A "Granny Phone"

[Bigaldoc]

A Granny Phone? Merlene Davis of the Lexington Herald-Leader often writes humorous columns and this is one of 'em! Kinda reminds me of ME and my now two month old Blackberry which I'm STILL learning how to use, well beyond the "change my mind" 30 days. Cute stuff, Merlene!

A phone isn't just a phone; it's an image

[garbsmj]

Al,

I was watching a conference online and this guy whips out his iphone and then proceeds to try to find something on it. Not only did it disrupt his train of thought but the other panel members started looking over to see what he was looking at. It sort of cut into the conference.

At another meeting, this guy whips out his iphone to show us the cool app he had that was like a ghost hunter. So he's waving it around and all he came up with was "Mississippi." We then had to discuss this for the next fifteen unproductive minutes.

Give me the granny phone - less distracting.

[Goshute]

A Granny Phone?

(Low-key rant and mumbling post - do not read if you have something better to do)

The Bride and I are both facing this decision, and this lead to a discussion about the changes in how phones are used and where it will leave PCs. A majority of people now seem to use their phones for all internet and browsing services, making and storing videos and photos and GPS navigation; since so many services, including web-based word processing and spreadsheeting products, are now on the net, we are wondering if PC will be used less and less for personal use, and be relegated to a business tool.

But I digress - we don't quite want a granny phone, we want contacts, calendaring, tasks, and notes, in other words, a number of Outlook-like features. But we don't want email, and we don't want to do much web-browsing on a screen that you need a microscope to read. No Facebook, Twitter or Digsby on the phone, thank you very much for asking. (Nor do I expect to be able to competently build 40 column 80 row spreadsheet analyses on a smartphone, because of the inefficiencies of navigation on a small screen - if everyone wanted tiny screens, why are 24" monitors selling like hot cakes? Oh, you're telling me for games and movies. Never mind.)

So the problem is that it's hard to find a phone "in the middle", between granny phones and everything-and-the-kitchen-sink smartphones which require a data plan. The result of which is we may very well just stick with our uncool, out-of-date, and sloooooooooooow Windows Mobile phones. Like Merlene did for so long.

[Bigaldoc]

(Low-key rant and mumbling post - do not read if you have something better to do)

I don't, so I will!

Your post is right on the money, John. I want a so-called smartphone because I WANT to have contacts, calendar and memos of important info in my shirt pocket at all times. I will NEVER do email from my phone, period! It'll keep until I get home to the computer.

The only reason I did what I did is that I got SICK of AT&T and Verizon doesn't "support" my Palm Treo which amply met my needs above. SO, I got the @#$%& Blackberry BUT was required to subscribe to the "data plan" which I really don't need. Like you, I've tried a bit of web surfing with it for weather reports, The Lounge and World Cup info. It's so small as to be unreadable to me and when you zoom in, the lateral AND vertical scrolling will soon give you carpal tunnel in the thumbs! I don't understand how SO MANY people do all the web stuff they do, including one or two of our Lounge brethren.

"Texting" absolutely makes me laugh! If I have something to say to someone, why in Heaven's name don't I just call him on the darn phone. I think the majority of the cell phone plans include long distance, so if minutes isn't the problem, just make the call...

OK, I too am done ranting but I'm stuck with what I'm stuck with. Merlene's article was funny to me. I've never met the lady but I'd like to...

[HansV]

I don't have a smartphone, but a relatively simple cell phone that I use only for phone calls and text messages. It does have a calendar, camera, radio, MP3 player, internet etc. but I never use those.

I don't know about the USA, but here in The Netherlands, phone calls between mobile phones are much more expensive than text messages, so if I simply want to let someone know something, a text message is an attractive option.

Several websites send me a text message with a security code that I have to enter when I want to log in or perform a transaction (this is additional to the usual username/password).

[Goshute]

I don't know about the USA, but here in The Netherlands, phone calls between mobile phones are much more expensive than text messages, so if I simply want to let someone know something, a text message is an attractive option.

Cell phone pricing in the US is all smoke and mirrors - most vendors sell packages of minutes and texts per month for a fixed monthly fee and charge egregiously for overages.

I ended up getting into texting to communicate when in a public place - there were some messages I didn't want to be yelling into the phone while boarding an aircraft? You know, things like "I SAID MY HEMORRHOIDS ARE ACTING UP!"

[rettingr]

I ended up getting into texting to communicate when in a public place - there were some messages I didn't want to be yelling into the phone while boarding an aircraft? You know, things like "I SAID MY HEMORRHOIDS ARE ACTING UP!"

And you really have the overpowering need to tell someone something like that in the first place??? It kills me that people actually have conversations like that in restaurants without a care in the world. But the problem I have is standing in line at McDonald's waiting to order and having to wait an extra 2 minutes while someone has to send that text: "My Hemorrhoids are acting up, so I have to get a Big Mac to ease the pain."

[Goshute]

And you really have the overpowering need to tell someone something like that in the first place?

It was just a little humor. I'm rather more likely to text something like "Flight delayed, check online for rev arr time" because every time I use the phone in an airport, and announcement comes on. And you'll never catch me alive in a McDonalds.

[rettingr]

"Flight delayed, check online for rev arr time" because every time I use the phone in an airport, and announcement comes on.

I hope not... I will be flying into Salt Lake City in a couple of weeks... Guess I might have to go in now? Maybe someone will snap at me for using a granny phone for 'calling' my wife since I don't even have text messaging on it...

[Goshute]

I will be flying into Salt Lake City in a couple of weeks.

Dunno about the forecast for a "couple of weeks", but SLC is currently hot, dry, light winds, with chance of afternoon t-storms and related localized microdownbursts, and there's no big change expected in the pattern. Delays into/out of SLC are usually cascaded from weather issues in the midwest or east coast, almost never due to local conditions.

[steveh]

A Granny Phone? Merlene Davis of the Lexington Herald-Leader often writes humorous columns and this is one of 'em! Kinda reminds me of ME and my now two month old Blackberry which I'm STILL learning how to use, well beyond the "change my mind" 30 days. Cute stuff, Merlene!

A phone isn't just a phone; it's an image

Hi Al

My partner, Mal, has had the same phone for about 4 years, it costs £15 from a gadget type store, it has no camera, no games, no text facility, No 'apps' etc. etc. the numbers on the buttons are supersized as well, it is, as she often says to me (Mr. Gadget) a phone, it is used for making and receiving calls. That said she bought a PAYG top up for £20 when she got the phone and there is still £18 left on it!! That probably explains my high conrtract bill