Punkt Phones

I am a text book case for failing to get anything done when my phone is nearby, I will settle into work and think, oh I better just check my Instagram and before I know it, I’m 20minutes deep into a Pokemon Go Battle. Punkt is a Swiss based company that focuses on producing functional products without the distractions and we were lucky enough to receive three of their phones to test out.

DP01 Cordless Phone

Starting with the traditional house phone, remember those? This minimalist phone comes in Red, Black and White, it is designed to do one job and do that job well, by using a combo of premium components and landline connection. The landline connection means you don’t have to worry about battery life or poor signal, featuring what my dad would call ‘actual real buttons’ with plenty of space around them making it sausage finger friendly. The DP01 has a natural comfortable shape to sit in your hand, even for long conversations during recent lockdowns, it has high-specification front/rear speakers and internal componentry which delivers crystal clear audio. Six DP01 phones can all be linked together, with one being the master unit the others can be used without extension sockets. The integrated answering machine will notify you of any messages via the visual display, this also lets you scroll through your messages and shows the time and battery status when not in use. The phone can lay flat on the cradle or be wall mounted, it will also stand upright on a table or desk when you are using it hands free on speaker phone. RRP £89

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Punkt MP01 Mobile Phone

The MP01 has be designed to be a distraction free way to remain connected, no Pokemon Go or social media here, deliver only the things you really need and nothing that will steal your focus, with a simplistic operating system. The are no app icons, animations, or special effects calling out for your attention, there is no internet either, the phrase “I’ll just google that” is often a gateway to falling down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos. The MP01 comes in Black, White or a rather questionable Brown colour, with large, responsive buttons, it can be used to make phone calls and send text messages, there is also a calendar with reminders and alarm clock. The most noticeable thing about this mobile is the battery life, some days I can charge mine 3 times depending on what I’ve been using it for, this phone can give you just under 300 minutes of solid talk time and up to three weeks on standby mode. The slim design fits comfortably in your hand, pocket and bag, it uses a Gorilla Glass screen, (hands up if your current phones screen has a crack in it), it can handle the rough and tumble of modern life, the display and sound quality are faultless. RRP £175

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Punkt MP02 Mobile Phone

Unlike the MP01 the MP02 has 4G built in, making it more of a bridge between your smart phone and the MP01, when you choose to go online the MP02’s 4G LTE connection can be shared with a tablet/laptop, making it easier to type with than on the smartphone. With a few more steps needed to go online it means you will be conscious about connecting, there will be a reason to go online rather than evade, bore or distract yourself. The MP02 has a similar robust and comfortable design as the MP01 with great battery life and functionality, the buttons are intuitive, the phonebook button allows you to make a call, the text button takes you to messages and you will find the rest in the easy to use menu. The BlackBerry-controlled workstation adds BlackBerry Secure protection during manufacture. This is a world first, no other non-BlackBerry phone has had this before. The casing has a IP52 splashproof finish, whilst the monochrome+ display is 100% text-based with no icons in sight. The only downside we found to both the MP02 and MP01 is going back to that old school why of texting with tapping each button multiple times to scroll through the letters, however you will be surprised by how quickly this skill comes back to you. £295

There is a reason why celebrities like Mark Ronson and Professor Green are using these phones, no they probably won’t replace your smartphone, after all these are incredibly useful devices but it will help you curb your screen time and find a balance between needing to use your phone and grabbing it out of habit. Switch out your smartphone for a “dumbphone” for the weekend and see just how much time you waste staring at the screen, it is truly liberating.

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