I have been using CAT phones for a few years. They really are tough, work pretty well with gloves, do not care much about water, etc. Can recommend, and the infrared sensors are worth it just for the wow effect alone :). From the downsides - some of the smaller things break faster than you'd like (e.g. laser meter, or rubber covers for the USB port, or the painted/glued layer on the back in one of the older models). These downsides do not invalidate the main purpose(s) of the device. Also the phones rather quickly fall out of the supported Android version range, but this seems to be a common problem with all Android phones.
I've had several CAT phones. I have two S41 phones right now. Their biggest weakness is the little rubber covers over the ports. Those are the first to go. They need a better solution to that problem. Wireless charging, at least.
Also, I've had two of them bulge from battery expansion, just from leaving them plugged into power most of the time. Battery repair has several week turnaround, which is why I ended up with two of them, one back from repair, unused in its box.
Plus, putting silver in the case rubber to "avoid infection" is just silly.
As a fellow CAT S41 user, I can confirm that the phone is basically invulnerable to dropping, although one of the rubber pads did break off after a couple years of opening and closing it. My compass doesn't work, probably due to exposure to strong magnets. Gps and cellular internet still work perfectly, I can browse modern websites and watch youtube without much trouble. The battery lasts forever. The camera is kinda meh and I regret not getting the variant with a FLIR camera.
If they can make the flip-phone variant hardy enough to play football with I'll definitely buy it. But chances are, my S41 will still be working by then ;)
Both flip phones are based on AOSP (https://source.android.com/) and we've had to deal with custom implementations of soft keys, and push to talk headsets. Even Kyocera's implementation varies between the ATT version (https://kyoceramobile.com/duraxe-epic/att/) and the Verizon one.
This phone is made by https://bullitt-group.com/ and they very smartly license the CAT brand. We have not worked with them yet, but I'm guessing it would be relatively trivial to support the phone.
Without good soft-key support, these phones are unusable. Any questions, please LMK.
> Without good soft-key support, these phones are unusable.
Depends on what you mean by "good". I worked with PTT for a long time (disclosure: Motorola WAVE), Android devices with HW buttons, wired PTT headsets and buttons, wireless PTT headsets and buttons, you name it. It's a world of pain and _lots_ of edge cases and testing but in the end, there was always a way to beat any device into submission and get it working for most common use-cases. Any questions, LMK :)
Google have been delaying reviews of apps that accept keys.
Go on, plug a keyboard (or use a phone with a qwerty keyboard. ha!) and try ctrl+t, or ctrl+w on firefox android to manage tabs...
If you are on any version past 78, it won't work.
I guess google call it bot-enablement-features. or they just really hate people with disabilities. ...it you remove these functions, app reviews fly trhu in comparisson.
thankfully they don't seem to impact keyboards which all still support ctrl+a/c/x/v... the day that is gone i will probably even consider apple.
They're wrong, I can do T9 typing with the numbers just fine on mine, and switch to a touchscreen keyboard if I want to also. Just wish it was faster to switch between them.
When Sprint/T-Mobile forced me to get a new flip phone because my Kyocera would no longer be supported, I had to decide between the Alcatel Go Flip, the Cat S22 and a Sonim XP3 Plus. I went with the Sonim and I am very happy with it.
The Alcatel had many bad reviews. The Cat seemed huge and defeated many of purposes I have for having a flip phone in the first place. The Sonim has incredible build quality, no apps, internet works fine. I have no complaints. I haven't tried using Google Maps on it yet, but if that works I will love it even more and ditch my Garmin GPS.
I'm also rocking an XP3 Plus! I bought it around September because I was looking to curb my screen time. I ruled out the S22 for similar reasons.
I find that in rare cases I need to bring my old smart phone with me (traveling, mainly) for things like airline tickets, movies on planes, maps in new areas.
Otherwise day-to-day I am exclusively using the XP3. My screen time is now at an average of <10 min per day, and my battery life is between 5-6 days on average.
Super happy with the experience, and I bought back so much more time and sanity by not staring at my phone for hours per day.
I'm currently reading Digital Minimalism from Cal Newton and have started preparing for a 30-day digital declutter. So I was really excited to read this title and immediately disappointed after clicking - the Cat phone has a web browser. If you have access to the entirety of the internet in your pocket, it is hard to limit yourself and no little trick or hack is going to actually help - in my experience.
I'll go ahead and take advantage of this post to ask, what do other digital minimalists on HN use for their phone? I'm looking for something with messages, maps, a camera, and WhatsApp with no access to a browser or an app store. The most difficult item on that list is definitely WhatsApp. Unfortunately, if you travel a lot (which I do) it's not really optional. Outside of North America, EVERYTHING happens on WhatsApp. I've started looking into custom Android ROMS but that feels like an extreme step for what must be a common problem?
