Minimalist mobile phone how to#

Minimalist mobile phone how to#

The Doro 8100 runs a version of Android called Android Go that has simplified interface with large obvious icons and software that guides the user through app use if they are unfamiliar or unsure of how to use them. If you want – or want to buy for someone else – a smartphone that has been customised with a very simple visual interface, then this could be the one to get. The Light Phone 2 is expensive but it’s great that a product first released in 2019 still gets regular software updates, improving its value for money over time. You can type texts easier than most other phones on this list though thanks to the touchscreen, and the podcast app is nice to have paired with the headphone jack. When I used the phone in New Zealand on a local SIM, the battery life depleted to empty in less than 12 hours, but in the UK it lasted me three days of light use on the Giffgaff network. I’ve got three days of battery out of the phone at its best, but it depends on your operator and signal strength. It’s very slow though, so is only advisable for using if you get lost.

These include a podcast player, MP3 music player, and a directions tool that works as the phone has GPS. It comes with Phone, Messages, Alarm and a few other functions but you can go to a special Light dashboard on a computer and add in other ‘tools’ that Light is adding over time. It has no dialpad buttons, instead using a small e-ink touchscreen (like a Kindle’s). In much the same vein as the Punkt phone, the Light Phone 2 is an aspirational basic phone made by New York start up Light. The new version is much more accomplished and stable, but it doesn’t overly fill me with confidence for the long-term software support of the new model. Make sure you get the ‘new generation’ of the MP02 – there’s an older hardware version that no longer gets software updates. The battery lasts about three or four days with light use.

It also acts as a 4G hotspot if you really do need to connect a tablet or laptop to the internet to send an email or get some work done. But if you have disposable income and you are fed up with being on your smartphone all day, this is a very upmarket basic phone. It’s a luxury dumbphone, which is a bit of a paradox in some ways. To make up for it, it charges via the modern USB-C, unlike many cheaper phones on this list that use micro-USB.Īnd that’s the catch here – the MP02 costs $300. It also has clever access to the Signal messaging app using its own proprietary app Pigeon, though I found this buggy to use and more trouble than its worth. It can send texts too, and you can import your contacts from an iPhone if you don’t want to manually save them all. It looks a little like a calculator but is in fact a 4G voice phone. It’s a simple voice and text phone designed by Swiss company Punkt and British designer Jasper Morrison. If you like the idea of a dumbphone but want something with a little more style, the Punkt MP02 will appeal to you. These models are my top recommendation thanks to a decent price and good global availability. You can buy it on the Straight Talk or TracFone networks, or unlocked from Nokia. There’s a version of the phone available in the US called the Nokia 2780 Flip which runs the more advanced software called KaiOS that gives you access to a few very simple apps such as Facebook and Google Maps. The one annoying thing is the outer volume button is easily pressed accidentally, which can mute the ringtones without you realising. It’s also a 4G basic phone which is the best type to buy as it’ll work for calls and texts on 4G networks even after old 2G networks are shut down in future years. The replaceable battery lasted for five days before needing a charge and it’ll go much longer on standby. There’s a torch, a modern version of the classic Snake game, and even an Opera web browser. A multi-directional button lets you scroll through menus and apps such as the camera, contacts, FM radio, and voice recorder. The audio for calls is also hearing aid compatible.īelow the screen are big buttons that make it simple to dial numbers or send basic messages. With an SOS button, you can press and hold to call up to five emergency contacts should you get into trouble and need help. There’s also an outer screen so you can see the time or who is calling when the phone is closed.

When open it has a 2.8in screen that’s bright and readable for sending and reading text messages. It has several core features for a reasonable price. My top basic phone pick for most people is the Nokia 2660 Flip.