2024-01-12 18:03:26
During the promotion of “Oppenheimer”, director Nolan told the media that he wrote the script on a computer without Internet access and did not bring a smartphone for fear of being distracted. When giving the script to the actors, Nolan did not send an emotionless letter. He personally flew to Ireland, waited for the protagonist Sydney Murphy to finish reading, and received feedback in person; although Robert Downey Jr. did not receive such treatment, he I also personally went to Nolan’s home in Los Angeles to read the script.
When a real maniac enters work mode, he will restrain himself from surfing the Internet unless necessary: ”I really don’t want to go online every time I’m bored.” Nolan joked that his children might think he was a “Luddite,” a person who opposed the Internet during the Industrial Revolution. Mechanized workers, but now more and more young people “question, understand, and become” Nolan.
A youth version of the “elderly mobile phone” that should not be used unless necessary
It doesn’t matter if the internet is broken and you can’t get on!A trend of “dumb phone” (dumb phone) is emerging among young people in Europe and America, as opposed to “smart phone” (smart phone). Fed up with the smooth experience of vertical full-touch screens and tired of the colorful world of social media, Generation Z, who are “looking for trouble”, chose feature phones of similar age.
According to statistics from Nokia mobile phone manufacturer HMD Global, tens of thousands of flip and slide feature phones are sold in the United States every month. In addition to making calls and sending text messages, these “electronic living fossils” only have basic functions such as GPS and playing music. However, they are “dumb phones”. The range is very wide, not only feature phones from the 2000s that were dug out of old paper piles, but also some products that have only appeared in recent years to help young people survive the “suffering” of smartphones.
▲ Light Phone II。
The more popular one is the $299 Light Phone II, which was launched in 2019. The first reason for its popularity is the design: it has an early fruity appearance, is slightly larger than a normal playing card, weighs about 80 grams, and has a black and white e-paper screen similar to the Kindle. The elegant retro appearance hides the soul of an “elderly mobile phone”: it can make calls and send text messages, it has Bluetooth and a headphone jack, but it has no lens and cannot be viewed after receiving pictures. There is also a toolbar with text display, which hides an alarm clock, computer, and memos. , calendar, music, podcast, navigation and other additional functions.
▲ Navigation function.
Light Phone II supports Wi-Fi network and can be used as a hotspot for other devices, but it cannot access the Internet. This is a rule engraved in the DNA of the mobile phone. It does not carry social media and browsers, does not push news and advertisements, and does not allow third parties. Application tracking.
The “Audience Commodity Theory” in 1977 has long pointed out that TV and newspaper information are not the most important products, but are just “free lunches” to attract audiences. The audience is the real product of the media, packaged and sold to advertisers. Nowadays, the unlimited Douyin information flow and the pop-up games that drive daily activity are similar. However, the developer of Light Phone, Brooklyn-based Light, cannot bear the problem of smartphone addiction. Its purpose is:
Designed to use your phone as little as possible.
The Light team believes that the Light Phone II is not anti-technology, but that the product respects the user and the technology serves humanity, without deliberately competing for your or my time and attention. Although the concept is good, the price of Light Phone II is as high as US$299, which is more expensive than some smartphones. Many users are “very tempted but rejected”.
This seems familiar. The CCD card machines that were mass-produced in the 1990s were very cheap but mostly turned into electronic waste. They became popular last year and then went up again. Some merchants even took the opportunity to trick novices and modified driving recorders and sold them at high prices. However, Light is somewhat out of control. It started with crowdfunding. The team is small and the number of users is not large. The price is the result of considering the cost of software and hardware.
Living in a fast-paced era, nostalgia inevitably becomes a buffer zone and entertainment to repair fragmented life. The recharge of faith that goes against the current also waits for us to pay more.
Quitting the Internet is an attitude
Smartphones have long been plug-in devices. It seems a bit foolish to still talk about quitting the Internet in 2024. But just as a full-keyboard BlackBerry is an attitude, so is disconnecting from the Internet intermittently. Maybe no one quits the Internet forever, but there are always people on the way to quit the Internet.
