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Checking your phone dozens of times a day indicates unconscious behaviour, which is "extremely repetitive" say psychologists. A study by Lancaster University and the University of Lincoln is unique in that it is one of a few studies that examined smartphone usage based on what people do rather than what they can remember.
Existing research is yet to conclude whether people really are 'addicted' to their smartphones due to over reliance on people's own estimates or beliefs.
But new research into smartphone behaviour has revealed that while people underestimate time spent on their smartphones, their behaviour is remarkably consistent, thus enabling a more rigorous approach to the study of smartphone behaviours. The researchers analysed usage over 13 days using a simple smartphone app which time stamped when usage began and ended. From this data, they were able to calculate the number of total hours usage and the number of checks for each day, with a check defined as any usage lasting less than 15 seconds.
For example, the researchers found that if you check your phone 80 times today, you are likely to repeat this behaviour every day.
[...] Dr Ellis said: "To fully understand the effect of screen time on health and well-being, we probably need to consider measures of smartphone behaviour as well as self-report.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday May 26 2018, @12:28AM (4 children)
What we need is a dumbphone, revisited. A dumbphone with bluetooth, GPS, and reasonably powerful and modern cameras but with a smaller screen and only the numeric keypad with that nice mechanical haptic feedback to write text messages. You can do GPS directions with speaker or voice instructions and blinking text. You can keep it as a cheaper and more rugged alternative backup to concerts and pool parties and you can easily integrate a mode to make it friendly for the old folks while still having the more advanced functionality should they want to get frisky. You may say something like, "Smartwatches can fill this niche." No they fucking can't, smartwatches are stupid-looking if they grow to the size that the person you're talking to can tell you're wearing a smartwatch.
Who knows, maybe people would grow to like the convenience and simplicity, especially when out with friends and not needing full-on internet stimulation. And with that simplicity would come less off the dependence of smart-shit such as is seen with morons walking down the sidewalk watching Youtube* vids.
* Youtube's day are numbered. Google, like Amazon, is gradually being dismantled-by-regulation for being a spying tool of the CIA and the Jews.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday May 26 2018, @01:32AM (2 children)
Samsung makes that stupidly high-end flip phone:
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/12/1/16724656/samsung-w2018-flip-phone-android-china [theverge.com]
It can be used like a normal smartphone, or a flip phone. The specs are similar to $800-1,000 phones.
Making it closer to your suggestion is obviously doable.
Or, people can just exercise self-control. If they need to downgrade in a major way to make that possible, then they were destined to fail anyway.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday May 26 2018, @01:52AM (1 child)
" Or, people can just exercise self-control. "
When the hell will that ever happen?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday May 26 2018, @01:57AM
Never. So enjoy seeing a rehash of TFA over and over again. :-/
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 26 2018, @09:35PM
I upgraded from a smartphone to a Kyocera S1370 [kyoceramobile.com]. Best thing I've done in a while.