I’m in the process…
…of switching cellphones.
This doesn’t affect the blog, but any technical change stresses me out. Wish me luck!
I find more and more that modern “conveniences” have become awfully complicated. I probably barely scratch the surface of what my cell phone can do. In fact, I probably barely scratch the surface of what my cell phone’s camera can do.
But I often scratch the surface of my actual cell phone in the physical world, despite protective coatings and cases.
We were all better off in about 1998 than we are now with all of our technological advances.
I switched a couple of years ago from Verizon to Sprint, which is now T Mobile. The reason I switched was a fraudulent charge of over $1000 on my account. I spent hours on the phone with them, and months later, I quit. I finally got them to refund the money/charge but by then I was saving $140. a month on the bill. I am pretty sure the charge, which was two new cellphones, was an inside job.
New phone isn’t a problem, it’s the constant updates that changes things you are use to that is the problem
The young, the dextrous, play the cell phones like musical instruments, using their thumbs. I was always a two-finger hunt-and-peck typist in college, and remain a two index-finger user of cell phones. Modern medicine relies on these things. My MD daughter lives by her cell phone.
You’re too young for a Jitterbug. 😉
Neo, the current champ on Jeopardy, Melissa Klapper, a professor of Childhood (or some such) wrote a book on the History of Ballet class in America, titled Ballet Class. Thought you might be interested.
I stuck with an old flip phone for as long as I could, but it wouldn’t work on 5G networks, so I bought a cheap Samsung Galaxy. I’m completely unimpressed by the so-called smart phone universe, and hate being dragged into the surveillance state by Google. I can set up my computer to establish at least a little bit of privacy. On a smart phone, That’s impossible.
To reduce my impending sense of surveillance paranoia, I’m seriously thinking about buying one of the new minimalist phones or dumb phones. Believe it or not, this looks like it’s becoming a hot market. For example, here’s a link to a site called “The Dumbphone Finder”: https://dumbphones.pory.app/
Finally, as I type this, it’s sounding awfully familiar. Didn’t the topic of minimalist and dumb phones come up once before?
Never gave up my flip phone.
https://nypost.com/2023/01/12/gen-z-is-obsessed-with-flip-phones-where-to-buy-one-in-2023/
Neo, here is a link to an interview with the author. https://youtu.be/RbhvGXCLEtA
The interlocutor is insuffarablle, and the author shades too far to wokeness, but I still found the conversation to be enlightening.
I bought my first smartphone, the Galaxy A53 5G, back in late November.
A few experiences that may be relevant for Neo:
Getting started went well, with the T-Mobile person telling me to look details up on youtube which is generally a good idea. Although, even early on, many of the OS details on my phone were different than the what the videos described.
As I tend to do, I went through a few hundred settings options, and so on, in the those early weeks. Then a couple or few months down the road I updated the Android OS. Being distracted by life, I didn’t really notice any changes. Heh, heh … fool.
Now the youtube videos are really mostly useless, and Samsung or Alphabet seem to be committed to doing some stupid things. It used to be true that you had a wide range of image resolutions available on the camera or videos. Now you can either have high resolution, or extremely high resolution. Only two. Better find an app to downscale images, or just eat the storage and bandwidth hit.
After having carefully turned off things like auto replacement spell checking, those were turned on again. Where were those settings?
Oh yeah, the A53 5G also has a recently discovered major security hole. The A23 does not have it according to The Epoch Times. So another patch or OS update will be neccessary.
I would recommend that a new users do the OS update, if available, sooner rather than later.
My old Samsung Galaxy S-7 cheerfully allowed four different alphabets to co-exist, and I used them all: Latin-English, Latin-Serbian, Cyrillic Serbian and Greek.
The ‘new’ Samsung Galaxy S22 allows only two. Civilization is regressing.
Cornflour,
Last week I stumbled onto this: https://skysedge.com/unsmartphones/RUSP/index.html
The ultimate “dumb phone.” Although I honestly think it’s extremely clever, and stylish. The inventor, Justine Haupt, is a genius!
