Decentralizing My Smartphone with Single Purpose Devices
Source: Hacker News
Nostalgia for Pre‑Smartphone Internet
Lately, I’ve become nostalgic for the days before smartphones, when the internet was a place we visited deliberately, not a constant stream of notifications that lives on all of our devices. For those of us who grew up before the 2000s, the internet was accessed via a CRT screen connected to a bulky desktop in a childhood bedroom. It required a ritual each time, and getting online often meant disconnecting from our phones. Calls and texts were limited, so time spent online was short and intentional. Loading webpages was slow and tedious, forcing us to be deliberate with our online time.
Today, glowing rectangles in our pockets keep us chronically connected, making it feel impossible to escape the internet.
The Overload of Modern Smartphones
The lines between the digital world and the real world have completely blurred. Almost everything we need—music, news, directions, groceries—can be done from a smartphone. While these devices have undeniably made life more convenient and saved us countless hours, that saved time is often reclaimed by work that spills over into personal hours or endless scrolling through mindless content. I love the conveniences my smartphone provides, but I also feel suffocated by the constant influx of information and the pressure to be available at a moment’s notice.
Decentralizing My Smartphone
Over the past few days I’ve taken steps to decentralize my smartphone and find alternative ways to handle the tasks I’ve come to rely on it for. My goal is to reclaim some of the time and attention that my phone has taken, using it for more purposeful activities. This isn’t a permanent rejection of technology, nor an attempt to become a recluse; rather, it’s a digital detox aimed at reevaluating what works for me and what might be hindering a more purposeful life.
Single‑Purpose Devices
Below is a photo of some of the single‑purpose devices I’ve been using more often so I can rely on my smartphone less.
Devices (from left to right):
- Magnavox Portable DVD player
- Fujifilm X100V digital camera
- Sony Walkman CD player
- iPod (4th‑gen monochrome)
- AlphaSmart Neo
- Physical books
- Royal Arrow typewriter
- Pen‑and‑paper journaling setup
- Standalone calculator
- Nintendo Switch