One Month with a Minimalist Dumb Phone | Light Phone II Review

I used the Light Phone II for a month. Here's the good and the bad.
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ABOUT ME
My name is Reagan Rose I'm trying to get more done for the glory of God, and I want to help you do the same.

[@redeemingproductivity]

If you decide to get a Light Phone, use my affiliate link to support the channel www.thelightphone.com/products?ref=reaganrose

[@elmoaf]

But can we play Pokémon on it?

[@going.upstream]

oh shiz. this video is an ad

[@chrisgirolamo8865]

@@going.upstream Right? I don't understand. He says he bought it himself, but now he's an affiliate? Confused

[@kurohyuki5912]

You know a company is really good with marketing when they can twist a lack of feature as a feature

[@xavierperez6739]

It’s really the demand for a phone that is much more streamlined than what we have with iOS and Android. The best thing that could happen is RIM bringing back the OG BlackBerry system. But dumb phones are a nice supplement.

[@iki009]

You know marketing only calls for you to be aknowledge of their product, the people who did a good job is the product/project manager that designed and planned the product and his features or lack of them, not trying to be annoying just giving a shoutout to the product managers, marketing it is what it is, the speaker, nothing else.

[@AnantMall]

The iPhone guy cannot carry a nokia 3310 in their hands

[@osadolazuardi3356]

It's just like Nokia. They still producing caveman era cellphone.

[@chupamelasbolasregem]

Apple right?

[@shannonmacri4646]

I will never pay alot of money for a dumb phone . My dumb phone is cheap,solid and well under $50. The light phone is not worth it.

[@Donzell1Dawson]

What is your dumb phone under $50?

[@MICROKNIGHT3000]

Nokia 3310 the new one in my country is like 10 bucks

[@carutherswillaby7592]

Texting with a keyboard layout is the actual difference between a regular dumb phone and the light phone. Is that worth a few hundred bucks? Probably not. The cheapest way to get that would be an off brand blackberry-styled device with a full (very tiny) mechanincal keyboard.

[@anikamackay5664]

What country?

[@Panzerbeast]

Thanks for the review..think I'll pass. The cost...

[@boseph5696]

really shocked at the battery life considering the screen and lack of features. My Nothing (1) gets me 3 days with medium to heavy usage and thats a fully fledged smartphone

[@Ignas359]

Genuinely amazing. It's like they took $20 hardware and spent $279 worth of R&D in how to make an e-ink dumbphone die within 24 hours.

[@anthony_kane]

Nothing (1): 4500mAh Light Phone 2: 500mAh (Less than my Kindle Oasis) Considering a phone can't really deep sleep as you need to be able to receive calls and texts you don't get much power savings in hardware that still needs to run constantly unlike something like an eReader which can basically go completely dead. Swapping out for an eink display helps a lot with power usage and limiting the device to a small subset of apps that aren't very performance dependent means they can work with slower more efficient hardware but I'm guessing the highest draw here is the GSM, WIFI, Bluetooth hardware, one of which you can't really use it as a phone without so its almost always on.

[@lemonoxygen8846]

@@anthony_kane Why are they using such a small battery? With such a lack of features and not even a super mini form factor, it should be able to hold a larger battery with just small changes to internal organization.

[@KriLL325783]

@@lemonoxygen8846 It looked pretty flat to me, include the screen in the equation and I doubt there is enough internal room for more battery without making it larger.

[@username9127]

@@KriLL325783 There is space, the smartwatches today like apple watch and samsung have upto 350mAh in a watch with full fledged phone features like call, 2-3x GPS etc. So this essentially 3x the size of a wrist watch with NO features can fit in a massive battery easily

[@SoCalVipers]

I love how my iPhone will send me an alert, usually during church, telling me about my screen time. I like the ideal of a dumb phone, but a smart phone is incredibly useful - it just takes major self discipline to keep in in your pocket. It's convicting when my 2 year old tells me "phone in da pocket", meaning he wants me to put my phone back in my pocket so he'll have my full attention.

[@AliensWanted]

"Major self discipline" That's the entire purpose of the dumb phone. It requires zero self discipline. It forces you to be away from the technology that keeps you away from real life.

[@heimerblaster976]

There are alternatives to all those positives its a choice.

[@unklefoocka]

ll

[@unklefoocka]

p

[@juanappleseed]

Willpower is a finite resource so having it available to you drains willpower you could use on other things

[@sesha-d5b]

Man I'm really a fan of how you presented your thoughts here. Well junctioned, edited and the tone of the video was so soothing and polite. Instant sub worthy!

[@mattwrose]

I have found the “focus” settings on the iPhone to be somewhat helpful. I have a personal, work and sleep focus set up on my phone. When I get home I set the phone to personal and it only allows specific contacts to reach me, shuts off notifications to all or select apps and only allows me access to my initial Home Screen (which mostly has widgets for weather calendar and fitness tracking. It has worked quite well to help me put my phone away in another room when I get home. The only issue is it is simple to turn off and (like right now, as I sit in my couch) get you distracted again with your phone. The sleep focus setting has been amazing for me also. I can’t have my phone on do not disturb at night as I can be on call for work but it can only allow calls from my work number which is nice.

