Not Everyone Has a Smartphone (Whiny Rant)

[Spang]

Best keyboard on a phone, hands down.

And probably the best calendar, too.

 

[ledboots]

I didn't realize Blackberry Curves were so reliable and durable. Interesting.

I had one for years and really liked it. The battery charge intake plug broke after much abuse.

 

[RascalsMom]

I have an iPhone 4S. If I had home Internet, I think I would be fine with a basic phone that just called & texted. But it's cheaper for me to pay $45 for unlimited text, talk, web on my phone than to get home Internet plus a basic phone line, plus have to buy a basic phone.

 

[Kitties]

I've got a flip phone. No camera on it. I have minimal minutes and pay about 23 US dollars a month. Mostly it's for emergencies and calling family on my lunch break sometimes. I'm not upgrading any time soon. People glued to their phones get on my nerves.

 

[Amy SF]

See, my feeling is, the flip phone will become completely obsolete at some point in time. The flip phone that I currently use was originally bought by my mother, who wanted just a *very* basic cellphone. The guy had to go in the back to look for it. He knew they had something, but it wasn't on display out on the floor. Once flip phones are phased out, what will take their place will probably be one or two basic smartphones.

I think everyone who currently has a flip phone should think about that, because if they upgrade to a new phone, they'll have to get a smartphone. Also, the software and parts for flip phones will be phased out so maintaining current software and repairing flip phones won't be possible after a while.

When I was at the Verizon Wireless store back on April 12th when my old flip phone stopped working, I noticed that they had NO flip phones on display. I didn't ask if they still sold any, because I want a smartphone and I had my mother's old phone I could activate and use for a while. Anyone who wants a flip phone may end up having to do some searching for it.

 

[shyvas]

I've got a flip phone. No camera on it. I have minimal minutes and pay about 23 US dollars a month. Mostly it's for emergencies and calling family on my lunch break sometimes. I'm not upgrading any time soon. People glued to their phones get on my nerves.

That is very expensive. I pay only €2.99 for a 2 hr/illimited texts per month with Virgin mobile.

 

[Danielle]

Maybe they give smart phone owners discounts because smart phones are expensive?
Just a thought. o_o

 

[thefadedone]

I've got a flip phone. No camera on it. I have minimal minutes and pay about 23 US dollars a month. Mostly it's for emergencies and calling family on my lunch break sometimes. I'm not upgrading any time soon. People glued to their phones get on my nerves.

Is that a contract deal or do you have a prepaid phone? That's really cheap!

See, my feeling is, the flip phone will become completely obsolete at some point in time. The flip phone that I currently use was originally bought by my mother, who wanted just a *very* basic cellphone. The guy had to go in the back to look for it. He knew they had something, but it wasn't on display out on the floor. Once flip phones are phased out, what will take their place will probably be one or two basic smartphones.

I think everyone who currently has a flip phone should think about that, because if they upgrade to a new phone, they'll have to get a smartphone. Also, the software and parts for flip phones will be phased out so maintaining current software and repairing flip phones won't be possible after a while.

When I was at the Verizon Wireless store back on April 12th when my old flip phone stopped working, I noticed that they had NO flip phones on display. I didn't ask if they still sold any, because I want a smartphone and I had my mother's old phone I could activate and use for a while. Anyone who wants a flip phone may end up having to do some searching for it.

And that sucks for those of us who can't afford the internet package. I wish I could just use a smartphone with a basic plan even if that defeats the whole purpose of the smartphone.

I have an iPhone 4S. If I had home Internet, I think I would be fine with a basic phone that just called & texted. But it's cheaper for me to pay $45 for unlimited text, talk, web on my phone than to get home Internet plus a basic phone line, plus have to buy a basic phone.

What carrier are you using? Reading these posts has me wondering if I'm getting ripped off. I have a basic phone and basic plan yet paying a lot more .

 

[RascalsMom]

Maybe they give smart phone owners discounts because smart phones are expensive?
Just a thought. o_o

Why would companies who have nothing to do with the purchase of your phone offer discounts because you bought an expensive product from someone else? They offer coupons for things like checking into places because its advertisement for them when you check in or post about them.

