How to drag DW into the 21st century ?

[Lewis Clark]

I don't see where the problem is?

I'm expecting my next phone to be a smart phone only because I don't think they will still be making flip phones anymore

+1

I spent the last 15 of my working years working from home. I was on the computer all day with a landline by my side. When I was away from home by myself I never needed a phone, though I had a flip phone for emergencies. Never felt like I either needed or wanted a smart phone. Got kidded a bit by friends and family. When away from home with my wife we had her smart phone with us.

Just got my first smart phone last year.

 

[Lucie]

I’m embarrassed to say that was me 6 years ago. Everyone in the family had an iPhone, but I resisted, since I liked my QWERTY keyboard. I used my IPAD 24/7 but I thought the iPhone would be too complicated to learn (despite having a doctorate). An iPhone is basically a very small IPAD, with a few different features. These were easily learned with a you tube tutorial. As I look back, I am so mad at myself for not making the switch earlier. As a bonus, I have paid for the phone several times over just by pulling up coupons/discounts or comparison shopping while shopping.

If she’s competent and comfortable with an iPad, an iPhone is an easy adjustment. Switching to an android may be more frustrating for her.

 

[Time2]

Mother in law finally got a smart phone so I welcomed her with this in a text....the best use of technology I could come up with.... hehe

Hoping not to derail this thread, but I'm getting big kick out of these shorts of a woman's reaction to comedic audio played. There seem to be 100s.

 

[ERD50]

I don't see the problem. She's tech-savvy on the Ipad, so savviness is not the issue. Some people are just happy with the phones they have.


My SIL's SO uses a flip phone. She bought him a smart phone for his birthday, and it sat unopened and untouched for a few months. She finally returned it.

Right - what's the problem? People seem to be missing this isn't a tech problem (uses her ipad), it's maybe a preference for a simple phone?

And if all you use the phone for is phone calls, I agree that an old flip style is far easier to use - it's a dedicated phone instead of a jack of all trades. Smaller, lighter, close the flip and no worries about damaging the screen. Get a call? Just open the flip to answer - no chasing an icon on the screen that wants to be swiped a certain direction (without 'hinting' at this). I would say the user interface of a flip phone is objectively superior to the UI of a smart phone (for making calls, period, obviously, the smart phone does much more).

OP mentioned the monthly bill, but you can find unlimited talk plans for far less, I'm sure. Pretty sure you can still buy an unlocked basic phone.

Here you go. Ting mobile, just ignore the data, unlimited talk (and text if she does that), just $10 (plus fees.tax)...

$10/mo +$5 per shared GB of fast data
Unlimited talk + text
Nationwide LTE + 5G coverage
Data can be used as hotspot

NOTE: If any data is used at all (and picture/group textx use data), you will be charged the basic $5 data, but that's still $15/month...


And they offer this flip, but she could probably just put a SIM in her current phone...

https://tingmobile.com/shop/tcl-flip_Midnight-Blue-4GB-new-multi-network
-ERD50

 

[badatmath]

I consider my smart phone an annoyance - mostly due to size - it doesn't fit in a pocket well - I have little interest in it. I only carry it about half the time at best. Next phone will be smaller one way or another.

I'd leave it alone if she wants one she will say so.

 

[FIYes]

This sounds like my DH. He had no interest in a smartphone. When he was forced to upgrade his flip phone when 3g went away, I got him an iPhone 11. We are Tracfone users and Tracfone had a robust rewards program so I was able to get the phone using rewards points with no out of pocket cost.

I went with iPhone even though I’m an Android user and prefer Android. Like your DW, my DH has and uses an iPad. I figured that familiarity with the iPad would make using an iPhone easier. Also, in our area there are classes for seniors on iPhones.

Since DH has a smartphone, I am now able to remind him when he wants a picture of something…he can take it. It also means that he has navigation available if needed. He doesn’t love his smartphone, but he does use it. However, the bottom line is that he uses any phone very infrequently.

Now that I moved DH away from a flip phone, I have a flip phone….a Samsung Flip. Love it, the convenience of a smaller phone that opens to full screen.

I agree with others that there are much cheaper alternatives to the $45 plan that your DW now has.

 

[badatmath]

Consumer Cellular is adding a new flip phone iris flip

 

[splitwdw]

Exactly. She's happy. The only reason you're unhappy is that you are making yourself unhappy. So stop that.

