Light Phone and Audio Bible

[J.L. Allen]

Good morning, folks.

I'm the proud owner of a Light Phone II. I don't use the music tool on it, but I've wanted to upload an audio Bible, which apparently can be done with the music tool.

Is anyone on here familiar with doing this? Where can I find a free (trustworthy) audio Bible download?

 

[Pomopu]

I have been using a Light Phone for 2 years. Go to the Podcast tool on your dash, on your laptop. If you can find a podcast where the Bible is read, then you can listen that way. (perhaps Sermon audio as well? I haven't tried.)

I also believe you can download any audio file (2 GB maximum?) although I have never done that.

 

[J.L. Allen]

I have been using a Light Phone for 2 years. Go to the Podcast tool on your dash, on your laptop. If you can find a podcast where the Bible is read, then you can listen that way. (perhaps Sermon audio as well? I haven't tried.)

I also believe you can download any audio file (2 GB maximum?) although I have never done that.

I'm starting to realize that the podcast feature is my best bet.

By the way, are you getting the III? I pre-ordered early during the summer. I'm excited for it.

 

[Da_Lucem_Domine]

Hi brother — if I may hijack this thread, would you care to speak more toward your experience with the Light Phone? I’ve been heavily considering moving to a “dumb phone” for awhile now, but have yet to pull the trigger. This is mainly due to wrestling with which one to go with, as well as taking tangible steps to simplify my lifestyle.

 

[davejonescue]

Hi brother — if I may hijack this thread, would you care to speak more toward your experience with the Light Phone? I’ve been heavily considering moving to a “dumb phone” for awhile now, but have yet to pull the trigger. This is mainly due to wrestling with which one to go with, as well as taking tangible steps to simplify my lifestyle.

This isnt regarding a Light Phone, as I dont have experience with it, but I switched to a Flip-Phone (you can get them for $30 from Wal-Mart) to try and minimize web usage with a Smart Phone at my previous job. While it did do great with limiting apps, as you really couldnt get any of them; what suffered was the ability to text. The Flip-Phones revert back to the old way of texting where you have to push a button 3 times for different letters, and this can become a pain real quick dealing with this current generation where many people flat-out refuse to communicate any other way but text. I eventually went back to a Smart Phone, just havent really downloaded too many apps. It improved texting ability by 1000% and it allows me to carry Logos with me when I am waiting somewhere. Like today I was waiting on someone for about an hour, and was able to use Logos to play an Audio Bible while I relaxed in my car. Again, don't know anything about the Light Phone, but if you are thinking about the Flips, texting will be a major issue.

 

[Pomopu]

I'm starting to realize that the podcast feature is my best bet.

By the way, are you getting the III? I pre-ordered early during the summer. I'm excited for it.

Yep! Camera will be nice. Less lag will be nice on inout. Bigger screen nice, for texting.

Hi brother — if I may hijack this thread, would you care to speak more toward your experience with the Light Phone? I’ve been heavily considering moving to a “dumb phone” for awhile now, but have yet to pull the trigger. This is mainly due to wrestling with which one to go with, as well as taking tangible steps to simplify my lifestyle.

It is a vanity item. I'm assuming you could get the same thing, functionality, for cheaper. But the vanity of it (the sleekness of it) encouraged me to buy it, to genuinely get rid of my iPhone. Looks like you are married so you should definitely get it, because then all the functionality you lose can be achieved by your wife's phone. And I said: heck, $300 but iPhone's are $1000. But still a luxury good, ironically, even though it simplifies.

At present, what is most annoying *not QR codes *not Uber *Not Google maps *not Venmo *not camera for online banking, depositing checks; these are practical things that I have learned to get over.

On the plus? I'm more grateful to God on the toilet then ever; like genuinely, or I read. And +10000s. Any negatives your smart phone has, just cancel it out.

Be warned: notice I am on a forum using google. My point being, self-control by the grace of the Holy Spirit can't be bought by buying a phone. I've learned this. Turns out sanctification of self-control is something supernatural!! But out of weakness I have the Lphone nonetheless. If I had stronger self-control I likely wouldn't.

Another plus: non-Christian people are always captivated by it. So it is a great evangelism segue, like in cafes. My recomendation? LPhone can be incredible, for sure. But again, sometimes the urge to simplify is so that we substitute a lifestyle for true holiness and communion with God. I've found this true in my life: I can acquire the form and habits of a holy person without genuinely being a holy person. Or I think i can shortcut the way to holiness.

