#SmartphoneFree Must-Haves: The Mighty Vibe

"Mighty exists to keep the music going in moments when your phone should be in your pocket, left at home, or turned off."

When giving up my smartphone there was one app I was going to miss more than any other: Spotify. I've had a premium account for a couple of years now, ever since my trial premium account ran out - I just couldn't go back to the constant adverts and, more importantly, I loved the fact that I could 'download' the music and listen to it offline - whilst at work, in the car or on my bike, for example.

In my dreams I'd imagined a device that was specifically built for Spotify and when I googled to see if such a thing existed, I discovered Mighty. And when I discovered Mighty, another nail was secured firmly into the coffin of my smartphone. I knew I'd be able to move on.

A disclaimer, upfront: To get the music from Spotify onto the Mighty Vibe audio player, you still need a device - for me, that's an old ipad (which barely does much else these days). The thing with the ipad is that it stays at home most days on a bookshelf and is certainly not something I carry around with me at home or out and about - it is hardly a distraction. The fact that it is decrepit helps - it is too frustrating to use as it is so slow and out-of-date (planned obsolescence FTW).

So, the Mighty Vibe HAS allowed me to go smartphone free, even though I do need some access to a device which has the Mighty app on it. And it's really simple to use.

The Mighty Vibe works by having Spotify playlists loaded onto it via a WIFI connection. The Mighty can be connected to the WIFI using the app and once it is, they are connected. The two devices are also connected by Bluetooth (I'm not sure about the exact technology and how it works, but it does - usually: sometimes it disconnects and you have to start again).

The clip on the back is strong and
features a rubber grip strip which
attaches it firmly to clothing etc

In order to get the music onto the tiny, uber-portable (if not easily lose-able (I have managed to keep a track of mine so far)), you first of all have to have used Spotify to create playlists. In order to add whole albums to the Vibe, I worked out that with a couple of clicks you can create a playlist of an album. Other more traditional playlists containing a mixture of songs as well as playlists created by Spotify and its users can also be added - all playlists are equal. What you can't do is add a song, album, artist's back catalogue if it isn't in a playlist.

The Mighty's Bluetooth capacity also means that it can be easily connected to Bluetooth speakers and headsets. I've only tried it with speakers but have found that once the connection is set up (you need to use the app to do this) the devices remember each other and auto-connect whenever they are both switched on in each other's presence. For users of smartphones and most current technology, the Mighty Vibe might appear a little slow - it does take 20-30 seconds to get started and to make its Bluetooth connections, but once it's all got going, it is so worth it.

Charging and wired headphone listening share an input/output (a regular 3.5mm jack) so you can only do one thing at a time (although you can charge and listen via Bluetooth at the same time). It also means that you'll want to keep a close eye on the (also tiny) charging lead that comes in the box - it is less easily-replaceable than more ubiquitous USB charging cables.

Onto the sound then. I have no issues. I listen to a wide range of genres including Hip Hop, Rock, Acoustic Singer-Songwriter-type-stuff, through to Drum 'n' Bass, Classical and Pop - anything really, as long as it has a good melody. I've used several pairs of cheap headphones - the Apple ones that come with an iPhone, some old Samsung ones (I use these on my bike as they stay in and have those rubber grommets which block out the noise of the wind) and some Skullcandy ear buds. The Apple earbuds probably reproduce the best sound which leads me to believe that, if paired with a more expensive set, the sound would be even better. I'm no audiophile but I believe the Mighty Vibe really does the job.

Being screen-less presents some people with some issues. How can you tell what's what? You can't really, unless you know the music well. A robotic voice reads out the name of the playlist as you scroll through them, but there is no easy way of selecting a particular song that might be embedded in a playlist of, say, 200 songs - you could only skip through until you find it. As a result, the listening experience is very different to the way you used to (or still do) listen to music on an ipod or your phone. I've found that with a weekly update (sometimes I leave it longer) I'm actually giving the music more of a chance, listening to songs more times than I would if I could easily just pick out something new from the whole array of music available online. Because of this I've discovered new favourites - tracks that have grown on me - and have curbed my obsession of always trying to find something new that I've not heard before.

In the UK, the Mighty Vibe costs £79.99 - let's assess what you get for your money. You do get freedom from your phone whilst still being able to listen to all your music - it does exactly what the company have set out to do. The fact that there are workarounds to the issue of having to connect to an app (having a tablet device) has meant for me that I can go completely smartphone free without having to sacrifice Spotify's offer of unlimited music. Given that I'm never going to shell out ridiculous amounts of money for a phone again (my current dumbphone cost me £14 and calls and texts can be had for around £6 a month) I think the price of this awesome little gadget is well worth it.

Without my discovery of the Mighty Vibe, I may not have been able to make the leap from smartphone to dumbphone - that's how much I love my music and my Spotify account. Would I recommend the Mighty Vibe? Yes, mightily.

Mighty say:

"We started Mighty because we love streaming music, but found ourselves lugging our smartphone with us everywhere we went just so that we could listen to our music. We thought, there must be a better way. So we partnered with Spotify, the world's largest streaming service, and created Mighty. Mighty is the first ever portable device that plays Spotify without a phone, screen, or Internet connection.

Mighty exists to keep the music going in the times when your phone should be off or left behind. It's a simple, calm way to listen to streaming music without the bulk and distractions of your smartphone. Some people have told us that Mighty is 'the modern iPod Shuffle' and, well, we agree! The Shuffle was a glorious product for it's time and we view Mighty as the next step in the evolution of the portable music player."

