2021-11-07
I've had a really good relationship with my smartphone recently, through just like — disconnecting the thing from the internet. Things like:
These have all helped, to various extents. I'm checking my phone a lot less. Part of the urge to check it so much was the fear of missing out, an unchecked notification. I used to just sit with Whatsapp open in case I got a message. I have a trained response to get rid of notifications — I mean, I really hate seeing unread message notifications. It's 100% a compulsion. It kind of worries me how strong the impulse to clear them is. I suppose it makes sense: they're literally designed to draw your attention.
Going offline has helped with it, though. I know that there isn't an unread message waiting for me. I can choose to go online and go through the loop of clearing notifications and replying to messages — then go back offline! I don't see a message notification unless I actively choose to.
I'd like to go further with this. It'd be neat to not have to
connect every time I want to browse Gemini, for example.
Offline-first distribution seems to be the current hotness in
gemspace at the moment, and it's something that would fill that gap.
A mobile RSS reader that can redirect
gemini
links to my client would work. Mostly I need to
add more good blogs to my RSS feed.
(Gemini) Low budget P2P content distribution with git
Something I wanted to try out was insired by Ploum's offline-only computer, where my wifi and mobile network would only turn on if I was plugged into a power source. When I'm out of the house, my phone is a camera/iPod/emergency contact device. That definitely appeals to me.
(Gemini) Ploum's Offline Typewriter
Unfortunately it looks like Google disabled the ability to automate wifi settings in Android 10: I'd either have to root my phone or move to an open source OS, neither of which I particularly want to do right now. I may look into this in the future.