Punkt. is a relatively small, dynamic and independent business, and we prefer to preserve close connections with our customers and with individuals and organisations within the design world. As part of this, we routinely run 'Punkt.Challenges'. These consist of style obstacles that form part of postgraduate design courses, and digital detox obstacles where self-confessed smart device addicts are invited to review their relationship with innovation.
Ten years earlier, smartphones were still really unusual. Now, a life lived outside the structure of the mobile phone is uncommon. 10 years earlier, the majority of people had smart phones, but they would typically just attract our attention if another human had actually decided to call us or send us a text. Now that the majority of people's lives are a lot more automated: the brand-new regular is to scurry around within a continuous onslaught of status updates, push notifications and a great deal more.
Our Digital Detox Challenges have actually been running because 2016. The negative elements of mobile phones weren't widely gone over at that point, but there has actually because been a rise of interest in the subject. Participant reports are a crucial element of the Detox Challenges; by running the Challenges and publishing these reports we aim to keep the discussion of people's relationship with innovation popular and on-going - both in terms of tech addiction and the value of top quality style in the genuine (i.e. non-virtual) world.
The huge distinction this time round was that the term 'smartphone addiction' had plainly gotten in typical parlance - in 2016 it still sounded a bit over the top, however in 2018 individuals were beginning to sound genuinely worried. You can check out the reports below, but here are some excerpts from a few of the lots of applications we got:
" The consistent scrolling."
" I tried it with an old traditional phone, it was like going back to an ex - with all the old pros and cons. Who does that?"
" We use our phones a lot - why shouldn't they be beautiful along with functional?"
" I'm doing my own variation now, however I had to settle for a broke ass burner phone that's 10 years old ...".
" As a UI designer for digital items I've often questioned some of the success requirements utilized in my industry, particularly 'engagement' as a metric for success. Till that modifications, unfortunately it's very challenging to combat versus 100s of designers who are attempting to hook you into their items. [] There is a specific irony about this as I design for these products however wish to avoid them. I believe it's an opportunity for me as a designer to value how valuable our attention is, and try to take that lesson back into my industry, hopefully to influence a change in approach to technology.".
" I have started getting rid of all my social media profiles and have immediately noticed the favorable effect it's had on me. I am so much calmer now, and I wish to keep it that way, by likewise removing my smartphone for excellent.".
Life is too short to keep our heads down.
Technology has actually drastically changed over the last century, from being a handy tool in our lives to keeping us as connected in as much as it can and for the longest time period. This Challenge modifications that in its totality, pushing us into realizing exactly what is going on. I've constantly loved using the latest things, however because Punkt. has actually been around, I wished to change that, and with the Digital Detox Challenge, that's precisely what occurred. When you go from a constantly ringing smart device to a phone like this, you realize what does it cost? you can sacrifice all these applications that keep you hooked all day long: you do not need them.
In such a way, you do end up being type of separated socially from your good friends-- let's state if they "Snapchat" you or whatnot-- however you begin to realize that it's for the better, and the Punkt. MP01 accomplishes simply that. It teaches you simplicity and teaches you that you don't require everything on your phone. Just the fundamentals.
If you feel like you are hooked on your phone, like many people I have actually satisfied, it might be an excellent time to provide this phone a try. Much of my own relative experience this sensation and I feel like passing this difficulty on to others so they can master it. This Challenge has become so essential in 2018 because-- as I said-- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. are here to keep us hooked in for the longest time. Don't think me? Download QualityTime for your Android and you will understand that you don't even focus on exactly what's going on around you. If you feel an itch, it may be a good time to get that examined out, and a good way to go about it is with the Punkt. MP01.
The more time we invest looking at screens, the lesser daytime becomes-- and in some cases, yes, more of a barrier. Whether you're inspecting your messages while strolling to work, enjoying your smartphone with your pals (who are each enjoying theirs), or seeing a film, daylight is an inconvenience.
We began heading in this manner due to the fact that we wished to. Nowadays-- to a big degree-- we just do it because we do it. And due to the fact that others want us to do it.
Is this actually how you want to invest your time on Earth?
* * *.
In 2016, Google staff member Tristan Harris left his job to found a brand-new non-profit organisation called Time Well Spent, which sought to broaden the dispute on exactly what technology is doing to us and resulted in the production of the Center for Humane Technology. Ever since, the topic has exploded into the mainstream and it has become clear that it is refraining from doing advantages to our basic sense of well-being.
