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Am i alone?

Before I retired last April I would take mine to work and call my wife about 1 time each night when I was on break. Since I've retired about the only time it is on is when I'm away from the house driving. I also have a prepaid Tracfone and it's about $21 every 3 months.

Before I retired one of the younger guys (about 23 years old) told me that he knew a whole lot more about a smartphone that I did. After I agreed with him I told him yeah but I know a whole lot more about things that are actually useful like building a house, repairing my home, working on a car and lots of other things..
 
With all the problems this country has controlling data, just having a simple bank account and being careful what sites you go on stops allot of problems with the wrong kind of people. Because you don’t always exactly know who you are protecting yourself from. These credit assessment companies have lost control of people’s personal identities to include enough information to buy a car in your name if they make a phoney ID in your name. But if you don’t have the habit of buying things on time....it’s not such a worry. Facebook is nothing more that a tracking program....that doubles as personal entertainment for those stuck on themselves.
 
peerson said:
I use a Tracfone. It takes/makes calls, can send and receive text messages.
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same. I'm on my third phone from them. The others got replaced when they quit working, I think both were near the 5 year old mark. Minutes mostly get added to extend service, the smallest number I can buy to get 90 days worth. It ends up costing me very little to get a phone that I primarily use for taking pictures of things so I can remember how to re-assemble them and to give me something to read in the can at work. I download free books on it, some of them are relatively terrible but I've gotten Jules Verne novels, all of the Edgar Rice Burroughs "Mars" novels, Frankensein, Treasure Island and some other stuff that doesn't come to mind for free.
 
No social media stuff for me, but there are apps that support my interests, like photography and astronomy, plus I find it useful for communicating with tradespeople like exterminators, electricians, gardener, house painter. For example, if you're going someplace scenic, it's useful to know the exact direction of sunrise/set and moonrise/set for photography. Also, Tucson and other places have implemented paying parking by cell phone. Another favorite of mine is GPS apps to mark where you parked the car. Being able to attach photos to text messages has been very useful for some household projects. I originally got a cell phone in 2006 when the cardiac rehab nurses recommended it for emergencies, and gradually upgraded until I got the smartphone. I use it very little for calls (except for those tradespeople), but I do text hi to my sister every day, and she has instructions to call the neighbor or an ambulance if I don't.

So, I am not glued to the thing, but I have uses.

PS - I forgot: there is an app for the barber/stylist chain I use, so I can check in online and spend the waiting time doing something useful instead of sitting reading outdated magazines. Also, I download electronic coupons for the grocery store.
 
First, let it be known I'm a high school teacher. Secondly, no I don't have one, yes my wife does and sometimes I'll ask her look something up, make a call, but that's about it. Yes, there are times I'd like to look something up, but I know that should I have a smart phone I would spend waaaaay to much time distracting myself. Now someone go into my classroom and ask the students would they agree smartphones have taken control?
 
I may be heading in the opposite direction here. I've been happily using a $25 flip phone with a 40$ text/data plan. My wife, OTOH, is the gadget fanatic and has, for years, had an Iphone with some apps I can appreciate. GPS, which has come in handy, Pandora, which we both love and she stores her music "in the cloud". All of which were accesssable via an aux input on the radio.

Now, I just bought a new car (leftover 2017 Hyundai Sonata SE) with a 7" touch screen that can integrate all those functions into that vehicle, all via a USB cable and/or bluetooth. Additionally, it can use voice commands to make.take phone calls.

I'm seriously considering an Iphone simply for these features. The teen age grand daughters are jumping up and down for joy with the prospect of teaching grumpa how to use these new fangled thingies.

The only issue now is that I'm a cheapskate and don't really wanna buy a several hundred dollar phone and pay for an unlimited data plan.

Oh, one other feature about this new car I love (unrelated to smart phones) is that it can read music from a flash drive. I how have my entire music collection on a memory stick. I'm now in the process of reorganizing it into several logically related folders for easier access on the flash drive.

It's amazing the changes that have occurred since I bought my last Hyundai in 2004.
 
tybrad said:
People do not become smarter from smartphone use- quite the opposite. In general, people don't 'think' anymore since someone can just look it up. Smartness requires thoughtful pause, idea synthesis and integration, and contemplation, not regurgitation of isolated facts. I cannot tell you the number of times that I've had to say to a group as they do the 'ole quick draw (old West-style), "Hey. Let's use some brainpower and conversation to figure this out."

And for THAT same reason, you are correct on the second part- dumb, unthinking people believe that they are smarter
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My brother is a successful engineer, a man who is probably more intelligent than I am. He uses it regularly for practical reasons (using it as a dictionary, for example) but he will be never ensalved by this little device. Billions of people are.

Maybe saying "make people smarter" is not precise enough, I should better have said "more educated".
 
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HarmanKardon said:
My brother is a successful engineer, a man who is probably more intelligent than I am. He uses it regularly for practical reasons (using it as a dictionary, for example) but he will be never ensalved by this little device. Billions of people are.

