Dumbphones
I like the idea of dumbphones, but often phones advertised as dumbphones are quiet expensive. It is rather easy to make any phone dumb. This page mostly covers how to do it most examples are for Android, but iOS likely has similar options.
Simple launcher
One of the most important tools to make your phone more simple is the launcher. I opted for the Olauncher. Unlauncher is similar for people who prefer using F-Droid.
Mindset
You can attempt to remove social media apps. Use your computer instead. Only allow essentials like GPS and messaging. The most important part of the dumbphone is your mindset.
This page was mostly an excuse to talk about my Tank Mini phone. Compact phones can be hard to find nowadays, but Unihertz still has a couple of them.
Tank Mini phone
The Tank Mini phone has a compact size and great battery life. These two factors are the most important for my dumbphone experience.
Initial reviews hinted at unsharp pictures and the compactness. It is compact in terms of height and width, but its thickness was a bit more as I expected. Nevertheless, its functionality outweighs any minor inconveniences. It fits easy in my jacket.
While some additional tools seemed gimmicky, the camplight feature stood out as potentially useful. Water protection is great too.
After reading the Android gesture settings, navigating the device became a breeze, but it took some getting used to. I used the Universal Android Debloater to remove unnecessary default apps, since many people recommend it. Opinions vary on whether some apps are spyware. Besides that Google tracks you as well.
UPS delivery
The UPS delivery experience unfortunately left much to be desired. Although it has nothing to do with the phone company. It is a third party.
I missed the first delivery as UPS failed to offer an option to set a delivery point, and I was not home. Apparently creating an account could have prevented this issue, as then you may have permissions to set a delivery point. Making an account would mean accepting certain terms, which allow installation of support software on my device. I wouldn't want that. Especially since it likely wouldn't work on Linux anyways.
The delivery time tracker was unreliable, fluctuating between different hours frequently. This inconsistency caused unnecessary stress and inconvenience. After missing the first delivery, I took a day off work solely to receive the package. I didn't want to cause the driver trouble.
UPS likely is a great service. It is rather popular, and could be worse. But this experience highlights areas for improvement. By addressing issues such as allowing default delivery points, UPS can significantly enhance user satisfaction and prevent wasted trips.
By sharing my experience, I hope to encourage both companies to prioritize user experience and address common complaints. I saw similar complaints online, so I doubt that it will be resolved.