I Tried To Kill My Smartphone Addiction With A Dumb Phone. Here's How It Went. | Business Insider

Summary

The video script details a personal experiment with a 'dumbphone' as an alternative to a smartphone to reduce screen time. Despite the average American spending four hours daily on their phone, the user spends over eight hours and decides to try a dumbphone. These phones offer basic functions like calling, texting, and GPS without social media distractions. The user explores using the dumbphone in New York City, noting the challenges with navigation, menu scanning, and texting without emojis. While the experiment didn't drastically change habits, it did make them more aware of their surroundings. The user concludes that while dumbphones can be a novelty, there are other ways to reduce smartphone usage.

Takeaways

• 📱 The average American spends about four hours daily on their phone, while the speaker admits to using their phone for over eight hours.
• 🏷️ The term 'dumbphone' refers to basic cellphones that can make calls, send texts, and may have GPS but lack social media and distracting apps.
• 👨‍⚕️ Medical experts have linked excessive screen time to issues like lack of focus, depression, and sleep deprivation.
• 📉 Some smartphone users are switching to flip phones to reduce screen time and increase presence in the real world.
• 💸 The cost of a dumbphone and service was approximately $145, which is significantly less than high-end smartphones like the latest iPhone.
• 🚗 The speaker found it difficult to use ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft without a smartphone, highlighting the dependency on apps for certain services.
• 🎵 While the dumbphone had a music app, popular services like Spotify and Apple Music were not available, affecting the user's media consumption.
• 🐍 The dumbphone came with classic games like Snake, which the speaker found a surprising source of entertainment.
• 🗺️ Navigation using Google Maps was possible on the dumbphone, offering a seamless transition for the speaker.
• 🍽️ The speaker encountered challenges with QR code menus and texting, which were made easier by reverting to their smartphone.
• 📸 The dumbphone's camera quality was a downgrade from the speaker's iPhone, but it offered a nostalgic, fuzzy aesthetic.
• 🔙 Despite the experiment, the speaker found themselves reverting to their smartphone for various tasks, questioning the practicality of a dumbphone.

Q & A

What is the average daily screen time for an American according to the script?

The average American spends roughly four hours on their phone.

How much time does the speaker in the script spend on their phone daily?

The speaker spends about eight hours and 25 minutes on their phone daily.

What is a 'dumbphone' as described in the script?

A 'dumbphone' is a cellphone that has the ability to call, text, and might even have GPS, but without time-wasting features like social media and other distracting apps.

What are some health issues linked to screen time according to medical experts mentioned in the script?

Medical experts have linked screen time to lack of focus, depression, lack of sleep.

How much did the speaker spend on a dumbphone and service?

The speaker spent about $90 for the dumbphone and around $55 for service, totaling approximately $145.

Why did the speaker initially have high expectations for the dumbphone?

The speaker expected the dumbphone to cut down on their screen time and make them feel healthier and more empowered.

What challenges did the speaker face when trying to use the dumbphone for navigation?

The speaker found the typing aspect a bit tough due to having to click the buttons multiple times, but found the navigation itself seamless using Google Maps.

What was the speaker's experience with using a QR code menu on the dumbphone?

The speaker initially had trouble scanning a QR code menu but eventually found a QR code reader app that worked almost instantly.

How did the speaker feel about the texting experience on the dumbphone?

The speaker found the texting experience counterintuitive and slower, with no emojis, GIFs, or memes available.

What was the speaker's overall opinion on the dumbphone trend?

The speaker felt that the dumbphone trend was more of a novelty and didn't necessarily lead to more sleep or happiness, suggesting that there are other ways to cut down on screen time.

What was one positive aspect the speaker noted about using the dumbphone?

The speaker noted that using the dumbphone made them more present and aware of their surroundings.