Kendrick Lamar enters the tech space with a collaboration on the Light Phone 2. Light phones offer minimalistic experiences without apps or color.

  • Flying Squid
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    671 year ago

    It’s $299, which isn’t ridiculous for a phone, but this is kind of gimmicky with its Magic 8-Ball thing and, of course, its celebrity backing. I don’t know, I guess it’s not the worst price point, but considering you can get low-end Android phones for that with more functionality, I’m also guessing the people buying it are not really worried about the price.

    • @[email protected]
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      441 year ago

      Why not get a phone that can take, send, and receive pictures and video. It would also have maps, GPS, encrypted messaging, streaming music, audiobooks, e-books, home automation apps, ride hailing, food ordering, decent browser, etc.

      Then, stay with me here, don’t install social media apps. The lengths people go to so they can avoid social media when it is extremely avoidable is crazy to me.

      • @[email protected]
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        161 year ago

        What you’re doing here is subtly shifting the burden of phone addiction from software companies and phone manufacturers back onto end users.

        You’re glossing right over the fact that these teams have the very best software engineers, mechanical engineers, marketers, ad people, psychologists, and doctors for the purpose of making these endlessly scrolling apps as addictive and hard to avoid as possible.

        I read your comment and think about the people who say “why are you depressed? Just go lift some weights. It all comes down to you”

        • @[email protected]
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          171 year ago

          It’s more like “Why are you smoking cigarettes, stop buying cigarettes.” It’s addictive, well marketed and cool, and totally avoidable with some self discipline.

          I wouldn’t joke about people with an actual illness by telling them to toughen up, but we’re not talking about that.

        • R0cket_M00se
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          7
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          1 year ago

          What you’re doing here is subtly shifting the burden of phone addiction from software companies and phone manufacturers back onto end users.

          I thought you were being satirical at first but then I realized you genuinely believe an individual has zero personal responsibility whatsoever. Lemmy is filled with children.

          This isn’t the housing market or alcohol, just don’t install or doom scroll social media. Jesus Christ, nanny state garbage.

        • aubertlone
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          -21 year ago

          Are you being serious?

          Yes, saying “don’t install social media apps if you don’t like them” is the same as saying “lift weights to stop being depressed bro”.

          Your brain is too advanced and I cannot follow the steps you took to reach this conclusion.

      • @[email protected]
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        51 year ago

        The point is that it cannot do those things.

        It’s smaller, it’s lighter, the battery will last way longer, and it doesn’t run spyware.

      • @[email protected]
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        -101 year ago

        Facebook is baked into everything. Everything passes through Google. The only way to avoid them is to stay off the web.

        • @[email protected]
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          161 year ago

          That’s flat out false. Other than using messenger to chat with family, I haven’t had to use Facebook for anything for the 5 or so years since I stopped actively using it.

          As for “everything passes through Google”, that’s just an optional login protocol and a shitload of blockable ads.

          Also, Google isn’t social media. You could argue that YouTube has social media aspects, but those aren’t mandatory for internet participation either.

    • sab
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      211 year ago

      I mean, you’re quite clearly paying for the lack of features here.
      Which makes the 8 ball even dumber.

      • Flying Squid
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        71 year ago

        Yeah, the 8 ball bothers me, as does the ‘it’s a dumb phone, but you can add a bunch of apps,’ which is… a regular smartphone with no apps installed for the most part. The e-ink screen is unusual and interesting for a phone and I can see the appeal there, but the rest is kind of odd.

        I’m guessing the majority of the phones were bought by people who are big fans of Kendrick Lamar. I sort of understand. An (impossible) equivalent to me would be if Stanley Kubrick came out with some piece of tech. I’d be sorely tempted to buy it just because I love Stanley Kubrick.

          • Flying Squid
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            21 year ago

            The minimalistic phone has no web browser and its screen is paper-like similar to that of some e-readers. In its simplest form, you can call, text, set an alarm, and use it as a hotspot, but there are add-on tools that include a music player, notes, a calculator, directions, and more.

            Sure sounds like you can to me.

            • @[email protected]
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              21 year ago

              many dumphones have these functions.

              calculator and GPS is not what most people think of from the phrase “a bunch of apps”