New Smartphone, Growing Pain Questions

[Lsbcal]

You are doing the right thing.... Pricing of plans and even certain phone models make financial reasons for not a moot point. The reason I don't is I cant see fine print without my readers. And I never have them with me outside the house. But I got my little keyboard letters memorized on dumb phone so I stick with it. You will do well!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I always carry a pair of reading glasses with me. You can buy those ones on Amazon that go into a thin case. Easy to put in your pocket. And they are cheap too.

 

[easysurfer]

You are doing the right thing.... Pricing of plans and even certain phone models make financial reasons for not a moot point. The reason I don't is I cant see fine print without my readers. And I never have them with me outside the house. But I got my little keyboard letters memorized on dumb phone so I stick with it. You will do well!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for the encouragement. I was squinting terribly trying to ready the screen last night til I finally set the fonts larger. I'll still miss the simplicity of real buttons of a flip I'm sure.

 

[target2019]

Yes, as smart phones are essentially, hand held computers. The method of always reentering login details begs the question though, to use a recommended long length, complex password or a human friendly one as the latter contains risks too.

My view is that a site with my financial details is one that I shy away from on my phone. If it is something I absolutely must do, I enter the password each time by consulting other storage.

I don't do Web logins on my phone. Just apps.

 

[hnzw_rui]

My view is that a site with my financial details is one that I shy away from on my phone. If it is something I absolutely must do, I enter the password each time by consulting other storage.

I don't do Web logins on my phone. Just apps.

Honestly, I think my phone is probably more secure than my computer. The phone is encrypted by default. My computer hard drive is not.

Any device that connects to the internet and not sandboxed runs a risk of getting hacked. Individuals are just less likely to be targeted. Not when there's a lot more money in hacking into large firms and financial institutions where thieves can get sensitive information on millions of individuals all at once.

 

[mpeirce]

Honestly, I think my phone is probably more secure than my computer. The phone is encrypted by default. My computer hard drive is not.

Definitely true!

I started and stopped writing posts explaining this twice this evening - they got too long and technical.

Short summary: your phone (at least an iPhone) is very very secure. Much more secure than 99% of PCs our there. It's biometric ID system is very impressive. If you don't encrypt your hard disk on your PC, you are relying on physical security and frankly, that's not much really if someone really wants access.

If you are interested in some of the technical details take a look at: https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

Modern phones are built to survive in a very hostile environment and are built to survive attack from all but the very best. I'd bet the NSA can get at it given time and desire, but not a run of the mill Russian eMobster.


One last word: your biggest vulnerability is always Social Engineering. Someone can trick you into turning over valuable information to them much ore easily than they can hack into an iPhone to get it.

 

[hnzw_rui]

Short summary: your phone (at least an iPhone) is very very secure. Much more secure than 99% of PCs our there. It's biometric ID system is very impressive. If you don't encrypt your hard disk on your PC, you are relying on physical security and frankly, that's not much really if someone really wants access.

Yup. Android starting with either Jelly Bean or KitKat is also encrypted by default. In fact, local law enforcement are petitioning Apple and Google to give them backdoor access because without the password/pin, a modern smartphone is effectively a brick to them.

One last word: your biggest vulnerability is always Social Engineering. Someone can trick you into turning over valuable information to them much ore easily than they can hack into an iPhone to get it.

This is true.

 

[bUU]

So, for browsing websites that require id and passwords (like this site), what do you do? Do you somehow have passwords synced from computer and phone? Or do you have to enter the id/password individually onto the phone? Or use a password manager app on the phone?

The latter: LastPass just released 4.0, optimized for mobile.

 

[jabbahop]

I like lastpass too. It works on phone and importantly it allows share password with wife for shared accounts. It drove us nuts when one of us would have to reset the password and not tell the other.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[eytonxav]

Why did you go to the darkside easysurfer and leave us? There are such few of us left now I am afraid we are going to be pictured and put in the same books with passenger pigeons and Dodo birds. I just got chewed out again today from my GF because I do not own one yet.

Edit....REWahoo... I don't know where your post went but you exposed me as a poor speller. I changed it after looking.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

LOL, I have a 75 yo friend who berates me for not having a smartphone and he is 9 years older than me. I keep telling him, I am paying a lot less for service, so lets end this discussion.

 

[REWahoo]

I understand the motivation behind those of you who don't want a smart phone. Learning something new can be a real PITA and if you are happy with what you have, why go to the trouble and expense of "upgrading"?

While I don't seek the latest and greatest smart phone, I do try to keep moving forward with newer technology. I find it interesting and enjoyable, plus the challenge of learning new things keeps me 'in the game' and gets far fewer eye rolls from my teen grandkids.

 

[easysurfer]

LOL, I have a 75 yo friend who berates me for not having a smartphone and he is 9 years older than me. I keep telling him, I am paying a lot less for service, so lets end this discussion.

