iPhone

[Irulan]

I'm debating if I should keep my landline. I think the only thing I would need it for would be is to call my mother in Japan, but I can probably circumvent that by using a calling card. I've had my phone number for about 20 years now so I'm kind of attached to it, too, but that's a silly reason to hang onto a $40 monthly fee.

You don't use Skype? My sister and her son travel extensively, and that is all they ever use for international calls. It is either free or a very minimal cost.

[Blueberry]

We have multiple voip lines - a business and business fax and a home line. No "regular land line." The voip providers have you identify the location of the home with them, and they supposedly let 911 know that. Thankfully, I haven't needed to test that technology.

[GLC1968]

Oh, I wasn't saying don't have a phone!

Oh, I know! My comment wasn't supposed to be directed at you...just adding additional commentary!

I had a similar situation when I was in HS. I was on my way to a friends house on a Friday night and I drove by a car that was completely wrapped around a tree. It was on a dark, curvy road where there were very few houses and there was no one around the accident scene at all. I immediately felt panic and of course, this was long before cell phones (or PC's...but who's counting?). I continued on my route because there was a pay phone at the end of the road near the library that I could use. Turns out, before I got there, a bunch of cops with lights and sirens went flying by me, so I figured they'd already been notified. I found out on Monday that the guy was a fellow students father who had fallen asleep at the wheel. He survived, but based on what I saw, I can't imagine how. Scary.

We used to keep a land line for internet when we lived in NC, but we haven't had one since we moved out here 3.5 years ago (cable internet now).

Oh, and personally, I think my smartphone gives me more privacy. I get to choose when I answer it or not. With a land line, there was no 'silent' switch.

[Irulan]

We have multiple voip lines - a business and business fax and a home line. No "regular land line." The voip providers have you identify the location of the home with them, and they supposedly let 911 know that. Thankfully, I haven't needed to test that technology.

I need to look into the cost of VOIP for our fax and bus. line.

[smilingcat]

Hi Oak,

You might want to check into "naked DSL". Check with your internet service provider. Naked DSL is you still have the telephone line. You have DSL service but no telephone service.

Where I live now, the only telephone service is from COMCAST and they have locked out all other DSL service. We are all too aware of COMCAST and decided not to do any business with them.

We use 4G wireless for our internet connection through Clearwire Communication and as a back up I have a 3G wireless back up through Virgin Mobile. The backup service is pay as you go by month. So most of the time its inactive with no bills to pay. I only pay $40 for one month use when I need it. Last time it was active was about 5 month ago.

All telephone calls are made with Ooma VoIP. Their basic plan is free. You just have to pay about $180.00 for their equipment. You can buy it at Costco. No real complaints. all my long distance call is free. All my local call is free. no monthly charge for the telephone.

For us we only pay for clear wire's monthly 4G service around $40/mo. and oh my ISP Earthlink. I guess I could give up earthlink and just use my google account or Yahoo account.

Hope this helps.

[smilingcat]

I tell people like my insurance agent and my CPA to scan the document and send it in e-mail rather than FAX. My real-estate management agent uses e-mail.

Just be aware some may send the file in MS format and you will need to upload a special program to read it. It's on my regular computer so can't remember its name off hand. I think it was winmail????

FAX I hope would die soon. Its more of a hassle. Not happy over 3G or 4G connection. For that matter, not happy over internet connection.

[badger]

I forgot about VOIP. I can't skype my mother because she doesn't have internet connection in her home. But I can make calls to landlines from Skype. I used Skype daily to talk to my ex so I'm just so skyped out and really wanting to avoid it but I suppose for the sake of saving money I can make amends again. And on my iPhone I can have a skype app and I'm sure I can make calls through it!

[Crankin]

I guess I should have said my land line is VoIP. No old fashioned
phones in my house.

[Blueberry]

Fax won't die until the rules of court allow attorneys to serve documents on each other via email.

I've encountered a surprising number of people who don't email, but who do fax. I thought most people had moved into the "digital age"

[jessmarimba]

It is possible to set up a phone number so that when someone faxes something, it goes to an email account. I don't know how to do it, but our research assistant in the corporate office had a "fax" number that worked that way.

[badger]

I got my new iPhone! woo hoo! It's purty!

[Dogmama]

I really went back & forth. I got the Droid Bionic for two basic reasons:

1. You can't change the battery in the IPhone. It has to go back to Apple to maintain warranty.
2. I get 4G with the Bionic. The IPhone only gets 3G.
3. (OK, I lied) I wonder about Apple as a going concern now that Steve Jobs is gone. He took the company from bankruptcy to here. Granted, Apple's technology is probably laid out for the next two years, but then what?

The sound clarity is awesome both on the phone & with the Bluetooth. I wanted a good mapping function so when I'm on my bike at BFE, I can see what's really "down that road." I even pulled up my own address and there was a picture of my house. Spooky. I have zero sense of direction, so I'll be using it a lot. It has Google (not Bing, which I think sux) and responds to voice searches as well as typed.

I also wanted to be able to access the web. This phone can also act as a wi-fi hotspot, although I understand it really sucks out the battery juice. I got the extended battery so I should be good all day. I read books on a kindle & don't think I'll ever watch a movie on my phone.

I sat down with the owner's manual & within a couple of hours, I was completely up to speed, had everything arranged, my calendar put in (you can put your calender on gmail and it transfers to the phone - too cool). I'm NOT a techie, so the phone must be pretty simple.

[NbyNW]

It is possible to set up a phone number so that when someone faxes something, it goes to an email account. I don't know how to do it, but our research assistant in the corporate office had a "fax" number that worked that way.

There are third-party services that do this. I use one called faxaway.com. It's quite inexpensive. I'm sure there are many more out there.

[NbyNW]

Yay, Badger! Have fun with the new gardget!

[Irulan]

I got my new iPhone! woo hoo! It's purty!

If you get stuck on how to do something, just google it. There are some great tips for iphone site and more out there.