For instance, would you carry an iPhone the size of a shoebox if the rest of the space was a battery? Would you even be willing to carry one of the 80s phones that had a satchel?

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[–] 2 points 38 minutes ago

would you carry an iPhone the size of a shoebox if the rest of the space was a battery?

"Yeah so our power is out, I had to plug my fridge into the ol' iPhone to keep it running. That's why I can't leave yet."

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  • [–] 2 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 46 minutes ago)

    Adding a single layer of 18680 cells to my phone would increase battery capacity six times at cost of extra 300g in weight and +18mm in thickness, perhaps less if we're removing regular battery and reorganizing internals. This would allow it to be charged every 10-15 days, perhaps more, and it's still reasonably sized

    Literal brick sized phone would increase battery capacity 30-50x which would be good for charging once per two to three months, that's probably more than enough, and taking it abroad plane would be prohibited

    Shoebox sized battery pack (33x21x13 cm) would fit 378 18680 cells, which at 18.9kg and 1200€ would be 1320Ah, which should be good for two years or more on a single charge, and it stores more electrical energy than 4kg of TNT releases when exploded

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  • [–] 3 points 2 hours ago

    Has to fit in the faraday bag

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  • [–] 2 points 2 hours ago

    has to fit in the old prison wallet.

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  • [–] 2 points 4 hours ago

    Really it's about constraints yeah?

    • Needs to fit in pocket
    • Needs to be convenient to hold up to your face for phone calls
    • Needs to be small enough to be holdable in one hand (highly individual)
    • Needs to be big enough that you can use the touchscreen effectively (highly individual)

    So really you can just use the size of an average pocket and hand as a guide and go from there. Once it stops fitting in pockets and hands, it has to go in the bag, and typing becomes very difficult as you have to prop up the device, which means people won't use it as much and get annoyed with it.

    If it's just battery life, you can get bags and such nowadays with convenient rechargable battery packs in them. You don't need to change the device at all. If you want more screen size as a bigger person, there's XL versions of phones. Other than that there's no reason to get a bigger phone

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  • [–] 2 points 5 hours ago (1 child)

    I just want a smallish 5-6 inch screen with a 4:3 ratio and a decent camera.

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  • [–] 3 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

    I mean, people carried these by their convenient handle back in the day. The lead-acid battery just built character.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 hour ago

    I know people who had them or similar versions. Not a single person carried them around. They took them from their house to their car to their office. Sometimes then never left the car. They didn't get moved around like a current cellphone.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 hours ago

    about the size of the one in this music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3_drgbsLRE

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  • [–] 2 points 5 hours ago
    [–] 5 points 7 hours ago (1 child)
  • [–] 3 points 6 hours ago (1 child)

    As long as it has backpack straps, I'm good.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 hours ago*

    It would have to be bigger than the radios carried on backpacks in WW2. Like too big to carry around.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 hours ago

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=XNBP18nrRdw

    i'd totally carry large phones if they are useful

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  • [–] 2 points 6 hours ago

    We're getting close. This is an oldy lol.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 hours ago

    I'm carrying an S26 Ultra and wouldn't mind if it was 3 times thicker. I regularly carry a Tab S8+ around when I am going to the store so I can look things up or take down ideas.

    I also had one of the Motorola bag phones in the mid 90's as my emergency car phone.

    Would I carry around a bag phone today... probably not. I haven't really spoken on the phone since April and it's been about 2 years since anyone other than my other half has called me but I was tired of the junk calls so I turned off receiving calls from any number not in my contacts list.

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  • [–] 7 points 9 hours ago (1 child)

    This was the shit in the 80s....

    Tiny is the new big.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 hours ago

    I'm old(-ish). I got a Pixel 9 when they were new. I like the size but when typing I really wish I got the pro instead. The on-screen keyboard keys are just a tad too small for me. The older I get, the larger keyboard I need. I keep fat-fingering keys and either need to correct or rely on unpredictable auto-complete. The biggest pain is trying to accurately place the cursor where I want to make an edit . Fuck that shit. I always need to remove and retype half a word just to fix a single letter because I can't get the fucking cursor where I want it.

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  • [–] 14 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

    I mean, when Lethal Weapon came out this was a real state of the art cell phone people were thrilled to have

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  • [–] 5 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 child)

    In times of old, giant cell phones and lengthy, expressive saxophone interludes it was all anyone ever needed. It even came with a carrying strap for added convenience. Where’s that attention to detail now?

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    [–] 3 points 8 hours ago

    It depends on the capabilities. I was the weird kid who carried a workstation laptop in a briefcase from 6th to 11th grade, when the hinges seized from use; then I used a netbook for the remaining semester, which was paaaaain.

    But being able to game in class, work on papers, give way more immersive presentations, run a Minecraft server for my A+ hardware peers, and stay under the radar with quick reflexes and an unassuming machine, was fucking kickass.

    I also similarly, for a couple of those same years, used a Nexus 7 with Google Voice as my phone. Walking around with a tablet near the size of my head, texting and making calls while people were like 'wtf'. But I saved a ton of money vs a true cell phone plan.

