★★★★★ 5
Cut your screen time without sacrificing convenience
Color: Blue
I've been wanting to switch to a "Dumb" phone to cut back on my screen time, but I was nervous about needing navigation and the internet away from home.
Well! The Jelly Star is a fantastic solution.
Cons:
-Obviously, typing can be quite difficult. But the audio transcription features work very well.
-The small screen means that every small finger gesture can trigger an unintended action
Pros:
-No loss of function. This phone can do 98% of anything a full size phone can do.
-Cut screen time immediately
I read a lot about this phone, but still wasn't sure what it could handle. My main goal was to cut screen time so I took a shot on it.
Right out of the box I was surprised at how "normal" it was in every way but the size and shape. I was able to still use all of the apps I used on my old phone, I could set up my home screen with widgets I had before, and download the same custom ringtones. Even the youtube popup viewing window, screen recording, messenger! It feels exactly the same to use as any other android phone, just incredibly small.
The camera, audio, fingerprint scanner and microphone are all meh, but completely acceptable for a fully functional smartphone that cost $200.
Now, did it help with screen time? YES! Right away I really lost the desire to get "stuck" watching videos. The phone doesn't take up much of your field of vision; its hard to get sucked in and not be immediately distracted by the real world outside your screen. And as it was intended, the small phone screen (while serviceable in every way), just isn't much fun to be on.
Typing on this phone is a bit slow and methodic, I make more phone calls and speak to people in my life a bit more regularly.
And of course, I still crave entertainment but I have been choosing more audio books, music and podcasts over scrolling on tiktok/instagram/facebook.
Having only had this phone a short time, I am blown away by how both effective and usable it is! If you want to cut down on screen time but not give up the convenience of a smart phone, this is the phone for you!
For the price it comes with a screen protector (Applied), and extra screen protector, case, cable, brick, and a strap! It comes fully protected out of the box.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2026
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