Unplug from your Smartphone!!
This phone is now my daily use phone. It replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24. I only had eSim in my S24 though T-Mobile, so I went into the store to get a physical Sim card, which they installed for me. I turned on the phone and made a call and it worked perfectly, loud and clear! I forgot how much I had missed the shape of flip phones while I am on a call. They just make sense ergonomically. The phone itself is great. Startup is cute, it says "Hi Barbie" at the loadup screen. It's pretty customizable. I set up my speed dial contacts, set up a quick call contact (my husband) for the action button below the volume bar, and I ordered an SD card to add music. On KaiOS, there is an app store. PodLP is available to listen to podcasts. I subscribed to a few of my favorites already. Then you can access FM radio via wired headphones, which will be good for the gym if I get bored of my own music. The grip is good in the hands. Of course, it will take getting used to, since we are all predisposed to heavy rectangles. This is lightweight and beautiful. It did slip out of my hands at one point when I was being careless, and (just like in the old Nokia days) the back fell off and battery fell out. The thing is, I prefer that to a massive glass shatter on a 1200 dollar phone. It comes with 3 cases for the back. The cases feel slippery and plasticky, but durable. I feel that the phone is well protected. The battery lasts all day no problem, even though I have been tinkering around on it downloading apps and playing games (new phones always get a lot of attention in their first few weeks am I right?) but it holds up! I could see it easily lasting closer to 3 or 4 days if I don't do all that. I will very likely come and update this review after a month or so of use. I put some stickers on the mirror side of the phone. I made sure that they didn't block the time and notification display. I also added the little beaded strap and swirly back case. It's definitely eye-catching! You know, it's interesting enough to see someone unironically using a flip phone these days, so one this adorable is bound to get comments. My husband called while I was checking out at Trader Joe's and the cashier said "IS THAT A FLIP PHONE?!" She was so excited to see it and when I told her it was actually Barbie themed she was very interested. So many questions like "How do you not have a smart phone, isn't it so hard?" etc. I did grow up in the 80's and 90's so it wasn't a difficult adjustment since I already know how to type, navigate, and speed dial on these phones. But it is freeing to go to the park with my daughter and really experience the moments. Not get a notification for TikTok or YT or a facebook comment and feel that urge to check it. Once you check that notification, you're bound to check something else, and so on and so on... until all your kid knows is you've got your face stuck to your phone again while she plays alone. Not anymore. Come on, Barbie. Let's go party! Lets get back to a basic phone with perks like Google Maps and Podcasts, and say no to constant social media and content connection. We aren't built for that! Side note, I also got a cute little screen free camera (won't say the brand here but it's to SNAP photos at CAMP let's just say.) Between the screen free camera and the flip phone I am LOVING life. And actually living it. Read more
