The unbelievable story of me using the Punkt MP 02

Did you ever even think about how your life would look like without social media? Or life without electronic messages? Without email? Neither did I, but I took the test. I signed up for the Punkt Smartphone-free Weekend Challenge 2023 and got selected.

Easier said than done, it took me more time than expected to find a weekend and the guts to do the challenge. As a photographer I might work in weekends as well, not using my Smartphone wouldn’t go along very well. Meanwhile it gave me time to think about what information and facilities I all would miss during my Smartphone-free weekend.

The icons on my Smartphone are arranged in order of importance, so it was relatively easy to determine what app I wouldn’t be able to use. Making photo’s is up first. I do make a lot of photos with my Smartphone. Mostly to just remember things; a visual notebook if you wish. Not possible. The last picture I took was the sign of the row and area I parked my car at the airport, as an example. Not possible with my Punkt MP 02.

Talking about parking, when parking in the street I register my car in the correct zone by app. Not possible in my Smartphone-free weekend. I electronically pay with my Smartphone. Well, long story short, the list of apps I use was even longer than I expected, and I started to wonder if I had been thinking a little too lightly about the challenge.

At first, staying at home and doing nothing seemed a good solution to take on the challenge and complete it. Because even taking out my bicycle — so that I wouldn’t need to park my car —would be challenging without the convenience of a weather app or rain radar. Something you heavily rely on in The Netherlands. But staying at home would mean that my laptop is always at hand. A device, for me, even more protrusive than a smartphone.

So, what I did is I took the MP 02 out for a trip during a weekend in Ronda, Spain. In my opinion, that would keep me focussed on the beautiful environment, culture, and culinary delights of Spanish cuisine.

My expectations became reality. After the inconvenience of not having an electronic boarding pass — and therefore having to print one — a wonderful peace came over me. I shortly had to get used to that there was no need, no, no possibility, to unintentionally grab my smartphone and look at it. No Instagram stories, no Facebook posts, no WhatsApp messages, no emails, no…, no nothing in fact.

Because that’s what happened. Nothing. At least nothing unintentional, beyond my control. All I got by ways of my phone during the whole weekend was a call from my son. Who had messaged me repeatedly to ask something and didn’t understand why I wasn’t responding. That was the only time I had ‘contact’ with my phone. For the rest I did my own things, not the things other people, by means of my smartphone, made me do. Someone once said, your email inbox is a to-do list where other people put things on without being asked.

I enjoyed my weekend so much; it feels like I’ve been in Ronda for a week. I got in contact with local people and other travellers way more than I’m used to. I might have been caused by the Spanish culture—where people meet more often and have more time for each than here in the Netherlands. But I’m sure that it was caused due to the lack of my smartphone also.

Was there a downside? Yes, there was one, a little one. Many bars and restaurants use QR-codes to connect to their menu. No camera means no QR-code reading, means no menu. But I always found a workaround. Often involving more personal contact, like asking a waiter what was on the menu, or asking if there still was a printed version available.

If you really want to be present somewhere, I can strongly recommend using the Punkt MP 02 as your phone. Not just for any weekend, but in general if you really want to be connected to other people, instead of to your smartphone. It’ll make the difference.

Gerard Nijenbrinks