Smartphone to "dumb" phone

[Swan]

On another note - any tips on how to stay OFF the net... ;-)

I'm an internet addict (which is apparently getting added to psychology manuals this year), and my best tip to getting off the net is to do something else that you enjoy. I spent hours on my bike up until my back gave out, and during that time I didn't surf the web at all, which is really saying something since I'll go without sleep in order to constantly refresh different web pages. I thought about websites and checking my e-mail and how I needed to refresh that one page a few more times... But as long as I was biking, I felt like "Eh, I can put it off til this hill or that one or maybe just when I get back home." It wasn't too hard, even though my phone comes with me on rides and has internet right there... Granted, I did check FB once or twice during a break in riding, but it was nothing like sitting in front of the computer for two days straight without sleep!


(go on, you can all laugh at how sad of a person I am now, lol)


Edit: I switched to Verizon and it is pretty expensive, but since I live out in the woods their superior coverage is a must if I want to stay connected at all to the outside world. I can even get 4G out here! $10 per 10gb in data is a little harsh, but as emily pointed out, wifi is spreading... if 4G is here, wifi can't be too far behind! Hopefully I won't need to pay so much for data soon!

[Blueberry]

We went from Verizon to tmobile. We pay about $53 per month for unlimited talk, text and web (though the first 100mb only are fast). We do not have a contract, and that inclus taxes, etc. Coverage isn't as good as Verizon, but the bill is much less. Might be an option for those wanting to explore another carrier. Tmobile uses at&t's towers, so I doubt there's much of a difference in coverage.

I think about giving up the smart phone now that I have an ipad, since I rarely go anywhere without wifi. But - we used synced calendars, and I really wouldn't save much (and would have to buy a new phone). We'll see.

[OakLeaf]

I've only had a smartphone for about two and a half years, but I had a standalone PDA for at least five years before that (I think longer).

It's the PDA features I really couldn't live without. Being able to schedule my next hair appointment while I'm in the salon for the last one. Finding the phone number of a person or business I call frequently enough to be in my contact book, but not so frequently that I know it by memory. Adding things to a shopping list as soon as I realize I need them, and knowing the list will be there no matter when or how I get to the store.

The real choice, I think, isn't between smartphone and standalone "dumb" phone. It's between electronic management vs. carrying around a big paper book like we used to do, or multiple slips of paper that may or may not ever get re-written where they're supposed to, and that don't automatically remind us of stuff.

And yeah. Texting with a numerical keypad is a huge PITA, though predictive spelling is way better than it used to be and DH got pretty adept with it before he finally got his iPhone.

[Catrin]

[QUOTE=OakLeaf;667233....
The real choice, I think, isn't between smartphone and standalone "dumb" phone. It's between electronic management vs. carrying around a big paper book like we used to do, or multiple slips of paper that may or may not ever get re-written where they're supposed to, and that don't automatically remind us of stuff.

And yeah. Texting with a numerical keypad is a huge PITA, though predictive spelling is way better than it used to be and DH got pretty adept with it before he finally got his iPhone.[/QUOTE]

Good food for thought. And if I were to do this, it would have to have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard

[Koronin]

I'm another who never got a smartphone in the first place. I have a dumb phone with a nice keyboard and ok picture capabilities. That said we did recently buy a tablet. However that is mostly for use either while traveling, or for my work (which it may or may not work out for). And apparently it's for a few game apps that my husband put on there and he keeps playing (Angry Birds and a tower defence game).

[Kiwi Stoker]

I don't think you are going to get a "good" camera in a dumb phone. Most simple phones are made to a price point and you simply won't get a good camera in them. In my experience with phones with cameras it wasn't until I got to around 5mp or above that the pictures were useful for anything other than viewing on the phone's tiny screen.

[Pedal Wench]

Another one with a dumb phone and a wifi tablet. And I'm supposedly the techy one. Had a guy at CES give me crap because I'm in the consumer electronics industry and I don't have a smart phone. He was pushing his product that lets your phone talk to your fridge. Really???

[jobob]

What does the fridge say?

[shootingstar]

I could never give up a home desktop or less desirable, a laptop. It's his laptop.
I actually dislike laptops unless I hook up a larger keyboard...it's the erogonomics of my hands in relation to tabletop...I'm extremely picky since I spend hrs. at home, on the computer, Internet. (I don't have a tv.)

