Barely Use Cell Phone

[badatmath]

Badatmath and badatkeepingtrackof****. What else? [emoji16]

I am kind of a wreck I know. . . easily distracted.

I might think about tracfone or red pocket if its a thing here. I really need to spend less money now that I am nearly out of a job.

 

[badatmath]

I have a Tracfone, and while I agree their customer service leaves a lot to be desired, I can tolerate that in return for having low-cost cell phone service. I pay about $6 a month for the phone I rarely use but am glad to have it available for the few things I use it for, as I described in an earlier post.

Do all/most "normal" apps work on tracfone as far as you know? I sort of think I heard somewhere they didn't have as much selection though why I think that I have no idea.

 

[scrabbler1]

Do all/most "normal" apps work on tracfone as far as you know? I sort of think I heard somewhere they didn't have as much selection though why I think that I have no idea.

My low-end flip-phone Tracfone has very few features beyond making and receiving phone calls and texts. It has a camera so I can take pictures, but I am not able to copy those pictures off the phone and onto my PC, for example. There is a Browser feature, and it opened up a Google page, but not only could I not navigate through it, I couldn't even switch to another phone task or shut it down. I had to power off the phone just to close it.

This phone, unlike its predecessor (I had to upgrade to a 4G phone a year ago; Tracfone gave me one for free), lacks a calculator, a handy feature when I was somewhere without access to one. The previous phone also displayed the number of minutes and contract time (days) left. It is more cumbersome to find this account info now.

 

[badatmath]

Thanks scrabbler1.

 

[Major Tom]

I feel sorry for the people that would be lost without their cellphone. They must have been in bad shape in the 70's.

I rely heavily on my cellphone, but I was in great shape in the 70's, despite the fact that I didn't have a cellphone. I'm thinking it was probably because there were no cellphones then!

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.......

 

[audreyh1]

I rely heavily on my cellphone, but I was in great shape in the 70's, despite the fact that I didn't have a cellphone. I'm thinking it was probably because there were no cellphones then!

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.......

People could only reach you if you were at home or at work. You used pay phones if you were away and needed to call someone. If they were out tough luck. I don’t even remember answering machines back then.

There were no emails either.

Tough to keep in touch with folks unless you got together regularly. Long distance calls really expensive. Letters.

 

[badatmath]

Badatmath and badatkeepingtrackof****. What else? [emoji16]

A man's got to know his limitations!

 

[pb4uski]

People could only reach you if you were at home or at work. You used pay phones if you were away and needed to call someone. If they were out tough luck. I don’t even remember answering machines back then.

There were no emails either.

Tough to keep in touch with folks unless you got together regularly. Long distance calls really expensive. Letters.

Yeah, life today is so much more convenient. If there is something that I want to know I just ask Alexa or Google.

 

[Major Tom]

People could only reach you if you were at home or at work. You used pay phones if you were away and needed to call someone. If they were out tough luck. I don’t even remember answering machines back then.

There were no emails either.

Tough to keep in touch with folks unless you got together regularly. Long distance calls really expensive. Letters.

Occasionally, I wonder how we managed, as I have adapted so easily to the much easier and swifter communication methods we have now. We managed just fine though. Come to think of it, it has been many years since I wrote anyone a letter, though I still have a stash of letters that I received from friends when younger.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

To the folks that rarely use a phone, you can get the bundle deals on HSN which includes the phone and 1500 minutes/data/texts that are good for a year for $50.
It is with Tracfone and they put you on Verizon nowadays.
Great deal for an emergency phone or someone that does not want to spend much money.
It's not a great phone, but it's a decent one. It is locked to Verizon for 60 days then they will unlock it.
I bought my Moto G Stylus on a similar deal and once it was unlocked moved it over to my Tello number.

https://slickdeals.net/f/16466074-m...ith-1500-min-text-data-49-99-after-coupon-hsn

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Do all/most "normal" apps work on tracfone as far as you know? I sort of think I heard somewhere they didn't have as much selection though why I think that I have no idea.