[@redeemingproductivity]

I've started using the focus modes too. And it is definitely somewhat helpful. Right now I'm trying giving Kim my screentime password and locking myself out of the distracting apps before 8am and after 7pm.

[@sengbush0077]

I need to learn this^^^ Just switched to iPhone after 10 years as an android user (sercurity reasons) but this it what I want.

[@slingball]

Switch off notifications alerts from apps, life would be way easier

[@FUUUUU1111]

good luck couriers with their deliveries trying to reach you because they can't find your house/flat lmao

[@alainelowell1997]

@@redeemingproductivity Remove distracting apps, it's the only way.

[@c.deg.7982]

This reminds me of a budget phone I used in the late 2000s, the Motorola Motofone F3. It was a slim well designed minimal e-ink display phone for the third world that could 1) make calls, 2) send texts, 3) store phonenumbers and 4) it told the time. Had incredible battery time. I still have it (just like my old Razr) but it doesn't work on modern networks in the Western world anymore, the battery is probably toast as well. In stark contrast to the hipster Punkt and Lightphone offerings it was priced in line with the number of features it offered: about 20 dollars/euros. How times change.

[@LeoGarciaEspir]

That’s exactly what this reminded me of. I used to have that F3 as my “work phone” when working as a contractor, so if it got dropped or hit I really wouldn’t mind. It was hell to send texts though. Only displayed a single line of characters and only the last few words at a time.

[@JeremieLaliberte]

I have this phone since 2019 and my experience is identical to yours in many ways! I had no issues with voicemail and texts, but the poor battery life and tools that are not as useful as you’d think (music is a clunky process, gps is just a last resort option, etc.) made me stop using it. It’s kind of unreliable and could stand to be a bit more useful. I instead reverted to my old small iphone SE first gen, put the screen in greyscale and made a rule for myself to not install any app that is not a tool. Anything with a infinite feed is banned, and I only have things such as maps, music, podcasts, translate, banking apps, public transports, wallet etc. No social media, no email, no news, no games are tolerated. Even safari has been made as hard to access as possible. It makes for a boring and minimal experience, but for a amazing pocket multitool. It actually works great and the light company even suggest themselves that you do it if you think their phone is too hardcore. Thx for the good review !

[@1517the_year]

Can you get wattsapp? Only thing holding me back

[@leonixnn]

Actually, that tethering capability is very useful. Cause usually SIM-operators have limits according to the type of your device. But this is no modem, it's obviously a phone, and it doesn't even "eat" the mobile data on its own. What a neat thing!

[@mcearlgrey]

I switched from an iPhone to a dumb phone a few years ago. Had a similar experience, it was very good for my brain and my interactions with other people. It had a hotspot as well so I would never be completely without internet access in an emergency. It was the lost text messages, and the fact that I couldn't be in group chats with Apple users anymore, that forced my hand and made me go back. The battery life sucked too! I have to imagine that has something to do with the underpowered chips in these things working overtime to handle networks they weren't built for.

[@likatchup]

the problem with smartphones is only social media, the whole addiction thing exists because of social media.. and honestly you don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars to fix that… just uninstall social media from your phone for a week and see what it does to you

[@DavidDavisDH]

I agree, I just uninstalled most of them. I use my phone for selling on Ebay, so basically it's a business phone most of the time.

[@dipe6376]

True I've been off social media for 6 months now and I feel amazing

[@doctorcatnip2551]

My iPhone has never distracted me. I make phone calls, calculate, write messages and look up things online.

[@kohort1]

The carriers should offer deals on combo smart /dumb phone packages allowing you to have 2 phones w the same phone number for buying.

[@StopTryingSoHard]

I think excluding Verizon in the US, most providers let you register two SIMs to the same number. Verizon did it in a weird way, so it only works with certain phones. Companion phones are pretty common in Japan, but usually you have the dumb phone just for work communications.

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

@@StopTryingSoHard Probably down to japanese capitalists being really anal about their workers doing non work stuff. Think the slanted toilet thing, but with work phones.

[@neerand]

The problem is the price. They are ripping off customers because of the niche which no other major player has ventured into. Once Amazon or some other company launch something similar, this company would be in the post mortem room.

[@NeedANameWithoutNumbers]

That's the rule with most new ideas that hit the market. It's fairly common for a competitor to do it cheaper and better than a pioneer in most fields.

[@mr.hanfblatt9152]

@@NeedANameWithoutNumbers the thing is, they arent the first though. i remember having a similar phone 10 years ago for 30€. it's just that the niche stayed niche for whatever reason.

[@andrewjazdzyk1215]

They are also a MUCH smaller company than amazon, and can't afford to use bulk prices.

[@RogueA.I.]

$299 isn’t bad considering they aren’t selling your data, locking you into a contract or constantly up selling substandard bloatware. Especially since it supports tethering. I paid about that for a second hand pixel 3 and run calyxos. I don’t have any social media and don’t connect to any google services. Like you, I sometimes forget my phone because I’m not hooked to it. It’s been about 18 months since I decoupled and I can honestly say I am much happier.