I could never spend several hrs. on a handheld device for internet, email and texting. I did try with iPad (which was given to me for work) for hrs. and found my neck hurt, squinting at text, etc.

I can't even imagine blogging (and I spend several hrs. writing 1 blog post, plus preparing the photos) on a handheld device. I don't just post a photo with 2 lines for text. It's more content than at that.

Maybe I lead a dull life compared to many others, because seriously I don't get a ton of personal email daily so no need to check constantly. 1-2 check times in the evening is good enough for me. I know that I at least want to check my email for that low frequency even if only for 5 min. So I'm not addicted, expecting much of any personal email. I didn't request to be hooked into the corporate work email network. No reason.

I don't have siblings nor friends who exchange emails every week, much less every few days. It doesn't work that with me/us. And we love each other. Am I missing something somehow in human connections? I don't have children. I don't have a job that puts me on call with other workers, clients when I leave the workplace. (Thank God.) I actually think I'm an useful, but dispensable employee. (Believe me, this attitude comes after working for several good employers. Learned lots from each, but moved on and know I have been replaced by others.)

Or maybe I'm just...11 yrs. away from retirement vs. 30 years away from retirement.

Dearie is the person that I phone, skype or email when I can't see him immediately in person.. 1-2 times per day.

[Owlie]

I don't have a smartphone, at least not yet. Don't want to pay for the data plan, although I'm sure in a few years it'll be forced on all of us. When I upgraded my secondary phone, they had one or two non-smart options. I can see the utility, though. It might be more useful if I weren't attached to my computer all day.

My sister got a Galaxy tablet that she is addicted to. (She's the early technology adopter, though.) While we were both home over Christmas, she said "I don't know how I ever dealt with just having a laptop." Really?

[shootingstar]

When I become disabled/less mobile etc., I'll get the hand held computers, etc.

Maybe I should explain something:

The bulk of my 30- yr. career is on managing information and working with people how research and assess information sources via electronic sources. I have been in front of computers for over 75% of the time during all my full-time jobs. The rest of the time is with clients. The most interesting part of my jobs has been with people...face to face, also understanding human behaviour-computer interaction.

So in my personal life, the last thing I want to do is to become very dependent and hooked to electronic communicative devices.

[Swan]

Tablets are lightweight and have a different range of functions than a laptop, so I can understand Owlie's sister's sentiment...

Shootingstar, I respect that a lot! I typucally shy away from face-to-face interaction, so I really admire you for liking it so much. And it's great to not be addicted to tehnology! You mentioned not wanting to blog on a mobile device, which I sympathized with. I bought a separate, laptop-size keyboard that connects to my phone via bluetooth to work around that (it's the same keyboard I used for my iPad). So much easier for those lengthier blog entries!

[lph]

What does the fridge say?

This reminded me of a friend way back when in university, who liked to record confusing messages on his phone's answering machine. My favourite was this one:

"Hello! I'm afraid the phone is busy right now. This is the fridge speaking. If you speak veery slowly, I'll write it down on a post-it, and stick to my door. Thank you for calling."

<squeaking back on topic> Question for those of you with smart phones - what function or app do you use most, or appreciate most? Or is it more the general availability of everything?

[Becky]

<squeaking back on topic> Question for those of you with smart phones - what function or app do you use most, or appreciate most? Or is it more the general availability of everything?

Most often, I use Google Maps, YNAB (budgeting app that works in conjunction with a desktop version), my calendar, my gym's schedule app, and general internet access for stuff like "what time does this store open?". I also like Slacker Radio, especially its caching feature. I keep track of books that I've read in my phone so that I don't buy duplicates at the used bookstore. I use Facebook too- it's a great way to stay in touch with my riding groups and plan rides.

General availability is a big part of it for me, especially when I'm on local field assignments or long-distance travel and thus away from a computer.

[Catrin]

...
<squeaking back on topic> Question for those of you with smart phones - what function or app do you use most, or appreciate most? Or is it more the general availability of everything?

Good question, and a very helpful one. For me I spend the most time with the PDA and alarm functions. There are several diet/fitness apps I use quite a lot, and I've been known to use my Nook reader app as well. I THINK I use the internet apps less than those things as I get irritated with the small screen for the browser and I tend to make more mistakes in typing emails on my phone than otherwise. I READ a lot on it, but type little. Regardless I need access to my work email on my phone, and that little detail means that I would save little by making the switch - so that consideration is removed.