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I work in the technology field and my job is to assist people when things go wrong. I deal with people from all walks of life. Old, young, rich, poor and so forth. I do not think that learning how to use a smartphone is age specific. I deal with some serious savvy seniors and young people that don't know what they are doing. What I find is the seniors that are not savvy really stress over how to use the phone especially when things go wrong. They tell me on the phone they are not very smart or they are too old. I feel bad for them because in my opinion its none of these things. Its about need.
I have had stressed out grandmothers call me because her grandkids felt she needed a smartphone and bought her one for her birthday or christmas. When things go wrong, they are completely beside themselves. Sure its a big joke to everyone else but I dont find that stressing someone out is funny. I have had people shed tears with me. I had one lady start to hyperventilate. It brings out fear and how they feel about themselves. Nothing like aggravation as a present!
If you dont surf the web, email, post pics to facebook or use your phone as a GPS. Save yourself the money and grief. Things go wrong with phones all the time. They are mini computers in a sense. They do not replace computers which most people seem to think. If something goes wrong, you need a computer to fix it. This is where people tend to freak out. If they have an old computer or they dont keep it updated then it becomes a big chore to fix the phone. I find most people use their smartphones as phones and that is it. Its like buying a big rugged SUV to just drive back and forth to the grocery store. You are paying for stuff you dont use or need. Why pay for a data plan each month if you have no idea how to use the browser?
So here is my advice there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a inexpensive phone if all you want it for is to make calls. To be honest, I find the less complicated phones get far better reception in most cases. It seriously breaks my heart when I talk to some of the sweetest most life knowledgeable people and they beat themselves up because their smartphone stumps them. Ya know, that smartphone that will be considered "dated" by year end. Dont get me wrong, I love technology and I will take the extra time to help someone learn if that is what they want but again, I just feel bad for those that think something is wrong with them because of some gadget.
I work in the technology field and my job is to assist people when things go wrong. I deal with people from all walks of life. Old, young, rich, poor and so forth. I do not think that learning how to use a smartphone is age specific. I deal with some serious savvy seniors and young people that don't know what they are doing. What I find is the seniors that are not savvy really stress over how to use the phone especially when things go wrong. They tell me on the phone they are not very smart or they are too old. I feel bad for them because in my opinion its none of these things. Its about need.
I have had stressed out grandmothers call me because her grandkids felt she needed a smartphone and bought her one for her birthday or christmas. When things go wrong, they are completely beside themselves. Sure its a big joke to everyone else but I don't find that stressing someone out is funny. I have had people shed tears with me. I had one lady start to hyperventilate. It brings out fear and how they feel about themselves. Nothing like aggravation as a present!
If you don't surf the web, email, post pics to facebook or use your phone as a GPS. Save yourself the money and grief. Things go wrong with phones all the time. They are mini computers in a sense. They do not replace computers which most people seem to think. If something goes wrong, you need a computer to fix it. This is where people tend to freak out. If they have an old computer or they don't keep it updated then it becomes a big chore to fix the phone. I find most people use their smartphones as phones and that is it. Its like buying a big rugged SUV to just drive back and forth to the grocery store. You are paying for stuff you don't use or need. Why pay for a data plan each month if you have no idea how to use the browser?
So here is my advice there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a inexpensive phone if all you want it for is to make calls. To be honest, I find the less complicated phones get far better reception in most cases. It seriously breaks my heart when I talk to some of the sweetest most life knowledgeable people and they beat themselves up because their smartphone stumps them. Ya know, that smartphone that will be considered "dated" by year end. Don't get me wrong, I love technology and I will take the extra time to help someone learn if that is what they want but again, I just feel bad for those that think something is wrong with them because of some gadget.
I gave you a rep for this and I would give you 100 more if I could. It is all about need. When I was working my young co-workers would ask why I didn't get the latest phone and I told them because I just didn't need it. I saw them compete against one another to see who could get the latest and the greatest when they really could not afford it. I knew what they were earning and they would have been a lot better off with less expensive phones that would have served them just as well.
