Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-17-2018, 10:20 AM   #61
Recycles dryer sheets
shortstop14's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 297
I have a hard time remembering what it was like to travel without a smartphone. The GPS application by itself makes life so much easier, and I go so many more places without having to spend time with paper maps and transit schedules - it's just all there for you in seconds. Booking places to stay and car rentals on the fly, booking ride shares in bigger cities, connecting up with friends I'm meeting - it's just a useful information tool. I do miss paper maps sometimes, though.

Then again, I rarely use mine as a 'phone' at all. I'd be fine with a smartphone with no voice capability.
shortstop14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 04-17-2018, 10:34 AM   #62
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 880
Quote:
Originally Posted by harllee View Post
I feel like I am being forced into getting a smartphone. DH and I both have good, serviceable dumb phones. I sometimes have difficulty hearing over the phone and my experience is that I can hear much better with the dumb phone than a smartphone. We have an old plan with Verizon for under $50 per month (for 2 dumb phones) (including all taxes and fees) that gives us al the voice minutes and texts we need. We spend our summers in a mountainous area that is only serviced by Verizon. When I look at the Verizon plans for smartphones, they would cost ALOT more than the $50 we are paying now for 2 phones plus there would be the cost of the smartphone itself.

We have a MacBook pro we use at home that does everything we need on the internet plus we have an iPad we take when traveling. We see people with smartphones who walk around looking at them all the time and can't even eat at a restaurant without constantly checking their smartphones! We don't want that. Some of our friends/family have smartphones (costing a small fortune), but many still have dumb phones and we have a few friends with no cell phone at all!

Today I got a card in the mail from a charitable organization to which I have been a donor for years. The charity was having a donor appreciation event with a free nice lunch and free tickets to a baseball game. When I tried to sign up online to attend the lunch and game I found out I had to have a smartphone to receive the tickets for entry to the lunch and the baseball game. I was disappointed that I would not be able to attend so I called the charity and explained I had no smartphone. The first person I talked to was no help and seemed surprised that there a actually people in the world without a smart phone. I later received a call from someone else at the charity who apologized and said they would personally make sure I got tickets to the events (they must have looked up how much $$ I have given to the organization over the years!).

Anyone else on this Forum who still has a dumb phone? Are you finding events, etc. where you must have a smartphone to participate?

I don't want a darn smartphone!
Check out the t-mobile post on this forum. 55+. Unlimited talk, text,data.
I pay $60 month. Two lines.
wolf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 10:38 AM   #63
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 5,297
Quote:
Originally Posted by shortstop14 View Post
I have a hard time remembering what it was like to travel without a smartphone. The GPS application by itself makes life so much easier, and I go so many more places without having to spend time with paper maps and transit schedules - it's just all there for you in seconds. Booking places to stay and car rentals on the fly, booking ride shares in bigger cities, connecting up with friends I'm meeting - it's just a useful information tool. I do miss paper maps sometimes, though.

Then again, I rarely use mine as a 'phone' at all. I'd be fine with a smartphone with no voice capability.
We do all that travel stuff with our iPad. We always travel with the iPad. I do need good voice capability. I probably average actually talking on my cellphone an hour a day so i need a cell phone with good voice. I talk every day to my elderly mother, she says she can hear me on my flip cellphone much better than she can hear my 2 sisters who call her on smartphones.
harllee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 10:45 AM   #64
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 5,297
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolf View Post
Check out the t-mobile post on this forum. 55+. Unlimited talk, text,data.
I pay $60 month. Two lines.
Looking at the t-mobile coverage map there does not appear to be any coverage in the mountains of North Carolina where we spend our summers. So far the only coverage we have found there is Verizon and even that is spotty sometimes. Friends who visit us with other phones like AT&T, Sprint (and I think one had T-Mobile) could not get any cell coverage at our mountain cabin. We get pretty good reception with our Verizon flip cellphones in our mountain cabin.
harllee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 10:50 AM   #65
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,127
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elbata View Post

