I personally spend WAAAYYYY too much time on my phone. And no matter what I try, I always seem to go right back to where I started. I'm starting my dumbphone journey! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I've had the Sunbeam for a year now and its one of the best decisions I've ever made. I wouldnt even consider going back to a tv/internet phone. You get so much of your life back
We’ve been using the F1 for a couple of years, paired with US Mobile’s 500mb plan, as well as the Sunbeam premium features plan. Total cost per month is < $12. Our kids can take this phone with them to sports practice, or sleepovers, so they have a way to get in touch with us (and with friends) without the scourge of social media. It has been such an awesome thing to have!
I owned the first F1 from Sunbeam. It is an incredible phone. I've used a lot of dumbphones over the last decade. The original F1 was the first that didn't leave me constantly frustrated or needing a Batman-like tool belt of supplementary devices. This upgrade addresses the biggest issues I had: battery life, lousy camera, and lack of hotspot. -- FUTURE VERSIONS: Probably a futile wish, but I'd love to be able to use Signal on it. Or even-like some of the Kosher phones do-be able to choose a preloaded suite of third-party utilitarian apps (like banking).
A benefit to Sunbeam Navigation is that you can close the phone and it will continue giving directions with the screen off, while Waze will only work with the phone open and screen on, but Waze seems to be much more updated on road conditions at least in Metropolitan areas. Thank you!
love the review! i do think it's worth noting, for people who may not want all of the features, that the specific F1 Pro model you have (the Aspen) is one of eight models. the models of the F1 Pro come with features ranging from all the ones on the Aspen to one model with literally only phone calls. i think the big menu of features is a huge bonus -- although they are all the same price, which really kind of surprises me.
ive had it for almost a month. It an amazing phone!! i dont care that its over 300 dollars. its well worth it! texting is easy and works well in group chats, and the calling is clear and loud for both ends of the phone call. I spend alot of time on speaker phone and its great for that! US mobile is my carrier.
I've been anxiously awaiting this one! I'm thoroughly impressed with this phone, but that pricetag makes it unobtainable for me. The hotspot was the one thing that was keeping me from moving on the Orchid, and now that that's here this would be the perfect dumbphone for me to start my digital minimalism journey. Great and in-depth review as always Jose!
Super review. Best on RU-vid. Always. Been looking for a phone like this, but others have their drawbacks. Thanks for a great overview of a pretty nice little phone. 👍
I saw a review somewhere that you can type text messages (and I presume notes) using on-screen keyboard on the touch screen. But you don't mention that in your review. Can you test and tell us if we can type on the touch screen? That would be so much easier! Would clinch my decision.
I talked with Sunbeam and they were able to confirm that they do have cases coming out for the pro in about 4 weeks. They were able to confirm that they'll have the two styles I wanted from the f1 cases, black and camouflage.
Yes, it is a high price. However, I do trust that they will deliver in updates and improvements over the lifespan of the device. That is what makes a big difference in my opinion. There are other cheaper options though!
@@JoseBrionesas Marques Brownlee says, don’t buy a device based on what you hope it’ll become. But it because of what it is today. And this thing is way, way too expensive. Might as well buy a $60 KaiOS device.
I want a Razr V3 again so bad. This looks like a great alternative. Hoping a retro device marketing revolution happens and we get the iPod, sidekick, blackberry, and Razr back again with new and improved features. The people are yearning for less. Give it to them already!
Does this work in Mexico? Trying to find a minimalist no browser phone with hood gps,camera,and flashlight. My husband has the light phone we both really want to get the wisephone 2 but they aren't international.
THANK YOU!!!! For all your dumbphone reviews!!!! been typing in phones from a list of at&t supported phones that have the word "flip" in them and your reviews keep popping up!! I unfortunately just paid for another yr of AT&T (its only 300/ yr for 12gb/ month) So I will prob use the Hotspot and my old phone to check email and online messages. Im so excited!! Also one question.. how is the music player? you load on music files I take it? If sunbeam had a spotify phone... id be a customer for the rest of my cellphone using life... haha. Anyway thank you again SO much you're awesome!
Jose- I love this device!! But I hate typing on T9. I know I can pay for the google voice to text but is there a way to permanently change the typing to the triple tap method? If so this phone is a winner for me. My brain and T9 just don’t do well together😅
I value companies that go above and beyond anr Sunbeam seems to do that with its customer service, from what I hear. This is going to sound petty but I don't care, can sunbeam make it in different colors than just its standard 1 color? This could make it more of a competitor in the feature phone market. Nokia 2780 comes in 2 colors, the red one seems to catch my eyes and I'm considering it with the pricepoint. However I do hear that Nokia's customer service is 3/5 stars at best. So Im still deciding...Nokia 2780 or Sunbeam Pro?
