In Praise of the Dumbphone
Posted: July 30th, 2010 | Author: Dan Misener | Filed under: CBC, phones, tech | 7 Comments »It’s been a summer of mobile phone announcements. The Droid X. The iPhone 4. The Blackberry 9800 is expected to be announced on Tuesday. And there’s been a lot of talk: “Should I upgrade to the new iPhone 4?” “Should I switch to an Android?”
Strangely, there’s little talk of downgrading to a “dumbphone.” You know, a plain old cell phone that makes calls, sends texts, and not much else.
About six weeks ago, I sold my used iPhone 3G, and I’ve been living with just such a dumbphone: a Motorola L7. As it turns out, I’m not the only one living life without a data plan and full QWERTY keyboard. Only 15-17% of the world’s cell phones are classified as “smartphones,” which means the vast majority of cell phones are not smart.
Still, the smarties get all the press.
So, what’s life like with a dummy? After the initial shaking, tears, and denial, I was surprised at how easy it was to shed my data plan. And there have been noticeable benefits:
- I’m way less compulsive about checking email/Twitter/random trivia
- I’m way more observant about the world around me. I pay more attention, because I’m less distracted.
- My dumbphone is way cheaper to operate. My Fido bill for July was $15.63, compared to $80-85/month with the iPhone
For my CBC tech column this week, I’m talking about the virtues of the dumbphone: why regular old cell phones aren’t necessarily sexy, but are still a good choice for many people.
Do you have a dumbphone? Do you love it? I’d love to know why. Leave a comment or shoot me an email: dan@misener.org
Hey Dan,
I have a "smartphone" (Nokia E51) but I now use it like a dumbphone. After the initial novelty wore off, I found that it wasn't worth the effort to use all the fancy features and it was tedious to read email. All I do now is call, text and use the occasional picture message.
Though I'm still torn over getting a blackberry or a dumbphone when this one bites the dust. I still have my old dumbphone (Siemens M55), which could have an optional external camera attachment. The old phone still works though the keypad can be a bit finicky.
I have a dumphone too. I used to think I wanted an iPhone or something equivalent when my contract was up, but more and more I've been leaning toward getting another dumbphone instead.
I'm already on the Internet enough, and I worry it would start to reach an unhealthly level of obsessiveness if I could check Facebook/Twitter/Flickr/all blogs at any time. Sometimes it's nice to just stand in line at the post office and stare off into space, rather than using that 90 seconds to check if there's one more new story on Gizmodo.
Also, almost all my friends have Blackberries or iPhones and it sometimes gets on my nerves being around them because they're constantly getting blipped every time they get a Facebook update or a Tweet or anything else. I sometimes get a text message and will have a little back and forth on my phone when I'm with someone else in person, but it's NOWHERE near the update-a-minute I see my friends checking with their smartphones. Even if my friends don't pull out their phones to check them, I still hear the buzzes and chimes once a minute.
Also, and now I feel like I've been going on about this forever and I didn't realize I had so much to say, but it's nice to come home from work or being out and fire up my laptop and go check everything that I missed online while I was gone. Like I get to go out and live my life and then I can come home and check out what everyone else was up to. I really enjoy the process of logging into each account and seeing who e-mailed me or who Tweeted me or who commented on my photo, etc. and catching up all at once.
Does a dumbed down smartphone count? I use a first gen, unlocked AT&T iPhone without a data plan. I've never paid for mobile data. And I'll continue using this mobile workhorse until it dies. Bought it for ~$100 from a friend, gently used, more than two years ago.
I pay for unlimited text messages and weekend/evening calling, and Skype-out on wifi when home during work hours. No voicemail. No regrets.
(Must admit that I am looking forward to better fonecam shots from its replacement.)
The backformed antonym of “smartphone” is “feature phone.”
I love my iPhone. I'm only one month in but am always years behind on technology when it comes to phones. But I have a relevant story about dumbphones. I once met a crafter over confusion between his phone & mine on a table top. Once we sorted out phones we laughed about how ancient our phones were & how funny it was that we found each other in this age of smartphones. Turns out, in the rural area where his workshop-home is, he has no choice as he needs a phone with an antenna. He said he wished there was more choice in dumbphones. Hmm. Too bad I can't give him my old phone now.
Wait… a simple cell phone is a "dumbphone"? Then what's a landline? You know, all those crazy folks out there who DON'T have a cell phone? There must be a few of them left in Tanzania or something.
A "lobotomyphone"?
I have a $10/month Fido plan and a Stone Age Motorola black & white screen dumbphone. Works for me. If anyone wants to throw out their old dumbphone, ring me up! (No, seriously, mine has a busted antenna)
I sense that those who downgrade to dumbphones and are suddenly put off by smartphones and their users are similar to smokers who suddenly become non-smokers. Smoking is pretty annoying, huh?
You're right, Phil. As Joe pointed out, when I say "dumbphone," I really mean what the industry calls a "feature phone."
I see that comparison. Personally, I feel like I have a love-hate relationship with phones. Part of me genuinely resents the initial cost, the ongoing costs, the cell-provider lock-in, and the contracts. But another part of me can't help but think, "Ooooh, shiny!"
My point is not that everyone should live in dumbphone-land. Rather, I think it's important to realize that despite all the advertising and the tech media attention (see this weekend's iPhone 4 stories all across Canada), the vast majority of cell phones aren't smartphones, and that a $500 phone + voice plan + data plan needn't be the new norm for everyone.