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"We Listened" - Commodore Reduces The Price Of Its Forthcoming Callback 8020 'Dumbphone' (www.timeextension.com)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Announced a short time ago, the Callback 8020 is seen as a means of combating the addictive lure of the modern-day smartphone. While it supports Android apps via its SailfishOS, it disables features like web browsing and social media by default.

However, despite the noble quest for a 'digital detox', the phone met with a somewhat frosty reception online (no pun intended), with many comparing it to an elderly relative's flip phone. In our poll, 70 percent of you said you wouldn't be buying one.

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[–] 13 points 4 months ago (15 children)

How about a phone for people who aren't addicted to them, but want the basics without being spied on?

Things I want in a phone:

  • GPS with maps and directions.
  • A browser for the rare occasions I want to look something up when I'm away from home. The last time I used it was to find which aisle something was on at Lowe's.
  • Texting.
  • Phone calls.
  • Notes.
  • A decent camera.
  • No bigger than an iPhone 12 mini, which is what I have now, and it's plenty big enough.

I don't do anything else. Mostly my phone sits on my desk, ignored unless it makes a noise at me. I take it with me sometimes when I leave the house, but sometimes I don't bother--not addicted.

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  • [–] 12 points 4 months ago (6 children)

    This can easily be achieved with most any Android phone.

    • Switch to a degoogled OS like GrapheneOS or LineageOS
    • Install a minimalist launcher (there are dozens)
    • install CoMaps for private gps and navigation
    • use whatever chromium browser comes on the phone or install a privacy browser like Firefox (again, there are dozens)
    • add a notes app (there are dozens)
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  • [–] 1 point 4 months ago

    Most Android phones nowadays fail at

    Switch to a degoogled OS like GrapheneOS or LineageOS

    either because they're not unlockable or because neither OS supports that specific brand and model.

    Not saying the rest isn't correct, it's just that "most" in there that in my experience is wildly optimistic.

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  • [–] 1 point 4 months ago* (2 children)

    This can easily be achieved with most any Android phone.

    lots of phones are not supported even by lineage. it does not help that manufacturers are continuously farting out the same mediocre models just with slightly different hardware, so that drivers need to be figured out again

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  • [–] 1 point 4 months ago* (1 child)

    Yes, by "most any" of course I mean that you can find a device with almost any spec or form factor you choose. If you like pixel, you can choose lineage or graphene. If you have an old phone lying around - with hundreds supported by lineage - there's a good chance it works.

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  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (6 children)

    this may very well be the phone for you. I think it does all of this

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  • [–] 5 points 4 months ago (5 children)

    Except for the "A browser on rare occasions", which sadly is likely the only thing stopping me from buying this at the new far more palatable price. I don't need to be treated like a baby, but apparently this is considered a core feature of the phone and they won't back down from it.

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  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

    I 100% agree with this. This is SO CLOSE to getting it and offering a phone I actually want. But I want to own my devices and decide what I do on them. The thing hard locking me out of a browser (and discord) is unfortunately a deal breaker. I don't want the hardware mfr to have a say in how I use the device and treat me like a literal child in the process. It's disappointing.

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  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    I was also thinking about buying it, but I want my phone to be my phone.

    I actually use my browser from time to time. What is the use of a phone if you need a "backup phone" just to look something up?

    Also, their reasoning for blocking the browser is absurd: "you could use the browser to access social media." I don't use TikTok, Instagram, X, or the like, so why do I need to be nannied?

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  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago

    Exactly. I can understand them not installing a browser by default as part of their "principled stance against social media", but blocking the install entirely is WILD. I also do wonder how they actually do that though... Just a list of "known browsers" and blocking their install? It's Linux - what if we fork a browser and rename it "totally not firefox", would it even catch it?

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