It won't be too long they install a chip inside us with the mark of the beast.
You mean like this? Wisconsin company to install rice-sized microchips in employees
CoolRich59 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 10:53 AM   #66
Moderator Emeritus
W2R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,473
Quote:
Originally Posted by harllee View Post
Looking at the t-mobile coverage map there does not appear to be any coverage in the mountains of North Carolina where we spend our summers. So far the only coverage we have found there is Verizon and even that is spotty sometimes. Friends who visit us with other phones like AT&T, Sprint (and I think one had T-Mobile) could not get any cell coverage at our mountain cabin. We get pretty good reception with our Verizon flip cellphones in our mountain cabin.
I'd be tempted to get T-Mobile anyway (or Cricket Wireless like I have), and just go without cell phone coverage during summer vacations to your mountain cabin. You have a perfect excuse to REALLY get away from it all and not even answer the phone while you are up there.



I went from an iPhone on Verizon, to a free LG smartphone from Cricket Wireless with 2 GB data (that I never use), for $30/month. It is like having a dumbphone because I almost only use it for phone calls. After a few years, the novelty of having an iPhone wore off and I just don't seem to need the internet when I am not in front of my laptop. I get good coverage from Cricket, but I believe it is on the AT&T network so it probably wouldn't work at your cabin in the mountains.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.

Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
W2R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 10:59 AM   #67
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
mickeyd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: South Texas~29N/98W Just West of Woman Hollering Creek
Posts: 6,671
Quote:
Anyone else on this Forum who still has a dumb phone?
Count me in your group. We have a home phone as our sole voice contact with the outside world. If I am not around, voice mail takes a message. I have yet to find a need for a cell phone, even though most of the world has seen a need for them.

On occasion when others have found out that I am not attached to a cell phone, they inquire as if can not afford one. This is usually pretty funny to me as I have a healthy AA @ VG that is not obvious.

In the future I may notice a personal need to be instantly attached to the rest of the world. At that time I will rush over to the nearest cell phone joint and get in line for a device.
__________________
Part-Owner of Texas

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx

In dire need of: faster horses, younger woman, older whiskey, more money.
mickeyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 11:02 AM   #68
Moderator Emeritus
W2R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,473
Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyd View Post
Count me in your group. We have a home phone as our sole voice contact with the outside world. If I am not around, voice mail takes a message. I have yet to find a need for a cell phone, even though most of the world has seen a need for them.

On occasion when others have found out that I am not attached to a cell phone, they inquire as if can not afford one. This is usually pretty funny to me as I have a healthy AA @ VG that is not obvious.

In the future I may notice a personal need to be instantly attached to the rest of the world. At that time I will rush over to the nearest cell phone joint and get in line for a device.
Good move!!! I think that is so cool that you don't have a cell phone at all. I did sort of the opposite, by eliminating my landline which charged $36? $37? (I forgot) each month. That was more than the $30/month that I am paying for my cell phone, which also has free voicemail.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.

Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
W2R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 11:22 AM   #69
Full time employment: Posting here.
misshathaway's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 617
Quote:
Originally Posted by athena53 View Post
I resist this all I can. I love my Ting plan, which uses the Sprint network and is pay-as-you go; typically my monthly bill is around $20 because I use mostly Wi-fi and for long conversations I use the MagicJack landline. So--- I give a business my cell number, ostensibly for their delivery messages and to save myself the inconvenience of telephone tag- and next thing I know I'm getting a follow-up call with a Satisfaction Survey or promotional texts ("Athena53, how does 50% off installation on your next window replacements sound?"). I seethe at these- they actually can end up costing me money if they send me into the next usage tier. Small amounts, sure, but why should I pay for their unwanted intrusions?
Also happy with Ting. I HATE text messages for the same reason.
misshathaway is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 01:30 PM   #70
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 5,297
OP here, I don't have a landline at all--not at my primary residence or mountain cabin so I need a cellphone with good voice capability that I can use both places and I think that has to be Verizon.