Regarding computers, my 86 year old neighbor's son thought he was doing her a favor by buying her the latest state-of-the-art laptop. He gave her a brief lesson of all about 30 minutes. He felt that was enough. He lacked the patience to answer any more questions after that. So she asked me if I could help. I came over and we sat together for an afternoon. I think she finally got the basics. I told her I would help her anytime she wanted.
You should have seen the relief on her face. She had been so intimidated by the computer. She felt she was letting her son down by not being able to use it. So now we will conquer the thing for her together.
You are so right. It's all about need. She really only wanted a computer to do some e-mails to out of town relatives and to look up family history. She's happy doing that.
I work in the technology field and my job is to assist people when things go wrong. I deal with people from all walks of life. Old, young, rich, poor and so forth. I do not think that learning how to use a smartphone is age specific. I deal with some serious savvy seniors and young people that don't know what they are doing. What I find is the seniors that are not savvy really stress over how to use the phone especially when things go wrong. They tell me on the phone they are not very smart or they are too old. I feel bad for them because in my opinion its none of these things. Its about need.
I have had stressed out grandmothers call me because her grandkids felt she needed a smartphone and bought her one for her birthday or christmas. When things go wrong, they are completely beside themselves. Sure its a big joke to everyone else but I dont find that stressing someone out is funny. I have had people shed tears with me. I had one lady start to hyperventilate. It brings out fear and how they feel about themselves. Nothing like aggravation as a present!
If you dont surf the web, email, post pics to facebook or use your phone as a GPS. Save yourself the money and grief. Things go wrong with phones all the time. They are mini computers in a sense. They do not replace computers which most people seem to think. If something goes wrong, you need a computer to fix it. This is where people tend to freak out. If they have an old computer or they dont keep it updated then it becomes a big chore to fix the phone. I find most people use their smartphones as phones and that is it. Its like buying a big rugged SUV to just drive back and forth to the grocery store. You are paying for stuff you dont use or need. Why pay for a data plan each month if you have no idea how to use the browser?
So here is my advice there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a inexpensive phone if all you want it for is to make calls. To be honest, I find the less complicated phones get far better reception in most cases. It seriously breaks my heart when I talk to some of the sweetest most life knowledgeable people and they beat themselves up because their smartphone stumps them. Ya know, that smartphone that will be considered "dated" by year end. Dont get me wrong, I love technology and I will take the extra time to help someone learn if that is what they want but again, I just feel bad for those that think something is wrong with them because of some gadget.
thank you for your common sense advice. i feel i have enough to meet my needs with a computer, printer, and basic cell phone. with these, i also have more than enough technology to go very wrong, and to become very frustrating. for the last three weeks i have been dealing with samsung over a printer -still under warranty- that no longer prints.
after speaking with a myriad of people in the phillipines, california, india, and ... i've lost track, i had to package and drag the 45 pound printer to ups office for shipping back to california. when it was returned a week and a half later, it came back dirty,with parts missing and no cables. after a 30 minute conversation with someone in i don't know where, i'm still waiting for the parts to arrive.
i realize there are probably some who would find all of this challenging and much less of a headache than it has been for me. i am who i am and i use and enjoy the basic technology i have. i don't really see the need for anymore.
After two years using it, I gave-up my iPhone and switched to a less expensive, simpler to use and more satisfying cellphone without all of the bells and whistles.
OK, so I want somebody to tell me I am not the only senior who cannot manage this new technology. I already had a very nice cell phone, not "smart" but very adequate. My daughter and s i l decided to get new I phones and I got one free.
Well, I have alot of complaints. Number one: my fingers are too big. Also the phone is confusing. It does what it wants to at a slight wisp of breath. Its so smart, that I feel really dumb now. It appears I cannot go back to my old Verizon phone, cause they dc/d the plan, so I am stuck. What to do????
I'm 40 and I still don't have a smart phone. I do have a tablet the size of a smart phone though. Once you start to learn how to use the various apps that are available, you won't go back ...
Eventually they'll all be smart phones. Technology just isn't cheap enough for your $20 phone to be "smart", but it is just a matter of time ...
I had a recent experience with several people my age (late 60's. early 70's) and smart phones. My friend and I played golf with two other guys and we all enjoyed. We went in for drinks and within 20 minutes the other two were on their smart phones, texting, checking messages, etc. and they soon dropped out of the conversation.
