Phone #1 - Motorola Moto G31

Specifications:

Android version: 11

Headphone jack: Yes

SD Card slot: Hell yes. Equipped with a 256 GB card.

Removable battery: No :'(

Phone size: Too big for my tastes but manageable.

Display: OLED 1080p
Do we really need such high PPI screens on devices this small? It's not gonna make any difference honestly... I wouldn't mind a 480p screen for real.

RAM: 4 GB but it doesn't matter because Android is a TERRIBLE OS that closes applications without your consent, no matter how much RAM you have D':

Anyway, rest of the specs are irrelevant to me, but can be found at GSMARENA.com (outside link)

What I use this phone for:

It's my main phone. I use it for everyday tasks what you can imagine a person would use a smartphone for, aside from not having any social media or consumption software on it with the exception of Newpipe.
I don't particularly like smartphones, for many reasons, but I have optimized my usage of them to the point where I believe there are more benefits to using one than there are downsides.
The #1 most beneficial software on a smartphone for me is Google Maps, which is top tier when it comes to navigation when driving. I haven't been seriously looking for alternatives as of now (I know of OsmAnd...), but it is something I have in mind, since I'm trying to degoogle myself as much as possible.
Other than that, having an access to a web browser (I use Firefox, btw) on the go, is pretty nifty. I mean it's not crucial, but it's nice.
Aside from those two things, everything else could be replicated with a flip phone, an MP3 player, a physical calendar, checking email at home on a PC etc...
Don't get me started on how modern society is trying to make it mandatory to have a smartphone and to keep it on us at all times. Grr.
It's a nifty tool as long as it's optional. But the amount that society pushes these devices to a pedestal, makes me consider not using them at all as an act of rebellion.

Backstory & thoughts on the phone and on Android in general:

I got it in mid/late 2022 because my previous phone, Huawei Honor 7 (outside link) (which I had gotten for free, yet again, from my ex girlfriend), dropped on the floor at work and the screen cracked. It was already running such an out of date version of Android that some applications were not working, the battery life was getting miserable and the screen already had some artifacts from another incident. I believe it was a good time to ditch the old one for good. This phone cost me 150€ and I believe the phone has a good bang-for-the-buck ratio for me. I was willing to consider paying extra for an OLED screen, but luckily it seems they had gotten more affordable since I last checked (I don't keep up with new hardware much, though, it varies.)

I will at one point make an article about OLED, LCD and CRT screens. Let's just say, I love CRTs. Oh how I miss having a functional CRT... One day, my dear wallet (and desk space), we will take the plunge...

My general thoughts on Android phones: It's gonna drop on the floor anyway or the battery life will become unusable or some stupid application requires a newer version of Android than you have, so yeah - it's a disposable product so I'll always go for the cheapest piece of crap I can comfortably get away with. This fit the bill for me.

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