Smartphones are a bit rubbish. They take all of your attention, pushing you into a virtual world that can make it hard to pay attention to the real one. Let’s go back to something simpler… I’m thinking not just like a 2011-era Galaxy S2, but further back. Past the Razrs, past the Nokias, past even the massive bricks that used to double as handsets. Let’s go back to… no phones at all. That’s the idea behind the NoPhone, a new Kickstarter project that provides “a technology-free alternative to constant hand-to-phone contact.”
The NoPhone offer is unique: A black rectangle roughly the size and shape of a smartphone, with none of the features, for $12.
There’s no computer chip inside, no screen, no connectivity, no battery, absolutely nothing. Just a black monolith of a size and style that anyone would recognise as a smartphone. The Kickstarter page is quite amusing in describing the NoPhone’s features:
- Battery free
- No upgrades necessary
- Shatterproof
- Waterproof
- No camera
- No Bluetooth
- No calls
- Toilet bowl resistant
They’ve even produced a handy chart between the NoPhone and the iPhone 6, which we’ve reproduced to the right.
The NoPhone has been widely reported in the tech media, but it appears that the message hasn’t particularly resonated with consumers. With eight days to go, the project is just below 30% of the way to its $30,000 goal with less than 500 backers. Considering the low price of the NoPhone – and Kickstarter backers’ willingness to take a joke to the extremes – that’s perhaps surprising.
Even if the NoPhone Kickstarter fails, the point has been made. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team release 3D printing files to the wild if the project fails to raise the necessary support, and then anyone in the world that’s interested enough can print out their own.
What do you think of the NoPhone? Let us No (haha) in the comments below. You can also reach us on Twitter @mobilefun or on Facebook at Love Your Mobile. If you fancy a real phone, then check out our sim-free selection.