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Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

pam-moore.com

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Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#241

Post by kwhitefoot »

prolikewh0a wrote: post #17

I obliterated one of my smartphones last year after dropping it on concrete while getting off the bus. I freaked out, had no clue what to do since I was low income and couldn't afford anything for quite awhile. For a few days it was like I was an addict, constantly feeling my back pocket vibrating, constantly reaching to check my phone. After a few more days, I felt very liberated. I felt very free. I started enjoyin…

I had the same experience years ago when I had to scrap my car. Felt lost without it for a week or two. But then I felt free. It was no longer my responsibility to ensure that a vehicle had fuel, that the tyres were inflated, oil filled. No one could ask me to run an errand that needed a car. I walked more and got more exercise, took the bus more and took a nap on the way home.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#242

Post by tinus_hn »

cortic wrote: post #80
koolba wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not a Luddite by any stretch and I’ve had smart phones since they were quite dumb, but your reasons don’t ring for me: > I can communicate with my fiancee even when she's in another country (international sms = fail). It facilitates instant communications. Email across the planet has been around since day one. > I can have a fiancee who's in another country. I can assure you this was possible pre-smart phone. > W…

>millions of man years wasted streaming mind numbing video. ..millions of man years wasted waiting. >zoning out of the real world people around you to doodle on your phone that’s sad. ..humoring pointless gossip so people will like you, that's sad. My point is that these seem very subjective and judgmental.

Which is why using these ‘arguments’ makes you appear like an old fart. Get off my lawn! Kids these days!

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#243

Post by lolsal »

iforgotpassword wrote: post #120
koolba wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not a Luddite by any stretch and I’ve had smart phones since they were quite dumb, but your reasons don’t ring for me: > I can communicate with my fiancee even when she's in another country (international sms = fail). It facilitates instant communications. Email across the planet has been around since day one. > I can have a fiancee who's in another country. I can assure you this was possible pre-smart phone. > W…

May I add: >> I can communicate with my fiancee even when she's in another country (international sms = fail). > It facilitates instant communications. Email across the planet has been around since day one. Do you even need instant communication in that case? It's not like you're going to have a quick unexpected meetup or some "hey I'm quite busy can you go get the kids?" Not to mention time zone issues. >> When I'm…

> Do you even need instant communication in that case? It's not like you're going to have a quick unexpected meetup or some "hey I'm quite busy can you go get the kids?" Not to mention time zone issues.

"help, I'm being detained in Paris!" "I was mugged and need a passport!" "My plane was late so I missed my connecting flight, so I am spending another night in Berlin."

etc.

>People didn't die of boredom before. Read a book, magazine, work on something on your laptop if you must. Also people seem to lose the ability to just take a short timeout from everything, just to think about your life for a bit, remember some good old times with friends or family you might have lost, and so on.

I actually agree with you totally here, but a counterpoint would be that I can get mundane stuff done while doing mundane stuff (riding a bus, taxi, etc.) so that when I get home I get more family time instead of "not now, I have to see why Comcast/Verizon/Etc. screwed up our bill again."

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#244

Post by lolsal »

soziawa wrote: post #219
cortic wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>millions of man years wasted streaming mind numbing video. ..millions of man years wasted waiting. >zoning out of the real world people around you to doodle on your phone that’s sad. ..humoring pointless gossip so people will like you, that's sad. My point is that these seem very subjective and judgmental.

I mean there were books before there were phones. The point is that phones have added little value.

> The point is that phones have added little value.

... to you.

My phone doesn't always have to be solving a problem or completing a task. The other day I was waiting for something and happened to look up the weather. I ended up going down a rabbit hole and re-discovering https://earth.nullschool.net - it was fascinating! It enriched my life, to no particular end. That sort of stuff happens all the time and immensely valuable to me.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#245

Post by lozf »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #225
exodust wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're in a gloomy waiting room. You arrived early, so could be waiting awhile. Nothing to read except a few old Vogue magazines. You're by yourself, you didn't bring a book. Your inventory is a wallet, keys, and flip phone. What is your next move?

