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i think people have been brainwashed into thinking they need one, especially a smart phone
i don't understand how low-income people afford the monthly costs and data plans. I don't mean just retired people, I mean low-income people of all ages - and they all seem to have smart phones
I get along fine having landline phones. And I'm not out of date in the realm of computers. I've used a computer since 1987 and used computers both at work and at home for sophisticated tasks for decades.
i think people have been brainwashed into thinking they need one, especially a smart phone
i don't understand how low-income people afford the monthly costs and data plans. I don't mean just retired people, I mean low-income people of all ages - and they all seem to have smart phones
I get along fine having landline phones. And I'm not out of date in the realm of computers. I've used a computer since 1987 and used computers both at work and at home for sophisticated tasks for decades.
That's easy, they are FREE!!!
Leading the country with the best widely available plans are Assurance Wireless and Budget Mobile, which provide struggling Californians with a free phone, free unlimited voice minutes and free unlimited texts.
i think people have been brainwashed into thinking they need one, especially a smart phone
i don't understand how low-income people afford the monthly costs and data plans. I don't mean just retired people, I mean low-income people of all ages - and they all seem to have smart phones
I get along fine having landline phones. And I'm not out of date in the realm of computers. I've used a computer since 1987 and used computers both at work and at home for sophisticated tasks for decades.
People can afford cell phones, because it is less expensive to have one than using a landline. Simple as that. Our landline was costing us $45 a month on average. Got ride of it. We pay $90 a month for two smartphone. The math works. You can get cellphone plans for $25 a month or less. Free long distance included.
Let me give you a scenario. You're driving down the road and suddenly you have severe chest pain. You pull over and manage to call 911 on your cell phone. They come and get you and take you to the emergency room and you end up OK. So you have no cell phone and then what? Go to the nearest pay phone? Knock on doors and ask to borrow the phone? Ask a passerby if he could dial 911 for you?
I only use this scenario, because in 2012 my (still alive) wife had that exact thing happen, but she had a cell phone and called 911. Her heart stopped five minutes after she arrived in the emergency room. Five minutes! No cell phone=dead wife!
May you be so lucky as to be next to your landline in a medical emergency.
I love technology even went back to school after I retired to get a degree in it as I knew nothing about it before.
I tend to keep my phones a long time and had one of the first Androids. Can't remember having a flip phone. I've found that I'm adjusting my life in other ways recently. For instance I have no land line, no cable, and no large computer. One phone is all I want to deal with, can't stand commercial tv, and no longer need a big computer. I have wifi, netflix, and the over 55 community has a couple of free cable channels mostly consisting of religious programming, info on neighborhood happenings, and booknotes on the weekend. That's plenty of tv for me supplemented by going to the movies a couple of times a month which includes needed social contact. I use a netbook for reading news with an open source system as I don't like Apple products and to a lesser extent Windows.
I'm on my son's family plan and he just switched as he wanted something better for intl travel so I had to get a new phone as mine wouldn't update its operating system. My first and only smart phone only cost me $100 and it was top of the line at the time so I almost fainted when I saw the new and latest ones topping out at $800. No way I would ever pay that. I decided on a Zmax "phablet". It's a cross between what I had and a tablet. Still small enough to carry at about a half inch larger all the way around, easier to see the screen, better for skyping, and easier to operate with much better interaction for cloud storage and other functionality. I have particular apps on Google I'm fond of - Skype, Facebook to keep in touch with the family, ICE medical info, an emergency button that gives my location with a help message, Fandango movie trailers, Web MD, online banking, customized Flipboard magazine, NPR, birthdays, Trip advisor, local taxis and places of interest, and voice command internet. I love my smart phone for its utility more than any of my other electronics which are largely not needed now.
I am not retired, yet I still use a flip phone and will until it dies.
My employer pays for my cell phone plan, so it's free to me. Some years ago, they asked if I wanted to "upgrade" to a Blackberry. I respectfully said "No".
Oh, by the way, I am a computer programmer; in fact, I am an application architect. I know technology. I also know how to use a map, a dictionary, an encyclopedia, and a phone book. I am yet to be convinced that I must have an iPhone or an Android in order to live in the modern world.
Flip, I use my computer at home and only carry the phone - Trac phone - for emergencies or to tell others I am running late or no coming at all. It's nice to have when you are older and can't walk 15 miles like you once did.
For men in particular, talking a lot on the phone is a genetic trait. You either do, or you don't. I don't. The phone can ring and ring and if I am not expecting an important call, I'll pick up the phone to see who called - when I get around to it.
i Phone? As for your case, wife working, you retired, sitting at home all day, alone? No way Jose. I will not elaborate on why but the word "app" comes to mind. If I was her I'd forbid it. You can talk to her or your friends on a flip phone. Works fine. You can buy a good camera for the cost of one month i phone subscription.
For us, all phones - landline or cell - are a necessary nuisance.
We've both got smartphones which are a godsend since we travel extensively. At home we used to rely on our landline but increasingly the spam calls are a pain in the butt. As of this month, we've activated the filter provided by AT&T for our landline, i.e., have designated up to 20 numbers allowed to call us. All others are blocked.
Along with that we got a cell-phone booster ("network extender") which amps up our cell reception at home to an acceptable level.
Fingers crossed, we think we've finally found an arrangement that works. Our smartphones will be our 'go-to' phones at home and while traveling. The landline will be our fallback at home.
Flip phones? We had them back in the day, they never did anything for us.
I have and use a trac phone that has internet capability.
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