I still have a flip phone because it is a PHONE! But, I do have a Kindle Fire that I use to read books, access the web, play some games, and watch shows. If I am out of range for web updates – well that is not a bad thing.
I am at the stage if life that I do not need to know everything ASAP. Actually, I seem to prefer an extended pause in reactions to things – the 72 hour rule. An exception might be for tornadoes that are close to me…. Oh wait, I can just look at the sky to determine my reaction.
A lot of the phones are huge – they won’t fit my hand, are hard to carry around, and are prone to damage. So, if I move to another phone, it might be to one of the folding smart phones. Does anyone have any experience with them?
I had a somewhat clunky Alcatel flip phone with 5G and the Kai OS. Not terrible. But it was pre-paid phone that I didn’t use much.
Now I’m on the phone often and the pre-paid option is very cost ineffective. So I made the full switch to a Galaxy on an unlimited plan.
Liz,
I kinda wanted one of the Galaxy Z-fold folding phones, but it was almost triple the price. My A53 carries well in pocketed sweat pants, or inside breast pockets of jackets. I have put it in back blue jean pockets but try to remove it before I sit and lean back. It can take some abuse, but I’m sure really sitting on it is not a good idea.
Cell phone cameras are amazing. They far exceed the capabilities of the best film cameras of my youth. They see light I cannot see with my eyes. They see colors that are muddy and blurry to me.
They also see things we cannot, like the signals from your TV remote control. In Afghanistan, they let the Taliban see the lights on soldier’s weapons that the soldiers could only see through night vision goggles. Whoops.
They have also contributed to a loss of community. Now when something disturbing happens, half the spectators are shooting video, instead of pitching in to help mitigate the problem. I saw this when a fire broke out a home near mine. I was holding two water hoses, fighting flames, and I pointed out another available hose to a man. A minute or two later, he was still holding his phone instead of the hose, and several other neighbors were holding their phones.
When the firefighters showed up, they made me get out of the way and had the fire out in about 30 seconds. I talked to the truck leader about the cell phone ghouls. He gave me a knowing look and said, “You have no idea.”
Gordon Scott,
This point is probably old hat for many, but I’m intrigued by the unconventional uses of the camera. A parts guy needed a VIN number, so I grabbed a pen and scrap of paper. Wait, I can just photograph it.
I was replacing a car bulb in a tight spot and couldn’t see properly. If I only had a little mirror. Oh, I’ve got a little camera.
Other obvious ones. People photographing their parking spot in a giant parking lot. I’m sure there are some other really clever uses and aids.
@ Cornflour > ” I’m completely unimpressed by the so-called smart phone universe, and hate being dragged into the surveillance state by Google. I can set up my computer to establish at least a little bit of privacy. On a smart phone, That’s impossible.”
It may soon be impossible on your computer as well.
**waves to the Glowies who are assigned to read Neo’s blog.**
https://thefederalist.com/2023/03/21/grants-reveal-federal-governments-horrific-plans-to-censor-all-americans-speech/
by Margot Cleveland
“Our government is preparing to monitor every word Americans say on the internet and censor citizens who don’t toe the party line.”
@ TommyJay > “I’m sure there are some other really clever uses and aids.”
I appreciate the flashlight function (side-purpose of the camera illumination).
However, there are lots of people whose clever uses are NOT ones up with which we should put.
https://notthebee.com/article/chinese-spyware-app-tiktok-now-has-more-than-150m-active-users-in-the-us–almost-half-the-entire-population
In order to head-off a general US ban, TikTok promises to do better.
“TikTok announced an overhaul of its community guidelines today with new policies around the use of AI in content and climate misinformation.”
See also my comment to Cornflour.
https://babylonbee.com/news/fbi-relieved-they-no-longer-have-to-travel-abroad-to-turn-countries-into-banana-republics
Skip on March 21, 2023 at 7:15 pm said:
“New phone isn’t a problem, it’s the constant updates that changes things you are use to that is the problem”
Not limited to changes on phones.