They don't make them in other colors as of now. I'd say the F1 Pro is better than the 2780. It depends on what you are looking for and what you need it for though.
@JoseBriones GPS, talk, text...nothing fancy. I would like an operating system that's smooth though. Does the GPS run on cellular data (i.e. do you need to purchase internet or can it work without it?)?
Thank you! How many hours of talk time before the battery runs out? Is it significantly longer than the older F1 even though the screen resolution is higher? Do you find the higher resolution much easier to see and use?
I don’t find many differences on the screen tbh. It is brighter for sure, but other things seem the same to me. Talk time is probably about 5-6 hours. I had a super long phone call one day (2 hours) and it drained about 25% of the battery. So I am using that as a benchmark.
@@JoseBriones Thanks! Isn't brightness of the screen a separate setting which can be set independently? I was wondering if the higher resolution would make it easier to see in sunlight, such as using navigation in a car? I believe the old F1 also got between 4 to 6 hours of talk time, so it isn't a huge difference.
Still no qwerty keyboard, huh? Just because people want to limit access to addictive sites doesn't mean basic communication should be miserable. That's what makes phones useful
Hi! The sunbeam f1 pro seems like a perfect fit for me. However, I have t-mobile and can’t afford to switch carriers. On the sunbeam website, it says that it’s not compatible with band B71 - I have B12 in my area but I’m not well versed in bands. Is B12 significantly worse than B71? Other bands like 2, 4, and 5 are also available.
This won't get WhatsApp. However, Waze works very well. The main difference between this and the DuraXV is that the XV can run more apps. Both are great performers, but it depends on apps needs and what you are looking for in a basic phone
I imagine that it has pretty good battery life? How much impact would a hotspot have on battery life? How does the weight feel in the hand? Will this displace the light phone for your preferred device?
2-3 days. Decent amount, I'd say use it for short periods. Good weight. No, the Light Phone has features that work better for me, but it's a great competitor.
This is essentially what I was looking for last year, but ended up getting the Nokia 2780 which is by no means perfect but will be what I keep for the time being until it falls apart, which it will. This will be what I get next. Something big is that voice to text. Do we know what Sunbeams privacy policy is in terms of the data they collect and share?
Very privacy respecting. They are not collecting anything that you don't give them and are very good at disclosing their views on protecting your data by building an OS that doesn't track you :)
The voice to text on the F1 is amazing. I literally use it all the time to text. You would think typing is harder on a flip phone but it's literally easier than an iphone for me
UPDATE: the form works. FYI - error submitting the giveaway form. When I clicked to submit: "The form you requested has been either deactivated by its creator or can not be found. Please make sure you have the right address."
Hi. I think the New Horizon Phone from Sunbeam might suit me better than the Pro, because it is lighter in weight (approximately an ounce lighter i believe) and a bit smaller (easier to carry around) and stronger vibration (so i don't have to keep checking the phone to see if i missed a call), as i don't like to call attention and have it ring when I'm with others. I understand i would need to be more careful with it, as it's not as durable and water resistant as the Pro. The weaker camera is a also a trade-off for a smaller lighter good vibration phone. I am looking forward to your review on this New Horizon phone. Thank you!
Hello Jose! I reached out to the good folks at Sunbeam and they mentioned requesting higher quality keyboard for these phones after issues with the OG F1. However, with limited field life, they can't 100% promise its way better. How has it held up after these last two months? Thanks!
It’s definitely better than the F1. This Pro version feels better made for sure. The feel of the keys is the same and I haven’t experienced any issues. Will do a update video by February as well to talk about some things here and there.
I’m planning on switching from my smart phone to either an Aspen or Hickory. The main thing I’m wanting is Waze, as that’s the only reason I’d genuinely need my smartphone. On the website, it says you need to pay for advanced weather and navigation functions. Does anybody know if the Waze feature is included in that? If so that’s disappointing lol
Thanks for the recommendation. It does look good but doesn’t have conversation view for text messages. Once you get used to that feature it’s hard to go back to the old method…
Do you happen to know if the antenna is any more powerful in this vs the regular F1? The antenna in the old version was just not quite powerful enough for my location.
