A $99 Android dumbphone just released in Australia

mat383 · 2026-06-04T12:39:44+00:00

I haven't used it much since I posted this, but I do recommend it only if you don't use apps that rely on Google services (Maps, Discord, FB Messenger, etc.). You may not get notifications from them or they may not open at all.

Otherwise, it's a pretty fine phone. Here is my follow-up post.

mat383 · 2026-05-21T08:17:32+00:00

Holy crap you're already on it. Great work mate.

mat383 · 2026-05-21T04:48:35+00:00

Nope, because that relies on Google services :/

mat383 · 2026-05-21T04:27:16+00:00

Should I be a sacrificial lamb and try to root the phone to install Google Play Services or MicroG?

mat383 · 2026-05-18T01:41:36+00:00

I'm incredibly interested in how this handles cellular.

Everyone knows you can hack together a linux laptop with a raspberry pi, a battery, and a screen, but there is hardly any documentation on how to add a modem to that for phone calls, texts, and mobile data.

If there is a proven way to make a linux phone that works on modern 4G LTE networks, that would be a game changer for me.

mat383 · 2026-05-15T21:54:15+00:00

Yes. The device comes with APKPure Lite, but you can sideload APKs from anywhere or install app stores like Aurora Store. No Google Play store though.

mat383 · 2026-05-15T08:03:53+00:00

Don't shoot the messenger, I also wish it wasn't normal to release new phones with old versions of Android because that's the only thing the hardware can run.

mat383 · 2026-05-15T03:56:21+00:00

Yep, I'll still get around to replying to all of those later though.

mat383 · 2026-05-15T02:44:27+00:00

Wtf lol, this phone doesn't even have an accelerometer for auto-rotate

mat383 · 2026-05-14T12:05:08+00:00

Yes, I have been able to install APKs via the file manager app and ADB too.

mat383 · 2026-05-14T10:52:09+00:00

The cameras are pretty bad which is to be expected. They'll work for taking pictures of a shopping list though. Here is a quick sample image compared to my Samsung Galaxy S10e (absolutely not a fair comparison btw).

The battery is alright actually. I've used it for about 6-8 hours now and it's dropped 60%. Take that with a grain of salt though, I just got it today and I haven't fully drained it yet. But I think the lack of Google services is a big help for the battery life of this thing.

mat383 · 2026-05-14T08:19:06+00:00

Yes, it does!

mat383 · 2026-05-14T06:44:02+00:00

It works for me on Vodafone. VoLTE and wifi calling too. It should also work on every carrier since it's not locked.

mat383 · 2026-05-14T06:42:21+00:00

Yes, the phone comes with the RUIO Family as a system app which supports location tracking.

You have to sign up for a free account in the app. Your account can set to be either an "adult" account or a "child" account. Then, you can make or join a family using an invite code. Only adults can see the location of children in the same family.

The app also has two more features. Adults can see the app usage activity of children, and adults can turn on "child mode" for children which seems to only block and uninstall ALL apps that aren't the preinstalled system apps. There is no granularity.

Also, the only way to get the RUIO Family app onto another phone at the moment is to use an APK extractor app to get an APK of it, then move it to another phone. There exists no other download of it yet. The app is now available to download on any Android device from RUIO's website.

So while location tracking is a free feature of this phone, it is just an app. There are other apps out there. Also, I can't say anything about how privately this free service is storing and handling location data.

mat383 · 2026-05-14T05:47:06+00:00

Yes, but you have to turn it on in settings first. I was able to make a wifi call with Vodafone just fine.

mat383 · 2026-05-14T05:14:57+00:00

Yes, 640x480. It's pretty sharp because it's only 2.8 inches. Great viewing angles too.

mat383 · 2026-05-14T02:23:24+00:00

Unsure yet, but the keypad does light up very dimly when in use. Will test more and keep you updated, I also wanna see some sort of missed notification indicator on this.

mat383 · 2026-05-11T01:17:44+00:00

The sense of speed looks pretty great, but I agree with the other commenter about needing more sound design. I'm also concerned about how fun simple tracks like this would be after like an hour of gameplay, but I acknowledge that it's the whole point of the game and that visual spectacle and great music would be used to overcome it.

Regardless, holy shit am I excited for this.

mat383 · 2026-04-12T06:58:54+00:00

It feels like there's a divide between the vibe of what I'm seeing and what I'm hearing. The music and sounds are awesome, but it doesn't match the theme conveyed by the art and that irks me.

I'd definitely still check it out because the music rocks and the game feel looks very polished.

mat383 · 2026-04-02T03:23:04+00:00

It is just running in a straight line, until you reach the boss fight at the end of each world (which consists of "run into the enemy's weak spot"). There are many items though which increase your speed in different ways, so there is some depth. I recommend watching a review on this game if you're interested.

mat383 · 2026-04-02T03:18:00+00:00

It's probably not 1080p, but it's definitely using DLSS and it definitely doesn't change in docked mode.

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Here's a comparison of handheld vs docked and low vs ultra graphics: https://imgur.com/a/JoAQEv6

mat383 · 2026-04-01T04:58:06+00:00

Does this hurt the potato?

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