5 days Ago By Sarang Sheth
This year’s been exhausting, hasn’t it?! Especially the last few weeks have been emotionally and mentally draining, and it isn’t just the news, but more specifically, it’s the information overload we’ve been subjected to. Even for a device small enough to fit in our pockets, the smartphone is capable of creating a lot of ‘noise’ in the form of news, texts, calls, notifications, ads, and a lot of data clutter that can overwhelm our brains. This data clutter and relentless bombardment of information is what led to the creation of the Mudita Kompakt, a phone that prioritizes mindful living over doomscrolling.
Created by the minds behind CD Projekt (think The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077), Mudita Kompakt reflects co-founder Michał Kiciński’s personal journey toward a more balanced life. After years in the gaming industry, where endless connection was the norm, he sought a solution to keep people both connected and grounded. That drive led to Mudita’s mission to design devices that encourage simplicity, privacy, and a conscious digital experience.
Designer: Mudita (32% off). Hurry, only 2/900 left! Raised over $336,000. The Mudita Kompakt keeps things refreshingly simple.
Its 4.3-inch E Ink display is easy on the eyes and demands very little power. That’s right—this phone’s battery can last up to six days, which, in today’s daily-charging world, feels almost revolutionary.
Inside, it packs a quad-core MediaTek processor, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage (expandable via memory card). Sure, these aren’t flagship specs, but that’s really not the point. It’s all about cutting the clutter and retaining only the things that ‘spark joy’ here.
Mudita keeps it lean, pre-loading only the most basic apps like phone, SMS, a calculator, and a voice recorder—none of those attention-demanding apps or bloatware that love to ping you at all hours. For a phone, the Mudita Kompakt offers dual-SIM capabilities, with 4G LTE compatibility. You can make and receive calls on either SIM and even make/receive VoLTE or Wi-Fi calls, offering connectivity without much of a compromise.
Given its entire premise is to stay disconnected from the clutter of the internet, it clearly doesn’t come with 5G, but that’s more of a feature than a bug, truth be told. There’s even support for eSIMs, which is perfect for carriers that don’t traditionally offer SIM cards. For a phone that strives to be different from the status quo, it still makes a conscious effort to retain features that are cutting-edge.
.. only if they matter to Mudita’s overarching ethos.
You may not have a flashy screen and 5G connectivity, but the Kompakt DOES come with a fingerprint sensor to unlock your phone, ensuring biometric-grade security feels reassuring. Surprisingly enough, the phone comes with NFC support too, allowing you to use existing NFC tags around the house, as well as ensuring future compatibility with NFC-ready apps that Mudita may introduce down the road. What’s remarkable about the Kompakt is its genuine intent to keep users focused on the real world, not the screen.
It features an Offline+ mode activated by a physical switch, cutting off cell networks, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, and even disabling the mics and camera for a true offline experience. Think of it as Airplane Mode on steroids, with no features that cause you to linger on your phone for too long. You can read existing messages (you won’t receive new ones), browse through your gallery, or listen to music without any distractions.
All these actions have heavy intent behind them, so you’re less likely to end up in a doomscrolling spiral. On the design front, the Mudita Kompakt feels compact, sturdy, and unassuming. It boasts an IP54 rating, meaning it’s resistant to dust and splashes, so it can hold up to daily wear without needing a bulky case.
While it does include a modest 8MP camera, this isn’t about capturing every detail of your day—just the moments you truly want to remember. Photos get displayed in greyscale on your E Ink display, adding a rather retro touch to your photography chops. And for the rare occasion you need to recharge, it’s conveniently equipped with wireless charging and a USB-C port, keeping up with modern conveniences.
The Kompakt’s software is built on a custom OS based on the Android Open Source Project. The twist? There’s no Google lurking in the background, collecting data. Mudita promises three years of software updates to keep things smooth, even though this isn’t the kind of phone that’ll be weighed down by big updates.
That’s another angle to the Kompakt’s appeal: minimal fuss, minimal distraction, and maximum control over what you interact with. Of course, going minimalist does have its trade-offs. There’s no Google Play Store here, so you won’t find a wide selection of apps.
Mudita provides basic offline maps, a music player, and a few utilities like a meditation timer, voice recorder, an e-reader, and even a chess app that promises you won’t find yourself getting bored. You can, however, sideload other Android apps, although compatibility isn’t guaranteed. For those of us used to feature-packed smartphones, adjusting to a stripped-down OS could be tricky.
But that’s the appeal—it’s a purposeful move away from digital noise, offering just enough functionality to meet core needs without temptations. A true digital detox, if you will. Another perk of the Kompakt is privacy.
Since it doesn’t sync with most cloud services, your data stays on your device. Sure, it may feel a bit old-fashioned to manage contacts and files through Mudita’s desktop app, but for privacy-minded users, this setup grants peace of mind. It’s a minor detour to ditch the endless cloud syncs and data-hungry services tracking your every move.
The Kompakt is available starting at $316 for early adopters, with a 14-day money-back guarantee just in case the Kompakt feels like too much of a culture shock. Mudita offers Global and North American versions of the Kompakt, so it’s compatible with networks worldwide. Just don’t expect it to work everywhere yet—currently, it’s only shipping to select countries in Europe, the U.
S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Oh, and just in case you were wondering.
.. it has a 3.
5mm audio jack! (32% off). Hurry, only 2/900 left! Raised over $336,000..
