h ago

I turn off notifications for every device I have, other than things like text messages.

I don’t know how people can stand all the badges and stuff.

Che Banana 4h ago

you had me up to the point where you own a Samsung…lol

James R Kirk 7h ago

I love these semi-smart phones coming out but none of them check all the boxes for me. The Light Phone has maps on it now which makes it the best, IMO.

other_cat 7h ago

Sometimes I wish I could just smash a dumb phone and a raspberry pi together and just Build-A-Phone haha.

Wish phones could be more like computers, just build your own for your needs. I know there was project Ara but that did not work out great I think.

PabloSexcrowbar 3h ago

IIRC it got slurped up into Google and sold for parts.

I like the idea of a smartphone that uses off-the-rack components for everything except for the screen, which should be e-ink. You don’t have to worry about apps not working, but it incentivizes you to put the thing down.

James R Kirk 3h ago

100% this is a great idea

It limits you to 12 contacts.

What do I do with the other nine contact spaces?

Marshezezz 6h ago

Same. I think I legitimately could narrow down my list to less than 12

Schwim Dandy 4h ago

Pretty clearly a cash grab aimed at people that need to show others that they own a dumb phone.

Seems like it would be really useful as an excuse to be able to tell people that you can’t or didn’t get their calls because your phone won’t let you, and as evidence show them that your phone is a weird shape

I can’t even think of five people people I’d want in my contacts, let alone twelve. Who’s this phone for? Extreme extroverts with an Instagram addiction?