Day 7: The Actual Phone I Am Using

Here is a quick update on my flip phone situation. Although I initially went with the Sonim XP3 Plus, after a day or so of use i concluded that I couldn't install the apps that I needed. Sonim really locks their system down and I really wanted some of my Google apps to work.  I was able to get Zello on the Sonim with no problem and I loved that part of it. I just wanted to have the ability to check emails if I needed to during the times when I will only be carrying a flip phone.  

Returning the Sonim phone at T-Mobile was no problem since it had only been a couple of days and I was able to swap it and get TCL Flip 4 5G.  This gets me to the main reason for this post.  I have been using the TCL Flip for almost forty-eight hours at this point and I can't say enough good things about it.  Where do I begin?

First: My surprise in features

The Flip runs on an operating system called Kai OS.  This is what they call a "web app" interface, meaning most of the functionality consist of apps that are built using the same coding as websites.  Many of them are simply containers that display web pages.  This isn't a bad thing.  I found the interface to be extremely quick and responsive. The keypad works way better than one on the XP3 Plus that I returned to T-Mobile.  The home screen greets you with a few very useful Google web page shortcuts.  You get a browser, YouTube, Google Maps and more.  The app menu is super simple and the five megapixel camera works for basic photos (don't expect too much from a $79 device) 

Second: Let there be peace in my time

I am finding myself getting into a routine of reviewing the weather, news, email and messaging apps first thing in the morning when I wake up.  I haven't logged into any social media on this phone and don't plan to.  That's the whole point of getting it.  I want to be connected but I also want peace.

While you can't install your familiar apps that you may have used on your iPhone or Android,  if that app is accessible from a web browser you can still get it using the builtin browser app on the TCL.  I was able to get to Ebay, for example with no problem.  Keep in mind that these flip devices were designed to make calls first and then allow for limited mobile multimedia consumption.  Smartphones are the designed for more extensive multimedia consumption in order to keep your eyes locked onto the screen, and oh yeah, you can make calls if you want to. 

Third: My take

For a "dumb phone," I'm really surprised with what all you can do on this phone.  Even after only a couple of days, I can already tell that I would have no problem staying informed and connected to the people that are close to me if I only had this flip phone for a weekend or even longer. 

My favorite apps so far have been, PodLP, a really great podcast app.  YouTube of course, (Although it's a small and a low resolution screen) the music app allows you to play local music you have downloaded or check out Icecast radio stations that are really cool. There is also an actual FM radio app that receives local FM radio station over the air.  I used these apps with a pair of Koss headphones plugged in and it sounds great and a lot larger than this tiny dumb phone looks.  

I want to mention my adjustment to the keypad after coming from the QWERTY keyboard world.  I am old enough to remember the early years of flip phones and T-9 texting.  That fleeting period of time when the world was texting before there were smartphones.  I recall not being too interesting in texting back then.  I just thought that it was way easier to make a phone call than try to press numbers on a keypad multiple times until the right letter showed up.  Yes, I know there was predictive texting back in the day but I wan't too keen on it at the time.  Fast forward to me now and I have actually become increasingly proficient with T-9 predictive texting and don't have a problem using it to communicate in text messages as well as in the note taking app on the TCL. I actually typed the first paragraph of this post using the TCL keypad while waiting on my son to get out of soccer practice.  I'm seeing myself creating post on here using only the camera builtin to the TCL and whatever I can peck out on the phone's keypad.  BTW, there is also a really nice sound recorder app on this phone that I may record some audio with and post here as well.  

Here are some screenshots that I took using the phone's screenshot feature:

Day No. 1

 As I type this, I'm waiting for my new Sonim XP3 Plus to arrive in the mail from T-Mobile.  The main reason for switching from a smartphone to a flip phone is simply a matter of carrying around too much tech on the daily. I already have an iPad, laptop, desktop as well as other devices that pretty much do all of the same stuff that smartphones do except for maybe make calls and text from my phone number.  

Another reason is I want to have the option to disconnect from the web and all of the noise that goes along with it while at the same time still be able to make calls.  We will see how it goes. I can say that I won't be using it to post here too often..at least, I don't expect to. Who knows?

Here is an image of what the phone looks like.  While it isn't exactly a "smartphone,"  It is still an Android device and does have some location and Bluetooth features as well as can run many of the same apps as it's portable computer cousins.  I don't plan on installing any social media apps on this device.  

Sonim XP3 image.  I will be getting the Sonim XP3 Plus.