An old phone with a cracked screen is the new “new iPhone” the only way to one up some with this is to have either an eink screen OR pull out a blackberry or flip phone that somehow still does modern apps in some janky way.
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird I have the new iPhone non-Pro and am very happy with it. I think the Pro is ugly.
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird I don't know. I have short fingers and I hate how big smart phones are now. Besides being an irresistible lure to my ADHD I also can't use them one handed anymore unless I put them in one handed mode, which is STILL big and unwieldy but shrinks the screen down to a 4 inch diagonal window the size of phones I had years ago.
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@futurebird I have the new iPhone non-Pro and am very happy with it. I think the Pro is ugly.
there’s no way I’m taking a downgrade on macro photography and *not* getting in the pro so I won’t be getting a new phone
when buying a new phone, these are the most important things to consider in order :
1. how well can a photograph ants?
2. size (not too big)
3. compatibility
4. How well can it display photos of ants? -
One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird My preferred form factor for a phone is something like the iPhone SE, so as a man, no, that does not appeal to me. No idea about other men.
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird How many years can Apple let go by before they grit their teeth and release a new reasonable-sized phone? They can’t ignore so many customers forever.
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird have there really been many improvements to phones in the last ten years, other than just having more RAM and CPU? i don't think so.
in the early days of Android, i thought it was pretty cool and liked the idea of being able to access my desktop from my phone in an ssh app, or move files around using FTP or SMB instead of needing a cable plugged in. but it has been a pretty uninspiring journey from "wow cool game" to "ok now the games are all shit, the apps mostly all do the same things, and sometimes i will just stare at my phone trying to feel inspired to do something with it that isn't being a phone."
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird I would love some kind of mini option
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@futurebird How many years can Apple let go by before they grit their teeth and release a new reasonable-sized phone? They can’t ignore so many customers forever.
I will never be caught dead with a phablet not now not ever.
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@futurebird How many years can Apple let go by before they grit their teeth and release a new reasonable-sized phone? They can’t ignore so many customers forever.
Apple can, though,
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@futurebird have there really been many improvements to phones in the last ten years, other than just having more RAM and CPU? i don't think so.
in the early days of Android, i thought it was pretty cool and liked the idea of being able to access my desktop from my phone in an ssh app, or move files around using FTP or SMB instead of needing a cable plugged in. but it has been a pretty uninspiring journey from "wow cool game" to "ok now the games are all shit, the apps mostly all do the same things, and sometimes i will just stare at my phone trying to feel inspired to do something with it that isn't being a phone."
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
@futurebird honestly I’m going to hold onto my SE 2022 until they release some new thing that’s relatively small with a home button and touch id or until this one dies completely. Just zero interest in the direction Apple has been heading with phone design.
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One of the reasons I just can’t bring myself to get that new iPhone? Well I would be embarrassed to carry it around. It sticks out a little bit. It’s a little bigger and has that … unseemly inappropriate bulge.
It might’ve been wise for them to have just released some new colorways the similar form factor to the older phones.
I can’t tell why it needs to bulge out like that. It’s not like they’ve improved the macro camera.
is this something that appeals to men is that why I don’t get it?
I think Apple and some other handset manufacturers (same with recent Pixel designs) are so invested in their own unvalidated assumptions about good design and consumer needs that they just keep plowing forward under inertia.
In practice, anyone walking around with a ~$1k cellphone without a protective case is insane, and the cases end up filling out the space such that any practical or aesthetic benefit from thinness disappears.
We'd all be happier with slightly thicker devices with better batteries and resistance to damage, but we're cursed with this uncomfortably-thin-with-a-bump nonsense instead until we figure out how to convince tech bros to go outside and touch grass.
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I think Apple and some other handset manufacturers (same with recent Pixel designs) are so invested in their own unvalidated assumptions about good design and consumer needs that they just keep plowing forward under inertia.
In practice, anyone walking around with a ~$1k cellphone without a protective case is insane, and the cases end up filling out the space such that any practical or aesthetic benefit from thinness disappears.