Some interesting statistics I found from Pew Research Center (2018): 95% of U.S. adults own some sort of cell phone. 77% of U.S. adults own a smart phone but for those over 65 (that's me!), only 46% own a smartphone. So these businesses (like my charity experience in my original post) that require a smartphone to use their services, they are going to miss out on a substantial number of customers, especially in the over 65 crowd. I also saw on Google that there are quite a few young folks dropping their smartphones and going back to flip phones because they felt they were getting addicted to their smartphones. Maybe flip phones will become the new hipster thing? I live in a college town and have seen a few college students with flip phones recently! And by the way, Warren Buffet uses a flip phone (but I guess he has people to get his directions, etc).
harllee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 02:20 PM   #71
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
I use my smartphone frequently, sometimes to even make a voice call... I do find the whole “nose buried in the phone” thing a bit annoying, but frankly it’s not that big a deal, except for the a$$holes doing it while driving.
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire

...not doing anything of true substance...
HFWR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 07:25 PM   #72
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 775
Quote:
Originally Posted by harllee View Post
OP here, I don't have a landline at all--not at my primary residence or mountain cabin so I need a cellphone with good voice capability that I can use both places and I think that has to be Verizon.

Some interesting statistics I found from Pew Research Center (2018): 95% of U.S. adults own some sort of cell phone. 77% of U.S. adults own a smart phone but for those over 65 (that's me!), only 46% own a smartphone. So these businesses (like my charity experience in my original post) that require a smartphone to use their services, they are going to miss out on a substantial number of customers, especially in the over 65 crowd. I also saw on Google that there are quite a few young folks dropping their smartphones and going back to flip phones because they felt they were getting addicted to their smartphones. Maybe flip phones will become the new hipster thing? I live in a college town and have seen a few college students with flip phones recently! And by the way, Warren Buffet uses a flip phone (but I guess he has people to get his directions, etc).
1. Motorola flip phone (17+ years) on Verizon network; it was post-paid but 15 years ago I switched it to pre-paid; can't do that anymore; telephone # on my resume

2. LG smartphone on Tello (Sprint network); it's Virgin Mobile badged; use it as throw-away # for Craigslist etc; $10 gives me service for the entire year; 3¢/min for call; 1¢/min per text; don't use data as Sprint service stinks

3. Motorola smartphone (3+ years) suppose to be used on Verizon pre-paid network; fortunately able to used with Tracfone on Verizon network; will be switching to Red Pocket but still on Verizon network; not keeping #
I have used it a few times as GPS.

4. LG flip phone (10+ years) on T-mobile; it is on a grandfathered plan; will be porting it over to Tracfone (Verizon network) in May as T-mobile's service stinks
I recently bought a Tracfone flip phone (on Verzion network)
$20 for the phone and $75 for year with 1500/1500/1500 to replace #4.

Two months ago, my mom bought a friend a LG smartphone with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB drive space for $60+ tax on HSN which included 1500/1500/1500. It was a steal.
broadway is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 07:36 PM   #73
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
RunningBum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 13,202
Quote:
Originally Posted by harllee View Post

So these businesses (like my charity experience in my original post) that require a smartphone to use their services, they are going to miss out on a substantial number of customers, especially in the over 65 crowd.
I think you're making an awfully big deal out of what I'm reading is one incident. I've never *had* to do something by smart phone that I should've been able to do another way. I've always been able to print out tickets or whatever. Stick with your flip phone if that's what you want to do, but don't paint the world as forcing you into a smart phone because of one charity event.
RunningBum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 07:48 PM   #74
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 5,297
RunningBum, you are right. I let the response I got initially from the charity bug me..as a fairly substantial donor (as least to my mind) to the charity I felt disrespected. If that continues to happen I will not give to this charity any more. I am not going to get a smartphone at this time because I personally don't need one. I just started this thread to see if others had similar experiences. Obviously most people on this Forum have smartphones and like them. I will move on....
harllee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 08:46 PM   #75
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
ER Eddie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,778
Quote:
Originally Posted by harllee View Post
Anyone else on this Forum who still has a dumb phone? Are you finding events, etc. where you must have a smartphone to participate?

I don't want a darn smartphone!
I've got a dumb phone. It's fine for me. I don't need a smartphone. I make phone calls, I text, I take some pictures. That's about it. People seem surprised when they find out I don't have a smartphone (and don't even carry my dumb phone most of the time). I haven't been socially excluded from anything yet, but I can tell people think I'm a little backwards or weird (which I am, and I'm fine with that).