 

[J.L. Allen]

Hi brother — if I may hijack this thread, would you care to speak more toward your experience with the Light Phone? I’ve been heavily considering moving to a “dumb phone” for awhile now, but have yet to pull the trigger. This is mainly due to wrestling with which one to go with, as well as taking tangible steps to simplify my lifestyle.

I'm happy to have you hijack the thread! I'm a huge fan of the product. I felt like a slave to my smartphone and that I was forced into that aspect of our ever-tech-dependent world. I was ready to give up. Mid-America Reformed Seminary has a podcast, and they had an episode where Dr. Andrew Compton spoke briefly about tech minimalism. The next day, after I had listened to the episode, I spoke with Dr. Compton in passing at the seminary. I told him of the resignation I felt, and he asked if I had ever considered the Light Phone II. I hadn't heard of it at that point, but everything changed after that. I got one in the fall of 2020.

The Light Phone is great if you really want to get serious about cutting off tech distractions and/or inappropriate content. There are no work arounds for these things on the Light Phone. The experience is such that you only use your phone for specific activities, which work in the most minimal fashion, and you put away your phone when you are finished. When you are out and about, you'll find yourself taking in your surroundings or reading something while everyone around you is absorbed in their phones. Smartphones always have the next hook to use another feature or scroll through another feed. Not so with the Light Phone.

It doesn't work as "smooth" as smartphones, but that's because it's designed to be used as little as possible. You have better things to do. However, here's a word of warning... guard yourself because you WILL try to fill the space with another tech device. If you really want to minimalize access to these things, take other steps to eliminate or reduce your other tech products or time with them.

This isnt regarding a Light Phone, as I dont have experience with it, but I switched to a Flip-Phone (you can get them for $30 from Wal-Mart) to try and minimize web usage with a Smart Phone at my previous job. While it did do great with limiting apps, as you really couldnt get any of them; what suffered was the ability to text. The Flip-Phones revert back to the old way of texting where you have to push a button 3 times for different letters, and this can become a pain real quick dealing with this current generation where many people flat-out refuse to communicate any other way but text. I eventually went back to a Smart Phone, just havent really downloaded too many apps. It improved texting ability by 1000% and it allows me to carry Logos with me when I am waiting somewhere. Like today I was waiting on someone for about an hour, and was able to use Logos to play an Audio Bible while I relaxed in my car. Again, don't know anything about the Light Phone, but if you are thinking about the Flips, texting will be a major issue.

For some, a flip phone works, but that wasn't me. Part of the reason I wanted to get away from a smart phone was because I didn't want to have ANY browser in the palm of my hand. It's not good for me whatsoever. Flip phones have browsers on them because all phones must have 4G capability. The browser is trash, but it is still a browser. Not only that, there isn't any software to download to limit or protect that browser and its usage. That's not good. Therefore, the Light Phone checks those boxes.

 

[J.L. Allen]

I'm not sure how often @R. Andrew Compton is on PB these days, but I'm sure he'd be happy to chime in about the Light Phone.

 

[JD]

I have bounced around with different minimalist phones for the past few years, having had much the same experience as above. I used a Sunbeam F1 Orchid for several years (flip phone with no browser & no app store) before switching to an LP2. They are of comparable price and besides the LP2 looking nicer, I actually prefer the flip phone since I felt like I spent less time fighting with the tech.

Something you have to be aware of is that the decision to move to a low-tech phone is a decision to add inconvenience to your life. This is just a given. You need to be of the mind that occasionally you are going to be very put out by your lack of a smartphone, but that that is a good thing. You'll sometimes be bored, sometimes have something you need to look up without a way to do it, sometimes you'll drive into traffic not knowing it was there when a smartphone would have routed you around it. You'll also inconvenience the people around you, who can't text you links or get ahold of you. You have to "train" people how to contact you. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely going to happen.

The e-ink screen on the LP2 adds an extra level of inconveniece in my experience. It lags slightly more often than I would prefer, and needed to be restarted several times per week due to freezing up. Navigation is quite poor on the LP2 and voice-to-text only works when you have good data connectivity.

Both devices come with a mobile hotspot option, so I carry around an Onyx Boox E-ink tablet in case I need access to email or internet in a pinch. That combination works for me, as the e-ink keeps it from being a distraction for me personally.

