Is it just me? I hate being on a leash. That is how I look at cell phones. What ever happened to leave a message and I'll get back to you. I can see the convenience factor but damn. People now a days are constantly looking at their phones texting and such. I just don't get it. I'm thinking on just getting internet phone at home and dumping the cell all together. But my daughter....well she would freak. And you can't get a phone without data anymore. They are all smart phones now which drives up the price. I hate this crap!! End of Rant. Any comments or advice? My GF used to handle the phone stuff but we broke up. Been together 7 yrs. Haven't delt with this for a few years. I guess things have changed since. When I had my own account I had a flip phone. Was pretty simple.
$100 4g lte android, $60 unlimited pre pay plan from tmobile or a competitor offering the same deal. I am to the point where I am no longer excited about new electronics or other technologies unless it somehow saves me money. My $60 phone plan now doubles as my home internet and is faster than anything else I have available.
[This message has been edited by jmbishop (edited 09-17-2014).]
I'm paying 140 per month for mine an my daughters plan. And I got a old out of date first generation smart phone that goes dead all the time. They say I can't upgrade because I been on my GF plan and I don't qualify. These companies are just trying to bilk everything they can IMO.
I'm paying 140 per month for mine an my daughters plan. And I got a old out of date first generation smart phone that goes dead all the time. They say I can't upgrade because I been on my GF plan and I don't qualify. These companies are just trying to bilk everything they can IMO.
Cant handle a smart phone, then dont get one. Plenty of regular phones out there both on contract and pre-pay. Its really not that hard.
I feel the same as you about being on a leash, etc.
I have had a Tracfone for at least ten years. I use it for emergencies only and never turn it on except when driving or traveling. I travel overseas about three times a year and not having the leash is a liberating feeling. I still have a land line and my phone/internet package is through Century Link (who bought Qwest) and I have unlimited internet, long distance and a host of features. The TracFone costs me and my wife about $200 a year and the landline is about $75 a month. I bought my tracfone at Target.
I have an iPhone 3gs (99 bucks to buy) on a Koodo (nantional carrier up here with excellent service, they are actually part of Telus) on a $50/mo pre-pay "plan", which gets me unlimted everything (voice, data, voicemail, call display, forewarding ect). Battery on it for my use is about 36 hours and I can be pretty heavy on the local calling for work (I use a different number for inbound calls)
If I dont want to be leashed, I just put it on Do Not Disturb or shut it off, and anybody that tries getting in my face about it gets told "Because I didnt feel like being chained to it, **** you thats why"
I have a little LG flip phone of sorts--has a slide out keyboard that I've never used. I 'could' use the data part of it to internet and send photos, but don't. About once/month, I I'll send a text using just the keypad, but usually, if some numbnuts texts me, I just call them instead of texting back.
I have a little LG flip phone of sorts--has a slide out keyboard that I've never used. I 'could' use the data part of it to internet and send photos, but don't. About once/month, I I'll send a text using just the keypad, but usually, if some numbnuts texts me, I just call them instead of texting back.
I have all I can do to put the phone numbers I call a lot into the dam thing and like you if someone is dumb enough to text me I just call them back, if I really need to reply or for that mater want to reply, no keyboard just a plain old flip phone with a camera.
For the truly frugal, received this message a few days ago:
So, for $29.99 in equipment, you can have a VOIP phone line with free unlimited calling in the U.S. from the U.S.and Canada. (No 911 service and price subject to change).
For cell phone service, Virgin Mobile has prepaid service for $35/month with unlimited data. Since most calls are text now and smart phones have internet browsers, this is a good price. Unfortunately 4G service isn't yet available if you live in the boonies like me.
[This message has been edited by spark1 (edited 09-18-2014).]
Every new smartphone or platform I have ever had (Symbian, BB, Android, Windows, Palm, Apple) starts off meaning well with ONLY the needed business apps on it....and within 3 months it is loaded down with texting apps, games, friend finders, yelp, name it and its on there.
He might have found the way to "unleash" and still have the benifits of a smartphone, IF ya have the willpower to stick with it...(as MeM is getting an inbound text I am going to answer within 90 seconds)
Straight Talk. You can get a simple flip phone and your daughter can get an iPhone (if that what she wants)... Plus, month to month plans. $45 for full data/talk/text and $30 for the flip phone. Now I think tracphone has even cheaper plans.
