I know nothing of tech, and I mean NOTHING. If someone could tell me what to look for in a phone, that’d really help! Needs: call, text, take pictures, maybe play music? I’m not about to ask for a smartphone shaped like a flip phone, duh. I just need to know what I’m looking for, system wise or something, help

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to get my first dumbphone, and I'm having trouble finding exactly what I want. With the research I've done, the HMD Barbie phone (US version) comes the closest to what I'm looking for. Only downside is it comes with games pre-loaded, and it doesn't appear you can delete those off the phone. Knowing me, I would still probably spend a lot of time playing those games. Is there a phone out there that has all the other features of the Barbie phone but doesn't come with games?

Some necessities for me: timer/alarm, calendar, notes, and call/text. Internet access is not strictly required, but a light browser to look random stuff up would not go amiss.

Some minor things that I can live without: Bluetooth, GPS, hotspot, email, and QR code scanner. I do need GPS, but it doesn't have to be in the phone. I do have a slight preference for phones with GPS so I don't have to buy a separate, likely expensive GPS unit.

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I know almost nothing about phones. I have no idea what the hell I am doing. Please explain this stuff to me in easy to understand terms.

Here is the situation: I want 2 dumb phones for me and my friend. I have an iPhone 12 running on IOS 18.6.2. My friend has a Samsung Android. I don’t know what model he has. But he got some where between 2022 and 2025, it has 3 cameras in a vertical row, and it’s not a flip phone. I need 2 dumb phones that can text eachother but also our main phones. If that makes sense? Also when I‘m texting my friend, I get those little headers that say “Text Message • SMS” and “Text Message • RCS” and it seems to just switch randomly. Also, I’m in the USA.

What I need:

• Can call and text an iPhone, an Android Samsung, and other dumb phones (or WhatsApp compatibility?)
• Can use Google Maps and show locations
• Take photos and short videos (quality doesn’t matter)

What I’d like:

• Can play some kind of music. I prefer Spotify. I’m okay with downloading a playlist (except I don’t know how) or using FM radio.
• Can use some kind of ear buds with it. It doesn’t really matter if it has a headphone jack or USB port. Bonus points if it can use Bluetooth.
• I‘m considering just getting an MP3 player and downloading songs onto there. I don’t know how to, though.
• Weather App would be nice, but it’s definitely not needed.
  

The cheaper, the better. Also please be patient with me, I am not the brightest when it comes to technology. Thank you!

Hi! So currently i have an Iphone whatever one of the newest ones is, but my parents got it for me. i want a flipphone. im tired of being too distracted to do anything but be on my phone, i havent been creating art for ages.

if i ordered a nokia 2660 on ebay, how do i connect that to my existing phone plan to make sure i can text and call? im kinda confused by all this. my parents said it isnt possible, but i know thats not true.

thanks

Hi I want a proper dumbphone for my daughter. Not a dumbed down smartphone. The main turn off for her is the clunky t9 key pad. I know that qwerty key pads are no longer a thing. I did wonder if anyone had made some sort of touch screen dumbphone. As in no more capability than text and phone but with a touch screen. Oh and she's ten so it needs to not cost the earth!

Everyone who has a phone, has a phone number. Yet I can't remember the last time I texted someone or someone texted me using plain old SMS (aside from my husband who uses no other form of instant messaging). I just made the switch to a dumb phone. When I tell you HOW HARD it is for people to text me via SMS. Most people I know use Facebook Messenger (apparently in the US it's mostly Whatsapp). I'm not expecting anybody to change their entire digital habits for me, but I made it clear that Messenger is fine, I go on my computer 2-3 times a day (family group chats are on there etc), but I told them if something requires more immediate attention, they should text or call me.

...nothing. Then I log onto Messenger and see the typical "it's not urgent, but as soon as you see this, can you please, blah blah blah" messages. THEY COULD HAVE EASILY TEXTED ME THIS. I don't understand why texting va SMS is any harder than via another app (group messaging aside). I'm using T9 texting now with my new phone and it's not even hard for me, what's their excuse LOL?

Anyway I'm even starting to feel like maybe I did the wrong thing switching to a dumb phone (despite wanting and feeling ready for it for the last 2 months), I kinda feel like I erased myself from society in a way lmao. I know it sounds dramatic. But I've always been the black sheep, the odd one out, and again with this no iPhone thing, (although I know I did this for very good reasons, addictions need addressing and I very much had a phone addiction) I feel like I'm making things harder for everyone else by being different.

Anyone experiencing something similar?

Edit: Before posting this, I had no idea that people in other countries pay for SMS separately. the more you know. that explains some of it

What is the best phone for the dumb phone purpose? I prefer to have a source of navigation, Bluetooth, some kind of music subscription, and possibly have it capable for world wide travel. With all this being said I’m with Verizon, how do I make this work?

I’m trying to find a true dumb phone to keep at home for my 4 year old to be able to use to call 911 in case of an emergency. I want no internet features. Truly trying to find the most basic thing. Any tips? Thank you!!!

Hello guys, I was a long-time fan of Nokia, but after the license ended for the HMD Global manufacturer, I've decided to give HMD Skyline a go. Welp, after a year, the battery swelled, and the fingerprint stopped working - successfully returned under warranty protection.