Maybe saying "make people smarter" is not precise enough, I should better have said "more educated".
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I will not agree, and even less so with the word, 'educated'. The ability to look up facts does not indicate anything of value to me- only that you can use two opposable thumbs and something called Google. I must say that I'm a little surprised that you are thinking this way. Oh well.
 
Oh yah, the cell phone, I have one of those around here somewhere...

Really only use it as a telephone to actually speak to people. As far as social media, AK is the only place I visit or participate in.
 
no cell phone here, ran off the road to many times by distracted drivers, and i get flak about it all the time, what if you need to make a call? answer: go borrow a phone, what if you get lost? answer: its called a compass, or a road atlas, what if you need information? answer: its called a dictionary. etc. etc. people got along just fine from the start of mankind until the 80,s without them, they have uses for sure, but as others have said it distracts people in such a way that a lot of folks cant carry out a plain old conversation.
 
tybrad said:
I will not agree, and even less so with the word, 'educated'. The ability to look up facts does not indicate anything of value to me- only that you can use two opposable thumbs and something called Google. I must say that I'm a little surprised that you are thinking this way. Oh well.
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Being educated does not just mean stupidly collecting wiki and google info. It is about what we do with this info, for example, by learning a foreign language using a smartphone app and this is what I was trying to express, Tyler. Oh well.
 
No smart phone, I-Pad or cell phone for me. Never sent a text or posted a tweet. My main phone at home (on a standard landline) is a 1970s office desk phone with push buttons. The thing is a tank that has far outlived other supposedly "superior" techno innovations over the years.
 
parman said:
Like all the billions of others I use my android all day long
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Yup, I use mine quite a lot too. Mostly for browsing Internet and a few calls/texts here and there.

I do not use Facebook or any of that sort of thing. I don't have those accounts, doubtful I ever will. I do find it a bit annoying and at the same time a bit humorous when I get the phishing emails that my Facebook account needs my attention. Yup...sure it does....LOL.
 
I'm guilty i use my smart phone for work. I surf AK riding a commuter train. I get emails and drawings at work though my phone. and food shopping lists from the Mrs.
OTOH, this is as close to social media as i get. I have never taken a selfie. I am profoundly proud of that.:D
Also i talk hands free in the car. One of the few places where i'm alone and its quiet
 
peerson said:
I use a Tracfone. It takes/makes calls, can send and receive text messages. The phone cost me $39.99 in 2012. I "Pay as You Go". I spend about $50/year on minutes (usually just to extend the time-you only get 3 months with the purchase of minutes).
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This ^^^^...

Only difference is mine is only for making calls and NOT for receiving them,as it is never turned on unless I'm making a call.
And I almost never text,and if I do it's only with my friends that insist on texting (which is mainly just this one friend of mine :rolleyes: ).

Have taken maybe two pics with it.
And I used the calculator once.

FWIW

Bret P.
 
tybrad said:
I will not agree, and even less so with the word, 'educated'. The ability to look up facts does not indicate anything of value to me- only that you can use two opposable thumbs and something called Google. I must say that I'm a little surprised that you are thinking this way. Oh well.
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You're saying if one learns something from reading/research on Internet it is less valuable/less meaningful than if it is learned from reading/research in books at the library?

I understand walking into performance review and asking for a raise based on "I'm good at looking up stuff in the Internet." probably ain't going anywhere for most jobs, but learning always adds value even if just to self.
 
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Djcoolray said:
With all the problems this country has controlling data, just having a simple bank account and being careful what sites you go on stops allot of problems with the wrong kind of people. Because you don’t always exactly know who you are protecting yourself from. These credit assessment companies have lost control of people’s personal identities to include enough information to buy a car in your name if they make a phoney ID in your name. But if you don’t have the habit of buying things on time....it’s not such a worry. Facebook is nothing more that a tracking program....that doubles as personal entertainment for those stuck on themselves.
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No, it isn't "entertainment for those stuck on themselves." I have reconnected with family members that I would've had no way of reconnecting with if not for Facebook. If not for Facebook, I wouldn't have connected with like minded people that like the same TV shows I do; I often get a laugh during the day when a friend posts a picture of quote from The Beverly Hillbillies. I have friends who post devotionals or Bible verses that inspire me. I have friends who post thought provoking political articles; I might not always agree with what they're posting, but if it helps me to research my own position further, it's not for naught. Our church uses Facebook to reach out to those who can't make service. I don't have a weather radio; my phone and Facebook are excellent ways to get notified of severe weather heading my way as I'm out in the country where there are no sirens.

As far as phone use itself, I don't talk to a lot of people. Two of my three sons like to call me, and my best friend/sister and I talk and text all the time. I talk to her hubby if I find something of interest to share with him since he's no longer on Facebook. I talk to my Dad a time or two a week since he doesn't have Facebook.

Just because someone has a Facebook account does not mean they are some silly, vain person.
 
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