 

[J.L. Allen]

I have bounced around with different minimalist phones for the past few years, having had much the same experience as above. I used a Sunbeam F1 Orchid for several years (flip phone with no browser & no app store) before switching to an LP2. They are of comparable price and besides the LP2 looking nicer, I actually prefer the flip phone since I felt like I spent less time fighting with the tech.

Something you have to be aware of is that the decision to move to a low-tech phone is a decision to add inconvenience to your life. This is just a given. You need to be of the mind that occasionally you are going to be very put out by your lack of a smartphone, but that that is a good thing. You'll sometimes be bored, sometimes have something you need to look up without a way to do it, sometimes you'll drive into traffic not knowing it was there when a smartphone would have routed you around it. You'll also inconvenience the people around you, who can't text you links or get ahold of you. You have to "train" people how to contact you. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely going to happen.

The e-ink screen on the LP2 adds an extra level of inconveniece in my experience. It lags slightly more often than I would prefer, and needed to be restarted several times per week due to freezing up. Navigation is quite poor on the LP2 and voice-to-text only works when you have good data connectivity.

Both devices come with a mobile hotspot option, so I carry around an Onyx Boox E-ink tablet in case I need access to email or internet in a pinch. That combination works for me, as the e-ink keeps it from being a distraction for me personally.

Great dose of realism here. The LPIII promises answers these issues (for the most part). I appreciate that the company invests so much in listening to users.

 

[Eyedoc84]

This isnt regarding a Light Phone, as I dont have experience with it, but I switched to a Flip-Phone (you can get them for $30 from Wal-Mart) to try and minimize web usage with a Smart Phone at my previous job. While it did do great with limiting apps, as you really couldnt get any of them; what suffered was the ability to text. The Flip-Phones revert back to the old way of texting where you have to push a button 3 times for different letters, and this can become a pain real quick dealing with this current generation where many people flat-out refuse to communicate any other way but text. I eventually went back to a Smart Phone, just havent really downloaded too many apps. It improved texting ability by 1000% and it allows me to carry Logos with me when I am waiting somewhere. Like today I was waiting on someone for about an hour, and was able to use Logos to play an Audio Bible while I relaxed in my car. Again, don't know anything about the Light Phone, but if you are thinking about the Flips, texting will be a major issue.

You should be able to enable T-9, right? that’s quicker than smartphone typing

 

[davejonescue]

You should be able to enable T-9, right? that’s quicker than smartphone typing

I dont think so because the screens on Flip Phones are not touch (at least mine wasnt,) and the only keypad you have is the number keys; where 3 letters are given for each number.

 

[Eyedoc84]

I’ve been wrestling with getting a dumb phone for a few years. I think even though it’s overpaying, the best option is still turning my iphone into a dumbish phone by disabling web-browsing and all apps that aren’t banking/work/music/bible.

I dont think so because the screens on Flip Phones are not touch (at least mine wasnt,) and the only keypad you have is the number keys; where 3 letters are given for each number.

That’s not T-9. for each letter, you just push each corresponding number once and the phone figures out which word fits that combo of letters as you go

 

[davejonescue]

I’ve been wrestling with getting a dumb phone for a few years. I think even though it’s overpaying, the best option is still turning my iphone into a dumbish phone by disabling web-browsing and all apps that aren’t banking/work/music/bible.

My situation is kind of unique, as when I had my Flip, I began to be in the midst of a situation of a long-time friend of mine who lives out-of-state, who has basically become apostate, reverting back to full blown SSA issues, (having struggled with them for 40 years) and even marrying a man. He got to the point where he no longer calls frequently and the only way he would communicate is through text; because, I am assuming every time we talked I would try and steer him back to God. So, trying to text conversation-like with a Flip is a pain in the neck. The good thing about Wal-Mart, and Straight-Talk, is it was pretty inexpensive to buy another $45 Samsung Smart Phone and revert back. Needless to say communicating with him has been easier, though, our conversations have now become few and far between.

 

[alexanderjames]

the best option is still turning my iphone into a dumbish phone by disabling web-browsing and all apps that aren’t banking/work/music/bible.

This is what I did but with a (relatively) cheap old android smartphone. Once I had everything installed I disabled Google and the Play Store and installed a minimalist launcher. The only potential issue is an outdated OS which might compromise security if you use a smartphone for banking.