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 title: Back to Basics
 date: 2024-07-10 14:06:00
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A short while back, I picked up one of those newfangled folding
phones so I could (ostensibly) read more. This purchase obviously
went against my "single-purpose devices" and "offline-first
technology" rules [0], but I got caught up in a wave of
techno-consumerism that ended up inspiring additional purchases of
new wireless headphones and a new smartwatch (plus all of the
cases, screen protectors, and everything else that those things
necessitate).

When the phone broke [1] during _extremely_ regular usage (you
know, like opening it to read a book), I decided that the folding
phone is cool, but those moving parts introduce more wear-and-tear
than I was prepared to deal with (after all, there are still some
phones that are _years_ old that are in decent shape, setting aside
battery degradation).

But, instead of going back to a system that was simple and worked
for me, I went with a fancy-schmancy Galaxy S24 Ultra, complete
with a pen that I never used and a camera that uses AI to enhance
pictures of the moon that all ultimately look the same:

Image: http://flower.codes/assets/img/posts/ai-moon.jpg

Once again, I was drawn in by the allure of something shiny, and
once again I feel torn by my decision, because these are not my
values.

When I switched to the Android ecosystem, it was because I told
myself a lie about being able to read more. Granted, I _did_ read a
_bit_ more, but not enough to make a difference (I read a bunch on
my regular-old non-folding phone too), and the decision ultimately
opened a crack for other less-than-satisfying choices.

Can't have an Android phone without an Android watch, and Android
headphones, and Android services. It's all Android, all the time!

Unfortunately for me, my family is _not_ on the Android train, so
all my choice did was introduce friction.

I was immediately locked out of those family group chats (thanks
for that one, Apple) and was unable to get back in, despite a ton
of effort. I couldn't manage my kids' iPads (which require parental
approval for installing new applications, and granting extra screen
time). My wife and I couldn't easily send high-quality pictures to
one another, because of Apple's lack of RCS support (and Android's
lack of iMessage support).

In other words, I made my and everyone else's lives more difficult.

But, what do I need a smartphone for anyway?

Ultimately, to communicate with loved ones and manage productivity.
That's about it.

I don't need (or want) to use it for games or movies, and the
"there's an app for that" craze has been murdered by the
proliferation of the subscription-for-everything model.

I have found that I'm happiest when my glowing rectangle of
distraction is used as an enhancement of my off-screen life, rather
than an extension of it.

Digital calendars? *Awesome*.

Coordinating plans with family and friends? *Hell yeah*.

Todo lists? *Yes please*.

Turns out, just about any phone will do for those purposes, and as
long as the people in my immediate circle are in the same
ecosystem, the experience is seamless and less frustrating (and I'm
all for a life of fewer unnecessary frustrations).

Image: http://flower.codes/assets/img/posts/back-to-basics.jpg

So I've made a decision to rewind the clock. This weekend, I dug my
old iPhone XS Max out of the drawer, booted it up, updated it, and
swapped my SIM card in. Aside from an aging battery, it works great
_for the things I want it to work great for_.

As for my Galaxy S24 Ultra? To eBay [2] with you, my friend.
Hopefully I'll recoup some of the cost (and what I don't recoup,
well... we'll call that a tax on my choices).

I've written about losing my way a bit when it comes to technology,
but writing about it isn't enough. The only way to find it again is
to actually *take some action*. If I want to live a life that isn't
ruled by my tools, then I need to be extremely aware of the tools I
use (and, perhaps more importantly, the tools that use me).

---
[0]: http://flower.codes/rules.html
[1]: http://flower.codes/2024/03/10/extended-warranty.html
[2]: https://www.ebay.com/usr/zachflower
---

>> This is post 055 of #100DaysToOffload

EOF