While there are some good ways that you can combat doomscrolling<\/a> without throwing away your fancy phone (like getting ChatGPT to abuse you<\/a> or gamifying your productivity with free apps<\/a>), it\u2019s a lot harder to cave in when your only device is limited to bare minimum core functions like phone calls and SMS text messages.<\/p>\n When rejecting the unfiltered smartphone experience, there are three directions you can pursue. The first is to find an old \u201cdumbphone\u201d that still works (and is compatible with modern cellular networks). This can be easier said than done, especially if the 2G and 3G networks have been switched off in your region. Old Blackberry devices seem to be a popular choice, since these were high-end business-class devices in their prime.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you can buy a modern \u201cdumber phone,\u201d like the Light Phone<\/a> or the Minimal Phone<\/a>, the latter of which even has an eInk display. Though cheaper versions exist, the niche appeal of these products often means they\u2019re more expensive than moderately-priced smartphones or used models.<\/p>\n Another option is to choose a regular smartphone, which is cheaper and more readily available than niche alternatives, then lock it down. You can do this by imposing restrictions with built-in features like Screen Time<\/a> or Focus modes<\/a>. iPhone users can go even further by using Apple Configurator<\/a> to limit which apps are available and disable all new app installs on their devices.<\/p>\n EDC stands for \u201ceveryday carry\u201d<\/p>\n I use my iPhone for a vast range of tasks when out and about. I don\u2019t carry a wallet, since I pay with my iPhone. I verify my age and identity with my state\u2019s driving license app. I use my iPhone to touch on public transport like trains and ferries. It\u2019s how I listen to music in the gym or when I\u2019m in the car. It\u2019s a navigational aid, a shopping list, and an organizer. It\u2019s my primary camera, and sometimes a games console.<\/p>\n Giving up the brainrot seems like a great idea until you consider all of the other things your smartphone does that you now have to replace. That\u2019s where your everyday carry, or EDC, comes in. Though the phrase isn\u2019t unique to the dumbphone movement, your EDC gets a lot bulkier when you give up a single device that does everything.<\/p>\n If you want to listen to music on the go, you might dig out an old MP3 player (or a MiniDisc player<\/a>, if you\u2019re really cool), plus some wired headphones to go with it. With no digital wallet on older devices, you\u2019ll need a real wallet or purse. If you\u2019re trying to replace the time you spend on your smartphone doomscrolling with something a little more enriching, you\u2019ll need a book, an eReader, or a portable console.<\/p>\n If you want to take photos that don\u2019t suck, get into the habit of taking a small point-and-shoot camera<\/a> with you. Then there\u2019s all the other stuff you need to take out of the house with you: keys, watch, lip balm, sunglasses, and so on. It\u2019s enough to make you appreciate how much smartphones have simplified our lives, even with all the dopamine-sapping side effects.<\/p>\n Fashionable trend or revolution?<\/p>\n Spurred on by subreddits like r\/dumphones<\/a> and r\/digitalminimalism<\/a>, the trend of rejecting the endless scroll in favor of a \u201csimpler\u201d life and overloaded cargo shorts seems alive and well. Despite this, it\u2019s a movement that really requires some commitment if you\u2019re willing to go all-in.<\/p>\n Old dumbphones don\u2019t have access to Wi-Fi, instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, or streaming services like Spotify. Even checking your email can feel like a chore. Software is slow and cumbersome, and though battery life can often span days and not hours, you\u2019ll need to deal with proprietary chargers and worn-out cells.<\/p>\n This is probably why so many \u201cdumbphones\u201d are just smartphones with limits placed on them or KaiOS<\/a> devices. These are handsets that run a mobile-friendly fork of Linux for feature phones with keypads, which started life as the now-discontinued Firefox OS in 2017. Devices are cheap and simple, but app support is spotty. KaiOS devices fall into a gray area, neither dumb nor smart.<\/p>\n For some, it\u2019s a way to return to simpler times and retrain their attention spans. For others, it\u2019s an opportunity to experience technology that was already defunct by the time they came of age. There\u2019s no denying that old technologies like audio cassette have a cool factor<\/a>, so that\u2019s probably a contributing factor too.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-snarky-message-generated-by-claude-ai-trying-to-shame-the-reader-into-stopping-doomscrolling.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-60gb-apple-ipod.jpg\")
\n Credit:\u00a0Tim Brookes \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-cassette-tape-deck-player-with-a-bay-open-and-a-tape-inside.jpg\")
\n Credit:\u00a0Jordan Gloor \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n