Great review! But at least on Verizon, I'm not sure I see the appeal over a Kyocera DuraXV Extreme. The DuraXV has most of the same features (aside from touchscreen and voice-to-text), plus it's waterproof and has a video camera. The DuraXV is $80 less new and readily available for much cheaper on the used market. And the F1 Pro is just as bulky!
That's fair. The only advantages would be easier access to Waze, voice to text, and being unlocked for more carriers. Agreed on the other fronts though!
@@JoseBriones I believe the F1 will be supported longer than the Kyocera. One of my biggest issues for me using the Verizon / Kyocera devices over the years is limited software updates and difficulty getting spare accessories and batteries after a short time. I believe there is value in supporting a company like Sunbeam who is dedicated to maintaining their feature phones.
Great reviews, just a few questions: This phone compared to the Kyocera DuraXE Extreme plus e4830? Which would you suggest I get? Does it have an email client? Can it use Android apps? Will it work in Europe with carriers like 3mobile, lyca?
1. Similar comparison, but DuraXE is a bit better 2. No email 3. No android apps 4. Idk about European compatibility, but if you need apps go Extreme Plus
Hi. Thank you for the review. Great phone. My biggest issue with this phone is how weak the vibration is. I don't feel it when it's in my pocket. Do you know of a way to intensify the vibration so that I can be alerted when I have a call coming in? I can't always have a sound which will disturb others. Thank you!
question: me and my wife have the orchid phone, when we use the SOS button on the back it sends a text message with a google maps link that the phone cant use, does it work now that waze is added?
Thanks for the review, Jose! Has the giveaway winners been announced? Keeping my fingers crossed! Hoping to create some new positive habits to model to my two young kids. Question: is this less bulky than the Kyocera DuraXV Extreme? Love that phone but it's a hamburger. Is the F1 Pro a bit slimmer? Thanks again!
I heard you mention “if you have premium” a few times, what features are all behind the subscription pay wall? How much does it cost to get those features?
Shame those basic seeming features are behind a paywall, I wonder how this phone would stack up against the new Kyocera DuraXV Extreme Plus model, I believe the Kyocera is available for near the same price.
Is there a way to mute all incoming calls from numbers that are not in contacts? I have a problem receiving spam calls 3 times a day, and there's no way to block them (since they're all different numbers). My iPhone lets me do this to my specific desires, and I need that. If I get a sunbeam and have to manually reject a bunch of calls every day, I'll lose my mind lol
I am very saddened to see that they are only offering it in black. I was really excited to get one in that gray/silver color you have there 😢 It looks so sharp.
I talked with Sunbeam and they told me that they'll be releasing a different/upgraded version of the original F1. Will you be giving a review on that and comparing the new phone to its predecessors?
I've been using the orchid for the past 2 years and the hotspot as well as waze is a gamechanger for me and I'm seriously considering upgrading. Does anyone know if you can use waze without sunbeam premium?
STOP CALLING THEM DUMBPHONES!!! It's propaganda to make people subconsciously want "smart" instead of "dumb". Just call them flip phones, or reconnecting to the world phones idk lol but "dumbphone" has to go~! Because getting the Sunbeam F1 last year has been one of the greatest decisions of my life! Love ur videos btw Jose keep up the good work 🤙(not ur fault for calling them dumbphones) Edit: maybe you need to call them that for the algorithm so I get it if thats the case
Your edit hits the nail in the head. The algorithm is one of the main reasons why I call them dumbphones lol. But yes I am slowly going to transition to flip or candy bar instead of Dumbphone haha
Does anybody really think the premium subscription is worth it? I want (almost need) the voice to text. Because I am young and feel I will suck at T9 texting for a long time... Also thanks for all the hard work Jose! I appreciate the help in a small(-ish) industry.
I have the Original F1 with the premium subscription. It is the only way I can come close to enjoying sending text on a flip phone. Without it I would not use a flip phone.
Been using the F1 for over a year. Design is old and the camera is very poor producing terrible pictures. Voice to message works well and phone is ok. Way over priced for what it is. For basic use it works but am not overly impressed.
@@YTesting As someone who has jump into the dumb phone world, I love the trade for convenience for my own mental wellbeing. If what is holding you back is a small distrubtion in life, then you evaluate what your priorities are. Are you happy with your mental wellbeing with a smart phone? Can you make the smart phone work for you?
@@TheBlackSkimmer I am good, I barely use my phone as it is, I would just like to use it a bit less, I listen to tons of music and podcasts on the go, which is why spotify is a priority.
