Linux Phones

[cliffcoggin]

I still don't understand which phone is best for me. I tried phones from both android and apple. Thanks for your tips!

Claire. Only you can solve that problem after considering your priorities and budget. What features do you want from a phone? How concerned are you about security? How concerned are you about privacy? How much are you willing to pay? What signal strength do you have? Whatever result you arrive at will always involve some compromises which only you can assess.

[mikeflan]

While I'm retired, I still depend on my iPhone and Apple watch for financial transactions, fitness, email, texts, transportation and until a Linux phone can do all those things I doubt that I would make the switch. However, I think I would buy one at $150 just to mess around with.

At this point, I don't believe I could really function in the 21st century without a cell phone...

I've been doing just fine without a "smart" phone ("smart" phones are not all that smart and still have security issues). I do have an old school style flip phone mostly for emergencies and for occasionally talking to someone (I hate texting) when on the road. I keep the thing turned off except when I'm actually going to use it (I neither want or need to be connected at the "lip" 24/7). Being retired helps but I was still doing fine back when I still worked for a living.

I've been accused of being Luddite but I have no problems adopting new technology once it's been proven (making a bit more like a laggard) when it coist effectively benefits me. Currently, "smart" phone won't benefit me cost effectively plus there are the security issues.

On the rare occasion when an employer said I should have a "smart" phone or wanted my cell phone number, I would ask them if they were going to buy me one and pay for the monthly plan. That would shut them up. I don't give out my cell phone or home numbers to anyone except a trusted few.

I wouldn't mind having a "smart" phone but I can't justify the cost, both up front and for the monthly data plans versus the benefits for me, plus I just don't trust Android (Google) or Apple. I've been watching the progress with the Pine and Librem phones but I do not feel they are ready for prime time yet.

I agree with almost everything you say here. Sounds almost exactly like me. My flip phone is left on, but I hesitate to carry the thing and won't even look at the texts I get.

[Moem]

I wouldn't mind having a "smart" phone but I can't justify the cost, both up front and for the monthly data plans versus the benefits for me, plus I just don't trust Android (Google) or Apple. I've been watching the progress with the Pine and Librem phones but I do not feel they are ready for prime time yet.

Since this thread was started, I've begun using Ubuntu Touch on my Oneplus One phone, I'm using it for a year now, and I like it a lot. I don't know about prime time but it feels plenty mature to me. So much so that I'm using it as my only phone.
I do like smartphones (and yes, they are pretty smart... or as smart or dumb as any other computer) but not Google or Apple. And my budget is limited. But Ubuntu Touch is well supported on several older devices that can be bought used for very reasonable prices. $50 will get you a Nexus 5 if you know where to look.