tools, not feeds // lpII 3-mo review
What does being present mean to you?
For me, it's become a lifestyle I choose to pursue, not often well, but intentionally.
My reason for investing in an uncertain Indiegogo campaign was not for the awesome specs on a new technology, or because I am an early adopter-type. It was for a day that snow fell on campus and I sat and wrote about love and being, watching flakes fall from the heavens and spill upon the ground transforming into a blanket of white. It was for the opportunity to gaze unhindered into another's eyes and carry a conversation with them about small things that matter.
It was for these and moments similar that I decided to invest $350 to part with my iPhone and choose something different.
Have you ever tried to listen to one or two conversations in a cafeteria while also engaging who or what is in front of you? You will most assuredly begin to lose track of what response is pertinent to what conversation.
I feel like as a culture we have done a good job of recognizing multitasking as a myth, but for those who are still confident in their spilt-focus ways, read here about the truth that's been found.
We do the same thing when we're in conversation and our phones 'ping' with a notification for text, email or social media- we're pulled into that world and out of the real world. Momentarily, we just glance, but ultimately, we begin a thread of new interactions with whatever is within our screen, diverting attention from the person with which we sought connection.
I was an addict. An addict to my phone's calendar and email. Planning every half-hour of my day led me to a place of, what I call, "not-presence". I had "not-presence" in conversations with people I cared about because of how "future-minded" I had become, simply looking ahead at the next thing on my plate that day.
Maybe this reliance on technology is similar to your own, or you have a different preferred daily gadget on your device, but we must be aware of the thin line between tool and crutch that we all walk with technology.
I am not advocating for societal adoption of "simple technology" or a renaissance of "dumb-phones" by all. My drive, always, is to simply present another way. A different path is out there. I do not believe the LightPhoneII is functional for every career, person or lifestyle as a primary phone.
That being said, I now operate in a world where I thrive with the freedom from connectivity and am able to intentionally connect in a way that is most me-like, free of the frills and dressings that my previous modus operandi provided.
The LightPhoneII has its ups and downs as an entry to a new tech sphere that is growing larger, but the vision of the product is achieved in its ability to be used as little as possible for the life I lead.
what others say:
https://www.digitaltrends.com/light-phone-2-review
https://time.com/best-inventions-2019/the-light-phone-ii/
https://www.theverge.com/2019/light-phone-2