 

[RascalsMom]

Faded - I used to pay A LOT more with AT&T. I recently switched to straight talk (Walmart) and set it to auto refill. It's like prepay, I guess. It's not a contract but mine automatically puts the same plan on each month. They use AT&T service. (they recently switched to using tmobile SIM cards which, having briefly worked for the company, I would advise against and buy an AT&T straight talk sim on eBay.)
There's a few settings you have to change on your iPhone when you bring it over to straight talk to make data and MMS work, but after that all is good.

 

[Danielle]

Why would companies who have nothing to do with the purchase of your phone offer discounts because you bought an expensive product from someone else? They offer coupons for things like checking into places because its advertisement for them when you check in or post about them.

I guess that doesn't make much sense, lol

 

[Mel]

The electronics shop in the mall I work at are now advertising "superphones". We might be entering into a new phone era here.

I have a smartphone. I don't even have it activated anymore but I can use it wherever there is Wifi. I might use it again at some point but as it stands right now, I have no cell phone that people can reach me with when I'm out of the house.

 

[thefadedone]

Faded - I used to pay A LOT more with AT&T. I recently switched to straight talk (Walmart) and set it to auto refill. It's like prepay, I guess. It's not a contract but mine automatically puts the same plan on each month. They use AT&T service. (they recently switched to using tmobile SIM cards which, having briefly worked for the company, I would advise against and buy an AT&T straight talk sim on eBay.)
There's a few settings you have to change on your iPhone when you bring it over to straight talk to make data and MMS work, but after that all is good.

Thanks for the info!

The electronics shop in the mall I work at are now advertising "superphones". We might be entering into a new phone era here.

I have a smartphone. I don't even have it activated anymore but I can use it wherever there is Wifi. I might use it again at some point but as it stands right now, I have no cell phone that people can reach me with when I'm out of the house.

What if there's an emergency? I know we all survived years without cell phones, but back then there were also payphones around to rely on.

 

[Amy SF]

The electronics shop in the mall I work at are now advertising "superphones". We might be entering into a new phone era here.

I have a smartphone. I don't even have it activated anymore but I can use it wherever there is Wifi. I might use it again at some point but as it stands right now, I have no cell phone that people can reach me with when I'm out of the house.

I like being able to be accessible wherever I happen to be, at least partly because I have an elderly mother and "the call" might come at any time. You know, the sad one where I learn that she's passed away, or has fallen really ill or badly hurt herself and had to be rushed to the hospital.

When I got my first (analog) cellphone, I figured it was just for emergencies only, since I grew up with landline phones and was used to them, plus public phones. I was so unused to the idea of a cellphone that I never even turned it on! But then I upgraded to a digital phone, and that was kept more on than off. I started to use it more. The next phone I got (the one that died this month) was kept turned on ALL the time and I used it all the time. By the time I activated my current phone, I wasn't even using my landline phone at all anymore. It's now an "emergency" phone (because in a power outage, a wired landline phone will work, if the battery power on the cellphone has run out, and a cordless landline phone won't work in a power outage) and the cellphone is now my primary phone. Such a switch in perception.

 

[Amy SF]

What if there's an emergency? I know we all survived years without cell phones, but back then there were also payphones around to rely on.

You make a good point. (See my post above). Pay phones everywhere are disappearing. In the Santa Monica courthouse, there used to be a phone booth next to one of the courtrooms, but the phone was removed a long time ago. It's now used as a storage closet for cleaning supplies. Same thing with the county hospital I used to work at. They left a couple pay phones, but removed all the others.

 

[Mel]

Thanks for the info!




What if there's an emergency? I know we all survived years without cell phones, but back then there were also payphones around to rely on.

I'm usually at work, or home. Other than that, I'm not out of the house for that long. I have been thinking of reactivating my phone but the battery dies very quickly now. So instead of getting an expensive new battery for my smartphone, I could keep it as a Wifi device (plugged in near my bed), and get a cheaper phone.

 

[Mel]

Yep, there aren't that many payphones left around here either.

 

[kibbleforlola]

I know in America at least, you can call 911 on any cellphone, even if that cell isn't activated/doesn't have minutes/you don't have a plan.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I know in America at least, you can call 911 on any cellphone, even if that cell isn't activated/doesn't have minutes/you don't have a plan.

 

[Cerebellion]

My smartphone is essentially an electronic calendar/alarm clock/mp3 player and that's it. I don't game on it or use it for anything remotely special. It serves it's function: no more, no less.