Similar to young people in Europe and the United States, China’s Generation Z also wants to quit the Internet. Hisense Ink screen reading phone is similar to the Light Phone. It has outstanding advantages and disadvantages. Reading does not hurt the eyes, and it has more communication and payment functions than an e-reader. , listening to music and other functions, it is convenient to carry around, but the usage scenarios are still limited. After all, the screen refresh rate is low and the color is single, which is not suitable for games, pictures and videos.
▲ Hisense reading phone A9.
In addition to literary young people who love reading, this phone also attracts Internet-addicted teenagers who want to get rid of algorithms. Take off your “tinted glasses” to look at the world. Mukbang is boring, there is no color code for lipstick, and there is no dopamine Maillard for outfits. The whole person is apathetic, and the black and white words have more charm. This just proves the fact: you will be used to it. The main smartphones are put on the shelf and they learn to compromise and be patient.
Everything is too fast and convenient. When the attention span is only 8 to 10 seconds, and you have to fast forward even to watch a short film, you become increasingly impatient to wait. But because of this, we often forget the original intention of using mobile phones. When we come back to our senses, we have been swiping aimlessly for several hours. The convenience that we take for granted is forced to be sealed. The distance between us and the mobile phones increases, and friction with the screen is created, thus achieving ” Anti-addiction” effect.
In addition to mobile phones with ink screens, vertical anti-addiction mobile phones and old mobile phones that have been eliminated from the era are also “artifacts to quit the Internet” with their own merits. Xiaomi ecological chain company “Duoqin” specializes in developing anti-addiction mobile phones for students and people preparing for exams. There are small-screen and full-screen phones, as well as touch-screen phones with nine-square buttons. They are equipped with Android systems. In addition to making calls and sending text messages, they can also scan barcodes. , take photos, even play games and watch videos.
▲ Multi-button touch screen and full-screen mobile phones.
The functions seem to be no different from other smartphones, because Duoqin’s secret weapon is the anti-addiction system. If you select the “Student Edition” when starting the phone, the guardian can monitor it remotely, limit the usage time of the phone, and set which apps are restricted or permanently disabled. Duoqin mobile phones also have a certain “physical anti-addiction” effect. After all, the screen is small and the performance is limited. Playing games is not pleasant, and watching videos for a long time will strain the eyes. If it is a touch screen machine, whether it is a virtual keyboard or a physical nine-square grid, it is difficult to type. The space is smaller and the body feels clumsier.
There is no need to install an anti-addiction system on outdated mobile phones, because they are naturally difficult to use. Which one to choose to quit the Internet depends more on fate and appearance. The topic of “phones to quit the Internet” seems to be a world not ruled by full-screen displays.
The square sliding Nokia X5-01 (2010), the physical full keyboard BlackBerry Q10 (2013), and the Japanese clamshell Sharp 601SH (2016), these electronic wastes are “silly but beautiful”, but they also disappeared for the same reason, or they may only be Take root in niche markets. When I was a kid, I could get by playing Snake with my parents’ Nokia, but now there are so many entertainment options. Is it that “Genshin Impact” isn’t fun enough or that the short films aren’t enough? Another example is the BlackBerry, which has a full keyboard for typing smoothly and has the earliest smartphone system. However, times have changed and users have changed from presidents and business people to students who want to disconnect from the Internet.
Quitting the Internet is an attitude, the core of which is to take the initiative to endure hardships. It’s okay not to change your mobile phone. There is a great idea to solve the problem of mobile phone addiction: Change the font on your mobile phone to seal script. It will be difficult to read and use, and the brain will not be hijacked by dopamine. App “One Sec” will interfere before opening some apps. It will first play an animation and guide a 10-second breathing exercise, and then choose to continue or close. You can also turn off notifications and turn on focus mode, set the language to English, set the interface to gray, remove or fold entertainment software, use a watch instead of a mobile phone to check time, and use a computer instead of a mobile phone to check information.
In short, give full play to the spirit of “detachment”, minimalism is not limited to clothing and decoration, it is also a way of life.