[@cybrough]

Ive been using a Hisence A5 epaper smartphone, It is a full android phone with most of the bells and whistles and the battery life is good 2-5 days with normal usage. However it can become a dumb phone by using the super battery saver option. It allows 6 apps and shuts every thing else off and will last 7-11 days

[@abramjohnson903]

I miss that Power Saver Mode on the more recent Andriods

[@FancescaTanuki]

I would love to get e-ink smartphone

[@MD-ww1fy]

@@abramjohnson903 you might check power saving mode settings on your phone. After my Samsung received android 12, at first I also thought, that this strict power saving mode is gone. But it appeared, that now you have to configure, how restrictive your power saving mode should be. And there is a “limit apps and Home Screen” option - for a black screen with only several app icons.

[@Sphnxfr]

The A5 is pretty good for detox even without super battery saving mode. With E-ink you'll naturally cut back hard on social media, video, and gaming isn't really an option at all. And at the same time, it's still good enough for messaging, great for music and audiobooks, and with all that it still only costs 200 bucks.

[@trevormorgan9084]

I'm sick of my phone. Spent my 20's buried in my phone...not even sure where my 20's went...now at 31, I'm ready to let it all go. I've slowly but surely ridded myself of social media with the last of what I have to be abandoned and forgotten (deactivated/deleted) by the end of the year. I really miss the simplicity of what used to be the Moto Razr and Krzr from the 2007 timeframe and I would love to go back to that. I know that a new Razr exists today, but it's a smart phone...don't want that. I'm in the search for a new phone that will give me all of the BASIC essentials, without being too hideous or cumbersome. I'm not looking for an "iPhone of basic phones", because that doesn't make sense, but something like a modern-day non-smart Moto Razr would be amazing...but they made it a smart phone! 🤦‍♂ It could have been another slam dunk for Motorola had they made it a more modern-basic phone rather than a smart phone.

[@nickelion1760]

I'm sorry if I sound ignorant, but do you really need a dumb phone? Can't a person just uninstall all the apps and just leave essential apps.

[@trevormorgan9084]

@@nickelion1760 It’s a logical and common question. The short answer to that is that there’s always something to find on your phone that can occupy your time, whether it be another useless app to scroll through, a mobile game to play, KZbin shorts, etc., etc. It’s just easier to take away the potential availability of the distraction and just not have the ability at all.

[@umamifan]

@@nickelion1760 To starve off temptation. Not many people are strong enough to stray away from the desire to download those apps back. There's also apps that cannot be disabled and cannot be uninstalled, taunting the viewer every time they see it. There's also the "just one more app / just 10 mins and I'm done" issue

[@jesusbarrera6916]

You slow people do know that flip phones still exist.....

[@trevormorgan9084]

@@jesusbarrera6916 Awe, man! That’s such fantastic news. How could I have not known this really basic fact? Guess I’m too slow to know what technology is out there and available to me! Thank you so very much for your enlightening me on this very basic fact that not a single person other than you could ever know…

[@alessandropancrazio]

I need a dumb-phone where I can use youtube-music or spotify, cause I still want to listen to music

[@scottbecker3485]

I love your personal and thorough take on this. I‘ve seen quite a few on the Lightphone over the years (been flirting with it but could never quite decide to go for it), and your appraisal basically mirrors my own, though with mine being based on theory (and reviews) and yours based on personal experience. The bottom line for me was - and still is: I wish they‘d refine this as a Lightphone III, making the typing experience better (also for people with not-so-good vision) and also with improved navigation options…and far better battery life! Alas, the last time I inquired with the makers (maybe 2 years ago or more?) they professed to have no model III in the making. As you point out, it‘s a small company. But to get bigger, product refinement is necessary. Otherwise one can easily get marginalized and eventually peeter out of the market altogether. I wish the Lightphone folks well, and will keep following their progress (or lack thereof).

[@redeemingproductivity]

Totally agree. Since switching back to an iPhone I’ve often found myself wishing the Lightphone would have worked out better for me. It’s so close to being ideal, a version 3 could be wonderful. A lot of commenters have mentioned other dumb phones, but there’s just something about the simplicity of the lightphone I really like, I just wish they would really dial in the features a little more and get rid of some of the limitations, like you suggested.

[@scottbecker3485]

@@redeemingproductivity Indeed - the thing has a sleek and tempting design, and one really wants to love the thing! (Like you, I also love the Kindle‘s display.) I wonder if the makers are kind of running out of steam, and if so, whether that‘s due to lack of funding or lack of spirit. I figure an improved version would get them a lot more market traction. Their marketing is quite good, but products tend not to fare well that don‘t get updated (other than software) for a very long period of time. Another such product I want to love (but can‘t yet) is the Soundbrenner Core (a rhythm-keeping device in the form of a watch that vibrates). They keep pushing the original models and not improving anything, despite lots of user input on what‘s lacking. But life is too beautiful to waste worrying about why companies are sometimes less than inspired to do what needs to be done. ;-)

[@evoj.]

