Cricket (Non)Icon(ick)

https://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=6130
Well, it's a very inexpensive device, so you get what you pay for I guess...

Well, since I like cheap devices (even though I am not familiar with this particular one), I can point you toward some apps that might make it more useful and fun.

Yes, I said fun.
I make my pathetic junk phones do more than the people that I know in real life that spend hundreds (or more) for their devices, and I think it is fun.

Here are some excellent keyboards.
Each one excells at different things, and they are all small enough together to have all at once.
Disable whatever junk it came with.

Hacker's Keyboard (Four- or five-row soft-keyboard) - https://f-droid.org/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard

Simple Keyboard (Simply keyboard and nothing more) - https://f-droid.org/packages/rkr.simplekeyboard.inputmethod

Tiny Keyboard (The smallest possible keyboard) - https://f-droid.org/packages/rkr.tinykeyboard.inputmethod

I am actually using Tiny Keyboard right now, because it gives me great access when using a phonestand while in Landscape mode.

The next thing you may want is to ditch the stock utility apps.
These tend to suck anyway, and they can be a security nightmare.

There is an entire set of apps by Simple Mobile Tools that will replace most or all of the stock utility apps.
Be sure to get the Thank You app as well, because it will allow you to sync all of the theme settings for every Simple Mobile Tool app that you install.

https://www.simplemobiletools.com/

These apps, even the pro versions, are all available on F-Droid.
I would get them from there, rather than Google PlayStore.

Any social media app, or online purchasing app is going to become a cumbersome burden to any cheap device, so do away with any app that you can use a browser to access the site instead.

Lightning (Lightweight web browser) - https://f-droid.org/packages/acr.browser.lightning

Change the settings in that browser to make Duckduckgo the homepage and the search engine. (Google is the default, yuck.)

Here is a quick link to copy/paste right into those two settings.

https://duckduckgo.com/?kae=t&kg=p&...=b&kv=-1&kak=-1&kax=-1&kaq=-1&kap=-1&kao=-1&k

Does your friend like music, or news, etc.?

RadioDroid (Browse and stream internet radios) - https://f-droid.org/packages/net.programmierecke.radiodroid2

How about an EQ for that thing? Believe it or not, my cheapest device turned out to have the best sound capability. Go figure.

https://noozxoide-eizo-rewire-pro.en.uptodown.com/android

https://eq-ecualizador-fx.en.uptodown.com/android

And a music player that rocks is a must as well...

https://blackplayer-music-player.en.uptodown.com/android

(use version 2.15 for a no ad experience)

And, as anyone with a cheap device knows, memory is at a premium.

Most cleaning apps are junk.
There is one that will do what is possible for a cleaning app.

LTE Cleaner (System cleaner) - https://f-droid.org/packages/theredspy15.ltecleanerfoss

Finally, here is an excellent app installer- capable of xapks and apks.
It is also a good way of finding apks on your device and deleting them to reclaim some space.

https://m.apkpure.com/xapk-installer/com.apkpure.installer

All of the apps (and more) above are apps that I have on a single device, a Poblano VLE 5 with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal memory.
They don't come much cheaper than that.

So its not like these will lug down any modern device.

Hopefully this will all combine to make that device a happy new addition.

Rgarner said:

What is xapk? I know of apks, but not with the mysterious x in front. I sure would like to kick googoo to the curb and use duckduckgo.com instead.

Click to expand...

Believe me, I despise Screwgle.

Anyway, PlayStore has limits on the size of apks.
So devs have worked around this with xapks.

I am not positive exactly how they work, but I think that they need to be 'unzipped' as they are compressed, and/or they download more content, or something like that.
It may or may not be similar to split apks, I really don't know.

Here are some more links to help you find cool apps.
Sometimes even ones that Google says won't work on your device, or that aren't available in your area.

They all have apps for their appstores as well, so if you have the space onthe device, get the apps because they have nicer UI than the sites.

https://f-droid.org/

https://m.apkpure.com/

https://en.uptodown.com/

Magnification would make it worse.

Anyway, what exactly does your friend need the Poogle back on it for?