I would say that your example scenario isn’t necessarily an argument for having a smartphone, it is a reason to always have a Kindle with you that contains a few hundred books. (You can leave the Kindle in airplane mode at all times and get everything you want to read from pirated ebook websites, no need to deal with Amazon's ecosystem and DRM).

or just buy a Kobo or some other non-Amazon ebook reader if you don't want to support them at all.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#246

Post by LoveSubs »

culot wrote: post #42
ryl00 wrote: post #25

I've got a Windows phone, and sometimes I feel like the gradual decay of its ecosystem is a blessing in disguise. Since app support is spotty, I'm relegated to sticking to the core features only (Edge, maps, music player, texting, camera, Office), which are good enough for most of my needs. (At least for however long until Edge falls behind the other browsers, or maps/traffic gets shuttered, or...) It's already distr…

That's precisely the reason I stick with Windows Phone as well. Even with a flagship-level phone Windows Phone is super slow, so, on top of what you mention, it makes me not want to use it as much. Being so limited is rather freeing.

Super slow?!?!

The only feature WP has was super snappy on the cheapest one.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#247

Post by frogpelt »

jordigh wrote: post #59

I don't have a phone. At all. Whenever government things or banks ask me for a phone number, I just say none. Persistent computer forms that won't take no for an answer are fed the phone number of the company that is asking for a phone. Most people find this utterly unthinkable and seem to project their anxiety of not having a phone on to me. What about emergencies? How do you do this? How do you do that? What if thi…

Have you lived this way for long?

Has it become your trademark? Maybe you kind of want to get a phone now but since you've gone this long without one, it's like a streak or a reputation you don't want to ruin?

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#248

Post by Rudism »

jordigh wrote: post #59

I don't have a phone. At all. Whenever government things or banks ask me for a phone number, I just say none. Persistent computer forms that won't take no for an answer are fed the phone number of the company that is asking for a phone. Most people find this utterly unthinkable and seem to project their anxiety of not having a phone on to me. What about emergencies? How do you do this? How do you do that? What if thi…

What do you do if you need to make a doctor's appointment? Or if your internet goes out and you need to contact the ISP to come service it?

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#249

Post by closetohome »

maccard wrote: post #169
jordigh wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I email my family and schedule videochat. I don't have a GP. If I'm ill, I just go to a walk-in clinic. I can also schedule appointments online. When I was too sick to go out at all and due to a particular situation I didn't have web access either, I asked a neighbour to make a phone call for me. I live in a city where I can rely on the help of others. For some official business, I use the landline at work to talk to…

As youve mentioned in your post, you rely on other people having a personal phone so that you don't need to carry one. Regarding the GP, this is presumably dependent on the country you live in. In the UK you have a specific clinic you sign up with. None of the 4 clinics I've used have taken walk in appointments, all have required phoning that morning to get a scheduled appointment that day.

Reminds me of all my friends who proudly didn't own cars in college.

But whenever we went somewhere they suddenly needed a ride.

Re: Why I’m Using a Flip Phone

#250

Post by dewey »

koolba wrote: post #19
squiggleblaz wrote: post #10

Life with a smart phone is so much better than life before a smart phone. It's hard to realise how recently they came around. I've probably only had the internet on my phone for five years (I've had a smart phone for longer, but I couldn't get the data to work and data was expensive enough at the time I didn't care). I can communicate with my fiancee even when she's in another country (international sms = fail). I ca…

I’m not a Luddite by any stretch and I’ve had smart phones since they were quite dumb, but your reasons don’t ring for me: > I can communicate with my fiancee even when she's in another country (international sms = fail). It facilitates instant communications. Email across the planet has been around since day one. > I can have a fiancee who's in another country. I can assure you this was possible pre-smart phone. > W…

Being in a very long distance relationship for a few years now I can be confident in saying that email would not be a great replacement. If you haven’t been in the situation it’s easy to say the opposite but being able to talk in real time is incredibly helpful in making the distance disappear.

FaceTime / video calls always available at your fingertips while you are waiting somewhere is also something I wouldn’t want to miss.

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