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We-ll, everywhere I look.......people are looking at their darn phones, so you tell me.
Tell you what? You don't want a phone, don't get one. I guess I'm one, when I'm stuck in line, I'm looking at my phone for various reason, scrabble, testing family/friends, reading the news, inputting my next destination. I used to get totally frustrated in long lines, now I got stuff I can do.
Sitting on the bus looking at your phone? Sure, could be reading a book, watching Youtube, or listening to music or a podcast.
So what? Somehow that is less than staring off into space? Sure, it's a universal symbol of "don't wanna talk to strangers", and thank gosh we finally have an action that reads "leave me alone".
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Tell you what? You don't want a phone, don't get one. I guess I'm one, when I'm stuck in line, I'm looking at my phone for various reason, scrabble, testing family/friends, reading the news, inputting my next destination. I used to get totally frustrated in long lines, now I got stuff I can do.
Sitting on the bus looking at your phone? Sure, could be reading a book, watching Youtube, or listening to music or a podcast.
So what? Somehow that is less than staring off into space? Sure, it's a universal symbol of "don't wanna talk to strangers", and thank gosh we finally have an action that reads "leave me alone".
Actually, I do have a smart phone.....I just don't use it like most people do.
I talk on the phone to people, I send and receive messages, I use the camera when necessary, it's an alarm clock but only that for I do wear an Ironman.......but other than that, most of its features are unused. I don't have a data plan.
If it isn't being a phone, it usually sits in a pocket, unused. I do my calculations in my head, navigate by landmarks in memory, I keep a running tally in my head when I am grocery shopping. When I am with others, I am talking to them, not looking up things on my phone. If I have to sit and wait somewhere, I might be writing in my diary or I might be thinking or I might be watching the world around me. I don't have my face in, for a blast to past, the idiot plastic.
Finally, it is the way that muggers get people. That is, their attention is all in that phone when they are walking that the mugger can get right close and steal from them. Not me. When I walk, I am alert, my eyes up.......and many a people come nowhere close.
Finally, it is the way that muggers get people. That is, their attention is all in that phone when they are walking that the mugger can get right close and steal from them. Not me. When I walk, I am alert, my eyes up.......and many a people come nowhere close.
Finally, something I can agree with. People should always be alert when they are outside walking around. It's not just muggers (though them, too). If you have your nose buried in a phone, you may not notice cars, cyclists, dogs, something on the sidewalk you don't want to step in or trip over, low hanging branches, any number of things.
I am quasi a member of the non-tech community too, in that I don't carry a cell phone with me at all. My wife doesn't carry a cell phone either, and I know that some will state that we are taking a risk when not in the house. I somewhat agree with that observation, but it frankly is OK with me, and apparently my wife too.
We do have some tech in our lives, and we do things like online banking, especially bill paying. It is difficult to get by without any tech at all, so to me the issue is what tech do you select to use in your life.
We fly a couple of times a year to see family, and print out our tickets. As stated by others, we find it easier to just hand over the paper ticket to be scanned, and after the trip is over we discard those tickets.
My wife enjoy our laptops computers and iPads, for a combination of games (my wife is a Candy Crush and Jigsaw addict) and some light communication with the kids and grandkids. I tend to do a lot of reading on the iPad and laptop, especially when trying to understand something that I only know at a shallow level. I also like podcasts and YouTube vids, so again we have selective use of tech.
Earlier, I saw a discussion about cars in urban areas, and how nobody was aware of any effort to lessen the use of personal vehicles. Out here in California that is a "thing" in some places, especially Berkeley and San Francisco. They want to have you use public transit and then use a bike or walk to get to whatever you want to do. Some new rather large apartment developments in Berkeley don't even have any parking garage available, they want to have you use a bike (e-bike is OK) and public transit. Downtown San Francisco is just downright private vehicle hostile now, with a ton of lane restrictions to make private car use inconvenient
I am quasi a member of the non-tech community too, in that I don't carry a cell phone with me at all. My wife doesn't carry a cell phone either, and I know that some will state that we are taking a risk when not in the house. I somewhat agree with that observation, but it frankly is OK with me, and apparently my wife too.
I didn't have a cell phone for many years after they were standard, and I never worried about being out and about, driving, etc., without one. After all, we used to get along without them just fine. Then I noticed that pay phones and freeway call boxes, which used to be everywhere, have disappeared. If you get stranded, good luck finding a phone anywhere nearby to use. And no one will stop to help because they assume you've already called for help with your phone.
I've had two tire blowouts on the freeway (one in the carpool lane of the 405 freeway in Southern California, with my three young kids in the car, the other at night on a remote stretch of a toll road) and I was pretty darn grateful to have a cell phone to call for help both times.
I paid 800 for my iPhone and use it for 5 years. I have a prepaid plan for a flat fee of 15/month including taxes and fees. I don’t have a landline. You can buy android phones cheaper but I prefer the iPhone. So I actually pay less than you Katharsis. It’s a plus not to have long fingernails when texting. I have big hands and fingers but practice makes you good at texting.
I have my books on my phone so if I am waiting at a doctor appointment I can read easily. I love the gps for when I am going someplace new. It talks while I drive so I don’t get distracted looking at directions.
You spend less than $190 a year for your smartphone usage? WOW!
You can even pay much less. A $150 unlocked smartphone on Amazon will last at least 3 years, so $50/year or less for the device. My prepaid cell phone plan is $60/year.
Long story short, I don't want to be a zombie is this kind of world:
LOL. I've seen that video and of course it's an exaggeration, to make a point. But sure, sometimes I go into a restaurant and see a whole table of folks on their phones. But many of us use it simply when passing the time. If I am waiting in line for something, I'll definitely pull out my phone. Why not? Unless there is something going on that's interesting to watch, I can play a game, listen to a book, or take care of business. It's darn convenient.
Thanks. I did some more checking and found these two articles for 2023. According to this, the average price for a new smartphone is about $1,000, and the average monthly cost is about $165. Again, as I have never had a smartphone, I don't know how true this is, according to the posters on this thread who have smartphones.
You spend less than $190 a year for your smartphone usage? WOW!
I always bought my phones used. Swappa is a great site for that. My last two iPhones were purchased new. I have the smallest one (SE) as I hate the large ones. Mine was less than $400 with trading in my old one. I pay $35 a month for my plan. I'm good with that.
Defensive much (some posters)? I think people who always have their noses in their phones are blissfully ignorant of both their own and others' addictions to it. You kind of have to be looking up and around you -- not staring at a phone -- to see that, yes, everyone has his or her nose buried in a phone or is preening/posing/fake smiling/doing the open mouth thing in front of it. It's like Narcissus can now carry that reflecting pond around with him 24/7. If it weren't so creepy, it would be almost comical.
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