Punkt. is a fairly little, vibrant and independent business, and we prefer to preserve close connections with our clients and with individuals and organisations within the design world. As part of this, we regularly run 'Punkt.Challenges'. These consist of style challenges that form part of postgraduate style courses, and digital detox difficulties where self-confessed smart device addicts are welcomed to review their relationship with technology.
Ten years ago, smartphones were still really uncommon. Now, a life lived outside the framework of the smartphone is uncommon. 10 years back, the majority of people had cellphones, but they would generally just attract our attention if another human had chosen to call us or send us a text. Now that many people's lives are so much more automated: the brand-new typical is to scoot around within a nonstop assault of status updates, push alerts and an entire lot more.
Our Digital Detox Challenges have been running given that 2016. The negative elements of smart devices weren't commonly discussed at that point, however there has since been a rise of interest in the subject. Individual reports are a crucial element of the Detox Challenges; by running the Challenges and publishing these reports we intend to keep the discussion of people's relationship with technology prominent and on-going - both in regards to tech addiction and the value of high-quality design in the real (i.e. non-virtual) world.
The huge distinction this time round was that the term 'smartphone dependency' had actually clearly gotten in common parlance - in 2016 it still sounded a bit over the top, however in 2018 people were beginning to sound truly fretted. You can read the reports below, however here are some excerpts from a few of the numerous applications we got:
" The continuous scrolling."
" I tried it with an old classic phone, it was like returning to an ex - with all the old pros and cons. Who does that?"
" We utilize our phones a lot - why shouldn't they be stunning along with functional?"
" I'm doing my own variation now, however I needed to go for a broke ass burner phone that's 10 years old ...".
" As a UI designer for digital products I've frequently questioned a few of the success requirements utilized in my market, specifically 'engagement' as a metric for success. Until that modifications, unfortunately it's really hard to eliminate versus 100s of designers who are attempting to hook you in to their items. [] There is a particular paradox about this as I develop for these products however wish to escape them. But I think it's a chance for me as a designer to value how valuable our attention is, and aim to take that lesson back into my market, hopefully to affect a modification in method to technology.".
" I have begun getting rid of all my social media profiles and have actually immediately noticed the positive impact it's had on me. I am so much calmer now, and I want to keep it that method, by also removing my smartphone for great.".
Life is too short to keep our heads down.
Innovation has actually dramatically altered over the last century, from being a practical tool in our lives to keeping us as connected in as much as it can and for the longest period of time. This Challenge modifications that in its whole, pressing us into realizing exactly what is going on. I've always enjoyed using the most recent things, however considering that Punkt. has been around, I wanted to alter that, and with the Digital Detox Challenge, that's precisely what happened. When you go from a continuously ringing smartphone to a phone like this, you recognize how much you can sacrifice all these applications that keep you hooked all day: you don't need them.
In a manner, you do become sort of separated socially from your good friends-- let's say if they "Snapchat" you or whatnot-- however you begin to understand that it's for the better, and the Punkt. MP01 accomplishes just that. It teaches you simpleness and teaches you that you don't need everything on your phone. Just the essentials.
If you feel like you are hooked on your phone, like a lot of individuals I have actually met, it could be a great time to provide this phone a shot. A lot of my own relative experience this feeling and I feel like passing this challenge on to others so they can get the hang of it. This Challenge has ended up being so important in 2018 because-- as I said-- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. are here to keep us hooked in for the longest time. Don't believe me? Download QualityTime for your Android and you will realize that you don't even focus on exactly what's going on around you. If you feel an itch, it may be a great time to obtain that inspected out, and a great way to tackle it is with the Punkt. MP01.
The more time we spend taking a look at screens, the less crucial daytime becomes-- and sometimes, yes, more of a hindrance. Whether you're inspecting your messages while strolling to work, enjoying your mobile phone with your good friends (who are each delighting in digital detox phone theirs), or viewing a film, daytime is a trouble.
We began heading this way due to the fact that we wished to. Nowadays-- to a big extent-- we simply do it since we do it. And due to the fact that others want us to do it.
Is this really how you wish to spend your time on Earth?
* * *.
In 2016, Google worker Tristan Harris left his task to found a brand-new non-profit organisation called Time Well Spent, which sought to broaden the dispute on what innovation is doing to us and led to the creation of the Center for Humane Technology. Since then, the subject has blown up into the mainstream and it has ended up being clear that it is not doing excellent things to our general sense of well-being.