Great video and info my man. Thank you! 🙏🏻💥😎

[@karengreenfield5268]

I’ve been wondering about this phone. I hope for continued improvement. Your comment about how you liked yourself while you had it was what I want for myself.

[@redeemingproductivity]

It almost felt like the kind of clarity I get when I'm on vacation. I'm still hoping I can come up with a way to strike a balance between that and actually being accessible to people.

[@tomcotter4299]

@@redeemingproductivity I’m surprised the entire phone isn’t a bit bigger to accommodate a bigger battery and easier texting. I’d pay more to have the benefits of the dumb phone but the comfort of my iPhone. Shit, I’d pay Apple $500+ to just give me my exact phone with a dumbed down version of iOS.

[@G8Thunder]

I find the idea of getting a 'dumb phone' or 'feature phone' really good. I think phones, and all the associated media, content, exposure etc. that they immerse us in can be very problematic. I personally am not the type of person that wakes up and has to immediately check my phone. I often will leave my smartphone on my nightstand or in my pocket till I've gotten dressed, fed our pets, gone to the bathroom, and sat down at my desk. Sometimes I'll get it out and do a wordle or duolingo to wake my brain up and then switch over to work mode. I can however get into death scrolling at night; not always but every now and then. I also often like just setting my phone aside when I'm in public places like the airport, on a train, or waiting in a restaurant. I'm definitely capable, and likely to fidget on my phone for something to do, but there's something natural about just watching and listening to everyone else around you. All that said, even the apps I have on my phone currently I feel confident I could live without. I am hoping to try a short stint with a Nokia 6300 to see if it makes any improvements to my quality of life.

[@bfbunny]

There is all sorts of good things attached to having a dumb phone. But for the feature I'm getting from that phone, I will be reluctant to pay any more than 60 dollars, and that is what makes it a niche product: not a lot of people will pay for its price even if they liked its concept. Android smartphones do have a feature called ultra power saving, where the user can only use a couple of apps at a time, and such features offers similar if not better functionality compared to the light phones.

[@Mentesestoicas_]

I think they should enhance the touchscreen for a smoother user experience, include ONE SINGLE GAME, perhaps a basic, minimalistic game to a lightphone version. Additionally, improving the battery would make it perfect.

[@denisetorres6973]

This is also a great phone for kids. A phone they can keep in their pocket in case of emergencies.

[@Flipbug_The_Whimsical]

Bit pricey to entrust to a child. They will break it eventually!

[@Jo_Wardy]

Kids don’t really need a phone. Unless they can’t survive without gaming and KZbin.

[@nickelion1760]

@@Jo_Wardy Maybe a keypad phone, just for calling in emergency situations

[@Jo_Wardy]

@@nickelion1760 well maybe you could have one just for calls and texts and music if they have sd cards

[@-_wanderer]

For that, just but a cheap keypad phone

[@gayleneangelos7102]

THx for your LIght Phone review ! when I quit being required to use a cell phone and computer at work it was a game changer for living. Time can be waisted navigating the days with constant distractions and requirement to use technology that at one time did not exist.

[@abbeym9662]

Other than the focus aspect of this device, I feel like this would be a good option for older folks entering the world of smartphones and find others too difficult or confusing.

[@solb101]

Older folks started smartphones before you stopped peeing your pants.

[@abbeym9662]

yet half of them still barely knows how to operate one @@solb101

[@CoolProductsExpress]

your review is just amazing!!!! thank you so much! also the video style is brilliant!!

[@andrewwilliamson450]

In UK I have used a Nokia 5210 or a Nokia 150 - they are about £30 or less. You get all the limited features :)

[@redeemingproductivity]

Now that sounds much more reasonable!

[@gbot94hitachi]

i love how based on what you experienced with that phone i can definitely say that the experience with my 20$ keypad phone was waaaay better especially regarding those pesky massages u said 😂😂😂

[@abrahamsanchez3617]

I honestly consider myself a utilitarian/minimalist type of person. I have definitely minimized my life exponentially. I used to be an android guy but work has forced me to move to purchasing an iphone. On my old phone which was an android based phone, I had like almost 100 apps on it about 75% of them I didn't use. I promised myself that I would keep my apps in check with the iphone to being just necessary with some entertainment but not as much as I had before. And I've had this iphone for 2ish months. And I've been doing really well to keeping the necessary apps on my phone. But I can totally relate to the dumb phone being somewhat of an ideal especially for a minimalist type person. But one of the things that came across my mind when looking into the dumb phone was what are my values. What do I actually care about in my life. What do I want to focus on. Minimalism isn't one spoon and one fork. And Utilitarianism isn't solely things that are useful. I think when we combine the ideas we get something different something unique. I've met extreme minimalists (or self proclaimed). They are so obsessed with making sure everything hits all the checkmarks for being minimalist. And that is not minimalism. Obsession isn't minimalism. Minimalism is like zen sort of. Identify your values and identify your anchors and slowly eliminate your anchors. The things that are distracting you from your values. Sorry im rambling. But my final thought is as ideal as the dumb phone would be for me, it just seems so impractical especially in todays age. I have so many business things going on that I've gotta be able to facetime people (which is why i had to buy the iphone in the first place). I have got to be able to send pictures of a job im quoting (im in construction). So I guess what I'm getting at is before when people said "oh yes we as a society are so dependent on technology" the images that would pop up in my mind were infrastructures like water filtering stations and the transport of coal to get turned into electricity so I can cook my food when I want. But this idea of the dumb phone is like going back in time for me. I now see that we are as a society dependent on technology as a whole. As an idea. Internet. Computers. Electronics. Connectivity. Vehicles. Even therapy meetings are happening via webcam. The list goes on. I wouldn't be able to do my job without my iphone. And its so weird to think that this society we are so dependent on it that we can't literally do our jobs without it. I don't know why I rambled so much in this comment. But this idea really touched me in a different way. I get a little emotional when I think about the direction we are going. Thanks for reading my super long string of thoughts.