BTW, Straight talk gives you the same coverage as the national companies, depending on the phone (as each phone will use one of the major carriers.... ATT, Verizon, etc).
I have a Boulder flip phone and have had it for at least 5 years. They keep trying to give a new free phone. I use it to make and recieve phone calls and to look at the calendar. I dont use voicemail at all ever on it. I have a message saying that, yet people still leave them. Its not set up for it, so they just get deleted. I have an answering machine on my landline...if you want to leave a message, leave it there. My smart phone (samsung gal 3) is exclusively to get Hulu, YouTube and TWC on the road in the RV. I dont text, or use it for a phone at all. No one has the number I know of. You cant set it loud enough to hear ring or vibrate strong enough to feel. It also dont have voicemail set up... My landline message says 'I dont answer this phone from any number I do not know. You MUST leave a message or you will never talk to me.
I do see nothing but people oblivious to anything not on the phone screen. People walking into ditches, walls, signs , open manholes and doors. I even had a girl walk off the sidewalk and right into the street traffic where I hit her. Lucky for her she wasnt hurt....but the first words out of her mouth when I stopped to check her was 'do you see where my phone went'. I just laughed and drove off. Friends are so into texting, they CANNOT stop for 5 mins...they have to post when they take a crap or wash their underware.
Im a technology guy pretty much, but phones that lead your life are not on my priority list. Its a phone.
Is it just me? I hate being on a leash. That is how I look at cell phones. What ever happened to leave a message and I'll get back to you. I can see the convenience factor but damn. People now a days are constantly looking at their phones texting and such. I just don't get it. I'm thinking on just getting internet phone at home and dumping the cell all together. But my daughter....well she would freak. And you can't get a phone without data anymore. They are all smart phones now which drives up the price. I hate this crap!! End of Rant. Any comments or advice? My GF used to handle the phone stuff but we broke up. Been together 7 yrs. Haven't delt with this for a few years. I guess things have changed since. When I had my own account I had a flip phone. Was pretty simple.
I'm with you for the most part, still have a flip phone. I do text though, its like email, I see the text when I see it and respond when I want to. Even less on demand than live talking. The only thing really enticing me to get a newer phone is great picture and video taking tech in a phone. OH.. and google maps live traffic. Still I probably wont anytime soon.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 09-18-2014).]
I'm with you for the most part, still have a flip phone. I do text though, its like email, I see the text when I see it and respond when I want to. Even less on demand than live talking. The only thing really enticing me to get a newer phone is great picture and video taking tech in a phone. OH.. and google maps live traffic. Still I probably wont anytime soon.
I almost never use my phone to 'call' people. Its really just a PDA with universal data to me.
I have a Boulder flip phone and have had it for at least 5 years. They keep trying to give a new free phone. I use it to make and recieve phone calls and to look at the calendar.
I use my phone as a computer that I can carry in my pocket. Other than talking to my wife, I only make 2-3 other calls per week. The same goes for text messages. I am just not that glued to it like many people.
I do use it a lot at work to browse the web. That way I am not on my work network which is closely monitored. On breaks I hook my phone up to my monitor and watch videos. I stream internet radio stations over my phone all day long. I also read books on my phone through the Kindle app. When I have to take notes during a meeting, I do it on my phone using my Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. It makes it very easy to share my notes.
Today's smart phone are what you make of them. I choose to use mine as a computer most of the time and occasionally as a phone.
For many people leaving work at work and not bringing it home to family time becomes hard when someone can reach you all the time, or you see 10 work emails sitting there waiting to be opened. I dont currently have a job like that, or a phone work provides. If I did I would not want my phone to keep me tied to work when I was off hours. I realize some people dont want to ever be off hours too though, for example if you own your own business.
For many people leaving work at work and not bringing it home to family time becomes hard when someone can reach you all the time, or you see 10 work emails sitting there waiting to be opened. I dont currently have a job like that, or a phone work provides. If I did I would not want my phone to keep me tied to work when I was off hours. I realize some people dont want to ever be off hours too though, for example if you own your own business.
Or if you are on call-rotation.
