Has digital communication improved your life? (high school, live, price)

[tcrackly]

I have the PN-20 handheld. I've already downloaded several aerial maps of favorite Downeast haunts to my computer. The interface deal is great. We map out hunting and fishing routes then upload to the handheld unit. It got me out of a few misdirected turns in MA. Works out great when my forgetful 87 year old mother can't remember exact destination directions for appointments. Some of the Delorme maps have not kept up well with new Boston highway exchanges ..either that or I can't figure 'em out.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by boonelsewhere

I was the last in my family to get cell phone and PC. wife can not with out them. I get cell phone when we building house in the wood, still keep them but hardly use it. I get the PC when the company offered to pay for, all i have to do is to use it when not at the office.
I use PC a lot now, for my day to day tasks with out have to leave home.
the internet alow me to open up a bit(haha, hide behide the screen).

Rummage around on that pc and see if it has a spell checker.

[maine4.us]

I'm good for digital except for the new digital HDTV. The range of the new and improved TV sux. I live 17 miles (flat land) from two stations and get nothing on their new HD signals. I am going to have to put a rooftop antenna up to get ABC and NBC. The government sold us out when HD was approved. They received billions of buck for the frequencies that analog TV operated on. Now we are stuck with either having to put up an outside antenna or get cable or a dish. When you ask about HD from dish or cable, you get a price that will make you take a deep breath. Love digital phones, and other stuff, but TV is a bummer.

[BacktoNE]

GPS! I forgot about that. Got DH a TomTom for Christmas and it paid for itself the first week! He was in a new area, hit some really severe weather and needed to spend an unexpected night out. He found a hotel in mere seconds with the GPS and it directed him straight into the parking lot.


We had 2 channels make the digital switch on the 17th and WOW! The picture is incredibly sharp. I really didn't expect to see a difference but it's very obvious. Love that too!

[Casper1212]

If technology doesn't continue to advance, we would never know what we were missing. Other than the millions of jobs the industry creates. I can't tell the difference between SD and HD pictures, but, like I said, if they don't come up with something new for us to spend our money on, a lot of people would be out of work.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I don't need a camera in my phone. I don't need a thousand different ring tones. I don't need a GPS in it. I just want one where I can make a flippin phone call!

My thoughts exactly... but since my last (somewhat newer than yours!) analog phone was no longer supported, I gave up the whole idea...

[dramamama6685]

Of course, I like technolgical advancements.. without them I would have never met all my cd friends!

[RHB]

I, too, have a cell phone that lives in my purse - I only turn it on when I need to make a call, it's a simple pre paid one, the only thing it does is make a phone call. Hubby's is on all the time, but that works as our land line doesn't work all the time.

I do like this thing. My system crashed last week, lost everything, took a week to get things back, and get back on line. I still make hard copies of things, so all my work is not totally lost ( I did lose some, because my printer was out of ink) My work schedule changes so often, email allows me to keep in touch, as previously stated, when it is convient for everyone. The convience of research is wonderful, I don't have to find time when the lib is open, and invest hours to look things up.

I do have an MP3 player, and was using it at work (only one ear phone) and was nice when doing routine tasks. Someone brought in an old radio, now we all listen to it. The MP3 now lives in my desk draw.

The new tv has shut down the 2 channels that we would get if the weather was right, it was no big loss. Hubby does miss the news though.

We do have a hand held GPS, we got it when we got this place to map out the property lines, and some landmarks, but I don't think it's been turned on since.

Overall, the march forward I think is a good thing. It puts the onus on us as to how we choose to use it.

[reloop]

[quote=Northern Maine Land Man;7654974] I don't need a camera in my phone. I don't need a thousand different ring tones. I don't need a GPS in it. I just want one where I can make a flippin phone call!quote]


Hee hee - that reminds me of one of my favorite comedians (RIP George Carlin). He was talking to someone about something of pressing importance and how many people weren't paying attention to the issue.

I'm paraphrasing here, but he said something along the lines of "Oh, people are too d*mn busy playing with their cell phones that make pancakes, to pay attention to something of that importance." What a wise observation that one was.

I still don't have a cell phone as I consider them pesky "leashes" but I suppose I'll have to break down and get a tracfone as the kids get older and more busier.

[Casper1212]

You're smart to back up everything on hard copy. My son, a computer systems manager, got tired of me losing my work and bought me an external hard drive. You hook it up to the computer, store everything on it like a regular hard drive, then disconnect it. No discs to corrupt, no paper to lose, or to reload into the 'puter, no flash drive or memory card to keep up with.
But you're right, RHB. We all have different needs when it comes to any type of technology. My cell stays on while my husband forgets to turn the one on that he was issued at work and TOLD to keep turned on. Some people think TV is a bad thing. We use it as escapism to relax at the end of the day. People blame computers for frying our children's brains, but it isn't safe for them to run free outside without us to supervise, and most of us don't have the time, so the alternative is TV or computer inside the house. When we travel, finding a hotel or gas station, or even the destination can be hit or miss if you don't have GPS. The good news is that you can live with it if you need it, but you can live without it if you don't, or you can choose to live somewhere in between and use only as much of it as you need and can afford.