“Minimalism” that is difficult to reconcile with everyone
How simple should a minimalist phone be? The Light team has been thinking about this issue since the initial crowdfunding campaign. This is a dilemma: too many functions will make it impossible to break away from worldly concepts; too few functions will make it difficult for modern society to move forward. However, the first-generation product, Light Phone, did not have good standards. It only supported 2G networks and could only make phone calls without text messages. Even they themselves could not use it. “The simplicity we like creates difficulties.” When designing the Light Phone II, the team learned lessons and conducted user surveys to understand the rigid needs, retaining what was necessary and discarding the redundant.
However, everyone’s needs are different: text messages, navigation, notes, emoticons…how to make it simple and easy to use that most people think is still a complicated problem. After cramming in more than a dozen functions, you have an iPhone. If you exclude too many, you return to the Light Phone. Some netizens introduced their Internet-free mobile phone, and someone asked in the comment area. Students are worried about whether homework can be used, and workers are concerned about whether they can download part-time apps. . After many compromises, the Light Phone II still cannot satisfy everyone. It also has many shortcomings. It is slow to boot, does not support contactless payment, requires downloading to listen to music, ghosting may occur when the ink screen is updated, and lacks accessibility features for the disabled. Typing on the keyboard is tiring.
In early November 2023, Light Phone II and American rapper Kendrick Lamar’s brand pgLang launched a limited edition, and 250 units were sold out in one day. In addition to the celebrity effect, the joint slogan also hits the target of young people: “Just a Phone”.
Of course, a mobile phone can be just a mobile phone, a small box for making calls and sending text messages. In addition to selling mobile phones and SIM cards, the Light team also sells T-shirts, mobile phone cases, wired headphones, postcard sets and other peripherals. The promotional video is also shot in a peaceful way, always reminding you to put your phone aside and save time to drink tea, read, bask in the sun, ride a bicycle, and get together with your family. It is probably due to the dark psychology of “acting it”. This kind of painting style always arouses the author’s vigilance.
At this time, the Light Phone II seems like a fashion accessory suitable to be placed with a hardcover book. It appears in the self-media experience article “Teaching you to shoot an atmospheric blockbuster in 30 seconds”, showing how IKEA modules can be accurately matched with ideal life. For modern people whose favorite things are gathering dust, giving up their smartphones and embracing dumb phones is a bit like buying online classes and gym memberships. They are all spiritual victory methods of “spending money = progress” and they will not last long.
Insider reporter Jordan Hart recently replaced the iPhone 14 Pro with the Light Phone II, but lasted less than a week – “I was shocked at how much I relied on technology.” When she is waiting for food delivery, she can no longer check social media and can only listen to podcasts. When she takes the subway, she cannot play games as usual. The Light Phone II made her more aware of her physical surroundings, but it also caused her to miss out on the wider online world.
Steven Winkelman, editor of the review website PCMag, is not sure whether the Light Phone II without a camera can allow him to live in the present. Although it allows him to look up and see more scenery, it also makes him lose the opportunity to record.
I couldn’t capture a moment that struck me in the fall in Chicago and then look back on it in the winter, or share it with friends over dinner. That moment is gone.
Fritz Eichler, the first design director of Braun in Germany, said in an interview in his later years that gorgeous equipment is suitable for the stage, but not suitable for elegant modern apartments. Equipment should be unobtrusive and functional, like silent servants. Device functionality should be identifiable in a clear way, and people should enjoy these electronic devices and enjoy living with them.
The starting point of minimalism should be practicality rather than beauty. However, the simplicity of many Internet-free mobile phones is only reflected in the appearance and feel of the product, rather than the inner working principle. It cannot be “less is better”, nor can it reduce complexity. On the contrary increase the burden. It’s hard to tell the cause and effect. Is it because of too many obstacles or not enough control of smartphones that we have been cultivated with cunning tastes and usage habits, and the relationship between master and servant has been reversed.
AI will change smartphones and wearable devices to more hardware. It is very retro to discuss niche mobile phones, but we still need this kind of equipment and hope to do better and better. Schopenhauer said that life is like a pendulum, swinging between pain and boredom, fashion is also reincarnation, and the tug-of-war between minimalism and extreme complexity never stops. As we get used to the smartness and noise of smartphones, we occasionally long for quieter and simpler options that can proactively control the safe distance between ourselves and the Internet.
(This article is written by Love style Reprinted with permission; source of first image:The Light Phone）
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