Help.. Phone that doesn't do stuff without me asking

[Trevor555]

I'm weird, I'm odd, I know.

I won't go into what's wrong with my head, but I can't stand gadgets doing things I don't want them to do.

For example, tablets showing you other stuff when you're trying to do something else, phones suggesting stuff all the time etc.

I'll probably have to go back to a brick phone that's just a phone if I have to, and give up whatsapp

Can modern smartphones be set to stop interruptions, suggestions, updates, etc??

Another example, the flashing adverts on Pistonheads that come up on the phone. I instantly have to look away.

I don't mind people having a laugh about my stupid head, but if anyone can help suggesting a phone that doesn't go off on one on it's own, them I'm all ears.

Just had to put Samsung A23 back in the box after a few days as it's properly done my head in.

Samsung J3 was just about ok, but wanted a better camera.

[Caddyshack]

I think all smart phones will do updates and any apps will send notifications. I have noticed that iPhones are better than some lower cost brands but they will still nag you.

Your "dislike’ or whatever we label it as must make modern life very hard with all the marketing e rubbish out there.


It is truly worth getting some cbt type help as it could be managed or have less impact on you.

[Brainpox]

Even a dumb phone will ring when someone phones you or beep when you get a text. Maybe you should just go without?

[Trevor555]

Caddyshack said:

I think all smart phones will do updates and any apps will send notifications. I have noticed that iPhones are better than some lower cost brands but they will still nag you.

Your "dislike’ or whatever we label it as must make modern life very hard with all the marketing e rubbish out there.


It is truly worth getting some cbt type help as it could be managed or have less impact on you.

Thank you for your kind reply.

Yes, life is challenging for me for sure, but having had these issues most of my life I'm not sure I can change/get better now. Aged 51

My old home computer with windows 7, and ad blockers, keeps me happy.

I guess modern phones are all that way then, I'll go back to my J3

[Caddyshack]

Brainpox said:

Even a dumb phone will ring when someone phones you or beep when you get a text. Maybe you should just go without?

I think it is more the unsolicited interruptions and not people that the op has given their number to.

[dave_s13]

On android..you can turn off notifications from the settings or when you get one, press and hold the notification and you should get some options to switch them off. I tend to disable everything other than WhatsApp and SMS messages....and then mute specific WhatsApp groups.

Browser ads can be greatly reduced by using the duck duck go browser.

[a7x88]

You should be able to turn the various notifications off per app on iPhones.

It will stop the banners appearing at the top if that’s the sort of thing you don’t like?

[Trevor555]

Thanks for those suggestions.

I'll look into getting an expert to change settings for me.

All I need/want is phone/text/camera/alarm/whatsapp on my phone.

I don't even need email, happy just to see that in the evenings.

Whatsapp is the only thing stopping me going back to a brick.

[Cloudy147]

A few ideas that might help…

For a time I’m sure there was a couple of manufacturers that did dumb-phones with WhatsApp, im sure there was but it really was only one or two - I think Nokia may have done one, it’s worth a search. But I could be wrong.

Another option is to only install exactly what you need and nothing else, then turn off all notifications. If it’s an iPhone you could also leave do not disturb on permanently and set exceptions, so nothing gets through except calls for example. I have very few notifications on my phone even though I have quite a lot of apps as I turned them all off.

Final idea is to install WhatsApp on your computer. Assuming you are using a pc you can now install it on there as a standalone app (it’ll still need your phone number to register it). That way you might be able to go back to a dumb phone entirely, assuming you don’t need WhatsApp whilst on the go.

Good luck. It’s a big advert, pop up, distraction riddled digital world that we seem to inhabit now, but silencing the unnecessary noise can be very liberating.

All the best with it!

Edited by Cloudy147 on Wednesday 8th February 23:59

[CanAm]

OP, Samsung have a “Power Saving Mode” ( drag down from the top of the Home screen. You choose what is running. So you could have just Phone, Text and WhatsApp live for example. And your battery life improves too!

[Trevor555]

CanAm said:

OP, Samsung have a “Power Saving Mode” ( drag down from the top of the Home screen. You choose what is running. So you could have just Phone, Text and WhatsApp live for example. And your battery life improves too!

Thank you, sounds great, just what I need.

[CanAm]

Trevor555 said:

Thank you, sounds great, just what I need.

Happy to help. Hope it works ok for you, but if you have any problems feel free to PM me, as Samsung User Guides are not brilliant. I found a quick way of doing Screenshots that even their help desk didn’t know about!

[croyde]

I have finally learned to not click on those 'You won't believe what Amanda Holden is barely wearing' headlines.

Not only is there no pic, you need an insta account, but the amount of popping up ads is crazy.

Oh! 'Gal Gadot in a see thru dress'!

Go on then

Damn it!!!

[Alorotom]

Trevor555 said:

Thanks for those suggestions.

I'll look into getting an expert to change settings for me.

All I need/want is phone/text/camera/alarm/whatsapp on my phone.

I don't even need email, happy just to see that in the evenings.

Whatsapp is the only thing stopping me going back to a brick.

Im a little similar to you and (on my personal and works iPhones I) have all notifications turned off and the phone silenced 24/7 so it only vibrates or is totally silent. I get no notifications other than the bubble count of notifications (but these can be turned off too).

You can also get feature phones (dumb phones) that have WhatsApp - Nokia do a couple of them and they work ok - cameras are junk though.

[Trevor555]

CanAm said:

Trevor555 said:

Thank you, sounds great, just what I need.

Happy to help. Hope it works ok for you, but if you have any problems feel free to PM me, as Samsung User Guides are not brilliant. I found a quick way of doing Screenshots that even their help desk didn’t know about!

That's very kind thank you.

I'm going back to the O2 store tomorrow to look at a simpler phone, probably a very simple Nokia.

But I'll be in touch if they can't help.

[Griffith4ever]

WIth new android devices you have to have a session turning off app notifications. The almost all need silencing. Pretty much every app you install now takes the piss until it's stamped on. You know , notifications of things "you might be interested in". They all do it. Even iPlayer pops up notifications on programs you " might be interested in".

It's so stupid, and an abuse by the app creators. They just can't help themselves. When i install any app, within a day I get unwelcome notifications and I then go straight into settings and disable them. If they make it too difficult to disable only the spam but enable the crucial alerts I just silence the app completely.

Not sure what to do with flashing ads on a phone. Adblock works on Chrome , might work on your phone. Not near mine to check it.