Mobile data is a near necessity in today’s busy world, but it’s also far from reliable. Sometimes we run out of data unexpectedly after an accidental or background download. Other times slow local connections can hamper our ability to use our online connections as we would like. Whatever the reason, occasional bouts of limited data or slow connection speeds are an unavoidable reality of how mobile phones operate.
Understanding and having dealt with this ourselves, we thought it would be a good idea to go over some low-data mobile uses which can help in keeping us entertained. These might require a little prep-work, but the effort is worth it.
Low-Data Games
Many online games today on mobiles measure in the hundreds of megabytes, with some even taking up multiple gigs of your mobile’s precious storage space. Even if you download these at home, some require enormous ongoing data transfers that can cause you to hit your limits almost instantly. For example, a single game of PUBG can use up to 50 megabytes of data, and the game download itself can use up a massive 25 gigabytes. Other apps with a smaller storage footprint, such as the nostalgic crazyDrivers racing game, also provide vast levels of portable entertainment, but it’s still worth considering the impact of being connected to the internet while using it.
An alternative to this is games that have small downloads, with much smaller ongoing data costs. Android slots online are a popular example of these smaller entries. Downloads here commonly measure in or around 10 megabytes for games like Siberian Storm and Starburst, with some providers like NetEnt boasting a data cost of around 1 kilobyte per spin. For reference, that’s 50,000 spins to match the cost of a larger PUBG game.
Another idea can be to simply turn to games that operate on a download-only basis. This is a sortable category by Google Play and the iOS Store and can help get you set up for dozens of hours of dataless play. Stardew Valley is a fantastic example of these types of games, and one which can be endlessly entertaining no matter when and where you play. Minecraft is also a popular choice, where long gameplay sessions result in more developed worlds to share and brag about to friends and family.
Games like these will tend to require larger downloads than those in the slots example, with Stardew Valley and Minecraft coming in at 128 and 300 megabytes respectively. That said, they will still be considerably smaller than the likes of PUBG and will require no ongoing online connections once installed.
Downloadable Movies and TV
The other popular choice, which can require some pre-emptive work, is loading your device with television shows and movies for later viewing. Online streaming services like Netflix and Hulu offer ways to download their shows for this very purpose, while other systems like YouTube can also have their videos downloaded with a little hard work.
You only need to be sure that you load something interesting enough to hold attention, but not something which is so engaging that you watch it before a limited data situation raises its head. It’s a fine line, so consider carefully.
Ultimately, getting entertainment use out of mobiles with limited data is not difficult, it just requires a little work. As a side note, you might also consider carrying a separate charging pack in your daily carry, should a data blackout drag on. Rather than rolling the dice, get ahead of the curve, and your 30 minutes or several hours of boredom could be turned from frustration into real time to relax and enjoy yourself.