+1

 

[ls99]

+1

Ditto

 

[John Galt III]

I have T-Mobile prepaid that I use on two old cell phones. One is a 'candy bar' and the other is a flip. Both are 2G. T-Mobile just texted me that they are retiring 2G in April, 2024. They say I will have to use a different phone after April, to use T-Mobile. (I like the concept of prepaid, since you only pay when you use the phone, which is seldom, and no monthly fees. The per minute rate varies from 11 cents to 16 cents, which is high, I know, but I use very sparingly, so it doesn't bother me) Is there such a thing as a 5G flip phone, or even a 4G flip phone for sale at Walmart, etc ? Will the phones even be labeled for 4G or 5G ? Thanks

 

[JBTX]

My 90 year old dad does not use any such electronics. He does have a smart phone but keeps it off and it isn’t clear he’d know how to use it if needed. Also doesn’t use computers.

My 90 year old mom uses both well enough.

 

[O2Bfree]

My DH was this way. He's does ok with his laptop, has used a tablet, and had a flip phone until last year when T-Mobile was saying they were going to end support for 2G devices. I was also still using a flip phone and decided to switch then too.

We're not totally against tech, we just don't see the point of buying into it unless it makes a significant improvement in the things we want to do. If you're not into social media and staying in touch with people constantly, then a smartphone makes much less sense.

One of the main draws to the smartphone for me was the camera. My $189 phone takes pretty good picts, so I don't bother lugging my DSLR camera around much anymore. Navigation and finding businesses on roadtrips is another, since we don't have nav systems in our vehicles. I do miss the smaller size of my old flipper though!

When we're out and about, DH often leaves his phone at home, and on roadtrips he rarely uses it. I think he should learn how to use more of the functions in case he needs them when I'm not around, but have stopped pressing him.

Unless a smartphone provides functions that someone really wants, there's really no reason for them to have one.

 

[ERD50]

I have T-Mobile prepaid that I use on two old cell phones. One is a 'candy bar' and the other is a flip. Both are 2G. T-Mobile just texted me that they are retiring 2G in April, 2024. They say I will have to use a different phone after April, to use T-Mobile. (I like the concept of prepaid, since you only pay when you use the phone, which is seldom, and no monthly fees. The per minute rate varies from 11 cents to 16 cents, which is high, I know, but I use very sparingly, so it doesn't bother me) Is there such a thing as a 5G flip phone, or even a 4G flip phone for sale at Walmart, etc ? Will the phones even be labeled for 4G or 5G ? Thanks

Just enter "t mobile flip phone" into a search engine - I found several at best buy

-ERD50

 

[ivinsfan]

This is deliberate on Verzions part. Text and talk on a flip phone make them virtually no money. So they keep raising rates until you say uncle buy a new phone and become an income source for them. They provide very little data to most people since by default you will switch to wifi whenever it's available. They love selling those unlimited data plans it's practically printing money.


Having said that if you got hit by a bus your spouse would need a smartphone for all kinds of other business and personal activity that must happen on your phone. Everything from medical to financial stuff. I would approach it from that angle and see if she's more receptive to changing phones.

 

[John Galt III]

Just enter "t mobile flip phone" into a search engine - I found several at best buy

-ERD50

Thanks.

 

[Michael Moore]

There are people in the world who have pretty much zero need for a mobile phone. I'm one of them.

I'm at home about 98% of the time so I've got access to the VOIP landline that comes with my Sonic gigabit fiber optic service by reaching out my hand to the phone handset, and much of the time I'm sitting at my CAD/etc workstation so that takes care of email access. My Nexus 5P (old business line on Google Fi which sounds like it is higher price than needed for something that is typically not used at all each month) sits turned off for weeks if not months at a time because no one calls me on it (unless they are someone who didn't get the word years ago). I take it with me on the infrequent 2 hour motorcycle ride or when I went into the hospital recently for a cardiac event (but there was a phone in the room I could use). I don't use text, that's what email is for, and why would I want to try and type on a ridiculously small keyboard or spend time correcting all the errors from voice dictation on the phone or trying to read a tiny screen instead of my main 32" 4K monitor? If I want to take a photo I've got a nice Nikon DSLR falling readily to hand.

Sure, I understand that for a lot of people who are "on the go" the mobile phone is a must, so I'm quite happy for them to have one, as long as they don't demand to text me. A flip phone would suit me fine, but even if I had one it wouldn't get used any more frequently than the "smart" phone.

FWIW, when I retired my job description said "information technology specialist" so I've got a bit of computer savvy. I just generally have no need for a phone in my pocket instead of my desk.

If the OP's spouse is happy with the old phone, then let her be happy.

If fewer people had smart phones maybe I wouldn't have to dodge so many distracted drivers when I go out for a ride!