The home page of the Center's site includes a striking montage image. A generic graphic of a smartphone is combined with a picture of a female. However 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 seems happy, 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 approaches, matching sundown with a digital sundown: whatever turned off, leaving simply a land-line with a number understood only to family and buddies, and a dedicated alarm clock.
Signing up with those who have dropped their smartphones entirely, integrating a basic phone with a laptop or tablet (much much better for typing on). Nowadays these concepts may sound practically radical, however as far as biology is worried, they're exactly what your brain desires. The medical side-effects of tech over-use.
Due to the fact that of the obvious decrease in traffic accidents, Daylight Saving Time is said to increase life span of a country's residents. Ditto banning phone usage while driving, naturally (with a much clearer causal link). Phones threaten in other ways, too: scrollers walking into traffic, selfie trophy-hunters taking one threat too numerous, etc. However over-use of tech shrinks our lives in another method also-- incrementally and undoubtedly. It provides us a narrower existence in which we are less focussed, less rested and therefore less awake. Over-use consumes our lives, and it's ending up being the standard.
Time for a rethink?
Do you discover that wherever you go, you constantly end up in the same location: in front of your smart device? Utilizing it, or letting it utilize you, to stay 'connected'? Gotten in touch with what people depend on back house. Connected with the current news reports. Linked with work. Connected with video games, YouTube videos, Wikipedia. Gotten in touch with photos from the last vacation you took, and the one prior to that. What sort of 'connection' is that, actually? This circumstance is something that's crept up on us, and maybe it's time to begin making some decisions ...
A holiday is an opportunity to turn off, to experience new things. If we don't likewise change off our gadgets, 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 what we'll be doing when we get back, it's as if we're paying a kind of holiday tax. Part of the experience is subtracted-- and not to help the regional economy, but to assist line the pockets of investors of social networks business.
Imagine a classic travelogue like Jack Kerouac's On the Road, minus this tax. There wouldn't be much left. As well as if we're trying to find something a bit less extreme for our fortnight away, the concept still uses. Whether it's a case of pings on the beach, or livestreaming from the Louvre, something's acquired but something's lost. And on the subject of getting lost, yes, without a smart device it might occur. And maybe you'll end up someplace that turns out to be the highlight of your trip. Possibly you'll find some appealing restaurant that isn't on tripadvisor.com. You might wind up speaking with some locals. Absolutely nothing ventured, absolutely nothing got. This connect the growing sluggish travelmovement, and the recovering of overland travel as a mainstream and practical 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 holiday that does not focus on processing huge information, there are a few alternatives. We can go to the other extreme, and leave house with no kind of phone or tablet. (That never used to be an extreme, but we reside in severe times.) And we have options like changing our gadget'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. And after that immerse ourselves in a different culture, have some adventures, or merely take pleasure in a little bit of peace and quiet.
The physical act of swapping phones goes deep. It's a bit like flying the nest. And it's starting to gain in popularity: whether a cheap, old-tech model or something more stylish and up-to-date, opting to in some cases utilize an easy phone is something that everyone can connect to nowadays. They may not do it themselves, however they definitely know why some people do.
There are useful benefits, too. Just having to charge your phone periodically is popular with everyone however if you're going someplace without mains electrical power, your greedy smartphone will be no usage at all. Likewise, with a simple phone you do not require to keep inspecting that your digital factotum hasn't cunningly discovered some way of running up monster-sized data roaming charges-- it can still take place. It's the 'actually being there' that really counts. Sure, travelling without a smartphone will imply a couple of mix-ups, a lowered ability to plan, to know ahead of time exactly what's going to take place. However travelling sans algorithms is where the action is. And the screens on easy phones are frequently much tougher than the large locations of glass found on their more complex cousins. Replacing a damaged mobile phone screen is an inconvenience at the best of times; multiply that by 10 if you're abroad.
It's the 'in fact being there' that truly counts. Sure, travelling website without a smartphone will imply a couple of mix-ups, a lowered ability to strategy, to know in advance exactly what's going to happen. Travelling sans algorithms is where the action is.
SMS 03 - Punkt. MP02 from Punkt. on Vimeo.