I have an older brother who's always says that I should get a smartphone. Now that I do, he'll be happy. That is, until when I tell him that when at home, the phone is off and reach me on my landline and leave a message on my answering machine . The mobile is for that, when I'm mobile out and about.

After about 48 hours in the darkside, I both really like the switch over and also miss the simplicity of just having a flip phone. With the smartphone, I mistakenly called a relative last night as he was sleeping as I was mistakenly pressed something when entering his info in my contact list. That wouldn't have happened with a simple phone.

 

[travelover]

I have an older brother who's always says that I should get a smartphone. Now that I do, he'll be happy. That is, until when I tell him that when at home, the phone is off and reach me on my landline and leave a message on my answering machine . The mobile is for that, when I'm mobile out and about...........

I leave my smartphone in the car except when I'm hiking. Since I dropped the landline, I have this bluetooth adapter that connects the smartphone to my landline phones when the car is in the garage. No landline expenses, yet a phone in every room. As I recall it was $10 when I bought it. Amazon.com: Cobra BT215A Phonelynx for Android: Car Electronics

 

[RunningBum]

I leave my smartphone in the car except when I'm hiking. Since I dropped the landline, I have this bluetooth adapter that connects the smartphone to my landline phones when the car is in the garage. No landline expenses, yet a phone in every room. As I recall it was $10 when I bought it. Amazon.com: Cobra BT215A Phonelynx for Android: Car Electronics

Does it work well? I have an XLink BTTN that does the same thing, but when I answer the phone, it takes about 2-3 seconds to actually connect, so if I say "Hello?" right away, the other person doesn't hear me. Also, the sound isn't always great and we can't always hear each other well. But I've trained myself to count to 3 before talking, and if it's more than a quick call I go to my cell phone and use it. The XLink does have a higher rating on Amazon than yours though.

 

[travelover]

Does it work well? I have an XLink BTTN that does the same thing, but when I answer the phone, it takes about 2-3 seconds to actually connect, so if I say "Hello?" right away, the other person doesn't hear me. Also, the sound isn't always great and we can't always hear each other well. But I've trained myself to count to 3 before talking, and if it's more than a quick call I go to my cell phone and use it. The XLink does have a higher rating on Amazon than yours though.

My experience is the same. If it is an important call, I hang up and call them back directly from my smartphone. But it is adequate, especially for the ten bucks I paid.

 

[ERD50]

... With the smartphone, I mistakenly called a relative last night as he was sleeping as I was mistakenly pressed something when entering his info in my contact list. That wouldn't have happened with a simple phone.

Don't feel bad, I was trying to clean up DW's contact list after I loaded her contacts from the SIM of her previous phone, and several times I thought I was just viewing the contact, and all the sudden it's dialing them! Quick, how do I 'hang up'?!!!

Some of this stuff isn't as obvious as it should be, but probably handy once you get used to it. In this case, I think maybe the 'favorites' or 'recent' contacts in the list I was looking at act more like 'speed dial' - just touch them and away you go. think that if I was in the normal list, touching it would have just bought up the details. I'd have to try again to see.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

I understand the motivation behind those of you who don't want a smart phone. Learning something new can be a real PITA and if you are happy with what you have, why go to the trouble and expense of "upgrading"?

While I don't seek the latest and greatest smart phone, I do try to keep moving forward with newer technology. I find it interesting and enjoyable, plus the challenge of learning new things keeps me 'in the game' and gets far fewer eye rolls from my teen grandkids.

True sometimes, but that's not always the case. For me, it's not about learning the tech - I have a tablet (android), the family has iPads, and I have access to smartphones in the family, and do most (all?) of the tech support. But I just very rarely have the need for data, or even need to make a call while I'm out myself, and I just would rather save the $ for now. At my current usage, I've got several years of minutes banked, and can just add $10 per year to keep my T-Mobile Gold status grandfathered in, so that is tempting.

I do get the eyerolls when I pull out my ancient flip, but the people that know me know I'm a techie at heart, and this is just a choice I make (I actually like that the dumb-phone stays charged for weeks, and I'd rather use my tablet for somethings that I'd do with a smartphone - but yes, I need wifi, there are limitations).

-ERD50

 

[Mulligan]

I understand the motivation behind those of you who don't want a smart phone. Learning something new can be a real PITA and if you are happy with what you have, why go to the trouble and expense of "upgrading"?



While I don't seek the latest and greatest smart phone, I do try to keep moving forward with newer technology. I find it interesting and enjoyable, plus the challenge of learning new things keeps me 'in the game' and gets far fewer eye rolls from my teen grandkids.