This phone selling point hides behind the fact that probably most apps won't run well on it :)
i handle corporate phones for a few ONGs. Blackberrys with keyboard are still somewhat supported on android, but even gmail (gmail! the main app from the main company behind android) have bugs that break main functionality (reading email!) because they do not care to test the odd screen size.
one of the largest use bases on tiktok are contractors. My guess is that this phone will be sold as a way to provide a work phone to employees which won't break and won't allow them to waste too much time.
CAT phones (and all cheap/rebranded phones listed as "corporate ready" by google) are already know for that to be honest. They are all behind android release versions even on launch day.
My biggest impediment to downsizing my cell phone: maps and navigation. In my vehicle I need to have at least a moderately sized screen in order to navigate safely. And the device needs to have mobile internet access.
How do folks who are downsizing their cell phones work around this? Do you use a non-phone GPS in your car? Do you keep a larger cell phone around for "when you need it"?
It's a pretty recent version of Android, it probably supports Android Auto. So if you have a newer car or an aftermarket Android Auto device it might be best of both worlds.
The thing is, I don't want Android smushed into a less useful, more fustrating to use, form factor. I want a dumbphone that calls, texts, and has a wifi hotpspot.
No battery draining screen, no app store, no navigation... if I need any of that, I can use the hotspot and a tablet/old phone...
It looks like fairly weak specs for an Android phone (4x Cortex A53's @ 1.3Ghz & 2GB RAM)[1], but I guess that's not really the point.
On the upside: it supports a lot of LTE bands, including all of the primary bands for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile in the US, as well as bands used in many other countries - so if you can get one unlocked it should work on most carriers.
Also, there are some complaints about battery life, but the battery is user-replaceable, so you can just get two and swap them out as needed.
I've been looking to reduce my smartphone usage, and I would be really tempted by this if it weren't limited to T-Mobile. The ability to make a hot spot and run a handful of 2FA apps really seals the deal.
I hope this brings back the ear-splitting PA-DURRRP that I heard everywhere in my old job where Nextel (later Sprint, now T-Mobile) cell-phones were basically walkie-talkies. /s
I would love a reboot of the Samsung Galaxy Folder 2[1]. Worked just like this phone, but looked way better, as it wasn't ruggedized and just a "normal" (well, as normal as a flip-phone can be today) phone.
The promise 13 day standby battery life. Looks like it costs $240 from t-mobile. I'd love to get phone like that for my kids. Not sure it would withstand abuse though.
Would be nice if there would be iPhone like that .
Does anyone know if this has a built in Hotspot? I want a simple flip phone so badly, but in the rare case I need to get online while out of the house, I don't want to have to pay for and carry a separate device/plan.
[+] [-] H8crilA|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Animats|3 years ago|reply
Also, I've had two of them bulge from battery expansion, just from leaving them plugged into power most of the time. Battery repair has several week turnaround, which is why I ended up with two of them, one back from repair, unused in its box.
Plus, putting silver in the case rubber to "avoid infection" is just silly.
[+] [-] andai|3 years ago|reply
Thermal imaging! How cool is that!
https://www.catphones.com/en-gb/features/integrated-thermal-...
[+] [-] kevincox|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Zondartul|3 years ago|reply
If they can make the flip-phone variant hardy enough to play football with I'll definitely buy it. But chances are, my S41 will still be working by then ;)
[+] [-] bo1024|3 years ago|reply
This was my first concern. Otherwise seems awesome.
[+] [-] 2000UltraDeluxe|3 years ago|reply
There are definitely downsides, but the durability is something else compared to other phones.
[+] [-] djur|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] r2sk5t|3 years ago|reply
Both flip phones are based on AOSP (https://source.android.com/) and we've had to deal with custom implementations of soft keys, and push to talk headsets. Even Kyocera's implementation varies between the ATT version (https://kyoceramobile.com/duraxe-epic/att/) and the Verizon one.
This phone is made by https://bullitt-group.com/ and they very smartly license the CAT brand. We have not worked with them yet, but I'm guessing it would be relatively trivial to support the phone.
Without good soft-key support, these phones are unusable. Any questions, please LMK.
