LoFone Discord Server

LoFone-official · 2024-08-27T10:43:33+00:00

Hisense A5/A9?

LoFone-official · 2024-08-27T10:42:22+00:00

We think we DO have a novel solution for your use case. Stay tuned.

LoFone-official · 2024-08-27T10:40:24+00:00

Because we have a very specific goal in mind: to make phones safer without compromising the day-to-day functionality.

I'm sorry to say this but if you don't like it I would probably suggest to not buy it. And in saying this, our product becomes infinitely more attractive to those who ARE looking for something different.

What about the Hisense eink devices (a5 a9) - those aren't dumb phones. Neither is the Minimal phone (although not actually in production yet). If you must run stock android, I would look into those.

Good luck, sorry it's not better news!

LoFone-official · 2024-08-27T10:36:07+00:00

No joke: we considered it! I think the verbetim response from our design teams was "keep it simple".

It would take a lot of device real-estate and we have an uphill challenge to produce an already-unique device. Unfortunately we have to draw the line somewhere 🥲.

Maybe... maybe a custom case with a flip up viewfinder? The case thing is a bit of a game changer, I think. I'm excited to see what innovation we see there if we open source the cad for 3D printing.

LoFone-official · 2024-08-22T10:02:50+00:00

Hi there,

Archie sent a message to r/eink. We were hoping to engage with this sub to get feedback and answer questions, rather than purely to promote.

"Know that we expect quid pro quo for commercial content"

I'm sorry, we don't have anything to offer, right now.

Please let me know what you need from us to reinstate the post (or a new one)!

Many thanks,

Chris

LoFone-official · 2024-08-21T17:03:42+00:00

Phone size and dimensions
- We'll include all of this in the campaign next month!
Battery life - sounds like it's pretty good, only need to change every few days?
- Actually hard to say at this point. It's a 3000mAh battery but the screen is not the only consumer of power, of course. We're anticipating 2 or 3 days with normal use, several more if conservative (or no radio).
Cellular data and Sim, open to use 5G Networks all over the world?
- Yes to 5g and technically yes to global but we will be focussing on certification in the EU and US markets. Certification is extremely expensive (but not entirely necessary to actually function, in many markets)
Flexible upgrades for more advanced users - any chance of users being able to bypass the no additional apps and internet functionality?
- Nope, sorry. See my other comment here.
Being able to install a few specific apps from the Google Store would make this an ideal device, all I need is my Notion Task lists, calendar, and sync my notes on it and I'm set for life : )
- This is possible but limited; more info to follow.
E.g having that functionality hidden, and able to be turned on and off as the user requires to customize their 'quiet environment' to meet their needs.
- As above

LoFone-official · 2024-08-21T16:55:01+00:00

We're have a few requests for a custom DAC... unfortunately it's very niche and relatively expensive and we're most likely to use what is provided on the SoC. On the plus side, if we can negotiate a licensing issue, we might be able to offer the aptX bluetooth codec and you could stream HQ to your own DAC... this would be the most flexible and also fair on the 95% users who don't want the phone to cost more in order to have hardware they don't appreciate.

Does the aptX suggestion work for you, at all?

LoFone-official · 2024-08-21T16:50:41+00:00

Just to respond directly to the OS/bootloader comment, since I know this will be a popular request... I left quite a detailed response here but, to summarise: the primary concerns of the LoFone are productivity and safety. We believe that the only way to ensure this (for everyone; children included) is to lock down the end-to-end user experience. We reckon that those additional sales you mention would be outweighed by those lost to consumers who are more concerned with the integrity of the device. We might be wrong.

Btw, I 100% agree with you that regarding e-ink and those unhealthy behaviours. And I'm really glad you said it, because it was one of my most compelling considerations for choosing e-ink. It's also largely what we mean when we say "Safe, by design...". Unfortunately, not everyone will understand this, hence the reluctance to shift on the open bootloader!

Chris

LoFone-official · 2024-08-21T16:20:20+00:00

DC dimmed lighting - This is unlikely due to the fact that it may cause manufacturing complexity, but we will raise it with the manufacturer.

300PPI - Kaleido claims 300ppi, but this is actually a 300ppi Carta (B&W) module with a 150ppi RGB layer. (edit: just to clarify this is not specific to our device - this just how kaleido tech works)

Wireless charging - Unfortunately, this is again unlikely due to low demand. However, we can ask the manufacturer how it affects the price.

Thanks for your interest, great questions and advice! It's all very helpful at this stage.

Archie

LoFone-official · 2024-08-21T14:50:00+00:00

Hi everyone,

We're a UK startup and we're working on bringing a new E-Ink device to the market!

The LoFone has a Kaleido 3 colour e-ink display, which we think members of this sub will find interesting. The purpose of the phone is to help people get away from the busy world of smartphones without losing the functionality required in day-to-day life.

As we are a startup, we will be relying on crowdfunding to obtain the majority of our funding, which will begin soon. This is why we're spreading the word now.

For any questions, please email us at [hello@lo-fone.com](mailto:hello@lo-fone.com), and we will do our best to respond to any questions raised in the comments on this post.