 

[Camas Lilly]

This one is easy. The quality of the pictures taken on her flip phone are grossly inferior to any decent smartphone.

You can show her pictures on your iPhone and then pictures from her flip phone. Better yet, if you take identical photos and then upload them to your computer and compare them side by side it will be instantly obvious.

Since you have an iPhone I would suggest she gets one too. Even the most basic iPhone will take excellent pictures. Plus, your familiarity with Apple will make it easier for you to teach her how to use it.

That was certainly my strategy. DH had an android and needed help frequently. I am the Apple person of the family, so when when his phone needed to be replaced, I just got him an iPhone. It was much easier to help him if he had the same phone as mine. He moaned and complained the first couple of weeks, but then all was good. He handles the iPhone much, much better than the other phone. Now I sometimes have to ask him how to do some things. The added benefit is they sync with the iMacs and iPads as well. Same think happened with his PC. I refused to buy another one. Put him on an iMac and he finds his way around just as well.

 

[davidfin]

Just put one in her stocking at Christmas time.

 

[rayvt]

You could buy a smartphone from QVC (I bought 2 of these)

At $60 each and comes with a year of light talk & text & data included.

This is a 2021 yr phone, I find it works great and it can be unlocked after 2 months and then can go with any carrier if you want to change.
A year plan of light use with tracphone is $125 for the year, after you use up the first year.

https://www.qvc.com/Tracfone-Moto-G...500-TalkTextData.product.E315229.html?sc=SRCH

No, you don't get the $125 plan when your year is up. Instead, you keep an eye on HSN and QVC and buy another phone (which comes with that 1 year of service) for $60-$80. Buy when one is on sale and wait to activate it.

If you are super-clever, they recently had a flip-phone with that 1 year of service for $20. I bought 2 of them, and did the double phone upgrade to move that service to our smart-phones.

 

[shafer9]

Be careful what you wish for.

You could create a monster. Happens all the time.
Luddites are often happy. ?

 

[rayvt]

Is there such a thing as a 5G flip phone, or even a 4G flip phone for sale at Walmart, etc ? Will the phones even be labeled for 4G or 5G ? Thanks

The TCL Flip 2 has 3g & 4G. That's the one that Tracfone had a $20 sale on.

All Tracfones now unlock after 60 days.

 

[lucky penny]

That was certainly my strategy. DH had an android and needed help frequently. I am the Apple person of the family, so when when his phone needed to be replaced, I just got him an iPhone. It was much easier to help him if he had the same phone as mine. He moaned and complained the first couple of weeks, but then all was good. He handles the iPhone much, much better than the other phone. Now I sometimes have to ask him how to do some things. The added benefit is they sync with the iMacs and iPads as well. Same think happened with his PC. I refused to buy another one. Put him on an iMac and he finds his way around just as well.

Perfect!

 

[JoeWras]

Be careful what you wish for.

You could create a monster. Happens all the time.
Luddites are often happy. ?

DW was happy without Facebook. I introduced it to her. She's addicted. I dropped it years ago. I wish she never opened Facebook.

As for the NEED for a cell, well I'm sorry to say it is necessary in many contexts. Long story, but I occasionally need to "talk" to people aged 18 to 24. The only way they will "talk" to me is through text. Not on the phone. Not email.

 

[John Galt III]

The TCL Flip 2 has 3g & 4G. That's the one that Tracfone had a $20 sale on.

All Tracfones now unlock after 60 days.

Thanks. I saw the Tracfone at Walmart for $20. Had to get a plan of some sort. But I guess I could cancel the plan after 60 days when the phone unlocks.

 

[meleana]

Or should I say how to drag DW into the 21st century and away from her flip phone? Back story here is she has never used a smart phone but uses her iPad for its functionality i.e., FaceTime, search, research, Amazon buying, etc. She has had a flip phone since the beginning of time and it's like you are not going to pry it from her unless it's from her cold dead hands. She is on a Verizon plan talk and text only and they recently jacked the rate up to $45 a month and she is livid. Fortunately I'm iPhone user from way back and still on my old employers plan with no monthly fee, just have to maintain and upgrade my phone as needed and do a little consulting now and then. Any others out there married to a DW with a Luddite mindset and tendencies when it come to tech and how do you approach, broach or manage without a loss of sanity.

When my husband’s flip phone stopped working I turned to Consumer Cellular and he got an android smart phone for like $79. Only talk. No text coverage. For all else he uses wireless in the house or if available elsewhere. $19 per month. He seems happy with it.