[+] [-] mintplant|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tauntz|3 years ago|reply
Depends on what you mean by "good". I worked with PTT for a long time (disclosure: Motorola WAVE), Android devices with HW buttons, wired PTT headsets and buttons, wireless PTT headsets and buttons, you name it. It's a world of pain and _lots_ of edge cases and testing but in the end, there was always a way to beat any device into submission and get it working for most common use-cases. Any questions, LMK :)
[+] [-] xmonkee|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] grenoire|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 12312er13r|3 years ago|reply
Go on, plug a keyboard (or use a phone with a qwerty keyboard. ha!) and try ctrl+t, or ctrl+w on firefox android to manage tabs...
If you are on any version past 78, it won't work.
I guess google call it bot-enablement-features. or they just really hate people with disabilities. ...it you remove these functions, app reviews fly trhu in comparisson.
thankfully they don't seem to impact keyboards which all still support ctrl+a/c/x/v... the day that is gone i will probably even consider apple.
[+] [-] enthdegree|3 years ago|reply
This link says it comes with a T9 keyboard called “Kika” and other installable T9 keyboards exist: https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/qfr6rc/one_mont...
[+] [-] SamBam|3 years ago|reply
Edit, yes, here's a video.[1] The thing is also a lot bigger and thicker in the hands than I realized.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVzuT6eYZUA
[+] [-] ranger_danger|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|3 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] daviddaviddavid|3 years ago|reply
https://www.sonimtech.com/products/devices/xp3plus/
The Alcatel had many bad reviews. The Cat seemed huge and defeated many of purposes I have for having a flip phone in the first place. The Sonim has incredible build quality, no apps, internet works fine. I have no complaints. I haven't tried using Google Maps on it yet, but if that works I will love it even more and ditch my Garmin GPS.
[+] [-] hammycheesy|3 years ago|reply
I find that in rare cases I need to bring my old smart phone with me (traveling, mainly) for things like airline tickets, movies on planes, maps in new areas.
Otherwise day-to-day I am exclusively using the XP3. My screen time is now at an average of <10 min per day, and my battery life is between 5-6 days on average.
Super happy with the experience, and I bought back so much more time and sanity by not staring at my phone for hours per day.
[+] [-] ranger_danger|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kk6mrp|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] scottrogowski|3 years ago|reply
I'll go ahead and take advantage of this post to ask, what do other digital minimalists on HN use for their phone? I'm looking for something with messages, maps, a camera, and WhatsApp with no access to a browser or an app store. The most difficult item on that list is definitely WhatsApp. Unfortunately, if you travel a lot (which I do) it's not really optional. Outside of North America, EVERYTHING happens on WhatsApp. I've started looking into custom Android ROMS but that feels like an extreme step for what must be a common problem?
[+] [-] 12312er13r|3 years ago|reply
i handle corporate phones for a few ONGs. Blackberrys with keyboard are still somewhat supported on android, but even gmail (gmail! the main app from the main company behind android) have bugs that break main functionality (reading email!) because they do not care to test the odd screen size.
one of the largest use bases on tiktok are contractors. My guess is that this phone will be sold as a way to provide a work phone to employees which won't break and won't allow them to waste too much time.
CAT phones (and all cheap/rebranded phones listed as "corporate ready" by google) are already know for that to be honest. They are all behind android release versions even on launch day.
[+] [-] ranger_danger|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] loeg|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] seltzered_|3 years ago|reply
- dropped the phone into the toilet, on ground cracking the screen, etc.
- can't figure out how to end a call.
- get addicted to reading garbage news on their phone instead of trying to use a laptop for thinking about news, writing, organizing instead.
[+] [-] coryfklein|3 years ago|reply
How do folks who are downsizing their cell phones work around this? Do you use a non-phone GPS in your car? Do you keep a larger cell phone around for "when you need it"?
[+] [-] zhobbs|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ZoomStop|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LarryDarrell|3 years ago|reply
No battery draining screen, no app store, no navigation... if I need any of that, I can use the hotspot and a tablet/old phone...
[+] [-] nfriedly|3 years ago|reply
On the upside: it supports a lot of LTE bands, including all of the primary bands for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile in the US, as well as bands used in many other countries - so if you can get one unlocked it should work on most carriers.
Also, there are some complaints about battery life, but the battery is user-replaceable, so you can just get two and swap them out as needed.
[1]: https://gsmarena.com/cat_s22_flip-11141.php
[+] [-] AdamH12113|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nick238|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] heleninboodler|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] schroeding|3 years ago|reply
Will probably never happen, though :D
[1] https://www.gsmchoice.com/de/katalog/samsung/galaxyfolder2/
[+] [-] vvladymyrov|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] thatguy0900|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 0x0000000|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] firexcy|3 years ago|reply
[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-22_(logic)
[+] [-] eu|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pjerem|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fxtentacle|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tmikaeld|3 years ago|reply