I’m starting to resent products that make me download an app. It's a light bulb. Why are we creating an account?

For years, “smart” seemed to mean connecting absolutely everything to our phones. Then we collectively ended up with approximately 900 apps and a notification every time an appliance had a feeling.

So I'm very interested in technology moving in the opposite direction: gadgets that can actually do their jobs without requiring constant phone interaction.

Give Me Physical Buttons

I miss physical buttons. There. I said it.

Sometimes I want to press something and have the device respond immediately. I don't want to unlock my phone, find an app, wait for it to connect, and navigate through a menu just to turn something off.

Some newer devices are bringing physical controls back alongside their smarter features. This old-school style somehow also feels futuristic.

Bedside Tech Should Keep Me Off My Phone

My Hatch Restore 3 is a good example of what I want. I used my phone to get everything set up, but I don't have to grab it every night to run my bedtime routine.

If I'm trying to stop scrolling before bed, requiring me to open another app at 10 p.m. is not particularly helpful.

An alarm clock should help replace the phone beside my bed. Otherwise, we've missed the assignment.

Dedicated Devices Are Making Sense Again

For a while, it seemed ridiculous to carry a separate device when your phone could do the same job. Now I'm reconsidering.

I actually like reading on an e-reader now because I can't accidentally end up checking Instagram halfway through a chapter.

A dedicated camera can make taking photos feel intentional again.

There's something nice about using a device designed to do one thing particularly well.

My phone is convenient precisely because it does everything. That's also the problem.

Even Smart-Home Tech Needs a Backup Plan

Apps are useful. I'm not suggesting we return to 1997. But I like smart-home products that still work when my phone isn't nearby.

Give me a physical switch for the lights. Let me press a button to start the routine.

If another person comes into my house, they should be able to turn on a lamp without connecting to my WiFi.

Less Phone Doesn't Mean Less Technology

I don't think the solution to spending too much time on our phones is necessarily throwing every piece of technology into the sea. Technology can actually help create some distance.

Use an e-reader instead of reading on your phone. Wake up with an actual alarm clock. Let a speaker play music without requiring you to stare at a screen.

The goal isn't to become anti-tech. I just want my phone to stop being the remote control for my entire existence.

Smart Tech Should Make Itself Scarce

The best technology should disappear into your routine. It does the job and leaves you alone.

That's what I want more of. Give me useful gadgets with good physical controls. Let them connect to my phone when that's genuinely helpful, then allow me to put the phone down and continue living my life.

And please stop making me create an account to turn on a lamp. We’ve gone too far.