I've switched to a "dumb phone" over 2 years ago and I have no plans of turning back. I've recently published a piece about it https://pawelurbanek.com/mobile-internet-addiction-focus

As I paged-down to start reading, I got four words in ("Mindlessly checking social networks") before four social network badges animated in from the left. Seems a little ironic.

Regardless, it was a good read. Your idea about dumbphone+SIM-less smartphone is something I've not heard before and might try.

Yeah I should hide social bar on this one not to be hippocratic :)

hypocritical is the word you're looking for.

I was first using a dumb phone but soon realized that I need at least a maps application when I am abroad in a foreign city. Not being able to search for addresses on the go is also very unhandy if you don't wanna visit police stations around the world.

For my current Android I decided to get an upstream open source one (one out of four, to be exact, because there are not many blob free ones). Switched to OmniROM head builds without any google integrations, which kinda has the same effect as a dumb phone.

You would not believe what runs through gapps. Searching a bus? Nope, requires google. Take a note? Nope, requires google. Edit a markdown file? Nope, requires google.

f-droid and its analysis of apk files is a godsend.

My phone stays silent, with ublock0 in Firefox, and never shows a notification if I don't want it to. Use contact stars for allowance of emergency calls in DND mode.

I love it when I realize I haven't eaten at 21:00 because I could keep up the focus so much.

the absence of a digital map/route planner also has advantages in that it removes the "sterile tourist bubble" and forces one to interact with the local people.

Why not leave home without your wallet, too, for that extra dose of third-world verisimilitude?

Snark aside, you realize that there's a middle ground, and that not every travel destination is 3rd world right?

Android user here. The addition of "Focus Mode" has completely changed my approach to my device and, by extension, my life. Various personal relationships have been noticably improved for the better as I can concentrate on them better.

I block all of the classic social notifications/apps, and I keep it on 24/7 apart from times I deliberately go out of my way to consciously press "Take a Break" for 5/10 minutes. The deliberate friction here is, of course, a welcome feature.

> I don't get what introvert has to do with focus.

A common object of attention for Samatha (one-pointed concentration / tranquility) practice is a Mandala or Kasina.

The copy on the site and the mandala-like art the app generates leads me to believe the author hopes people can use the app for this (or a non-Buddhist equivalent concentration practice).

I just did a 10 minute session. It's excellent for this purpose!

Just read the book "Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English" and he mentions the practice of Kasina. This app definitely made me think of that chapter.

I think there's a lot to be explored in how technology can work with mindfulness & concentration practices.

But what does that have to do with introversion? Extroverts can focus or make mandalas.

Its likely unrelated to the behavior and more about focusing on yourself. which is technically the definition of the word

We're just too used to the psychological definition

Thank you for your comment, I’ll use this explanation myself. Many people asking about it, I didn’t mean psychological definition.

I Just really hope it doesn’t sound offensive.

> I don't get what introvert has to do with focus.

I interpreted 'introvert' as a verb, even though the domain name suggests otherwise. As a verb it means to turn inward or to direct something (attention) within the self.