I quit haulin' my phone into the woodlot.

[Whitespider]

In fact, I almost never have the darn thing on my person anymore... it just lays on the dash of my work van.

Nine months ago I started this thread...

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/209981.htm

Nine months and I haven't once "connected" to the internet with it, I haven't sent a single text message, I haven't installed a single "App", I don't have a clue how to make it take a picture, it has no music stored on it (I wouldn't know how-to anyway), I tried checking my e-mail with it just once and couldn't figure out how to read them (like I'd be able to read that tiny print anyway), and my fingers still can't make it do anything correctly. The only thing that has changed by taking away my small, compact, dumb, flip-phone and handing me the monstrosity called a "smart-phone" is I quit carrying it on my person. The girls in the office get frustrated with me because I never have my phone "on me" anymore... meaning they have to leave a message and wait for me to call when I get back in the van. I keep tellin' 'em... if'n it's bigger than a pack of non-filter smokes, I ain't carrying it.

My daughter was playing with it on Sunday...
"Gee dad, did you know you have over 50 unread text messages? Dad! You don't even read the ones I send you! Doesn't your phone ring or something when you get a text?"
"Nope... I shut that annoying noise off!!

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

Yeah, progress sucks. I miss the simple times with the old brick phone. No "apps", no texts and no stupid emails. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Typhke]

I know how you feel. Although I'm just 22 and do read my messages :biggrin:
When I was 15 (7 years ago) I bought the newest Nokia E61i. Smartphone with complete keyboard although it has tiny keys. No touch screen because I knew it wouldn't survive long. The phone was pretty huge but no problem, as long as it does the job. Most of my friends called it a calculator because it was so big. It lasted me 5 years, good quality and I used probably all the functions it had (being a teenager and stuff you know). I had it going down the stairs more than once. Always in my pocket, had wood falling on me and the phone, beer kegs hitting it, all kinds of debris when grinding and welding. Anyway, after 5 years it died and I needed a new one.

Everybody who laughed with my calculator before had bought a big phone (with touch screen). I bought a Nokia E5, still avoiding touch screen, but it has failed me way too many times that I hate using it, always have it lying around somewhere on silent. I have lost it a few times and it's a pain to find it with silent mode on!:mad2: The battery failed within 3 months (my E61i still had the original after 5 years and it was still good), my microphone failed, then worked again, the speaker failed, the earphones failed and keeps giving pop ups, etc. The quality is just inferior to the older ones.

I'm sure my next phone is going to be a old school robust phone (or one from my boss). I don't need any functions anymore next to calling, texting, maybe a calendar and an alarm and that's it.

Or maybe, are these still available?

 

[ChipMonger]

LMAO. I hear ya on the phone whitespider. I have a smart phone, but my big fat fingers make it a pain in the ass to use. I have a couple apps, mainly news, weather and GPS if i ever need it for some reason. I have friends who have their whole lives on their phones; i dont take it to that level though.


On a different note...Are ya catching up from the miserable weather that you had, or hell, maybe still having? Crops coming in at all? and how about that new wood furnace you got?...I hate being a pest and/or highjacking your thread, im just interested in how your gonna install it.

 

[Whitespider]

Awwww heck, i got nothin' against progress...
It's just that I don't see the need, nor do i have the desire to be that "connected".
It's just flat infuriating to me when I'm kicked back enjoying myself, or I'm busy doing something, and then have my phone make some annoying noise indicating a text has arrived... I open it and it reads... "WSUP DUDE". Seriously?? You expect me to screw around finger-fumbling a cell phone trying to type out what I'm doin'? If you have a friggin' question, just call me so I can answer it... I ain't gonna' screw around for 15-minutes sending text messages back and forth when a 20-second call can cover it.

So... I just turned my text notifications OFF!
Now I get calls that start out like this... "Hey man, didn't ya' get my text?"

 

[turbo885]

i kinda miss those big old bag phones that were the first cell phones they worked almost anyplace and had a big old keypad and big numbers

 

[Whitespider]

ChipMonger,
It finally quit friggin' raining here on Saturday, looks like the next 7-10 days will be plenty of sun... FINALLY!
The crop fields (most of them) are just flat depressing to look at... many still have last year's corn stubble still standing in 'em.
The DAKA furnace is sittin' in the shop... I ain't even looked at it yet. Don't fret none though... When I get around to working on the install it I'll start a nice long thread that everybody will be tired of before it dies

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I try and keep my phone on me when cutting just in case something would happen.

Just might a chance of pulling out the phone and calling for help before I bleed out, pass out, etc.

I don't have texting at all. My plan doesn't have it.