[@walterstonehard]

For a minimalist there is too much verbiage here

[@DanClapp]

Unfortunately I kind of need a smartphone these days. I use it for work, I stream music with it, I use the gps every day etc. I used to love my razr, chocolate, alias and whatnot, but I used to also have an ipod to go with it and had to look up directions on mapquest and print them out. I have the latest iphone, but I don't have social media.

[@riddledtomcat1360]

Your iMessage/text issue is an iPhone issue. I used to work at Apple and had these calls all the time. Apple still doesn't know how to properly "unhijack" the SMS part of your plan. Either that or the carrier isn't able to complete the process either. Ultimately, it's Apple's fault. Not the phone's fault. I enjoyed the rest of the content though.

[@Boobtubeus]

I believe before you switch from an iPhone you go into settings>messages and turn off imessage

[@colinjackson9599]

Dude you are great! I love the camera work and positivity God bless you man I love seeing followers of Christ make all kinds of content

[@nixp]

Well, if I turn my phone's display setting to monochromatic, I removed the social media apps (which I myself downloaded), remove email, remove notifications, wouldn't that qualify? From what I am getting, it is much more about personal self-control and responsibility. The device is just a plastic-metal-glass sandwich standing there. It will do what you tell it to. This light phone seem soooooo much like a brag phone. I love it's design though, very stylish and chic.

[@2m2a2r2k2]

Sometimes it's needed to completely block people from doing things on their phones. You can always change the settings and download apps again on a smartphone when you start missing them, but on these dumbphones you just can't, you are forced to adapt. This phone is absolutely not to brag, because having this either means you just don't want the functions, or you have no self control on a smartphone so you have to buy a dumbphone to get rid of the addiction. Although I find these prices very very high for what you actually get.

[@AJX-2]

If you have android I recommend the Indistractible Launcher. It basically turns your homescreen into a minimalist list like this phone does, but you still retain all your functionality and power.

[@kyledellis7596]

In regards to your dislikes: Battery is horrible for me as well. They are working on a voicemail UI. They have been very good with updating the OS. Notifications, I haven’t had any missed messages with mine and set-up was simple, but have heard stories similar to yours. It has its problems, such as a very slow responsiveness on the screen and no option for quick notes, but the benefits far outweigh the costs for me. I am looking forward to their SDK they are working on so that I can develop my own simple apps for the phone. It would also be awesome if they could somehow integrate a digital wallet, but that may be asking too much from this device. The Punkt MP02 is also on my radar, but it’s biggest flaw is that it doesn’t support group messaging.

[@redeemingproductivity]

Great notes, Kyle. Yeah, I tried to be fair. I think it's headed in the right direction for sure. Wasn't even aware of the SDK, that will unlock some awesome potential especially with such a passionate community around it. I cut it from the video, but I am considering using T-Mobile digits to use the same phone number on the Light Phone and my iPhone. I've seen people say they have good success with that. I shot this a few weeks ago and it's now been a full month back with the iPhone and I'm 100% back to old bad habits. I want to find a way to make it work. Looked a little at the Punkt, but dismissed it for the same reason as you.

[@kyledellis7596]

@@redeemingproductivity yeah, before the Light Phone I was pretty heavily using Focus Modes on my iPhone. It curbed my behaviors a bit, but was just too easy to disable or ignore. Maybe I’ll feel differently in year, but I’ve been on the Light Phone for a few months now and it just feels so freeing, even if it does have its annoyances.

[@AuRowe]

@@kyledellis7596 Update?

[@moodown]

i love this. i think you should do more reviews!

[@RELIIXX]

Been trying to eliminate social media from my life. Was negatively affecting my marriage & this phone seems like the perfect option to keep me accountable. Love the video man. Much love

[@danteerskine7678]

It wasn't the phone that was impacting your marriage, it was only you. Smartphones don't come preloaded with social media and I've used several android phones from different OEM, so I know better. At least, grow some balls and take accountability for your toxic behavior instead of putting All the blame on smartphones

[@MrSpaceRatt]

It's called a "Dumb Phone" because only a dummy would pay $299 for a phone that doesn't do anything. You can still buy a 4G Nokia for $50.