We'd all be happier with slightly thicker devices with better batteries and resistance to damage, but we're cursed with this uncomfortably-thin-with-a-bump nonsense instead until we figure out how to convince tech bros to go outside and touch grass.
I never use a case. It makes the phone too wide to hold and I drop it more. I kind of hate cases. Especially with how wide phones have become.
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@futurebird How many years can Apple let go by before they grit their teeth and release a new reasonable-sized phone? They can’t ignore so many customers forever.
@babelcarp @futurebird Thing is, on the Android side I see it too and OEMs there have a LOT more freedom. The fact that so few are at all reasonably sized and almost all are internally junk says that the market itself really is — overall — just buying large phones.
And I absolutely abhor that this is true.
My best phone ever at its time was the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. Very premium hardware inside for its time. A good fast CPU, enough RAM, etc etc. I later got a Z5 Compact which was almost as good with better hardware, but not as durable and slightly worse side grips.
These things fit IN my hand, not AROUND my hand as is the popular trend. And they were really mostly intended for the Japanese market. Sad thing is, SONY seems to have phased out doing compact models.

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@lor @futurebird Money?
Apparently!
I worked for Motorola and for a lonnnnnng time used Moto phones. NEVER cracked a screen. They took drop testing seriously. Got a iPhone and within a year, cracked the screen.
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@babelcarp @futurebird Thing is, on the Android side I see it too and OEMs there have a LOT more freedom. The fact that so few are at all reasonably sized and almost all are internally junk says that the market itself really is — overall — just buying large phones.
And I absolutely abhor that this is true.
My best phone ever at its time was the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. Very premium hardware inside for its time. A good fast CPU, enough RAM, etc etc. I later got a Z5 Compact which was almost as good with better hardware, but not as durable and slightly worse side grips.
These things fit IN my hand, not AROUND my hand as is the popular trend. And they were really mostly intended for the Japanese market. Sad thing is, SONY seems to have phased out doing compact models.

@nazokiyoubinbou @babelcarp @futurebird
It’s not just phones: cars are getting bigger and uglier and heavier and WORSE with every new model. What used to be big cars are now the size of busses, medium cars are the size of tractors and small cars the size of big cars.
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I never use a case. It makes the phone too wide to hold and I drop it more. I kind of hate cases. Especially with how wide phones have become.
It's super weird that they've hyperfocused on decreasing the Z-axis while bloating the X- and Y-axes, and another example of their obsession with unvalidated assumptions about user needs. Everyone wants a mini, but they keep pushing phablets that don't fit in our hands or our pockets.
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It's super weird that they've hyperfocused on decreasing the Z-axis while bloating the X- and Y-axes, and another example of their obsession with unvalidated assumptions about user needs. Everyone wants a mini, but they keep pushing phablets that don't fit in our hands or our pockets.
I could go for a tall skinny phone. Like a paint stick. very chic
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@nazokiyoubinbou @babelcarp @futurebird
It’s not just phones: cars are getting bigger and uglier and heavier and WORSE with every new model. What used to be big cars are now the size of busses, medium cars are the size of tractors and small cars the size of big cars.
@OneInterestingFact @babelcarp @futurebird Yeah, this trend started in vehicles about 2004 or so and it has driven me crazy since. It's becoming a serious problem too. Those giant vehicles literally make it impossible for smaller vehicles to have protections against them. Plus they block more view (you've probably seen the images that show the angle of view of most American pickups/SUVs now and how whole entire children can be standing there and just simply not seen within that range...)
All I can figure is it comes from "supersizing" in general where people are led to believe that larger is always automatically better and usually the maker and/or seller gets a higher profit margin by getting people to think this way.
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@futurebird How many years can Apple let go by before they grit their teeth and release a new reasonable-sized phone? They can’t ignore so many customers forever.
@babelcarp @futurebird kills me imagining how sleek an iPhone could be if they decided to _reduce_ the power appetite of iOS rather than cramming in more glass effects and machine learning.