Google has announced three projects meant to get you out in the real world and away from your phone. The apps are designed by Google’s Digital Wellbeing Experiments and aim to make your phone barely functional. Currently, it works only with Pixel3a.
One involves sticking your phone into an envelope, sealing it, and using it only as a camera or a basic keypad to dial numbers. If you do have a Pixel 3A, download the required Play Store app for the envelope, called Envelope, then print out the PDF for the envelope, cut out the template, and follow the instructions to construct it. Then, when you’re ready for a break from your phone, open up the Envelope app, slide your Pixel 3A into the envelope, and seal the envelope shut — the PDF recommends using glue. Once your phone is sealed in the envelope, you’ll only be able to dial phone numbers on the phone, use speed dial, or have the phone tell you the time by flashing the numbers on the number pad.
The second, Screen Stopwatch, transforms your home screen into a giant timer every time you unlock your phone—it’s supposed to make you more aware of your phone usage. And the last, Activity Bubbles, represents your activity in bubble shapes. The longer the session, the bigger the bubbles; the more the sessions, the more bubbly your home screen.
But can it actually make us use our phones less? Sure. By sealing your phone and making it harder to use, you’re cutting out any potential side jaunts into Twitter or Instagram to stalk a frenemy. Measuring the time you spend on your phone isn’t a new concept , but it certainly helps to quantify the time you spend on a screen.
Sources:
https://www.technologyreview.com/
https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/22/googles-new-experimental-apps-focus-on-reducing-screen-time-including-one-that-uses-a-paper-envelope/
Finally some effort from Google to stop this addiction of ours…
That is quite weird approach to the topic. Instead of only developing software they introduce an easy way to reinforce it with “hardware” (piece of paper).
But I have to admit it is quite refreshing for a company who specialises in technology to develop a way to drag as away from being interconnected all the time.
If I was writing a long essay or BA thesis that might be a quite enterntaining, fun and effective way to increase attention and focus.
I think this can be an interesting new way to reduce the usage of phones. But mostly, it is a nice experiment for everyone to realize how we base our lives on phones and especially applications.
Hope soon they will develop it also for other brands as I would be very excited to try it myself.
Although, I’m not sure if these days it would be possible for people to stop their addiction so easily thanks to this innovation. We can only hope for it, as it requires a lot of self-control not to open this envelope too quickly.
There is a huge problem of the digital dimension. We got to be aware of that. Even huge figures of tech world like Steve Jobs (he didn’t allow his children to use iPad) or Bill Gates (he didn’t let his kids get cell phones until they turned 14) were fighting with this threat.
I don’t really see the point of this invention. I only see how much paper is wasted. It’d be easier and more eco-friendly, to just make and app, which limits the ways in which you can use your phone.
I find this to be not only unnecessary but also a huge waste of paper.. There are apps available such as “Cold Turkey” that basically do the same thing without all the extra steps.
A great protector from waste of time. With that “envelope” we finally realize the main purpose of using a mobile phone.