[@JoseBriones]

Good review. At least you tried it out :)

[@Ace_Tails]

Wow! such good quality video, I can't even notice that you only have 7k subs.

[@AhmedRaza-ll5yv]

Just use any of the phone from 10 years ago and you have a perfect dumb phone in modern times. Yes, I am using iphone 5 iOS 10 nothing works on it except for making calls and texts. All of the moderns apps require at least iOS12.

[@hewuwu]

A great review - Subscribed. I am patiently waiting for a Light Phone III that solves the issues you highlighted. My dream combo is the LP along with my Apple Watch with Cellular and having them both ring if I get called, etc.

[@angw3l]

0:00 intro 1:52 the philosophy 2:31 the device 4:03 the features 5:54 the non-features 7:56 the price 9:00 what i loved/hated 12:53 final thoughts

[@CosmicTeapot]

I think it may be a cool transitional tool for people who are unable to quit heavy phone use cold turkey... but as a permanent "solution", I don't think it truly helps anyone achieving their goal. If your only way to end your smoking addiction is to live in a world where cigarettes are made unavailable to you, you've not really overcome your addiction. I know it's easier said than done, but I think it's a far more interesting prospect to own a modern smart phone while keeping yourself strong enough to maintain a healthy relationship with the device, i.e. leaving it in your pocket and only whipping it out when you absolutely need to use one of its features (without the user-experience being a pain in the ass) and then tucking it away once you're done. To me, that's the true way of "winning" this economy of attention, like an ex-alcoholic able to enjoy a nice drink once in a while at social gatherings. There's no need to constrain oneself to limited technology.

[@redeemingproductivity]

I agree. That's actually where I've ended up myself since making this video (check out the video I just posted this week). The Light Phone was a helpful, if extreme first step, but I think winning the long game requires learning to swim within the attention economy.

[@QuaaludeCharlie]

I have Never had a Smartphone . Ever . only a 2007 Tracfone , no text camera or apps , just a phone that pings a Tower ! :) QC

[@DaddyGamerReviews]

The irony of getting an iphone 14 ad during this video "the most advanced smart phone yet"

[@Daniel-un7hr]

I've had that problem to where some messages just don't come to my phone. I just call my voicemail service once and a while.

[@JoeySocko]

if it has snake on it this thing would be my dream phone

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I use an old Samsung dumb phone. I don’t miss my iPhone at all, and in fact I mainly use it as a camera now (I took the SIM card out). I can still access WhatsApp, but I need to be connected via wi-fi, so I’m not instantly contactable - however, I’m still able to respond when I am connected - people will just have to wait for me to get back to them - you know, like in the old days. If someone needs me instantly, they can always send an SMS or (shock, horror) call me.

[@iamweed42069]

I use an app called OLauncher, and its a very great way to turn your current smart phone into a similar setup while allowing you access everything, but keeping the main screen simple and "boring".

[@blakethorne4285]

Best review I've seen on this phone, nicely done 👍

[@ryanmarkagustero5491]

You can also have an ultra saving mode features on your smartphone where you can limit or remove social media apps on it. 👍👍

[@coolerking7427]

They are getting ready to add a calendar and voice memo. Both of those I use. Once they get that then I will buy it.

[@redeemingproductivity]

Great tip. Thanks!

[@J.S.McDuff]

My theory about the battery is that the software is actually Android on the backend. All of the tracking and other stuff is still going on which is also incredibly draining on a small battery

[@jordiheres8407]

Hi, good review. But the reason your messages are floating somewhere is not the couse of your new phone. Its Apple, they just are lazy with imessage. Probbably only your texts from iPhone users are floating around not from other phones. Apple uses their network for texts form iPhone to iPhone and not the SMS protocol form your carier. It happens a lot that Apple users dont understand that someting that seems a flaw somewhereelse is kinda caused by bugs in iOS or other Apple products a lot.

[@redeemingproductivity]

Thanks for this Jordi. That makes a lot of sense. It was only messages from Apple users that seemed to get lost in the ether.

[@willardchi2571]

I am so happy dumb phones are making a comeback. I hate my smartphone. Just carrying the thing around with me is a nuisance. I was thinking of getting an old flip phone to carry on my person and keeping my smartphone in my car's glove box in case I need to get on the internet for anything while driving around. And even with the bigger smartphone screen, I still hate typing with my thumbs: I'm a 72/wpm touch typist and typing with my thumbs into a tiny box makes me crazy. Anyway, it sounds like there's very little wrong with the smart phone the guy in this video is critiquing. Such a short battery life seems inexplicable and should be easily corrected. As for voicemails and text bugs, those should be easy to fix. The only thing that worries me about the phone in this video is whether it's still too big to carry around comfortably--and if you put it in your pocket, what protects the screen from being scratched by other objects in your pocket?

[@Yesica1993]

Thank you for this. I have been keeping my eye on this phone since I first learned about it. If these issues are corrected/improved, I really would like to try it. Smartphones can be a wonderful tool, but they can also be a pain. If it wasn't for an ongoing family medical situation, I would seriously consider getting rid of it altogether.

