Ask HN: A Simple Phone

by fapi1974 on 10/3/2022, 1:53:02 PM with 3 comments
I have realized that my information addiction can only be cured by completely removing the ability to consume it on my phone. I would like a device that has three (and only three) applications on it:

1) A phone 2) Text messages 3) Google Maps

I don't care about form factor, so I'm thinking a basic Android phone with everything but these three things stripped out.

Is this out there? If not - how hard would it be to make?

  • by minhmeoke on 10/4/2022, 6:13:20 AM

    1. Acquire a device supported by LineageOS [1]

    2. Unlock the bootloader

    3. Install LineageOS with GApps (ability to run Google Apps and use the Play Store)

    4. Enable root (it's an option in Developer Settings)

    5. Disable/remove all other apps besides the ones you'd like to keep.

    You need to be comfortable with commandline in order to use tools like adb (Android Debug Bridge) and fastboot. There are really good step-by-step guides on places like xda-developers though. Good luck!

    [1] https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

  • by DerekBickerton on 10/3/2022, 5:13:09 PM

    Get a feature phone[0]. Not sure they have Google Maps on them though as I think that's an iOS/Android only thing.

    [0] https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_int/feature-phones

  • by _int3_ on 10/3/2022, 2:07:07 PM

    It's not smartphone fault that you are addict.