After a bit I said to my friend shall we leave here and go elsewhere for another drink. One of the other fellows said stay here with us. I replied well I thought you were not interested in our conversation as the only thing you have been doing is using the phone, not participating in the conversation.
I said nice meeting you. Bye. My friend and I left and went elsewhere.
A week or so my friend got a call from one of the guys saying I thought your friend was rude but when I thought it over and talked to others, I realized we were the rude ones. I apologize to you and your friend for being self absorbed when in reality it was nothing important enough that it could not have waited.
My friend and I both have cell phones (not smart phones) but we are not glued to them.
Thank you for putting into words what I've been thinking One commercial (I have no idea for which phone or company it's for) shows a young guy, his eyes glued to the 'smart' phone, with different beautiful backgrounds ... he ignores everything around him - just keeps looking into the phone screen .... the saddest commercial I've ever seen ...
I have a cell phone for incoming calls (I also use it to call my sisters in another state - don't have long-distance on my land-line) ... I also do take pictures with it (when I see something in a store and want to show to my tech-savvy i-phone owning son) ..but other than that I don't need it for anything else ... and I worked in the computer field most of my life .... and am pretty sad to see where we are headed
I've had a PDA since about 1995, and had one until I got my smartphone about 2 years ago. It would have been sooner, but I had a cellphone already, and waited until my contract ran out.
Even though I'm retired, I still depend on my apps, just like I did when I was a computer professional. Calendar, contacts, password database, etc. Now I have web browsing, email, Facebook, etc. and I love it.
In Florida my Canadian smartphone turns into a wifi-only device, mostly, although I do have a modest roaming package that I can use. I will reactivate my Tracfone for Florida calling.
Oh, and it's an Android. Also have an Android tablet. Husband has an Iphone, and an Android tablet.
Thank you for putting into words what I've been thinking One commercial (I have no idea for which phone or company it's for) shows a young guy, his eyes glued to the 'smart' phone, with different beautiful backgrounds ... he ignores everything around him - just keeps looking into the phone screen .... the saddest commercial I've ever seen ...
I have a cell phone for incoming calls (I also use it to call my sisters in another state - don't have long-distance on my land-line) ... I also do take pictures with it (when I see something in a store and want to show to my tech-savvy i-phone owning son) ..but other than that I don't need it for anything else ... and I worked in the computer field most of my life .... and am pretty sad to see where we are headed
Some of the stuff they were looking up was so mundane. One said he was looking up the weather for the next week in Chicago where he was going to visit family. I said well it will be cooler in Chicago then here (SC) but even if really bad weather, are you going to change your plans? He said no of course not. I replied well enjoy your trip.
All the time I was thinking why worry about next week and keep ignoring us. Is our company that bad? That is why I said to my friend lets get out of here.
Believe me if I was still in business my people and I would be glued to the things. We would need to be and I would demand such. Out here, we are talking about retired people. Hopefully kicking back and enjoying life.
I used to see people call someone as soon as they got off the airplane saying plane landed. Then call a few minutes later and say I am the luggage pickup area. Then call a few minutes later saying I am on the rent a car bus. I mean they called ad nauseam and I do not think they were that important in the greater scheme of things that the world had to know where they were every moment.
I love the people standing in the supermarket aisle on the phone talking to someone, anguishing over what type paper towels to buy.
I had to train my son not to call me before 10AM on any day because I sleep late. Also do not call me until after 5pm on Tue, Fri, Sun as I play golf those days, have a few drinks and lunch after, then I go home and take a nap. Got to keep training people not to call just because they can........LOL
Last edited by accufitgolf; 10-11-2012 at 04:04 PM..
I might agree with Scoobagirl, however I have an Ipod Touch and I know it can do more than I require of it. My question relates to price. I am under the impression that IPhone plans cost a whole lot more than any other cell phone plan. I think I might be on the road to a trac phone like another poster indicated.
I have a stupidphone, but am all in favor of the wonderful smartphones. I'm on a computer all day long, both at work and at home, so I already have access to everything I'd need in a smartphone -- except for GPS. That I'd like, but it doesn't seem worth it to duplicate all the other functions I use my computer for.
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