I bet that the browser could be used instead of some Poogle reliant app, and that would solve the problem.

Also, at this point, it may be time for your friend to learn how to do these type things.

It just seems like this person will not be satisfied at any length, and will never become self sufficient- which will (if it not already has) become a burden upon you and possibly even your friendship.

Part of the fun of Android is the options of customization.
But with this, the idea that a company will produce, or that another person can modify a device into the perfect product for another person goes right out the window.

Think of it this way:
What if you had access to your dream device- brand new, never touched, straight from the factory- any stock device you desire.

Is there absolutely nothing that you would change on it?
No apps to add/subtract?

Are you really going to stick with that stock launcher?

The point is that there are almost 8 billion of us on Earth, and even more options than that with Android. (I am guessing at that one, but I think you get my point.)

Perhaps your friend needs the device in hand for awhile, and a good friend (such as yourself) to answer questions as they come up.

A friend that offers advice, solutions as to personal experience, but also leaves the device in the owner's hands to make the final decisions.

Your friend will learn more, and quicker, and become less reliant on you (and others).

Sure, mistakes will be made, mistakes that will (hopefully) be learned from.

How does the saying go...

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

I am very much the same way as your friend then.

I actually hate computers, with a passion.

I would basically like to reenact the 'printer destruction' scene from Office Space every day, but using computers and firearms instead of a printer and bat.

Yes, I am more likely to feed a computer lead than a disk.

It literally took AT&T giving me a free smartphone for me to even look at one cross-eyed.

I didn't even take them up on it on the first offer.

Honestly, I still use the cellphone that they were trying to make me replace.

What I discovered with smartphones is what I had always thought computers should be.

I call it 'mentally ergonomic'.

That means that to operate the thing, the majority of functions are rather simple, or at least logical.

I don't mind doing things if it makes sense and there is a payoff in the end. The payoff must be greater than the effort put forth.

My experience with computers, and a good deal of modern technology (my car is 50 years old) is the complete opposite of being 'mentally ergonomic'.

In fact, it generally means tossing out any previous knowlege and effort, learning everything new all over again, for little to no payoff in the end- especily when it changes again shortly and everything can start all over again.

So, yeah, that is not for me.

Android has been pretty darn good about building the system up, while maintaining useability of outdated models.

So I don't mind learning new things about it near as much, because I am adding to what I already know instead of starting over (again and again and again).

I can clearly see a not so distant future where computers are digital dinosaurs, only for online storage and large corporations.

The rest of us will have our speedy, convenient phones, and the 'home computer' will be a fossil that is half buried on the beach of a third world nation.

So yeah, I am stubborn, and reluctant to grasp at new tech.
I strive to be self sufficient.

So maybe show your friend this post.
Mention to him that I don't even know (or care, lol) what the proper way to turn a computer off is.

What do you mean there isn't just an on/off switch?
And why, why is there not just a simple on/off switch?!?
Oh, there is a switch, but I have to do a bunch of crap before I can use the switch?

That is not mentally ergonomic, lol.

I just looked over the specs for that device, and they really are not that bad.

The worst thing is the 1GB RAM.

At least it is a GO version, so there shouldn't be a ton of bloatware and the Goolag crap can most likely be disabled.

Yeah, the camera is not great, either.
So what.
If you want to take great pictures, you buy a camera, and not a phone.
(just sayin')

I currently run 4 devices.
Two are 1GB RAM - one is GO 8.1.0 and the other is 5.1.1
Both have only 8GB internal memory and 32GB SD cards, which is half the capabilities of your device.

The other two are 2GB RAM devices with 16GB internal memory and 32GB SD cards.

So, still half of your device's SD card size and the same internal memory.
But yes, the double RAM is nice.

But with the GO system, 1GB is fine for most things.

Gaming is where I notice the lack of 'intestinal fortitude', as my uncle Terry would have called it.

Other than that, it really should not be such a terrible device.

Is that a photo of a bird with earphones on, holding a box that is connected to tons of stuff with wires?

Could you upload it somewhere, for me to download?

I feel like getting put in Facebook jail today.