I’m moving to a new apartment, and the process so far has been "fun."

As someone who fancies himself a digital minimalist, I do not like the requirement of a smartphone to do basic things.

And one of those things is to turn on my fucking keys.

The management company uses this program called ButterflyMX, and that requires activation through a smartphone.

Now you may be thinking, "Kevin, you can probably activate your account and whatnot through the website."

No, I fucking cannot.

A smart device is 100% needed to set up the keys to my fucking home.

When I work in tech, I have to spend a lot of time on a computer using different programs and applications.

But when I want to get into my home, I don't want to HAVE to use my phone.

Thankfully, in this case, once you set it up, you can do a lot of stuff with just a PIN code on a number pad on the door.

So that's cool.

But to set all that up, you absolutely need a smart device.

That's why, for those of us who spend a lot of time with tech at work and in our personal lives and try to keep things a bit more separated, I still recommend having a spare smart device around.

Have an old phone, a spare tablet, or something, because these fucking companies are allergic to not having an app.

It's like a sick compulsion that they have to funnel you into some kind of application to use services.

Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I could write it off as annoying marketing.

But when they make the desktop experience of a website or service literally impossible to access, that's where it's fucked up.

Now, am I being dramatic?

"Oh, everyone has a fucking smartphone, Kevin, why are you being such a baby?"

Because, dear reader, if I wanted to have a simpler phone because I don't need a whole bunch of tech bullshit outside of my job, I want the option.

(By the way, if you work in tech and want the systems that I use to actually log off and not feel like killing myself, check out The Sane Tech Worker's OS course. The discount code OS20 will expire by Wednesday (tomorrow).)

And it seems like the only way for me to have that option would be to have a spare fucking phone anyway.

So what the fuck?

This is my prediction, and you can mark this down somewhere.

By the year 2040, you will need a smartphone to use public bathrooms.

I'm very confident in that, as much as I would hate that.

That just seems to be the way things are going.

So what's the point of this rant email?

Well, basically, I want to still encourage you guys to minimize unnecessary digital tendrils in your life.

But keep in mind that life will not stop trying to dig those tendrils up your ass.

So have a backup plan.

I recommend getting a very cheap Android phone.

You can probably find them used for 50 or less or anything.

But also to limit the temptation to scroll on extra devices, keep that shit turned off in a drawer.

That's what I do with my Samsung smartphone that I use as a camera.

I keep it turned off in a drawer under some shit.

My main phone is an E Ink phone.

It's currently the Minimal Phone, but I'm looking into a Bigme Hibreak device because it has color, but it's still E Ink, so videos and scrolling are shitty experiences.

Reply to this email if entry to your home requires a smartphone.

I'm curious how common this is.

Till next time,

Kevin Tejada