” it’s the constant updates that changes things you are used to” ~ Indeed! And … “Constant change gives the wonderful illusion of progress.”
Tommy Jay: you’re right. There are so many benefits to having a device in your pocket that lets you take a quick shot and send it to the person interested. Or, simple, temporary documentation of a parking place. Even if one carried a Polaroid camera around back in the day, the cost of that pic was fairly high, and it did not have nearly the detail.
The other day I was emailed a form needing signature. I signed it, and the phone camera asked if I wanted a scan of the document instead of a normal pic? I did, and the phone offered character recognition, which I declined. I had the form back to the other party in less than five minutes.
I can document a situation to the specifications of the other party, while I talk to them on phone. And then I can capture that amazing pink sunset light on the Superstition Mountains (When the mountains turn pink, it’s time to drink! sayeth the t-shirt). Oh, and listen to that podcast while driving, and use that few minutes waiting to be x-rayed to continue reading the Kindle book, conveniently synchronized with the device that lives on my nightstand.
Yeah, it’s a privacy destroying time suck, too. And I don’t even play games on it.
Don’t own a cell phone, don’t want a cell phone. I don’t travel much, so no need for a cell phone. I like being free.
AesopFan:
I wish I could say that great minds think alike, but I’m just too old to maintain the wild fictions of youth. More seriously, I do think that Margot Cleveland writes consistently good articles, and am thankful for the one she just published on the the ever-expanding surveillance state.
Also, gotta love The Bee. Thanks for the link.
______________________________________________________________
Cornflour on March 21, 2023 at 10:38 am said:
Just another open-thread comment about something I read.
Today, at “The Federalist,” Margot Cleveland published “Grants Reveal Federal Government’s Horrific Plans To Censor All Americans’ Speech.” Our government’s imitation of the Chinese surveillance state proceeds apace.
Here’s a link: https://tinyurl.com/mvbp2x9e
I have a $1,000 iPhone that doesn’t ring when someone calls. Maybe that’s a blessing.
Mac Siccar, I tell my iPhone not to ring when someone not in my directory calls. It is wonderful. If people really want to reach me, they can leave a message. If I want to talk to them, I call back.
Technical changes stress me out too, Neo! Last year when I bought a “Smart TV” for myself was a nightmare particularly when after 4 months it went on the fritz (thank God I had a service plan) and I was trying to fix it (the mother board actually gave out, I thought it was an issue with the remote control). I have zero confidence in my tech ability although at times I pleasantly surprise myself by fixing my own tech problems.
Mac Siccar
Did you check gto make sure all your IOS updates are up to date?
Skip
“New phone isn’t a problem, it’s the constant updates that changes things you are use to that is the problem” – No truer words were ever spoken. I find my laptop updates (I hate Microsoft with a red hot passion) to be the ultimate in frustration.
Have to say the tone of these comments about cell phones and smart phones sound like they are coming from a bunch of tech phobic fuddy duddies. And I mean that kindly. 🙂
I have had a so-called smart phone since before the iPhone first hit the market. They were much more limited then – phone calls, contacts, calendar, and limited internet access. For me their utility has only increased and made them more valuable. I hardly ever use the telephone capabilities these days. Texting, looking up things, various apps (airline, Uber, music, banking), and photos are what I use it for most.
My only advice is to get the sort of device that best fits your needs.
Brings to mind that when Smart Phones get fitted out with AI, they’ll be able to discuss with one another (using a backdoor on the HipGossip App) just how Smart—or Dumb—their owners are…and the tricks they play to totally confound them…
File under: Smart-alec phones.
}}} We were all better off in about 1998 than we are now with all of our technological advances.
Nahhh. This is the mantra of every old person in the world. 😉
You can certainly not use many of the features of something, but you are vastly better off having the options than not having ANY options.
It’s a lot harder to get stranded somewhere than it was even a decade ago, for example. And it’s possible to make it impossible to get stranded, for a price, with a satellite phone.
