The Light Phone 2 is a minimalist phone designed to help you limit your smartphone use. The device works by adding tools – like texting, voice dictation, and text message scrolling – that you configure online using a custom dashboard.
The Light Phone 2’s screen is an e-ink display, a touchscreen similar to those on the Kindle or reMarkable. It has a few drawbacks, including ghosting and a slow refresh rate.
Features
Brooklyn-based startup Light has redesigned its ‘dumb phone’ that does only a few things: calls, text messages, and setting alarms. The device is now called The Light Phone 2, and it’s available to order from its Indiegogo crowdsourcing campaign for $250.
The phone runs on an OS called Light that uses ‘tools’ instead of ‘apps.’ Tools include directions, calculators, music players, and Notes.
These tools are configured through a web portal that Light calls the Dashboard, and once you’ve set them up, they show up on your device. You’ll also have access to your contacts (phonebook), a copy-paste feature, and a spell checker.
There are some significant changes from the original Light Phone, including that it can now text and add to your contact book. It also has a broader variety of carrier support.
Design
The Light Phone 2’s design is based around a 2.84-inch E-ink display and minimal physical buttons. It maintains a credit card-sized form factor and ample connectivity via 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.
The e-ink screen is similar to the ones found on e-reader devices like the Kindle, characterized by low power requirements, strong viewing contrast, and durability. In addition, it eliminates the need for a backlight, which helps ease eye strain, and it’s fully legible in direct sunlight.
To add a little more to the experience, Light has created custom minimalist versions of popular apps that they believe are worth your time (like Spotify’s music tool or Uber’s ride-sharing app). These tools are only available if you choose to install them.
Ultimately, Light’s strategy isn’t about cutting you off from the world completely; it’s about taking an honest look at which modern conveniences you need and how to deliver them in a way that makes sense for your lifestyle. It’s an exciting approach, and it could pay off.
Performance
Last year, Light launched a phone that stripped away most of the extraneous parts of modern smartphones, promising life with less information and more connection. That’s an appealing concept that can be hard to stick to in the long run.
For starters, you have to decide whether the idea of cutting off all access to social media, clickbait news, email, and any other anxiety-inducing infinite feed is something you want. If youmuch’ll need to commit tmuch extra frictessentialntenconsiderr also essentconsiderk about whether your family and frhoweady for a shhowor example, dohe wayFor example, dohey use technFor example, doogy. For example, do they need constant access to online services and communication apps, or do they just prefer a more minimal lifestyle?
Price
The Light Phone 2 is a bare-bones phone designed to let you take a break from your smartphone. It doesn’t have apps and doesn’t track your activity.
It uses a paper-like E-Ink display, like the ones found on popular esomeomea good screen,, but has some lim tations, incloccasionalasional ghosting and screen refreshes.
A hefty price tag keeps the Light Phone from being as widely available as other featuret does have some exciting features that may help you get more done while using less of your device.
If you’re looking tseveraly, there are several options for used Light Phone 2 deals in 2023. Swappa is the safest and easiest way to shop for a device, and it offers a wide range of used tech at prices you can afford.
