Android Dumbphone?

[ReadyForICS]

Is there such thing as a bare bones Android dumb phone? Perhaps something under the radar? I want a phone that I can use for school (as to not be distracted), but can still do Gmail, see my calendar, and SMS.

Anything? :/

 

[Demache]

Considering Android is a full on smartphone operating system....not really. Most modern feature phones have basic email access (either web based or built in as long as you have data), have a calendar function, and obviously SMS.

I think what you're looking for is just a plain old feature phone. No point in going Android if you aren't going to use the more advanced features.

 

[chanchan05]

Android OS is what makes an Andriod phone a SMartphone. Basically if you have 2 phones of the exact same hardware, but one has S40 OS, and the other has ANdroid, then one is a smartphone and one is a dumbphone, despite them having the same hardware.

 

[Rxpert83]

Yep, your describing a blackberry op.

 

[UncleMike]

Prior to getting my first Android phone 3 years ago, I used Google's J2ME Gmail client on my clamshell phones. There was no push email, but I could access all my mail using that client. I used the Opera Mini to view my calendar. I don't know if J2ME is supported on any current phones, or even if the client is still available for download, or if it would even work.

 

[zuben el genub]

Considering Android is a full on smartphone operating system....not really. Most modern feature phones have basic email access (either web based or built in as long as you have data), have a calendar function, and obviously SMS.

I think what you're looking for is just a plain old feature phone. No point in going Android if you aren't going to use the more advanced features.

It depends on what you want. Some of us don't use any smartphone feature, but the smartphone OS is the one that runs the apps we want.

Mine has replaced carrying 5 or 6 nature guides on walks, and quite a few star charts at the telescope.

We enjoy our phones in the same way that video, game and social network users do. I have a low cost low data plan, and most of the time use wifi anyway. Can turn off data on the Nexus S.

 

[Sideman]

You could do what I did. I needed to save as much money as possible, so for my "upgrade" I got a plain old cellphone (clamshell), and bought a Samsung Galaxy Player 5. The cell phone can be set up with texting if you like, but the SGP5 does that, and everything else a smartphone does. The only caveat is that the SGP5 only uses WiFi...no 3G/4G...so no data plan to pay for. And aside from the initial purchase price, the SGP5 operates for free...no charges at all.

At most colleges there is free WiFi available, so this might be a good option for you.

You could have texting set up on your phone, if you want, and use the SGP5 for everything else. If this interests you, check out the SGP forum for more info...

Samsung Galaxy Players - Android Forums

Good luck in you search for a solution.

 

[Demache]

It depends on what you want. Some of us don't use any smartphone feature, but the smartphone OS is the one that runs the apps we want.

Mine has replaced carrying 5 or 6 nature guides on walks, and quite a few star charts at the telescope.

We enjoy our phones in the same way that video, game and social network users do. I have a low cost low data plan, and most of the time use wifi anyway. Can turn off data on the Nexus S.

Going by the way he worded it though, it sounded like he just wanted a regular dumb phone because the extra smartphone features like apps and such would be distracting.

However whoever said Blackberry might be right on the money.

 

[sntaylor]

Our possibly the galaxy wave, I think, its identicle to the galaxy y, but with no Android OS!

 

[rabiddawgs]

I dont know what service a guy at work has but he has an iphone. has no data package on it at all just basic phone features but does use wifi when available. not sure if you can use android this way or not. i can find out monday who his service provider is.

 

[chanchan05]

To be honest, almost any recent non-Android dumbphone can do what the OP want's anyway.

 

[danaj]

My friend just got a phone from Cricket Wireless, and it is a dumb phone that seems to be running Android. All the menus look like the Android ones, and she even has the Android smileys in her texting app. It has no market access though. I didn't know what to make of it, because everything looked like Android, just without the "smart" aspects of it.

 

[chanchan05]

Samsung uses TouchWiz on almost all its touchscreen phones, regardless whether its a dumbphone, an Android or running Bada OS. The only exception of course is Windows Phones. Nevertheless, a Samsung dumbphone like a Corby would have menus that look like those on Samsung's Android phones.

 

[Shinji01]

i think most dumb phones can give you what you described.
Of corse if it doesnt have wifi, it will be farily slow and probably wont have push notifications.