Its stereotyped people like me who keep older people from ever getting jobs when unemployed...Resistant to change. I always seem to embrace things half a$$ed... Pay half my bills online, the other half by mail. Use credit cards, but always carry good chunk of cash around. Dropped the landline but don't have a smartphone. Use a computer constantly but don't even know how to use Microsoft programs. I guess that part doesn't matter anymore because I don't even own a true laptop anymore.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Music Lover]

Don't feel bad, I was trying to clean up DW's contact list after I loaded her contacts from the SIM of her previous phone, and several times I thought I was just viewing the contact, and all the sudden it's dialing them! Quick, how do I 'hang up'?!!!

Some of this stuff isn't as obvious as it should be, but probably handy once you get used to it. In this case, I think maybe the 'favorites' or 'resent' contacts in the list I was looking at act more like 'speed dial' - just touch them and away you go. think that if I was in the normal list, touching it would have just bought up the details. I'd have to try again to see.

-ERD50

On many Android smart phones, if you swipe the contact name to the right it will call the number, and if you swipe left it will create a text. To disable this feature open go to settings, contacts, and uncheck "Swipe to call or send message."

 

[Katsmeow]

I don't know about Android phones, but on my iPhone I set a long password with both upper and lower case and special characters for my password. Yes, I can just use a 4 digit password but there is a lot of confidential information available through my phone.

I hadn't really thought about this before but my son who is a senior majoring in CS with an Information Assurance concentration pointed out that one of the big things is my email. There is a lot of sensitive information in email. I thought about that and immediately created a long password that I use only for my phone. A 4 digit password is entirely inadequate.

 

[mpeirce]

I don't know about Android phones, but on my iPhone I set a long password with both upper and lower case and special characters for my password. Yes, I can just use a 4 digit password but there is a lot of confidential information available through my phone.

And a long password combined with the easy access of biometrics works great.

(You only have to enter the long password occasionally - after a reboot or after leaving the phone locked for a long time)

 

[hnzw_rui]

I don't know about Android phones, but on my iPhone I set a long password with both upper and lower case and special characters for my password. Yes, I can just use a 4 digit password but there is a lot of confidential information available through my phone.

The ability to use complex passwords has been available for Android longer than it has been for iOS. However, biometrics on new iOS devices makes the use of complex passwords easier and more practical for users.

And a long password combined with the easy access of biometrics works great.

(You only have to enter the long password occasionally - after a reboot or after leaving the phone locked for a long time)

48 hours for iOS.

 

[bUU]

I understand the motivation behind those of you who don't want a smart phone. Learning something new can be a real PITA and if you are happy with what you have, why go to the trouble and expense of "upgrading"?

That's the issue, though. Are people "happy" with what they have? For most people the answer is yes, but there are some who claim that they're happy when in reality they harbor animosity toward the changes in society that make the new technology affect their happiness. "Why do I have to get an email account when I've been happy with paper mail?" ... the answer being that many activities that people wish to avail themselves of now increasingly rely on email for communications.

The point is that "happiness" should clearly imply, in this context, "Even though times have changed, and people in general are expecting others to embrace those changes, I am still happy with the old, and don't feel that others should refrain from embracing the new to accommodate my use of the old," rather than, "I want to be able to be happy with the old, and the rest of the world should stop changing (or revert back) to accommodate my desire to be happy with the old." This is because nostalgia has never governed the progress of society.

I don't think smartphones are anywhere near email yet, in that regard, but I suspect it will happen eventually. I think the whole nature of communications is still in the early stages of a quantum change. I saw a Facebook post last week positing that many folks today don't even recognize a rotary dial on a phone. But I think in the end the quantum change may result in folks someday not recognizing what is meant by a "land line"; not recognizing what the difference is between what we today call a "telephone call" and what we today call an "internet voice or video call" (a la Skype). I wouldn't be surprised if within the next thirty years or so, most calls take place between smartphones (or something even newer), both in the home and away from home.

 

[dadu007]

I use Dashlane for my iPhone and PCs. I'm pretty sure they also have Android version. It syncs across all devices and has finally relieved my password recall stress. Totally worth the $20/year to me. Highly recommended. (Your passwords are never stored "in the cloud", btw.)

 

[Music Lover]

. I wouldn't be surprised if within the next thirty years or so, most calls take place between smartphones (or something even newer), both in the home and away from home.

That's already happening today. The only people I know with a land line are my parents and some relatives in their 70's. And bit by bit they are slowly dropping the land lines for cell phone...usually getting a hand-me-down from their kids.

No one in my circle of friends (I'm 53) has a land line anymore. They all have smart phones except for one friend who has an old flip phone...but he makes up for it's lack of "smartness" with an I-Pad.

 

[bUU]

That's already happening today.

Of course people are moving to the new technology but it is not yet the case that "most calls take place between smartphones".

I could see it taking less than thirty years, but probably not less than ten years.