[@rexhussmann8688]

Reagan, this was an excellent review. I love the way your presented this man.

[@kulsoomashraf2190]

They might consider adding food delivery and transport apps as those are essentials and not distractions.

[@dharmapunk777]

🤣

[@ThePaviliongamer]

Idk if you know, but you can order food with a phonecall

[@Onyxaxe]

Thanks for the vid. I am shocked about the battery life. The main reasons I go to dumb phones, is because they usually work better as actual phones than smart phones. The cons make this a no go for me. You just saved me 300 bucks and a lot of frustration.

[@redeemingproductivity]

Yeah, that was a MAJOR disappointment. Maybe they’ll nail it if they ever do a version 3.

[@2m2a2r2k2]

I wish there was a phone where you could select the functions you want. I have deleted lots of stuff on my smartphone, but still there is quite some stuff that you are forced to deal with, like bloatware and being required to share location, contacts, files etc. for apps even though it doesn't seem necessary at all.

[@Micchi-]

I will 100% get rid of front camera

[@JumperMelon]

you could use an ungoogled fork of android

[@Blackjax137]

I miss those late 90 devices. Just a phone. No bells, no whistles, no pointless notifications, no flooding your display with news headlines, no adware trying to upsell services baked into the OS. Text, call, calendar, reminders, GPS, calculator, torch, alarm, music, 3.5mm headphone jack, a camera and a search engine. That's it.

[@josh-dane]

So, are you back to using your iPhone? What's helped with that? I threw mine out of my car window yesterday, so I am on the hunt for solutions to the "addicted lifestyle". Love your videos!

[@TimBryan]

Try using your phone with greyscale turned on, it makes using the phone less of a dopamine hit because it takes away all the colors.

[@Nancy-tr5fi]

I would of tossed my so dumb smart phone in the sea, the trash shortly after I stupidly paid over $1,000 bucks. But have struggled on, I hate the constant intrusions, changes words I type, makes imessage a nightmare. It will not do any helpful things like bold, underline lots of things that would be a pleasure. It has some snarly features that you are expected to waste time re: phone ringing. My phone would not ring for 3 months. Clunky, heavy, ugly...iphone13. I am going to Walmart this week. A Nokia is sounding like heaven. I want a phone that is focused on calling!,,,,,!!! < that took me 2 bloody minutes, nothing is simple. I loved my old iphones, but they insidiously force us to buy, buy upgrade BULLSHIT. 3 phones that I loved, back of my drawer. Apple fffffukking operating system, adding useless unwanted things make it impossible to use.

[@Nancy-tr5fi]

Good for you 👍🏻 😊

[@dreamqueen317]

If I can just get Apple Music or Spotify. I’m sold. I really don’t want to upload music my device like it’s 2006.

[@redragna3648]

Blows my mind tha people would pay that much money for something that is essentially just for text and calling. You can get a flip phone for free or $30.

[@noobtubephails]

Plus this has a really poor battery for no reason.

[@Aer_Marique]

Me watching this video while doing homework* "Ah yes... To avoid distractions..."

[@aneeqmustafa1192]

The market for dumb phones is growing i hope we can see more phones come out in this space which have everything thing that is useful about a phone minus all the time wasting apps light phone has nailed the concept but is lacking in execution this can be done way better than this.

[@poetkifaya]

Ever since leaving social media, a dumb phone has always been something I'd love to have. Literally the only things I do on my phone are watch KZbin videos and listen to music. I can do without YT and i still have DAPs for music.

[@Windows98R]

this concept and execution of the phone is really cool. That being said, I don't have enough commitment to spend 250$ to get bored and attempt to "experience life". iPhone has done quite well with sending me notifications on appropriate times with things like focus and driving mode. I'm surprised for the bad battery life on the dumb phone though. It doesnt even have an backlight (or a software that makes it work hard)

[@smileychess]

It has a backlight, but you can turn it off.

[@Windows98R]

@@smileychess I’m assuming it’s defaulted to off? Since it’s e-ink which doesn’t require backlight in normal conditions.

[@smileychess]

@@Windows98R - It defaults to Automatic (senses environment light). I turned it off.

[@friesocean]

damn a 6k subs youtuber and alr had this quality? you deserve more yk

[@P-el4zd]

I think the Techless Wisephone has the most promise. I’ve used the Wisephone and the Light phone II. The software and usability of the Wisephone is superior to the Light Phone II.

[@redeemingproductivity]

Hadn’t heard of the Wisephone. Will check it out. Thanks!

[@P-el4zd]

@@redeemingproductivity Techless KZbin Channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4LOY4prZql6odE There a Christian company.

[@kyleruggles3274]

Looking at Wisephone, it looks like what Reagan was looking for… idk this concept seems REALLY intriguing to me.

[@Boobtubeus]

Look at the sunbeam wireless F1

[@EatSleepEmpire]

No audio recording? I couldn’t live without that.

[@hidingmyrealname]

the text messages not displaying is an apple issue. happens all the time I go back to Android.

