Minimal Phone Review: A Distraction-Free Middle Ground

Escaping the screen isn’t easy. When I tested the Light Phone III in March—a phone designed to strip away apps and focus on the basics—I quickly found how many little things I needed my smartphone for, from accessing my home’s security cameras to authentication apps so I could sign in to web services on my laptop. Sometimes it's just not easy to go cold turkey. But that's where the Minimal Phone steps in. This is an Android phone with a physical keyboard and an e-paper touchscreen. It looks like a Kindle had a baby with a BlackBerry. Unlike most anti-smartphone products that offer a curated suite of basic phone functions, the Minimal Phone lets you access any app through the Google Play Store like a normal Android phone. But the experience is hampered by the tiny, 4.3-inch e-paper screen that needs constant refreshing. The keyboard will also slow you down. This frustrating smartphone experience is sort of the point. I got into bed one night, ready for my usual bedtime doomscrolling r ... Read full article.