I always wanted a flip phone since I was a kid, so I wanted to give a try at a Nokia 2770 Flip, but unfortunately, the essentials and OS are too limited for me. I've used the Nokia 6110 in the past with the same OS, and I liked it, but it was unusable for keeping in touch with friends.

So, I'm looking for a phone with a keyboard, but it still has a touchscreen, Android, and preferably NFC. So far, I favor the Sidephone, but it unfortunately lacks the NFC feature.

I want to operate my "dumphone" almost the same as my smartphone, just with more limited screen time. That includes also using apps like Waze, Google Wallet, or watching movies (watching movies on the Nokia 6110 was okayish). Any suggestions? Thank you!

Hello,

I bought an old Motorola V550 for 10 bucks. I put in my sim card and entered the pin but then it asked for the Subsidy code. Took me a while to figure out what that is and how to get it, but I managed (got it through Vodafone). After I put it in it said get into contact with network provider (original in German: Kontakt aufnehmen mit Dienst Provider). I tried calling Vodafone two times but they don't understand and can't help me. One told me to go into a shop, but from what I've read online they can't help me there.

Does anybody have any idea how to figure this out or what I could tell Vodafone so they can help me? I was really excited to use this phone and don't want my time and 10 bucks to go to waste lol.

Cracked the outer case while trying to peel off the phone sticker with instructions and warnings (no tech issues,just aesthetically unpleasing)

I had no tape so as a last resort used the sticker from a water bottle(blue strand).

Question: when I remove the case can I just use tape on the inside so I can remove the ugly blue "tape" and will it hold the crack enough in order to cause no further damage?

Hi, I have been using a dumb phone for nearly a year now, for my incar navigation i have been using an old sat nav unit, I miss haveing live traffic updates for road closures/roadworks and accidents, I know that with some of the higher end satnavs you can subscribe for traffic updates but from what I can tell these use the 2g network which is being phased out. I was wondering if I could buy a smartphone, and a simcard and use this only as a satnav with google maps, I would like to remove or disable all other apps including chrome and the play store, in a way that is harder to enable again than a checkbox in the phones menu, is seems like this can be achieved by rooting the phone? Has anyone done anything similar to this, is the a certain smartphone that would be suited to this (easier to root etc)

I saw this listing on eBay, and it says it's in mint condition with the original box. I'm a bit skeptical, but I just wanted your thoughts on it. The first thing I noticed is that "megapixel" is written on the V3, and the logo on the back is raised but black. I thought it was supposed to be silver.

Hiya. I'm 100% ready to switch to a dumbphone, I'm just trying to find the right one. My needs are simple; call, text, optionally alarms and GPS, but I can find workarounds for those things if that's unrealistic. I don't want any app capability or internet, and I'd prefer the flip phone form as opposed to something with a touchscreen.

I recently discovered my MP3 player can set alarms (which is hilarious- why is that a feature?) so that means GPS is my main "extra" concern. I can usually get away without a map or by checking maps on my laptop before leaving, but I'm moving next year and I want to be prepared for when I have to start navigating a new town. I don't drive, so please don't rec those car GPS add-ons unless they'll be fine for walking too.

My main struggle in independent searching for a dumbphone is finding unlocked ones so I can transfer my physical Tello sim, I don't want to be locked to a more expensive plan when my Tello plan is very cheap and provides what I need from it. Paying more for a dumbphone plan than I pay for my smartphone plan just feels ridiculous.

My other struggle is that I live in a somewhat remote area, so shipping up here is really difficult, limiting me to major sellers like Amazon and Walmart. I'm planning to ask around locally to see if there's stores selling flip phones still, but that might be a bust, so we'll see how that shakes out. Just figured I'd ask the congealed epicenter of dumbphone users while I'm at my search :>

I'm pretty new to the dumbphone world, I've had the pleasure of using a Mive Style Folder (the first one) for a month or so and then I bought myself and switched to Cat S22 Flip, although it has much smaller screen than the MIVE I like the Cat's industrial look (also the button response is better for me). But to the point, I've been thinking of buying or making myself some accesories for the phone. I've been looking for case or like belt clips attachements for it to be kinda like pager. There are cases on amazon and they are pretty reasonably priced but I wanted to 3D print myself one to customize it with custom logos and stuff like that maybe. I've looked for accesories 3D printed on the web and found only charging cradle. So my question is, are there any 3D printable accesories on the interned available or am I only limited to the things I can buy on Amazon / eBay?

I have been trying to convert to a retro Samsung flip (E1190) but am struggling to find the most compatible sim to use since three (the one I’m using in my current iPhone) doesn’t work with it. Any tips? Tysm

Is it worth just getting one of those devices? Or staying with the actual dumb phone?

Just worried it's gunna be annoying to turn my smart phone on for maps and then off again.

Hi all,

I want to switch, but I get 90% or more of my news from the phone. I don't have TV.

I'm order to stay updated and ask that what you do? I mean not much point in replacing that smart phone with you just sit at home surfing online instead.

Though using a company is more restrictive than the phone that you pull out every 2 seconds.

Im looking for a dumbphone that has no internet browser, no preinstalled games, no app store, no dumbed down versions of internet apps that are found on some flip phones. I need something that only has talk and text and other basic functionality apps like clock, alarm, notepad, etc. I dont care about price right now. Obviously I would prefer to not spend an arm and a leg, but right now I just want to know if any phones exist that meet these criteria. Someone please help me in my journey to break free of the compulsive digital hamster wheel.