I don't need a smartphone. I don't need to be plugged in to the internet all the time. I've got a desktop PC to connect to the internet, if I need that. I don't need to walk around tethered to Facebook or google or whatever.

I saw a young guy walking through the park today, staring at his phone. I saw him later -- still staring at his phone. It was a beautiful day, gorgeous and 72, and he's got his head in his phone. Whatever. I think there's something addictive about them. I think (know) there are "attention engineers" who specifically design apps to give you little dopamine hits that keep you coming back for more.

Anyhow, yes I have a dumbphone, and it's all I need, thank you very much.
ER Eddie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2018, 08:51 PM   #76
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 775
Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningBum View Post
I've never *had* to do something by smart phone that I should've been able to do another way.
Actually there are some things that can only be done with a smartphone or only smartphones with NFC.

Last quarter Chase Freedom credit card offered 5% rewards with Chase Pay, Android Pay (now Google Pay), Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay. This was in addition to the gas stations and internet/cable/phone services.

Chase Pay works on any smartphone.

Samsung Pay only on Samsung smartphones.

Apple Pay only on iPhones 6+.

Android Pay only on smartphones with NFC.

I was only able to take advantage of the Chase Pay because my cheap smartphone did not have NFC.
broadway is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2018, 02:26 AM   #77
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
bmcgonig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,577
Quote:
Originally Posted by harllee View Post
RunningBum, you are right. I let the response I got initially from the charity bug me..as a fairly substantial donor (as least to my mind) to the charity I felt disrespected. If that continues to happen I will not give to this charity any more. I am not going to get a smartphone at this time because I personally don't need one. I just started this thread to see if others had similar experiences. Obviously most people on this Forum have smartphones and like them. I will move on....
Kind of a weird reason to punish the people whom that charity helps. With respect, maybe you might think of what's more important to you.. [emoji258][emoji258]
bmcgonig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2018, 03:08 AM   #78
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
skipro33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Placerville
Posts: 1,788
I hate the smart phone. I'm tired of seeing everyone with their face pasted to their tiny little screen, ignoring the world that is happening around them. I've never been in a restaurant in the past 3 years where there wasn't a whole table of family, every member with their face in their phone and oblivious to those around them.

I think the problem with smart phones is that they are addictive. People CAN'T put them down. With my own grand kids I've tested this theory. When they are completely ignoring me because the dam phone has their attention, I continue what I am saying, and in the same voice I tell them I'll give them a hundred dollars if they will tell me their name. Just like that, "I'll give you a hundred dollars if you tell me your name." Then continue with the context of what I had been talking about. I've never had to pay the C-note.
I block my router soon as they all come to visit. The adults know how to access but not the kids. Instead, we play croquet, climb trees, walk the dogs, shoot the pellet guns, ride the mini bike, etc. But if there's wifi, all that is totally ignored and they sit there like zombies.
How many accidents because of smart phones and driving? Nope. I've lived this long just fine engaged in life instead of my phone. I'll have none of it!
skipro33 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2018, 03:14 AM   #79
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
skipro33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Placerville
Posts: 1,788
Quote:
Originally Posted by ER Eddie View Post
I saw a young guy walking through the park today, staring at his phone. I saw him later -- still staring at his phone. It was a beautiful day, gorgeous and 72, and he's got his head in his phone.
DW and I were at a park a while back. As we sat at a picnic table I looked around. I swear it was like a scene out of Walking Dead. Everyone just shuffling around like zombies without a clue. We were there to enjoy the fall colors on the trees. I doubt even one of them noticed the trees at all.
skipro33 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2018, 04:23 AM   #80
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
target2019's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: On a hill in the Pine Barrens
Posts: 9,686
Without a smartphone, how do you securely communicate with child who is traveling the world?
Without a smartphone, how do you facetime with children and grandchildren?
Without a smartphone, how do you share puppy pictures with others?
target2019 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Don't Donate that old Android Smartphone! tjscott0 Other topics 1 06-26-2012 07:50 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:21 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.