The home page of the Center's site features a striking montage image. A generic graphic of a smartphone is integrated with a photo of a female. She is not presented as being on the screen. She remains in truth looking out from the phone, leaning with her arms folded on the bottom edge of the screen as though it were a windowsill. She appears delighted, taking pleasure in the view. And she is bathed in sunshine.
Perhaps it makes sense to utilize these brighter evenings for something other than taking a look at pixels? And when bedtime methods, matching sundown with a digital sunset: whatever turned off, leaving just a land-line with a number understood only to household and friends, and a devoted alarm clock.
Signing up with those who have dumped their smartphones totally, integrating a fundamental phone with a laptop or tablet (much much better for typing on). Nowadays these concepts might sound practically radical, however as far as biology is concerned, they're what your brain desires. The medical side-effects of tech over-use.
Because of the evident reduction in traffic mishaps, Daylight Saving Time is stated to increase life expectancy of a nation's citizens. Ditto prohibiting phone use while driving, of course (with a much clearer causal link). Phones are dangerous in other methods, too: scrollers strolling into traffic, selfie trophy-hunters taking one threat a lot of, and so on. Over-use of tech shrinks our lives in another method as well-- incrementally and inevitably. It offers us a narrower existence where we are less focussed, less rested and therefore less awake. Over-use consumes our lives, and it's becoming the standard.
Time for a rethink?
Do you discover that any place you go, you constantly end up in the very same location: in front of your smartphone? Utilizing it, or letting it use you, to stay 'connected'? Gotten in touch with what people are up to back house. Linked with the current report. Connected with work. Linked with games, YouTube videos, Wikipedia. Gotten in touch with photos from the last holiday you took, and the one prior to that. What kind of 'connection' is that, truly? This situation is something that's approached on us, and possibly it's time to begin making some decisions ...
A holiday is an opportunity to switch off, to experience new things. However if we do not likewise turn off our devices, if we continue to outsource our awareness to image sensing units and memory cards, if we're still connected to what we were doing before we left and exactly what we'll be doing when we return, it's as if we're paying a kind of holiday tax. Part of the experience is subtracted-- and not to assist the regional economy, but to assist line the pockets of shareholders of social networks business.
Envision a timeless travelogue like Jack Kerouac's On the Road, minus this tax. There would not be much left. As well as if we're searching for something a bit less intense for our fortnight away, the principle still uses. Whether it's a case of pings on the beach, or livestreaming from the Louvre, something's gotten however something's lost. And on the topic of getting lost, yes, without a mobile phone it could happen. And maybe you'll wind up someplace that ends up being the emphasize of your trip. Possibly you'll discover some interesting restaurant that isn't really on tripadvisor.com. You may wind up talking to some residents. Absolutely nothing ventured, absolutely nothing acquired. This ties in with the growing slow travelmovement, and the recovering of overland travel as a mainstream and realistic option to flying, shown by the underground success of The Man in Seat Sixty-One. It's everything about being there.
If we do choose to have a vacation that doesn't revolve around processing huge information, there are a few alternatives. We can go to the other severe, and leave house without any sort of phone or tablet. (That never ever used to be an extreme, however we live in extreme times.) And we have alternatives like changing our device's settings to 'minimum', leaving it in the hotel safe during the day, etc
. Or we can take a different phone. One that just does calls and texts. Then immerse ourselves in a different culture, have some adventures, or merely delight in a little peace and peaceful.
The physical act of switching phones goes deep. It's a bit like flying the nest. And it's beginning to gain in appeal: whether an inexpensive, old-tech design or something more trendy and current, opting to sometimes use an easy phone is something that everybody can relate to nowadays. They may refrain from doing it themselves, however they certainly know why some people do.
There are useful advantages, too. Just having to charge your phone periodically is popular with everyone however if you're going someplace without mains electrical power, your greedy smart device will be no usage at all. With a simple phone you don't need to keep inspecting that your digital factotum hasn't cunningly found some method of running up monster-sized information roaming charges-- it can still happen. It's the 'actually being there' that actually counts. Sure, taking a trip without a smart device will mean a few mix-ups, a minimized capability to plan, to understand in advance exactly what's going to take place. However travelling sans algorithms is where the action is. And the screens on basic phones are often much tougher than the big locations of glass discovered on their more complex cousins. Replacing a broken mobile phone screen is a hassle at the best of times; increase that by ten if you're abroad.
It's the 'actually being there' that really counts. Sure, travelling without a mobile phone will suggest a few mix-ups, a minimized capability to plan, to understand in advance what's going to happen. Taking a trip sans algorithms is where the action is.
SMS 03 - Punkt. MP02 from Punkt. on Vimeo.