Are you ready to get Punkt?
Sick of social media on your phone? This handset could be the answer to your prayers
IF YOU are weary of technology overload and looking for a way to reset your life, rewinding to a time when you were not always plugged into the internet, we might have found the answer. It could be time to go Punkt.
This is the second version of the minimalist Punkt phone, which, despite its slightly retro looks, packs a hidden and unexpected feature – a 4G data modem. You would not expect a phone that doesn’t do email, internet, or social media to even need a data connection, but that’s where the MP02 gets smart.
“If anyone wants to talk to me,” says Punkt founder Petter Neby, “they can give me a call. Other forms of communication, for example email or social media, are available when I choose to use them – and via a linked device that allows me to use them more effectively.”
So, the device can act as a mobile wireless router for connected devices – and the idea is you use a second device, like a tablet or laptop, to do the kind of work that’s best done on a larger screen.
You connect that device to the internet via your Punkt phone.
It’s a more mindful and intentional way of using the technology – obviously, you won’t be pulling your phone out of your pocket every few seconds to check how many likes your tweet has got.
That’s not to say that the Punkt phone only does calls, of course. It does have more than one feature.
You can text, obviously, make notes (with reminders), use it as an alarm clock, manage a basic calendar, use it as a world clock, a countdown timer or stopwatch, and a calculator.
But that’s it – no Facebook, no Twitter, no email, and no camera.
The focus is very much on simplicity – the navigation system is mostly text based, and easy to click through, and the monochrome lcd screen is readable in daylight.
The device is small, too – 117mm tall and 51.3mm wide. It will not be a surprise that it comes in any colour you like as long as it’s black.
As you would expect from a simple device like this, battery-life is excellent – 12.5 days of standby time on a single charge (which takes about two-and-a-half hours), and around four hours of talk-time.
So you’re connected to the outside world – people can call you or text you. But if you want to do anything else at all, just pull out your tablet or laptop, connect to the phone’s fast 4G connection via wi-fi, and away you go. It could just be the best route back to sanity.
The Punkt MP02 can be ordered from the Punkt website at punk.ch
It costs £295 and comes unlocked, so you can choose your own mobile provider and plan.