 

[ayaznoor]

you may ask your friend which one she has, that will narrow down you search criteria

 

[!on]

Is there such thing as a bare bones Android dumb phone? Perhaps something under the radar? I want a phone that I can use for school (as to not be distracted), but can still do Gmail, see my calendar, and SMS.

Anything? :/

The way technology is going nowadays, I think the term "dumb phone" could be attributed to a retail phone that is a) unrooted b) still on early firmware (as many phones are in high street shops) & c) small & basic.

I consider my phone a "dumb phone" because of it's small size, it came with Froyo 2.1, was conservatively clocked to 800mhz & came with very user friendly stock firmware. Despite me rooting & modding I still like to think of it as "dumb phone" just with a little extra under the hood. But then others like to show off more than me!

 

[moorken]

Is there such thing as a bare bones Android dumb phone? Perhaps something under the radar? I want a phone that I can use for school (as to not be distracted), but can still do Gmail, see my calendar, and SMS.

Anything? :/

if it can access gmail, it's not a dumb phone anymore. With dumb phones you can call and send text messages, thats it

 

[chanchan05]

if it can access gmail, it's not a dumb phone anymore. With dumb phones you can call and send text messages, thats it

Nope. Nokia s40 OS, and the OS nn the Samsung Corby II for example, are dumbphone OS, but they can run java apps (basically these are just games), but they can do Gmail via a web browser. The difference between smarthphones and dumbphones isn't internet and apps. Its the level of what the applications and OS can do given the hardware.

 

[danaj]

Nope. Nokia s40 OS, and the OS nn the Samsung Corby II for example, are dumbphone OS, but they can run java apps (basically these are just games), but they can do Gmail via a web browser. The difference between smarthphones and dumbphones isn't internet and apps. Its the level of what the applications and OS can do given the hardware.

Exactly, my old Samsung messenger 2 was a dumb phone, but I could still browse the web and and check my email, it was just much more limited.

 

[ReDDs3D]

Yep, your describing a blackberry op.

this..

I'm not bashing the blackberry, I love them. But yes, it is simple and suits your needs, and the way it handles email is fantastic (imo better than android and ios)

 

[parapaz]

Turning a smart phone (a Galaxy S9/Android 10) to a dumb phone is actually quite easy with the ADB framework.

Disabling preinstalled packages is not permanent in nature and you can enable them with a relative ease. Once all preinstalled Google packages, or any other preloaded bloatware packages are removed, instead of being disabled, then the option is to remove Google Play and any other options for downloading apk files. Removing the preinstalled download/s packages does the trick.

Otherwise removing makes a dumbing down more or less permanent and is a good option for a kiddie phone, an anti-mobbile-addiction phone, or an anti-porn phone. You need some effort to reverse the adb dumbing down, and not just enable it again from the system utilities or Google play.

For example completely removing Chrome or preinstaled browser and loading Spin Browser instead makes it virtually a porn free phone. Getting rid of social media apps and any communication apps, with the exception of only the absolutely necessary ones, makes your phone more distractionless.

The main difference when removing packages with ADB is permanence. Removing Google Play and other options to install any downloaded apps is the key to dumbing down, not just debloating it temporarily until your phone/tech addiction kicks in.

The phone industry is hardening the phones against simple dumbing down. People don't need completely useless Punkt type phones, rather an option to dumb down their smart advanced phones with a relative ease. Debloating/Dumbing down or optioning for a dumbed down phone should be a given, rather than the reverse.

Barebone (dumb S9/Andoid 10): I’ve managed to completely remove most of the preloaded packages and dumb down the Galaxy S9 running an Android 10 to only Phone, Contacts, Messages, Camera, My Files, Clock, Contacts, Calendar, Samsung Email and Settings apps. That's it. What we have on the end is pretty much a dumb phone capable of taking good photos though also being distractionless and looking prettier than any of the dumb phones on the market (Punkt, ec.). All other useless crap, including Google's, MS's, Samsung's, is gone and the phone boots and works OK.

The phone has only the most basic apps installed and I/you can stop looking for a second hand Punkt phone.

