Technology

The rise of dumbphones in a smartphone world

Published

2 hours ago

July 23, 2024

The rise of dumbphones in a smartphone world

Most of us know how much smartphones can become a distraction. Even if we make our very best effort not to grab our phone when we are bored immediately, the average American spends 4.1 hours a day staring at their smartphone screen. Not only does this affect our eyes, posture and attentiveness, it also impacts our mental health and feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Some people’s dependency on smartphones has led them to ditch them altogether and replace them with what’s now known as a “dumbphone.”

But what exactly is a “dumbphone,” and is this the answer to our smartphone and social media woes?

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Nokia cellphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What are dumbphones?

Dumbphones are basic ’90s-inspired cellphones that lack the vast array of apps found on smartphones. Remember that old Nokia that you could play “Snake” on or that snazzy flip phone that was once all the rage but took a long time to send one text message?

Dumbphones focus on providing core functionalities like texting and calling, avoiding the high screen time associated with smartphones we use every day. These phones are part of a growing market providing offline alternatives for those seeking to reduce their digital footprint and be more present in their physical environments.

Old Nokia phone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Why are people switching to dumbphones?

The shift towards dumbphones is driven by a growing awareness of the adverse effects associated with prolonged screen time, such as loneliness, addiction and mental health issues like anxiety or depression.

Desire for simplicity: Many advocate for a return to simpler devices that focus on basic functionalities like texts and calls, reducing the constant bombardment of information and notifications.

Reduction in digital footprint: Using a dumbphone helps decrease online presence and data sharing, appealing to privacy-conscious users.

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What will the future of dumbphones look like?

The popularity of dumbphones is on the rise. These trends suggest a robust future for dumbphones, especially among younger generations embracing other retro technologies. The market is evolving, with new models and options becoming available that cater to a desire for simplicity and a break from constant connectivity.

Get Kurt’s picks for the best dumbphones

Young woman looking at phone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How do you know if you should get a dumbphone?

Consider a dumbphone if you feel overwhelmed by your smartphone usage or are concerned about its impact on your mental health. Many users of dumbphones still keep a smartphone but switch between the two depending on their needs, which could be a practical approach for those unsure about fully transitioning. Trying out a dumbphone could be a beneficial experiment if you frequently find yourself distracted by your phone or looking for ways to enhance real-life interactions.

Get Kurt’s picks for the best dumbphones

Retro phones (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

If you’re part of the older generation and have only ever used your smartphone for calling, texting and maybe email, then perhaps you don’t have all the other concerns that heavy smartphone users have. Therefore, getting a dumbphone may only be advantageous if you’re looking to save money on your phone bill and don’t need all the bells and whistles. But, if you find yourself a little distracted by your smartphone, then resorting back to a dumbphone might be the way to go.

Do you know anyone who has gotten themselves a dumbphone? What was the straw that broke the camel’s back that made them do so? Would you consider trading in your smartphone for a dumbphone? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Helldivers 2 is getting its biggest update very soon

Published

2 hours ago

July 23, 2024

Press Room

Helldivers 2 is getting its biggest update very soon

The team at Arrowhead Game Studios is working on the biggest Helldivers 2 update yet. On August 6th, the Escalation of Freedom update will offer players new game modes, enemies, mission objectives, and a much more punishing difficulty. In the announcement trailer, chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt and design director Niklas Malmborg went over the details, sharing that they’re planning on bringing back an old enemy from the original Helldivers to terrorize freedom lovers across the galaxy.

The impaler is a large enemy type designed to halt divers’ attempts to esca… err tactical retreats. The update will include a number of new enemy types both terminid and automaton, while remixing existing enemies to give players a new experience. Speaking of experiences, the Helldivers team also shared details on one of the new mission objectives: retrieve the larva. In that mission, divers will be tasked with carrying a screaming terminid larva through enemy territory to reach the extraction point. In addition to the new mission, enemy outposts have been expanded, turning them into massive, more challenging bases for players to capture. Finally, Helldivers 2 will be getting a brand-new difficulty level, combat rating 10, that’s meant to be a significant step up from other difficulties.

Despite the game’s success, player numbers on Steam have seen a bit of a dip since February. Likely, this new content refresh, which the developers say is the first step of many they have planned, will be what the game needs to bring back the masses.

Technology

Slack introduces iPhone widgets to make work more inescapable

Published

9 hours ago

July 23, 2024

Press Room

Slack introduces iPhone widgets to make work more inescapable

Today, Slack introduced the first four widgets for the iOS version of its mobile app. Three of them are designed for the iPhone’s homescreen, while the fourth can be added to the lockscreen, allowing users to jump immediately into the Slack app after unlocking their device.

The homescreen widgets include Catch Up, which provides an at-a-glance look at how many unread messages and mentions a user has without opening the app. It gives a little more detail than the Slack app icon’s badge, and tapping the Catch Up widget takes users directly to that section of the Slack app so they can quickly swipe through conversations they’ve missed.

The other two homescreen widgets streamline Slack status updates. Tapping the smaller Status widget also takes users directly to that section of the Slack iOS app, while a larger version offers the same functionality plus three preselected status options: one-hour “Focus” and “Lunch” statuses, plus a half-hour “Take a break” status. However, those preselected options aren’t customizable at this point.

Slack finding its way onto all of our devices has already made work feel like a nonstop thing. If you really want to bring more work into your life, adding these widgets could go even further, putting work front and center every time you open your phone.

Technology

Tech billionaires can’t build their ‘California Forever’ city yet

Published

16 hours ago

July 22, 2024

Press Room

Tech billionaires can’t build their ‘California Forever’ city yet

Last year, the Times reported that a group of Silicon Valley investors (including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Andreessen Horowitz investors Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and Emerson Collective founder Laurene Powell Jobs) had secretly bought up hundreds of millions of dollars worth of farmland in Solano County to build their own city.

With former Goldman Sachs trader named Jan Sramek spearheading the project, it filed for permission to develop the land only months after its plans became known. According to a Solano County-commissioned study, that process usually takes years, and it “estimated the full project would require tens of billions in infrastructure investment but warned that details about the development remained so vague it was hard to assess its full impact,” reports the Times.

In his own statement, Sramek said, “…doing the Environmental Impact Report first does not impact the overall timeline – it just reorders the steps,” and that the plan is to resubmit its requests in 2026. However, a local congressman quoted by the Times said, “The California Forever pipe dream is in a permanent deep freeze.”