Over the previous few years, I’ve turn out to be more and more involved about eye well being and the way a lot time I spend on my digital units. My colleague, Namerah, not too long ago printed an editorial about how minimalist telephones are the dumbphones of the trendy period, and it made me understand that E Ink telephones appeared like the right answer for me.
So I did what any tech journalist would do: I reached out to the businesses liable for the development so I may strive one myself. I ended up with two in the identical week, and whereas each units share an E Ink display screen and a chunkier design in widespread, the philosophies behind every machine could not be extra completely different.
And whereas the Mudita Kompakt and the Minimal Cellphone clearly have completely different concepts of what defines a “minimalist telephone,” the objective is essentially the identical: to treatment you of your digital habit. As Namerah Saud Fatmi stated in her article, “None of those minimalist units have coloured shows, making them non-intrusive and fewer distracting.”
However even when a minimalist telephone is best for you, it isn’t a change you are going to have the ability to do chilly turkey in in the future. It has been (unsurprisingly) troublesome to change to a much less succesful telephone, however that ache could in the end domesticate one thing higher in my life over time.
It is form of like a profession change
I am not reviewing these telephones simply but — that’ll occur once I’ve had greater than two days with every — however I do need to speak about my first two days with every machine. Most trendy telephones are designed to be “glass and metallic sandwiches,” as we so typically seek advice from them at Android Central. Each the Mudita Kompakt and the Minimal Cellphone have a really completely different imaginative and prescient of what telephone {hardware} ought to appear like, however they each appear to agree on two issues: metallic and glass do not make for pocket machine.
Each telephones sport a distinctly plastic physique and a non-glass show cowl, so there’s little probability that both telephone will break or shatter for those who occur to drop them. I am unsure I am able to name both design the following Nokia 3310, however every harkens again to a time when tiny bezels and Gorilla Glass weren’t widespread telephone traits.
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The Minimal Cellphone appears to be like and appears like a much less premium BlackBerry KEYone, and that is very a lot by design. Not solely does it assist hold the value down, however it additionally retains you from desirous to behold its magnificence and sweetness all through the day as you swipe by TikToks. The bodily keyboard has a pleasant click on to the keys however it’s nowhere close to as ergonomic or, once more, elegant as BlackBerry’s extremely engineered designs.
And, for those who do occur to choose up a Minimal Cellphone this yr, keep away from getting the black colour. This factor is a fingerprint magnet and a half, and it is weirdly troublesome to wipe them off.
Minimal is utilizing a reasonably normal model of Android 14 with the January 2025 safety patch. This implies all of your favourite apps might be put in on the telephone, however do not count on to have the ability to use every thing the best way you are used to. The display screen merely would not permit for that, and it is humorous how troublesome it’s to have a look at even a photograph when it is in papery black and white.
Between the 2, I far favor the Mudita Kompakt’s design. It is acquired a really 2000s MP3 participant aesthetic with its thick plastic body and wonderful rounded corners throughout. This factor feels nice to carry, and it is diminutive measurement ensures that it suits in everybody’s palms with out feeling tiny. I used to be additionally impressed with the contact response on the telephone, as some ePaper shows (like older Kindles) really feel extremely sluggish.
Mudita’s OS is constructed on Android, however it’s been stripped of all Google companies, that means you will not be checking your Google Calendar or tapping into Google Play Video games. You possibly can fairly simply sideload the Aurora app retailer and set up many standard Android apps, however any that require Google companies merely will not work.
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Each units function an older kind of E Ink show that is extra generally discovered on a Kindle reasonably than the greatest E Ink tablets. The Mudita Kompakt’s display screen is definitely a bit higher than the Minimal Cellphone’s show to date in my utilization, that means you will see much less flashing/refreshing on Mudita’s telephone.
However do not go into this anticipating to play video games and even watch some movies on it, as you’ll be able to with e-readers just like the Boox Palma, which function E Ink Carta shows. These units are in all probability simpler as transition units as a result of the refresh fee is far nearer to that of an LCD or OLED panel, whereas these two minimalist telephones are strictly designed for extra static imagery.
Here is a fast video I put collectively displaying how every appears to be like whereas scrolling, so you may get a good suggestion.
All of these items add as much as a very completely different expertise out of your common Android smartphone, and, fairly frankly, it has been actually exhausting making the transition. In some methods, I am going to by no means be capable of totally disconnect due to my job. I depend on Google companies each day, and it is merely inconceivable for me to unplug from them and proceed doing what I do.
However I can see the sparks of change occurring slowly as I get increasingly adjusted to this new life-style. Scrolling by social media is principally inconceivable on these, and it implies that the one time I will be X’ing or Instagramming is once I’m at my desk doing precise work as a substitute of losing time on the sofa.
In the event you decide one up, give your self some grace. It is an enormous change, and it may take time.
And whereas I would already dropped my T-Cell SIM card into the Minimal Cellphone two days in the past to get the complete expertise, I’ve nonetheless acquired my trusty OnePlus 13 in my different pocket to make sure that I can get an important image or video when the second occurs. Each telephones have cameras on the again and might carry out fundamental images/videography, however I am a photograph snob and might’t hand over the trendy smartphone digicam.
I would by no means encourage an addict to maintain their temptation of their again pocket always, however, for now, that is one of the simplest ways that I can consider to transition to a extra minimalist life-style over time. Going chilly turkey can typically be greatest, however I am glad taking it gradual and seeing the place this will get me over time. In the event you decide one up, give your self some grace. It is an enormous change, and it may take time.
Go minimal with out giving up every thing! The Mudita Kompakt foregoes Google companies however nonetheless provides you trendy conveniences like NFC and wi-fi charging, plus compatibility with U.S. wi-fi networks.
