Has anyone here dropped smartphones and used a dumb phone before?

Have they invented e-sim dumbphones? Would be nice to just have something to add to my main account and just use that when out and about doing something stupid that might involve drowning my main phone or cracking the screen

I've been using a flip phone for many years. I don't have a smart phone.

One of the challenges is traveling and transportation, and the solution is mostly just planning ahead.

- If driving to an unfamiliar place, study the map beforehand and print (or write) directions and tape it to the dashboard. For any parts of the route that seem tricky, look at Google Maps' street-level images to prepare for reality. (After 1-2 trips, though, I can usually get there and back unaided.)

- If taking public transit, note down basic timing info and stop IDs. The 5-1-1 phone number is often really helpful has well.

- If traveling internationally, just plan ahead carefully. The specifics here will vary wildly by destination, but for example I went to Germany earlier this year with prepurchased train tickets and was able to get where I needed to go.

I stopped using any smartphones since Android 2.3 because they started to be annoying. I carry a laptop everywhere when I might want to chill, and I have a semi-stupid phone for listening youtube or podcasts everywhere anytime except when I am working. Also I do not find telegram a desired software on my hardware.

No, because I value the superior functionality and security of a smartphone.

The main motivation seems to be elimination of social/media consumption. I typically only use the smartness for maps, Uber, HN, and the occasional puzzle game or youtube video when I'm killing time waiting. I was completely fine if I forgot my phone at home all day, back when I used to commute to the office. People who know me, know that I'm not 'always on' so it isn't a problem.

Another good reason could be for utmost privacy. Not perfect but I keep location services disabled except when I need to use it, then turn it off right after. I started doing that for battery life so I can go days without charging and it just became a normal habit.

Yes.

Gentoo on Pinephone Pro with T-Mobile.

I absolutely love the hardware privacy switches for the cameras, the microphone, WiFi & BT, headphone jack (enabling UART) and the LTE modem (including GPS) under the back cover.

Just absolutely love it.

Not for the faint of heart but anyone who can build Linux from Scratch can do this.

https://www.pine64.org/pinephonepro/

I do so every couple of years. I would love to now, but my kids have smartphones, so I feel the need to be able to relate.

The one I had most recently was the Sonim XP5, which fit all my requirements (bluetooth connection for music and hands-free, mp3 player, no apps) despite running a stripped down version of Android. It was also very rugged. The only thing I didn't care for was the proprietary charger

i would - 100% tomorrow if they met 2 conditions:

1) not android based..."dumb OS"...i just want it to make calls on 4g networks. 2) had qwerty.

Until then - grapheneOS on pixel.