 

[turnkey4099]

I carry a CP for emergency only when I am out 'wooding'. All I want is a thing I can make and receive a call on. My simple phone (that still had more crap on it than I wanted) died after a trip through the washing machine. Went to get a new one and they gave me the good news: There ARE no simple phones any more and if I bought a new phone that would upgrade my plan, as in upgrade from a $10/month charge to a $30/month. Take and shove it. They then handed me a "free" phone, one that had been turned in when someone upgraded. No charge. Fine. Home. Played with it for hours and never did find out how to make or receive a call. Had to go back and ask them.

Harry K

 

[Fifelaker]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/il1Byvn_vMA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> You might like this.

 

[Whitespider]

I own the album... the vinyl LP!

 

[Icehouse]

Smart phones are for"smart people" not me. I have a old very small flip phone that fits in my Carhartt t shirt pocket and doesn't fall out, even when crawling under a tree looking for the button end of the d¥¥n choker. Well after many years the charging port gave up, so off to the AT&T store. They laughed nobody wants those phones anymore. So on a hunch I headed for Wally World, buy Jov they had its twin, pay as you go phone but would accept my SIM card, so works still on my account and nobody knows any different. Don't think it takes pictures but who cares. Love my simple cheap, $14.95 little phone.

 

[ShaneLogs]

Bag phones work good! My uncle has one in his feller buncher and it goes miles into the woods and he gets all kind of service with it.

 

[zogger]

I carry a CP for emergency only when I am out 'wooding'. All I want is a thing I can make and receive a call on. My simple phone (that still had more crap on it than I wanted) died after a trip through the washing machine. Went to get a new one and they gave me the good news: There ARE no simple phones any more and if I bought a new phone that would upgrade my plan, as in upgrade from a $10/month charge to a $30/month. Take and shove it. They then handed me a "free" phone, one that had been turned in when someone upgraded. No charge. Fine. Home. Played with it for hours and never did find out how to make or receive a call. Had to go back and ask them.

Harry K

You can still buy cheap dumb phones. go into any dollar general, grab tyhe nearest 10 or 15 buck phone.

Me, digging my new smart phone, I don't mind more features/more storage and a better camera. Only paid 50 bucks brand new. Last semi decent dumb phone was 100, this one is just loads better, lot more stuff to use, more powerful all around, bettery battery.

The best way to learn smart phones (computers, a new operating system or application, whatever, tech gadget) is ONE thing at a time, don't try to learn the whole thing all at once.

As for fat finger itis, grab something soft that wont scratch the screen and use it as a stylus maybe?

 

[AIM]

I used to be just like you. Didn't want. Didn't need it. Give me a good ol flip phone any day.

Fact is now I've gotten to where I really like a smart phone and use it a lot.

I text and found out that there are benefits to it. For example: A customer can text me and say "call me when you get a minute" and I can return that call when I have good service, can concentrate on what his needs are and quiet surroundings versus when equipment is running and I can barely hear him while I have 10 things going on at once. (this happens a LOT) Plus if there is some change to the day I can text all of my employees at once versus individual calls to each one. saves time and a lot of it.
All my employees have smart phones and I give em hell if they don't check there texts every morning.

The weather app is priceless for my work. Use the camera frequently for work. Snap a pic of a problem and text or email to the customer if there is a decision that needs made. Before they would have to come out to the job and see the problem.

I'm not glued to my phone like some people are but it's not often I'm without it during work hours.

I look up phone numbers daily it seems.

Once you start using them you'll realize how nice they are.

Why ride a horse when you can drive a car?

 

[turbo885]

Bag phones work good! My uncle has one in his feller buncher and it goes miles into the woods and he gets all kind of service with it.

The bag phones had more power some rule of the fcc allowed them to be i think around twice the wattage

 

[JRepairsK70e]

I had a motorola bag phone in my truck for years 5 watts analog [it would place a call anywhere ] didnt want to retire it but the cell svc dropped all the analog freqs ,,wasnt thrilled with digital ,still many weak/dead areas in the norfeast :msp_mad:

 

[flashhole]

Fifelaker - that Joe Walsh link brings back memories. He used to play at a place called the Draught House with his band Barnstorm in rural Ohio outside of Akron in the early 70's. Good times then. Man am I old.

To the OP - Been a professional engineer and technologist for almost 4 decades and still prefer the simple phone. Talk to me dam# it. Texting is a plague on society. I was not born a digital native but by necessity I became a digital immigrant.

 

[turbo885]

I had a motorola bag phone in my truck for years 5 watts analog [it would place a call anywhere ] didnt want to retire it but the cell svc dropped all the analog freqs ,,wasnt thrilled with digital ,still many weak/dead areas in the norfeast :msp_mad:

same thing here i didnt want to switch. the new little phone i had to switch to sucked compared to the bag phone

 

[Dogsout]

Don't have to worry about carrying mine unless I want to rip it off of my living room wall. Don't have a cell and don't want one.