Not all people who look at their phones 'off-hours' just feel they are special. Some are working. ( not that you said that, but many people have said that, insinuating they are better than the others because they dont 'look at their phone like they are special', and fail to see the irony of hypocrisy )
Seems recently i got caught up with the general attitude of hostility around here as of late, and it was really uncalled for.
For those of you here who did not deserve being on the wrong end of a rant of mine, no excuses, and i do apologize and will avoid doing that in the future. For those few that deserved it ( and you know who you are ), tough noogies, and you will be ignored from here on out to avoid the temptation to contribute to the BS.
I thought you turned over a new leaf or some such nonsense?
Well, this is what your post implied, and I'm only repeating what you said, only in a question format to determine if how i interpreted it was accurate or not. Did i accuse you of being stupid or incapable of self control? No, i didnt, i asked a question..
Take that as you wish, but you posted first. Its fair game to ask you about it.
EDIT: Furthermore, if you read my 'new leaf' post thoroughly, you would find that some people DID deserve the poor treatment i gave them, just not all. Were you one of them that was deserving? Time will tell. But, regardless of that, my posting direct questions concerning your post doesn't qualify as treating anyone poorly.
[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 09-18-2014).]
The best thing about texting is that it is unobtrusive, unlike a bunch of people chattering in response to annoying ring tones.
You dont work where i do, where every txt causes a stupid sound ... people dont seem to understand there is such a thing as 'silent mode' on most modern phones
The #1 reason I only rarely do appliance repair anymore, and coincidentally, the #1 reason I have developed such a hatred for the human species.
EMERGENCY on-call means just that, an EMERGENCY. A burst supply line is an emergency. A machine on fire is an emergency. Somebody stuck thier fingers into an auger and lost 1/2 a hand is an emergency. An emergency by definition is something with the potential to cause catastrouphic loss of life or property.
Some shmuck cant be bothered opening his facilaty during regular hours, junior shedding tears because he cant have his favorite flavor, somebody going to loose 40 bucks in sales, somebody feeling entitled....those are NOT emergencies, those are not my problem on my personal time, and if over 2,000 people (customers) are not going to shut up, shut thier damn mouth, just go away, and wont stop pestering until they get thier own way on MY personal time then I truly hope they die in a car crash, slowly and painfully...
Come to think of it, yeh I do hate cell phones and the leash they are, but they are just inanimate objects. Nothing more, nothing less. Its the imbecilles using them, and the expectations (demands) having one creates. So, the problem really isnt cell phones, its people.
Well, this is what your post implied, and I'm only repeating what you said, only in a question format to determine if how i interpreted it was accurate or not. Did i accuse you of being stupid or incapable of self control? No, i didnt, i asked a question..
Take that as you wish, but you posted first. Its fair game to ask you about it.
EDIT: Furthermore, if you read my 'new leaf' post thoroughly, you would find that some people DID deserve the poor treatment i gave them, just not all. Were you one of them that was deserving? Time will tell. But, regardless of that, my posting direct questions concerning your post doesn't qualify as treating anyone poorly.
Or millions in fines due to contracts, or lost production...
THAT is one of the huge problems up here brought in by NAFTA. We are not a USA-style "will-to-work" province, we are an employees rights province. If a corporation signs contracts like that, then it is the corporations responsability to hire sufficent staff in legal shifts to have the contract covered. Our legal limits up here are a "standard" day which is 8-hours OR as agreed upon, with a weekly maximum of 48 (or up to 60 with special legal approval). Some industries are exempt or have different limits (trucking, contruction,essential services, ect). After that legal maximum is reached the corporation is risking $300/day fines PER STAFF MEMBER (meaning in most cases business-wise its a whole lot cheaper for them just to comply with the law)
Since NAFTA a lot of medium-sized companies have taken an american-style attitude that they "own" the staff 24/7/365 and the staff will damn well do as they are told, when they are told and the company will pay overtime--or at all--if they feel like it (uh, no we DONT on personal time, and yes they will pay like it or not). Small companies tend to realize the high cost of violating labour standards and dont do it, multi-nationals tend to just want to keep staff happy to protect the bottom line and stay out of lawsuits, the medium-sized seem to not give a damn and want to make up all kinds of rules and policies why laws dont apply to them and staff are actually owned slaves.