You can download phone apps from the Google Play store or the Apple store if you're an IPHONE user. There are tons of apps available and most are good quality.

 

[Sunset]

Do all/most "normal" apps work on tracfone as far as you know? I sort of think I heard somewhere they didn't have as much selection though why I think that I have no idea.

The number of apps and which apps are available has no relationship to which carrier you use.
They all use either Android (google) or IOS (apple).

Just make sure the phone you get uses Android or Apple's Operating System.

Then you get your apps from the "store" that the respective one controls.

Note: If you REALLY go out of your way, it's possible to have a weird phone that is using Android/IOS.
I have a Microsoft phone, Runs on Microsoft, but you can't buy them new anymore.
There used to be BlackBerry, not sure if it's around anymore either.

 

[Kabowest]

I use mine daily for countless tasks. Sitting on a plane right now replying to this thread.

 

[RobbieB]

When I'm out I usually leave it in the car. But mostly I forget and leave it at home.

 

[disneysteve]

I feel sorry for the people that would be lost without their cellphone. They must have been in bad shape in the 70's.

Not at all. In the 70s computers weren’t a thing. The internet didn’t exist. So many functions that are now done online either didn’t exist or were done in another way.

I am not fully retired. Our scheduling is handled through an app. Our in-house communication system is through an app. Our staff meetings are held through an app and the presentations and slides are available through that app.

I also have an online business on eBay. I use my phone to take all of the photos, to research value of items when out shopping for merchandise, to follow my sales, send offers, and respond to messages.

Many have mentioned GPS. Sure maps still exist but they aren’t constantly updated and don’t give audio turn by turn directions.

Smartphones also created many ways to save money through store and restaurant apps with coupons and such.

Disneyland just announced that going forward the only way to charge purchase to your hotel room will be with their app. You used to just show your room key.

Someone also mentioned the disappearance of pay phones. If your car breaks down or you have an accident, I just open the AAA app and call for help. I don’t even need to know where I am because the phone provides that info.

Times have changed. More and more functions and services are app-based, exclusively so in many cases. If you don’t have a smartphone you are increasingly excluded from many things.

 

[rembrandt]

I rely heavily on my cellphone, but I was in great shape in the 70's, despite the fact that I didn't have a cellphone. I'm thinking it was probably because there were no cellphones then!

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.......

It was a lame attempt at humor!

 

[Dawg52]

My cell is my only number. I may not make a lot of phone calls but I do stay in touch daily with people via text. And when out of town it's my connection to the internet. So yes.....I use mine a good bit.

 

[athena53]

Not at all. In the 70s computers weren’t a thing. The internet didn’t exist. So many functions that are now done online either didn’t exist or were done in another way. <snip>

Off the top of my head I can remember quite a few extremely frustrating instances where I was trying to meet up with someone, there had been some sort of issue and they weren't there and there was no way to contact them since we had only land lines at home. Then there was the time my then-husband was supposed to be meeting friends at a bar (I was home trying to get a good night's sleep since I was working FT) and when they found the place was closed they all called ME to relay messages.

Times have changed. More and more functions and services are app-based, exclusively so in many cases. If you don’t have a smartphone you are increasingly excluded from many things.

As I noted earlier, businesses just LOVE when you install their app because they can track your behavior on other apps. While it's nice that we're killing fewer trees by reducing printed coupons, they now have a far more detailed record of your buying habits. It's a two-edged sword. They can bombard you with related offers but they'll also claim they're better-tailored to your interests.

I have to admit I do NOT miss pay phones. Most were third-party and the rates were astronomical.

 

[disneysteve]

Off the top of my head I can remember quite a few extremely frustrating instances where I was trying to meet up with someone, there had been some sort of issue and they weren't there and there was no way to contact them since we had only land lines at home.

