Dumbphones

Hi folks, as a way of giving back to this community, I just wanted to share my experience of setting up an F21 Pro phone in the UK on Smarty and GiffGaff services. I guess O2 or 3 will also work as these sit on the back of those networks.

After spending a whole day on this, hopefully I can save you the time to get this working and also encourage more people to use these phones and get away from doom scrolling.

Personally, I thought they are the best of going 'dumb-ish'

The phone is a 4+64GB F21 Pro. Please check carefully if you are using the 32GB one that the firmware I have here works with that too! You can buy them here and get them delivered in about 10 days! https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003829459139.html - Go for the non google play versions as they are cheaper and you can just follow the steps below to add play store to it.

The below is an updated version of the guide from an original here : https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-xiaomi-qin-f21-pro-custom-firmware-root-playstore-certified.4405615/

I tried various different methods of using aurora app store but google apps didn't always work correctly. Using Google play store appears to be the best way to get all google apps you need working - but that is just my view.

This guide is from 28th July 2024. I have included all the recent apps in the zip that I used.

Link to zip file download: https://mega.nz/file/FU0zxSjA#tkPfpWnvCSowTN0q6AW2CKV4CkOJHwin0HFw2IVmG9U

Setup PC (windows) and Flash phone: Install DriveInstall.exe

Open "SP_Flash_Tool_V5/flash_tool.exe"

select scatter file from the Main Firmware folder = MT6761_Android_scatter.txt (this is the source to use)

turn phone off

unplug usb, then plug back in to the PC via USB.

click download to flash the phone.

Congrats! You now have chinese free apps firmware with TWRP Installed

Getting into TWRP Bootloader: Turn off your phone and boot into TWRP, you can do this by holding the heart key (top left) and the * (star, bottom left) key [then press the power button], you will see the Douqin Logo. Keep holding keys until TWRP boots.

Change TWRP language to English ...

https://droidwin.com/change-language-twrp-recovery/

Copy all files needed to phone -> boot to TWRP and plug in to computer and transfer from "All files to copy to TWRP Folder for installing off the phone" folder

FLASH IMAGE "boot_2.img" to BOOT partition

IMPORTANT! boot is an IMAGE FILE not ZIP FILE. by default, TWRP is set to check for zip file and will not see IMAGE FILES in the directories. YOU NEED TO TAP THE INSTALL IMAGE BUTTON so image files will appear).

I flashed it to both slots.

Reboot into main OS.

Install Magisk-v24.2.apk by clicking on the file. If you are having difficulty, install it from a plugged in USB into the phone to bypass any security blocking you.

Open magisk then click Install Magisk > Select a patch file > choose "boot_2.img" in your directory (path where you transfer it). This should generate a patched version of the magisk boot img. READ where it says it dumped the output file on the console data!

Boot back into TWRP

Locate the patched magisk file and flash it to the BOOT partition. Use the location from the console output.

Reboot to main OS

open MAGISK app go to settings and enable MAGISK HIDE

open MAGISK app, search module (bottom right button) and install "MagiskHide Props Config" (in the zip file provided) then reboot to main OS

Install the Android Terminal app.. so we can spoof our Phones Identity so Google Play works ok:

open Terminal emulator app

type "su" enter (grant permission)

type "props" enter (to run the magiskhide Props config app)

type "1" enter

type "F" enter

type "30" enter

type "25" enter

type "2" enter

type "y" enter

type "y" enter (phone reboots)

Before it has a chance to start reloading, hold the keys to enter TWRP.

Flash open_gapps-arm64-11.0-pico-20220215 to the BOOT partition.

(you may be able to install this earlier in the process but I did it at this point)

After reboot wait gapps to update (around 5-10 mins) then sign in to playstore. You may need to authenticate the login on another android app if you have 2FA.

==

Then install apps via google play so they are all official and working well on the phone:

gboard keyboard TT9 keyboard

Essential Apps you may want: Android Auto

Google Maps

Google Photos

Spotify

Gmail

Calendar

Contacts

Uber/Bolt Taxis

... done!

Hopefully this helps you too!