Minimal Apps: After loading additional app of your choice, Simple Gallery for example, the Google Play can be removed as well without crashing the phone.
Apk can be installed though, since "com.google.android.packageinstaller" cannot be removed/disabled without affecting the boot.

Apk downloading: I've removed all download packages so any download links have no handling app on the phone. This removes the ease of downloading apps via browser (Spin), if you decide to keep one on the phone.

Constant Updates: I’ ve also removed the software update packages so that updates are no longer automatically downloaded or suggested.
The dumb phone works, and with what it does, updates are not critical. I don't want to see a reminder of another software update ever. everything works fine, so no thanks.

Do not remove: Removing/Disabling "com.google.android.packageinstaller" makes the Galaxy S9 stuck in the booting process.

Dumbing down tools: the ADB framework/drivers and any package info app that can display package information on the phone. Usb debugging enabled.

Package removal commands
pm uninstall -k --user 0 [package name]
Example:
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.facebook.katana

 

[MrJavi]

welcome to Android Forums @parapaz

 

[Davdi]

Why bother dumbing down the phone, why not, you know, just DO NOT install or use distracting apps.

 

[ocnbrze]

Why bother dumbing down the phone, why not, you know, just DO NOT install or use distracting apps.

i agree. i dumbed my mom's phone just by deleting all of the home shortcuts and added only the necessary apps she needs to use the phone easily.

no need for adb and all that mess.

 

[parapaz]

Why bother dumbing down the phone, why not, you know, just DO NOT install or use distracting apps.

Facebook, Linkedin, pop-ups, constant reminders of this and that. This is all installed and configured by default. I have not put them there myself. And on the end I am to a large extent a tech junkie. If I need to find something, I will re-enable the browser again, and the wasting of time starts again. The difference is permanence.

The reason to dumb down a smart phone is this simple concept. I am not ironic or bitter here.
https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/

Minimalism, no distractions whatsoever. Mary Kondo on Androids. Any phone should be a dumb barebone phone by default, not by choice.
if you want more, you start form there. What I need in my case, is a banking app, and that is pretty much all. Two way login, etc.

It took me around 10 minutes to more or less dumb down the phone in a more permanent manner. Regulation of behaviour via default design and options.
No apps to enable, no possibility of having a browser, facebook, etc. Browsing, using the phone, begets more use and more browsing. The less you have on your hands the less it is possible to use the phone in a certain way. Permanence of the design, or what is on the phone is a key. We are all tech junkies. This is the reason one needs permanence, not just disabling or deleting of shortcuts. I can find, enable, or install apps, then the design does not restrict what I can do with the phone. Hence the need to dumb it down. I can always restore the phone via Odin, but only if it is absolutely necessary, and it is still possible for me to download an app via the PC and transfer it to the phone so that it can be installed.

I nearly bought a Punkt phone because of the lack of guides on permanent dumbing down of Android phones and the tendency of all phone manufacturers to load them with all the crap that is around. But I needed the banking app to manage my finances. I mean, I've removed around 40 packages to get the phone to more permanent dumbed down state. Seriously? I have nothing against Google or Samsung, but barebone phones are also a big selling point and should be one the market if one needs them, together with any ability to modify their content without putting an extra effort.

Take for example a Kiosk apps. Why on the earth I need to buy a kiosk app to make the phone porn safe?
Why Chrome and Samsung browsers are installed by default, when it allow for all the free unlimited porn content to be delivered to a phone used by a kid? Again, Seriously?
Deep packet inspection, monitoring of traffic? Is that seriously needed when insalling a Browser with good filtering capability such as Spin does the job withouth the need to spend millions on monitoring hardware. Why is it so frustrating not to be able to modify the phone to certain simple safety standards?

Disabling, deleting the shortcuts when search is still enabled on a kid phone gets you nowhere. they are intuitively smarter than all of as put together.

I remember the time when Microsoft was fined more than 900 million EUR for bundling of applications with Windows and now we have the same stupid situation where Google, Samsung, and all others are bundling their phones with all that it is possible to be loaded on a phone. Should they be fined to change their behavior?

A dumbed down Samsung Galaxy S9 - Apps home looks like the snapshot attached below. The other two, app configuration snapshots show the missing/uninstalled Chrome, and all other Googe's bullshit missing.