For more info, see the Mighty website. The manual can be found online here: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1198/3830/files/Mighty_User_Manual_2019.pdf?9965418499457754777

#SmartphoneFree: But He Lost What He Had

"He got what he wanted (but he lost what he had)…"

We often seem to think about what we would lose if we had to give up something and rarely think about what we might gain.

With our smartphone use we gained what we wanted.

We got instant access to all the knowledge in the world, an foolproof way to navigate from A to B, increased communication, the ability to shop 24/7 from the comfort of your own home, an endless stream of cat videos and so on. We even got loads of stuff we didn't know we wanted but definitely think we want now we've got it.

But we also lost what we had.

We lost time alone with our thoughts. We lost proper conversations face to face. We lost time spent with our families. We lost the experience of wandering and noticing what goes on around us. We lost time. We lost money. We lost relationships.

Yet we also forget what we lost and think that their replacements are even better.

We think we gained knowledge, inspiration and improvement by being constantly influenced by a multitude of minds through podcasts, vlogs, blogs, articles, tweets and status updates. We think we gained better communication because it is so instant and easy and constant. We think we gained quality family time because it looks so good to our friends on Instagram and Facebook. We think we gained a world-wide perspective because our phone and computers regularly update their home screens with beautiful pictures from around the globe. We think we gained time because we can do things so much more quickly. We think we gained money because it's so much easier to find a bargain or sell on our unwanted stuff. We think we gained relationships because we connect with hundreds and thousands of people on a daily basis.

We got what we wanted and we lost what we had. And what we wanted turns out not to be what we really needed. And what we had, in the end, for some us, is what we want again.

If that's you - the one who knows that they want again what they once had - then think not what you might lose from giving up your smartphone, or your social media accounts, but what you might gain. And just do it. It's really not as bad as you think it's going to be.

#SmartphoneFree: Screen Love

'Can you hear me love? It's like you've never seen enough. 
If there's one thing between us, love, it's your screen love.'

A great track from Rel McCoy explaining how smartphone addiction can drive a wedge between loved ones.

Although I do admit to feeling frustrated by others' use of digital devices I eventually had to turn the spotlight on myself. I couldn't change the habits of others, but I could change my own. And, although I'm here evangelising about the #SmartphoneFree way of life (still have to have a hashtag!), I never intend to be preachy, at least in real life. I made my decision for myself, not to try to influence others.

If you find yourself annoyed by how much time your friends and family spend using digital devices, allow that to prompt some self-reflection into your own usage.

#SmartphoneFree: Before You Turn Into A Clone

"Grab you by your chin while you're staring at your phone, raise up your head before you turn into a clone." - Dynamite MC

#SmartphoneFree: Turning Off My Phone

"Every day I wake and everything is broken 
Turnin' off my phone just to get out of bed 
Get home every evening and history's repeating 
Turning off my phone 'cause it's hurting my chest 

All I hear is voices 
Everybody's talking 
Nothing real is happening, 'cause nothing is new 
Now when all is tragic 
And I just feel sedated 
Why do I feel numb? 
Is that all I can do? 

I can't sit and hope, I 
Can't just sit and pray, that 
I can find a love, when 
All I see is pain 
I try to do the things, I 
Say that I believe (I do believe) 
I can't just preach, baby, preach"

Jon Legend (legend) is definitely talking about how current events make us think and feel, but he identifies smartphones as being a conduit for how we recieve the news. And it is true that waking up and reading the news and reading it before we go to sleep is probably a pretty rubbish way to begin and end the day. But maybe he hasn't really got a downer on smartphones.

However, the song did inspire me to actually do something about what I was beginning to think and feel and believe about my own smartphone usage. I had to try to do the thing... and the thing was rid myself of the device which kept on sucking time out of my life and my attention from the people who I share life with.

And now I've done the thing... I can legitimately preach.

#SmartphoneFree: Focus On The Journey

"Wonder what life was like on a landline, 

Or what life was like before the landline, 

Probably black and white where everybody had time, 

To focus on the journey 'stead of focused on the timeline, 

So... I'm absorbed in my phone screen, 

I look up, up, up and I'm alone, see." 

 Wise words from Leyma on his 2019 single 'ExtraExtra'. 

 That acknowledgement that before smartphones we might just have been all a little bit more focused on things that really mattered. And that admission of how lonely it can feel, even when surrounded by others, in a world full of smartphone users. It certainly rings true for me, and if an 18 year old can see it too, that gives me hope for the future.

Leyma had this to say about these very lines (taken from giggoer.com): 

 "These topics aren’t really vocalised enough. We all “wake up and (I) say nothing”, but I do think that everyone sort of knows what’s happening isn’t healthy. With the line “I wonder what life was like on a landline”, I can only really imagine that everything was different. That mental health among the youth wasn’t as prominent. That you had more time to go do things “instead of focus on the timeline”. I won’t ever know, but it’s mad thinking about how recently that was. I know how comparing yourself to other people can f*** you up, talking first hand. The thing is, that’s just what social media is now- just a bragging platform, where we all take ourselves too seriously, a toxic place to be.

 Being adolescent is difficult enough, without this constant judgement of who you are and what you’re doing. I feel for the people who are 14 right now, dealing with all that stress."