Some other things I will probably look at :

How to remove some of the stock call/message apps in favour of the Google ones.

Possibly a minimalist launcher... suggestions welcome.

This might not be news to everyone, but since 2021, they stopped offering an alternative to the app. You can no longer print or screenshot the barcodes because they roll.

Super lame.

Came across this paper the other day. I'm yet to read it fully, but its existence is interesting already. Dumbphones have now gathered attention from the media and the academic world too.

Stumbled upon this article about the rising popularity of dumbphones.

Hope this community starts getting more traction :)

As for my journey, I am still on a "dumb smartphone" phase, an old phone with only Whatsapp and Spotify. I've been considering making the switch to a dumb phone or at least a candybar smartphone like the Qin F21.

Hey, just wanted to get some activity rolling. I had my dumbphone journey for 3 months, and it was pretty great. Rocked a Light Phone and a Sony DAP running Linux. My mind was very free, and I thought a lot more. Unfortunately due to me being a young adult still at my parents they told me they wanted me to use a Smartphone again.

It's been a few months after that, and while measuring out the pros and cons I have decided I definitely want to get a dumbphone again, just one that's probably more on the "smarter" side. At the moment, I am hoping the upcoming Punkt MC01 will have a featureset comparable to the higher tier Sunbeam F1 and Pro devices., Perhaps with the ability to use self-hosted or at least generic option compared to their paid services. Caldav, Cardav, etc. Getting that, along with a Tangara for my other services like Navidrome, Audiobookshelf, etc. seems like it'd make for a great dumb, local network duo.

For a companion device, I'd like a tablet/laptop/netbook that's tiny and portable for other services I'd need. I've been looking at the MNT Reform Pocket and some Linux tablets such as these. (StarLabs Lite, Purism 11, Fydetab Duo)

How about you guys? What have your journeys been like? I'd love to hear. It's a pretty hard road to take in a world being controlled by mandatory apps and the like. I really wish so much wasn't dependent on the phone.

Hi, I'm currently interest in a flip phone right now and considering if I should get KC903 or the LG X100. I currently find the KC903 very expensive (via Kyoex).

I've been looking at 'Bridge Phones' which would let me ditch my (rather large) Android device for something much smaller that won't significantly reduce my ability to use some key apps (Signal, Spotify, OSMAnd+, and some activity tracking apps).

Does anyone have any thoughts on this device?

I'm not bothered by not having cameras, and it looks like this fits the bill, being a smaller version of the F22 Pro as far as I can tell.

Coming Soon! F1 Pro Sometimes life can deal out some hard knocks. You need a phone that can keep up.

We’ve heard your feedback and are introducing a new F1 Pro series of flip-phones in October. The F1 Pro will have a battery that’s nearly twice as large, is water-resistant, and is much more rugged. We’ve also built in a better screen and camera, but are still focused on keeping life simple and making time for the things that really matter.

Come back soon for more info!

The resources for this phone seemed to be scattered around the internet so I went ahead and wrote a simple on guide for it.

It covers: Rooting the phone, Installing Magisk (root), passing SafetyNet and debloating the phone. The phone is very barebones once you uninstall most of the apps! I like it a lot.

Just as title says, what do you carry with yourself on daily basis?

Here is my EDC for now: heavily dumbed down smartphone (it's temporary, I'm working on transitioning to flip phone), MP3 player, notebook and an ordinary book. Oh, and I also carry a pack of game cards like UNO just in case I meet a friend outside.

As title states, are here any users of those models? I'm thinking of buying a cheap flip phone to switch between my dumb smartphone and flip. The problem is, I am located in Europe, therefore not that many "dumb" phones work here due to band support and general disinterest of public in those models.

Curious how they perform for calls/SMS and battery life. Hotspot would be neat as well, though it is not a requirement (thus I've added 2660 to my personal list)

What type of phone do you prefer and why?

I'm thinking of getting a flip phone because of its form factor and just clapping the phone when a phone call has ended feels absolutely fantastic

Hello there, fellow candy or flip phone enjoyers!

As an introduction note, let's discuss your current EDC setups: what phone do you use and why?