    If it's a phone with the capabilities of a laptop in a size reasonably close, hell yeah. This is my jam.

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  • [–] 10 points 11 hours ago* (2 children)

    Anything bigger than the current trend of phones is too big and there's plenty of comedy skits like these demonstrating the ridiculousness of it all.

    Happy TV from 2000:

    https://youtu.be/k07Wi6NfQT8

    https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2yktod

    Edit: Adding that I would pay a premium to have a 4" iphone 1 sized phone back today more than I would to pay for a ridiculous fold model.

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  • [–] 4 points 9 hours ago

    I used a 7 inch tablet with sim slot as a phone for about a week and it was miserable. I was too broke to buy a new phone after the one I was using got run over and I had the tablet already.

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  • [–] 6 points 10 hours ago

    Considering how hard it was for me to find one small enough last time, we've already gone past it years ago

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  • [–] 5 points 10 hours ago

    I already hit my limit. I specifically have to look for non-flagship phones to keep it manageable for me. I'm really liking the one Samsung foldable coming that's the half size, but I can't bring myself to pay that much. Also Samsung

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  • [–] 3 points 9 hours ago

    I prefer the Pixel to the Pixel Pro, so, somewhere between those two sizes.

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  • [–] 2 points 8 hours ago

    Well I got a Zenfone 9 because, at the time, it was the smallest phone with a headphone jack. Two phones had headphone jacks then. This, or some Sony that cost 33% more. And so here we are. So I already don't like how big phones are.

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  • [–] 2 points 8 hours ago

    Idk, but I would like something smaller than all the current options. The homogenisation of the phone market over the last 10 years is horrible.

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  • [–] 2 points 8 hours ago

    I have a large external battery that I carry at camp at times. Mostly it sits at my tent getting charged on solar, but I have carried it for an short time to charge my battery while doing something else. The youth at the camp don't carry a phone, but I often get asked to look something up for them so it is useful. Not to mention when there are no adult activities to keep me i entertained.

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  • [–] 4 points 10 hours ago (1 child)

    I still have a laptop on me most of the time. So... at that point there is no reason for a phone being bigger than may laptop.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 9 hours ago (1 child)

    How would you feel about a laptop with call and text capability out of the box?

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  • [–] 3 points 9 hours ago (1 child)

    Depends, If you think Zoom calls same as phone - so conference and such is perfectly fine. Texting is just a short email/dm that you can take your time answering.
    At that point it is just the matter of urgency.
    A 15sec phone call don't need a laptop.
    And before 2000s we were perfectly fine without those 15sec calls.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 8 hours ago (1 child)

    Interesting. I was thinking of having iMessage/Messages, but I forgot most of the world uses Whatsapp to text, anyway, so that function does exist.

    As far as calls go, I’m surprised by how unappealing the idea was to me. The amount of spam calls I get would probably kill my relationship with computers, honestly. For normal calls, I’d definitely want a headset of some kind rather than built-in mic and speakers, though I suppose a purpose-built laptop would include better audio equipment.

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  • [–] 2 points 8 hours ago (1 child)

    Just the sake of conversation: Phones and cell phones are really different.
    A computer can be used as work phone - during work hours, and for that is perfectly fine. And it would drastically cut back on spam calls.
    At home we had landlines and that was enough to call friends to make appointments and engagements. But these were more planning and not urgent things.
    If you only look at the phone/digital leash aspect - then those mini phones in the early 2000 would suffice.
    If you want the distraction machine aspect, I like to read on my phone and current sizing is fine for it. And for gaming... I think a handheld is better for that.

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  • About the size of my current iphone 15.

    But it’s less size in pocket vs fit in hand. I also have a pixel 9a which is a bit bigger. I’ll typically carry both when I’m out and about (particularly to work)

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  • [–] 3 points 10 hours ago*

    I don't like little flimsy phones. However, my current phone is at the upper limits of what I consider reasonable.

    It's a ulefone 27T pro
    Height: 182.8 mm
    Width: 86.8 mm
    Depth: 18.5 mm
    Weight: 441 grams

    I would say 500g is likely my hard limit, outside of special circumstances. As it stands, it doubles as a self defence weapon.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 hours ago

    I have a Pixel 10a (2 5/8in x 6in) and wouldn't mind it being a little larger. I can go 1.5 inches wider and still have it fit in my cargo shorts or pants, which is what I always wear.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 hours ago

    I remember the before times when they were known as car phones. Huge black boxes, made them portable. No internet, no google, hey google fuck off eh?

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  • [–] 2 points 9 hours ago

    I used to carry a fat fucking Nextel and I loved it.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 hours ago

    I don't mind a large phone as long as it fits in my pocket. My first phone was the original Galaxy Note, which people thought was extreme at the time but now looks normal. My current phone is the Pixel Fold, which has smaller dimensions than most of my other phones but is twice as thick due to the folding aspect. Unfolded it's a small tablet bigger than any phone I've had, but folded it's actually pretty compact if you get over the thickness.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 hours ago* (3 children)

    I think 7" phones are already pushing it, large phones are inconvenient for one-handed use. A shoebox-sized iPhone is just an iPad ...

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