Its gotten so bad up here, our labour-enforcement Minsitry (dont think you guys have an equavalent) is currently doing a 3-month enforcement blitz to nail everybody they can to the wall and strike some fear into these companies http://www.labour.gov.on.ca..._vwblitz20140820.php
Its one of the big differnces between our 2 countries and the idea of a job. Down there the company owns you, and can even tell you how to vote or be unemployed. Up here they rent our skills for a certain number of hours per week and thats all. Many of them keep trying to bring your style up here, and we keep fighting them. I have personally gotten enforcement into 2 different companies over it, and BOTH were given a 10-day window to come into full compliance or be shut down, we take our labour laws/ employee rights that seriously up here. We would rather put a company out of business than tollerate corporate slavery of staff.
[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 09-18-2014).]
Originally posted by Jason88Notchie: And also tossing it from the top of RV's.
LOL. You cant do that with your smart phone though, can ya... It still all works just fine too after that.
I also own a business (pretty much closed down though). When Im not there I dont want to be reached about business. No business contacts or customers have a cell number to call me. THey have to leave a message on my landline answering machine. I missed one other use for my obsolete flip phone...since it rings so loud, it rings when my home alarm is activated. I can answer it and listen to anything going on in the house or shop.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 09-19-2014).]
For many people leaving work at work and not bringing it home to family time becomes hard when someone can reach you all the time, or you see 10 work emails sitting there waiting to be opened. I dont currently have a job like that, or a phone work provides. If I did I would not want my phone to keep me tied to work when I was off hours. I realize some people dont want to ever be off hours too though, for example if you own your own business.
Most of you older guys who worked jobs that had you on call status in the olden times before cell phones, may remember beepers and pagers, remember those old archaic things? When I worked at Digital Equipment, that is how old I am, I bet more than half here never even heard of them. Anyway I had to be on call every other weekend for techs to get parts for their repairs at different companies and after the third page one weekend and driving the hour to the plant in Westborough from Leicester, MA, getting the tech a single part, chip, or WTF ever the pore shmuck needed, I threw the dam thing in a glass of water and left it there for the rest of the weekend !
I hate the digital leashes just as dam much, that's why so few people have my cell phone number, Melanie and maybe 3 friends have the number and I only ever get calls from Melanie and I sometimes think that is to much ! She will sometimes call and say, "What ya doing ? " At the most inconvenient times, like when I am under a truck changing gas lines, WTF The dam things for us anyway are just for emergency's, like yesterday when I mashed my finger with my fence pounding hammer and was out in a field bleeding like a stuck pig, NOT for "What ya doing?"
I so agree Steve. It's always at the wrong time. And if you don't reply you get the "why are you ignoring me????" And to keep it in the spirit of the day....ARRRRGGGG....
I so agree Steve. It's always at the wrong time. And if you don't reply you get the "why are you ignoring me????" And to keep it in the spirit of the day....ARRRRGGGG....
I dont have that problem. My friends have the same attitude as myself.
I have a little LG flip phone of sorts--has a slide out keyboard that I've never used. I 'could' use the data part of it to internet and send photos, but don't. About once/month, I I'll send a text using just the keypad, but usually, if some numbnuts texts me, I just call them instead of texting back.
Excuse me but, that's Mr. Numbnuts to you.
------------------ Ron Count Down to A Better America: http://countingdownto.com/countdown/196044 Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun?
My Uncle Frank was a staunch Conservative and voted straight Republican until the day he died in Chicago. Since then he has voted Democrat. Shrug
If you get one of them newfangled phones, they have... what do they call it... an "OFF" button, whatever that is. You could try using that. Crazy, I know.
End of Rant. Any comments or advice? My GF used to handle the phone stuff but we broke up. Been together 7 yrs. Haven't delt with this for a few years. I guess things have changed since. When I had my own account I had a flip phone. Was pretty simple.
It still all works just fine too after that.
She will sometimes call and say, "What ya doing ? " At the most inconvenient times, like when I am under a truck changing gas lines, WTF The dam things for us anyway are just for emergency's, like yesterday when I mashed my finger with my fence pounding hammer and was out in a field bleeding like a stuck pig, NOT for "What ya doing?" 