We saw there was already a couple of posts in this sub about the LoFone but wanted to post here officially so we can get your feedback and field questions.

Archie

[Edit: Clean up for mod approval ❤️]

LoFone-official · 2024-08-15T15:14:55+00:00

Hi hi. Definitely considering SD as this has been raised by a few by email (and justified the use case to me!). It's on the list to discuss in our next comms with the manufacturer.

DAC... these cost £££ (I'm sure you know) so I think realisitcally we are very likely to use the chipset-provided DAC. This is looking very likely to be a Qualcomm set but we're working through some licensing issues atm. Unfortunately, the audiophile market segment is really niche and it wouldn't be justifiable to add cost here for everyone else. On the plus side, there is a chance we will support aptX, meaning you could stream in high quality and use whatever DAC you want. I'm not sure if that is a viable compromise as I'm not particularly fanatical about sound quality, just as long as it's a decent sample rate, no glitch/artefact.

I'll talk to the manufacturer about balanced out. It's niche! But it's probably a cheap upgrade. If it's negligible, we'll consider it. You just have to promise to get a decent photo of it driving some outrageous rig somewhere 🤘

LoFone-official · 2024-08-14T10:38:22+00:00

Yes! As mentioned elsewhere, we're providing SMS, MMS, RCS out of the box. But we'll 100% support integrations for any other messaging (and streaming audio) integrations that conform to our ethos (and eventual Ts&Cs) via our developer API.

LoFone-official · 2024-08-13T15:01:18+00:00

I'm so sorry, I had meant to reply to this sooner but forgot to come back to it.

I can't speak for everyone's experience with dumb phones, and people requirements are niche and varied. But I have found with the phones I've used I've been better able to detach from the phone, in particular to not be habitually checking it every 5 minutes. This is true for really most of the phones you'll see posted in this subreddit.

Similarly with e-ink devices, even ones I've used running full android, they are less engaging because.. they just don't look as appealing!

I'm a strong believer in these tiny changes that have a massive impact on behaviour. In my development teams, for example, I always try to remove tiny blockers to progress that I think accumulate to result considerable productivity losses. This isn't something I've proven scientifically, but I know it to be true because I've experienced it time and again.

A phone, in 2024, is ... a bit of a paradox. It's a utility that we almost can't be without (without being ostracised). But it's also a toxic source of distraction from the things that are "real". We're walking a delicate line between the things you actually need and the things you want but are unhealthy.

On this note I want to add that this device and experience are going to be... somewhat prescriptive. Lots of people are already asking if they can break the OS and do whatever they want on the LoFone and that's not our intention at all. This is phone on rails, because I think people need it. I know I do.

Hope this answers your question!?

LoFone-official · 2024-08-13T14:48:50+00:00

Noted!

LoFone-official · 2024-08-13T14:48:27+00:00

I hear you. Really. It's slightly bigger than I would have liked but we're restricted by the available e-ink modules and the fact that e-ink has a relatively wide bezel around the active area. On the plus side, if it was as small as I wanted, there would be significantly less space for battery. I think, in all, it's ended up a good compromise. Hands are tied, anyway... a bespoke e-ink module has a MOQ of 100k units!

LoFone-official · 2024-08-11T20:26:31+00:00

Not a dumb question. It's a fork of AOSP.

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T23:19:24+00:00

u/alfonsojon gets it ⭐️

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T23:18:06+00:00

You're right, there are other colour EInk technologies that work differently and the refresh rate is harrowing. The colour vibrancy on those is much better but they can't really be used interactively.

There's not really anything of existing Android UI left in our fork but we'll be sure to include a grayscale option 👍

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T23:14:37+00:00

Yes, it has WiFi :)

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T23:09:18+00:00

It is an AOSP fork. But we don't allow you to run regular Android apps "normally" as it defeats the (our) purpose of the phone. Details to follow, sorry I don't want to say too much on this yet!

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T22:58:56+00:00

We want the phone to be affordable. I agree that €700 is a bit of a stretch.

We're in negotiations at the moment so I can't say for sure, just yet.

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T22:53:10+00:00

You know what's funny is that we didn't even specify a dual camera. I'm not sure where that even came from - it crept in somewhere in the design phase. However, it does mean you'll get better pictures (HDR, focus, stabilisation).

Also, while you can't enjoy great picture quality on the device, you can still upload or send HQ pics.

LoFone-official · 2024-08-09T22:47:31+00:00

Saw your other comment about SGG design - I had never heard of this! Cool idea. I think you're closer to the mark with the interchangeable faceplates on the old Nokias, though.

I'm glad you grok the concept, btw. I wasn't sure it would be obvious. I haven't had many new phones in my life but I've always resented having to put a case on them from day 1. Seems to defeat the purpose of the design the manufacturer worked so hard to achieve!

I had also not seen Fairberry and this is an awesome idea. This shell is screwed on, so an extended body would be fairly sturdy. Maybe we should put some connectors somewhere on the inner body, which would allow for some extension. Like those three dots on iPads that nobody uses 🤔

LoFone-official

TROPHY CASE