Now, THAT said, Neo’s complaint about scratching phones, well, yes, that’s an issue. Every single idiot manufacturer out there has brainlessly followed Apple’s “glass” iPhone design. And so all the phones are made of glass, nowadays, which cracks waaaaaay too easy. No, “gorilla glass” is still freaking glass. “Ohhh, but it looks sooooo sleeeek!!” Yes, until you put a big honking case on it to protect the thing of necessity, unlike with older metal and plastic cases, for which the device was tough enough to withstand minor whacks and slaps that are almost unavoidable. This is not a result of “progress”, but drooling idiot design incompetence.
Neo: just get an Otterbox for your phone. They’re a great case.
Another alternative for you to consider is getting a “ruggedized” phone. It’ll cost more, but you should find it harder to screw up.
}}} Other obvious ones. People photographing their parking spot in a giant parking lot. I’m sure there are some other really clever uses and aids.
Tommy, look into an app called “What Three Words”… I’ve been encouraging its use for 5-6 years, now.
Essentially, they gridded the planet into 10′ x 10′ squares. Each square is mapped to three English words (dunno if there are alternate language versions, don’t care for my own purposes).
So if I’m on the beach, I can tell you exactly where I am — you can type in those three words and it’ll show you the path to me. If I’m in the parking lot at the mall, I can tell you exactly where I am by sending you three words. If I’m in the hotel complex in Atlanta for DragonCon, I can tell you exactly where I am with three words *plus* the floor I am on (It does not have a z-coordinate, unfortunately).
It’s an awesome app, and you could not do it without a smartphone.
}}} Mac Siccar, I tell my iPhone not to ring when someone not in my directory calls. It is wonderful. If people really want to reach me, they can leave a message. If I want to talk to them, I call back.
Exactly. Use the tech as you see fit. This is a hell of a lot better than it was back in the days of Pavlov’s Humans.
}}} “New phone isn’t a problem, it’s the constant updates that changes things you are use to that is the problem” – No truer words were ever spoken. I find my laptop updates (I hate Microsoft with a red hot passion) to be the ultimate in frustration.
Indeed, in general, I have all my equipment set up to notify me if there is an update needed. I let the bleeding edge people figure out the problems, then, after it’s been settled for a year, I update.
BTW, I’m still running Windows 7 on this computer, and Windows 8 on my laptop. Why “improve” what’s working just fine? For both, I have an AV that is updated constantly, so security threats are generally not an issue.
}}} My only advice is to get the sort of device that best fits your needs.
Yup. Let the tech be yours, not you be the tech. Get what you feel comfortable with, and that’s fine.
Have to say the tone of these comments about cell phones and smart phones sound like they are coming from a bunch of tech phobic fuddy duddies.
No kidding. Guilty. Hence the “old hat” reference.
I recently put most of my music on the new phone & then bluetoothed everything. Car, an old but nice home stereo, earbuds, & bought a JBL Charge speaker. The car surprised me. I hop in and the stereo picks up my playlist right where I left off, with zero interaction on my part.
More old hat no doubt.
Tech phobic old fuddy duddy. Guilty as charged. I hate changing devices, and I am usually annoyed by software updates. The iPhone doesn’t give me options on those, but on my computer, I will upgrade my operating system only after they’ve asked me to for about a year.
I may well have told my $1,000 phone not to ring when it doesn’t recognize the caller, because I was getting so many spam calls. I do update it when it tells me to. I also restart it quite a bit when it acts up. Gosh, what could I have gotten for $1,001?
Mac Siccar: Settings, Phone, and then enable or disable “silence unknown callers.” It usually stays the way I want it with updates, but when the update is not just a security update but a change to the operating system, I have to go check my settings.
@steve walsh:the tone of these comments about cell phones and smart phones sound like they are coming from a bunch of tech phobic fuddy duddies
I suspect the median age of commenters is here is between 65 and 70. The right-leaning blogosphere in general, probably well north of 50. Sounds worse than it is because the median age of the US is 38, which age is definitely dwindling in my rear view mirror.