We are about to leave to meet friends at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. They weren't positive of their schedule so couldn't make a definite meeting time. They will call/text us when they arrive and we'll meet up. Kind of tough without cell phones.

As I noted earlier, businesses just LOVE when you install their app because they can track your behavior on other apps. While it's nice that we're killing fewer trees by reducing printed coupons, they now have a far more detailed record of your buying habits. It's a two-edged sword.

I have absolutely no issue with this. Since they are essentially paying me to use the app, I'm okay with them knowing how often I come or what I order for lunch.

I have to admit I do NOT miss pay phones. Most were third-party and the rates were astronomical.

I got my first mobile phone (a bag phone) in 1991 when I was a 2nd year resident and started being on call outside of the hospital. After the first time I had to pull over at a pay phone in a seedy neighborhood, we both agreed that I couldn't keep doing that.

 

[Music Lover]

I feel sorry for the people that would be lost without their cellphone. They must have been in bad shape in the 70's.

I don't miss having to go home to phone someone or to check if someone left a message on the answering machine.

What I don't understand are the people who would rather pay more to only have access to a phone at home when for less money they can have a phone wherever they are. Regardless of whether or not you even go out that often, why would you pay more for less capability?

 

[athena53]

I don't miss having to go home to phone someone or to check if someone left a message on the answering machine.

What I don't understand are the people who would rather pay more to only have access to a phone at home when for less money they can have a phone wherever they are. Regardless of whether or not you even go out that often, why would you pay more for less capability?

My MagicJack line is $49/year all-on so definitely cheaper even than my Ting plan on my phone (thanks to those here who suggested it years ago), which is about $19/month. Add in the cost of the phone and a land line is definitely cheaper but I'm still willing to pay for the convenience of a smartphone.

 

[Music Lover]

My MagicJack line is $49/year all-on so definitely cheaper even than my Ting plan on my phone (thanks to those here who suggested it years ago), which is about $19/month. Add in the cost of the phone and a land line is definitely cheaper but I'm still willing to pay for the convenience of a smartphone.

We have a cabin and spend a good part of summer there. Having smart phones means that we don't need a second land line. We don't pay for internet at the cabin but have cheap data plans and can make the phone a hot spot if we need internet access or want to stream the occasional movie.

And we just spent 6 weeks in Mazatlan. We took our phones and for less than $15 got a Mexico phone number with an unlimited talk and text plan for 30 days. My wife was able to speak to her mother regularly.

 

[badatmath]

Then you get your apps from the "store" that the respective one controls.

Note: If you REALLY go out of your way, it's possible to have a weird phone that is using Android/IOS.
I have a Microsoft phone, Runs on Microsoft, but you can't buy them new anymore.
There used to be BlackBerry, not sure if it's around anymore either.[/QUOTE]

For some reason I thought tracfone locked things down, idk.

I don't miss having to go home to phone someone or to check if someone left a message on the answering machine.

What I don't understand are the people who would rather pay more to only have access to a phone at home when for less money they can have a phone wherever they are. Regardless of whether or not you even go out that often, why would you pay more for less capability?

I can check my answering machine messages remotely. I never normally do but I have before.

Not sure why you think a land line is more it is less than the tmo 55 plan i was looking at a couple weeks ago. Of course I am sure there are lots of plans out there but I mean . . .

 

[Qs Laptop]

It incredible that the advantages of carrying around a swiss army knife type communications/entertainment/camera/map/video/productivity device needs to be explained to anyone in the year 2023, but here we are!

 

[Music Lover]

Not sure why you think a land line is more it is less than the tmo 55 plan i was looking at a couple weeks ago. Of course I am sure there are lots of plans out there but I mean . . .

I guess it depends where you live. My parents paid $40 for a landline in Canada, their cell phone plans are $25 a month. Of course they each have a cell phone so it's $50 but they could get by with one if they had to.