[Ploppytheman]

Greeting fellow genius nerds I once again need your help, thx already. If I don't reply I still read your post.

I don't really use my smartphone (was given it for free) except as an occasional camera and for emergency rides. I keep thinking of getting rid of it as I can't stand how slow they are and how small the KB is, its just so much faster for me on a mech keyboard and PC to get stuff done and the slowness of a phone means I rarely use it. Also all the spying/tracking is horrible. I feel like having a physical notebook is better in a lot of ways than a smartphone.

Is there any reason to have a smartphone over say a cheap $20 burner phone?

Is there a phone with detachable microphone, camera, HD, and battery? I don't know why this isn't standard except to make phone companies money and to spy on people. Why can't we build our own phone like PCs?

Also are airtubes/copper pouch/faraday cage and EMF really a solution/problem? I haven't looked into this much but ever since cell phones came out I hated being on them for some reason. I haven't done the research much yet but I worry about EMF/ELF/VLF basically waves causing damage.

Also what brand smartphone and why?

Are there smart phone emulators like bluestacks that provide the benefits of a smartphone minus the mobility? (like for authentification and apps?). Recommend me one if there is a better one.

Also do you recommend destroying your smartphone hard drive or wiping it several times like a PC hard drive to be safe? Is there a good tool for this? I know they give you $$$ to trade in but I don't trust companies to wipe drives and have read a few stories about it.

Thx.

 

[UltraMega]

Pretty weird question with the context but I'll take a stab at it...

If you get over the privacy concerns which really, isn't worth debating since that's more of a personal thing... I would recommend you spend about $200 on an unlocked phone should you decide to get one. You don't need to spend more than that to get a phone that can do everything well, has a good screen and camera, etc; especially if you're coming from a $20 phone. Nokia is usually really good about having minimal bloatware on their phones, which it sounds like you would care about. Not many phones these days with any easily replaceable parts but they're so cheap now that unless you feel the need to have a high end phone, the cost isn't that big of a deal.

Amazon.com: Nokia 5.3 | Android 10 | Unlocked Smartphone | 2-Day Battery | Single SIM | 4/64GB | 6.55-Inch Screen | 13MP Quad Camera | Charcoal

Amazon.com: Nokia 3.4 | Android 10 | Unlocked Smartphone | 2-Day Battery | Dual SIM | US Version | 3/64GB | 6.39-Inch Screen | Triple Camera | Charcoal

or even something cheap like this:

Amazon.com: Nokia 2.1 - Android 9.0 Pie (Go Edition) - 8 GB - Single SIM Unlocked Smartphone - 5.5" Screen - Grey/Silver - International

The argument to get a smartphone is that they're basically like mini computers now and aside from high end gaming they can do everything a regular computer can do. It's nice to be able to look up a recipe in my kitchen and set the phone down where I can read it while I'm cooking, just as an example of them being a useful tool.

 

[Ploppytheman]

Pretty weird question with the context but I'll take a stab at it...

If you get over the privacy concerns which really, isn't worth debating since that's more of a personal thing... I would recommend you spend about $200 on an unlocked phone should you decide to get one. You don't need to spend more than that to get a phone that can do everything well, has a good screen and camera, etc; especially if you're coming from a $20 phone. Nokia is usually really good about having minimal bloatware on their phones, which it sounds like you would care about. Not many phones these days with any easily replaceable parts but they're so cheap now that unless you feel the need to have a high end phone, the cost isn't that big of a deal.

Amazon.com: Nokia 5.3 | Android 10 | Unlocked Smartphone | 2-Day Battery | Single SIM | 4/64GB | 6.55-Inch Screen | 13MP Quad Camera | Charcoal

Amazon.com: Nokia 3.4 | Android 10 | Unlocked Smartphone | 2-Day Battery | Dual SIM | US Version | 3/64GB | 6.39-Inch Screen | Triple Camera | Charcoal

or even something cheap like this:

Amazon.com: Nokia 2.1 - Android 9.0 Pie (Go Edition) - 8 GB - Single SIM Unlocked Smartphone - 5.5" Screen - Grey/Silver - International

The argument to get a smartphone is that they're basically like mini computers now and aside from high end gaming they can do everything a regular computer can do. It's nice to be able to look up a recipe in my kitchen and set the phone down where I can read it while I'm cooking, just as an example of them being a useful tool.

I didn't want replaceable parts to replace them, I wanted to physically disable the phone. Like covering your webcam or unplugging your microphone on your PC. Air gapping still works until they build mosquitos that squeeze under your door and go in your computer or ports (like the bug in matrix lol). I'd also add removeable wifi/signal too.

Replacing batteries would be nice, and replacing hard drives would be for security. I think the privacy war is lost because people are too stupid and I think this is going to have extreme consequences for people soon, unfortunately also for people who did care. Something like this... don't even need ASI/skynet... just a bunch of people who will kill everyone to take their stuff (got lots of these around).

I look up recipes on my PC which is way faster and I usually have to compare several people depending on what I am making and can skip around videos quick, use 3 monitors and 20 tabs. I jot this down in my phones notepad (which takes forever) if its a recipe I use a lot, but am finally at the place in my life where I need a physical cookbook to remember all the recipes I know.

Using the PC is easily several times faster and better in every way, having to walk several seconds to the PC is worth it and good for you. I don't even have a way to send the recipe to my phone besides snapping a picture haha...

 

[UltraMega]

I didn't want replaceable parts to replace them, I wanted to physically disable the phone.

Turn the phone off?

 

[kiriakos]

Also all the spying/tracking is horrible. I feel like having a physical notebook is better in a lot of ways than a smartphone.

This is one very wise observation, the solution this is not easy, but you can set your own line of defense.
Good start this is Samsung S5 G900F with KNOX active (genuine untouched phone) this never ever having insident of damaged screen due breakage (still 100% waterproof).
Then you may uninstall all Google apps other than the Store.
Now you can add one nice Firewall app and other apps with well known reputation over the years.
You will never activate Facebook and or Twitter.
You will delete with out opening all SMS or email from unknown recipients and even the ones that arrive unexpectedly.

If you are not ready to waste, a month or two of time, so you to take control of your phone, then do not get one, and use signals of smoke instead.

 

[maltamonk]

Think of a school of fish. All those packed together have phones. Those not as easily spotted (b/c they are not with them) as the large school, don't. BUT, guess which ones the predators go after?

 

[clonxy]

If you're using windows, try "your phone" app. It basically allows you to access your phone on your computer. You can use your keyboard to text and you can control your phone screen with your mouse.

 

[Questors]

Beat the phone with a hammer until dust, burn that and then throw it down a live volcano. Smartphones are the new dog collar. They are used plot everything about you in your life. It will take pages to discuss why this is dangerous. Suffice to say, if you want a mobile phone, go low-ball flip or some like that. Then crack the GPS to turn it off.

Weak minded minions will exclaim to the heavens it's no big deal if you have nothing to hide. "Show me the man and I will find his crime." These same people will also call to have you arrested if they found you in their home sifting through their stuff. So much for privacy invasion being no big deal.

These devices are one of the big behavior changers and steering tools used today. Get rid of it.