[@tyengineer0]

Thank you for this video. I was actually heavily considering getting one, but the battery life drain and voicemail/texting issues, all of those things unfortunately outweigh the actual 'benefits' to the phone itself. Ohh well hopefully some better tech will come out for us minimalists. Lol

[@AmandaBelleVideos]

Just got mine and been using it for a few days.. something I may have underestimated is how much I need whatsapp. With family overseas and constant travel, i am reconsidering if I should keep the phone. Love the idea but I may sell it and try another dumb phone that has whatsapp

[@redeemingproductivity]

Yeah that’s hard. I found myself wishing they had signal or whatsapp integration of some kind. Basic SMS is just too limiting, especially internationally.

[@chrisg1499]

Get the "Nokia - 6300 4G" (it has Whatsapp and maps) but nothing else

[@avgredditors]

Get a Nokia, newer ones have whatsapp and maps.

[@tma78]

Signal as the standard messaging app

[@bengoey]

@@tma78 On the light phone ?

[@BeerBearBarrel]

I had the same problem with texts when I switched from apple to android. I did not know I had to switch off iMessages. Thanks for the tip. 😀

[@mordecaithegate5615]

Great review I really enjoyed it. As a Christian, social media has played a negative part in my Christian experience. It’s great to see responsible content, that the family can watch without fear of expletives. Really appreciate your argument for better personal in the moment time with our friends family and our environment. God Bless your Ministry

[@redeemingproductivity]

Thanks, Mordecai!

[@chad8380]

great review! I'll get one if they improve battery life and directions.

[@tbuk8350]

I wouldn't say this is the solution. The solution is to use software on a smart phone. It's cheaper, and you still have all the functionality of a smart phone if you need it. For me, I don't even have the issue of a lack of focus with my smartphone. I barely even use it, other than just checking up on my server and such.

[@pokenatethetrainer5294]

Your a cool guy for putting time stamps on the video like I watched it all the way thru but just the purpose of the stuff u really wanna figure out

[@ResidentNotEvil5]

It's nothing very basic buy Nokia 3310 instead

[@Kirito14682]

This is the phone that most parents want to give their kids when they ask for a phone.

[@myrmeko]

It's literally just an Android phone and you can install any app on it. It's not a proprietary privacy-focused OS, it's just outdated Android on an extremely low end phone with an e-ink display slapped on. The price is ridiculous for how cheap are the components. "No surveilance cameras", oh no, that was the problem, not the fact that it's a basic Android phone with as much "surveilance" as literally any other Android phone. Edit: And it's not a "dumb phone", it's literally a smartphone that's running full Android.

[@quite1enough]

if there's no audio recording I'll be really surprised since this feature have been on market forever and it really helped me in a lot of situations

[@PedroParmigiani]

What is dumb is this new "off-phone" movement. Selling a high price/low tech product is the freaking exact thing that they claim they are fighting.

[@el.blanco552]

I don't like that they call phones like this "Dumb phones" how about just a cell phone

[@stutteringdisciple1919]

One thing that holds me back from this is the inability to access internet banking

[@deadsetondreams1988]

Don't let the price scare you away from it either. I, at the time, could not afford it but I had wanted one for years. Then I randomly looked and found someone selling theirs!! They couldn't get it to work with their lifestyle so they sold it. I literally got mine for, if I remember correctly, about $55!

[@reformandaco.5431]

Thanks for the review on this brother! I've following them for a while and have contemplated for the very positive reasons you gave. The notifications piece is slightly concerning however.

[@redeemingproductivity]

No problem! Yeah, I'd been wanting those phone for a while. I really wish I could figure out a way to make it work. Maybe version 3 will be a bit better.

[@jonathandansem]

Solid review, thought you had 100k subs considering the crazy high quality.

[@redeemingproductivity]

Appreciate that! 🙏

[@Vronize]

Fun fact, the minimalist option is already in your hands (especially if you are a android user), its just whether you would like to remove these features or not

[@Neogeozz]

You had me at the battery life.. I want to switch to a dumb phone with a long lasting battery

[@willowienal2957]

I'm curious as to how travel would work with this phone. I use my phone while traveling to look up routes or use google map; I also find some airports have integrated ticketing with phone systems. I'm worried I will not have all the features needed to be in another country.

[@OnTheRiver66]

My flip phone battery lasts 4 days in use and while the rest of my family with their IPhones get notified day and night of the most inane subjects I am undisturbed. When I need a gps i use my mobile Garmen. Ahh, such peace!.

[@harrymason6654]

I will not pay 300 bucks on that when in 2 months I can buy for 70(or 60 I guess) for the Nokia 5710 with bluetooth earphones inside the phone.

[@ogami1972]

Here's an idea that has really worked out for me: leave the phone on your bedside table. That's where it belongs. Want to be un-distracted, and "in the moment"? Maybe it's because I'm an old guy, but I remember how to do that. Leave the phone at home.

[@exzisd]

I like this idea. *Changes iPhone wallpaper to all back and makes Home Screen with 3 apps: clock, text, alarm Ok I didn’t go that far but I like the IDEA of this phone