I am old school and do not possess a smart phone

After spending my last 25 years in business managing people, I learned one very critical thing about people who worked together. Many, if not most people, do not prefer talking face to face with many people you work with, especially if you did not particularly like them. I was amazed how many people would call a fellow employee that was just a short walk away. I even had folks who would call someone in the next cubical vs. talking face to face.

This fact contributed to people not working well together and even not liking each other. All of which sooner or later became a management problem. After observing this, but not really understanding the behavior, I worked with my management and a management consultant to understand this better and how best to deal with it. The resolution was tied to coaching employees to understand the behavior and why exactly it causes relationship problems in the workplace. Once they were trained well, I then set the expectation that they deal with one another face to face whenever possible. It worked wonders overtime...it never was 100%, but many of our staff really did change for the better.

I believe smart phone are contributing directly to how people develop relationships and do their day-to-day business. Of course, phoning is good for many calls like telling someone to meet you for lunch, or attend a meeting, etc. But when you get into conversations that require resolutions and/or agreement on issues or other potentially more personal topics...face to face should be required. If you are honest with yourself, you will agree that some topics are sensitive and easier to 'discuss' on the phone. You also, intellectually know that this same topic would best be discussed eyeball to eyeball......Right?

My experience is that in businesses most/ many people avoid the face to face most of the time. Accordingly, relationships in businesses are not as good as we all would like them to be. Of course it is never 100%, but it is a common problem in businesses....and even with family members...
 

We still use a landline and a desktop computer but we've had flip phones (talk only no text or internet) for several years, mama turns hers on and puts it in her pocket every time she leaves home and then turns it back off when she returns....mine has hardly ever seen the inside of my pocket and just sits on the dining room table collecting dust.

I guess she figured that we had to have one and that we'd actually take the time to learn to use it my but DIL gave us a new unlimited Verizon I-phone 12 back in mid 2022 and they pay the bill....it never leaves home and mama uses it now and then in the evening for an hour or so to watch Youtube videos and I seriously doubt that I've monkeyed around with it more than 20 minutes since we've had it.

We've been to a place or two where they ask if we have one of them QR code things and I've just told them that we don't have a smartphone and they seem to always figure a way around it.
 

hollydolly said:
You're going to find sooner or later you will not be able to carry out your daily tasks without a smart phone of some type... the world has changed since we were young, you have to change with it...
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We have just experienced that. Aviva, one of the UK's biggest insurance companies locked our account out for not renewing on the deadline, we were about an hour late. The next day I phoned Aviva and wound up talking to an AI voice. Not being able to jump through the hoops and everything else that was demanded of me, I was simply cut off. There you go.
One phone call to a local insurance broker and the car's insurance was reinstated and at £65 less. I'm not against technology but I am against being, what is tantamount to blackmail, to have that which I find hard to comprehend, let alone enjoy.

Believe it or not, I had to put QR code into search, I have never heard the term and now know what is happening when someone points their phone at the scanning gizmo in order to make a payment. Is QR, along with credit and debit cards, causing more and more retailers to go cashless, I have no problem with cashless payment, what I have a problem with is the profiling of my spending habits and, more sinisterly, the buying and selling of that information.
 
In the USA, public pay phones are rare, so having a cell phone or smart phone may be necessary away from one's residence. There are increasing numbers of ordinary operations that require using one. Last week, it was the only easy way without setting up an appointment with the busy local IRS office to straighten out an ID theft issue. Getting into music and sports venues without a smartphone today may require setting up an awkward will call ticket process.

Most of the time I'm about on the road here in my urban area, for instance if off to the supermarket, I leave the phone at home. But for further distances from home, yes I take the phone with me as having vehicle problems while away on road trips would be a nightmare given a lack of pay phones anywhere.

And when on overnight road trips, it is the only way to reserve rooms cheaply instead of just walking into lodging offices where some will jack rates for any walk ups because they know few will walk away. Also do not have my old moto g Android phone set up for mobile networks. If away from home with the phone, only turn on mobile data temporarily if I need to use it or will go somewhere that has free wifi.

As an old tech person, one thing I use my smartphone for is for storing information and image files useful away from home like maps and gear manuals. For example, I visit San Francisco occasionally that is a difficult city to drive a vehicle into. So on my extra micro SDcard media, have the SF public transportation maps, bus and BART schedule info, the city wide parking zone maps (so won't get towed or fined), the moto g manual, my camera gear manuals, my other computer device manuals, my GoPro video camera manual, etc. When off on field photography may have several USGS topographic maps, brochures, and park maps loaded.
 
Public phones are very rare here too.. almost all of the phone booths have been converted into Defibrillators housing ..

phone-box-WAS-HD.jpg
 
I remember when my husband used a Blackberry! We were holdouts on getting smart phones but we went together to pick out our phones. Seems not that long ago. I had been using a very small flip phone and it wasn't easy to text on that thing. Necessity caused me to finally get one..had to text the kids. I have come a long way from those days! And I still have my landline. Hard to give up.
 
My husband refuses to have a cell phone period. I do worry if he is out and gets stuck somewhere. I have a cell phone but is is only for if I had to call someone for an emergency. I have no texting ability on my phone, I have blocked texting. It's an android phone. If I'm somewhere where there is wifi, I can use my cell phone to use the internet. I have no banking info, nothing personal on my phone. Our landline is our main phone.
 
I have a smart phone. it has a lot of uses for me.

Like all things, use it for the things that suit you and ignore the rest.

For many people smart phones have taken over other things - ie they do not have a desktop computer or a landline phone.

I also don't have an alarm clock or other music devices - my phone has superseded them
 
I agree with you that technology has it's downfalls and sometimes people need to disconnect and talk with each other. But like other inventions with downsides...smart phone technology also has it's benefits. It's much easier on me mentally and physically to be able to purchase my train and bus tickets on my phone. When I used to go to Port Authority in New York City with my suitcase in tow, I had to go up and down escalators just to get the the window and stand in line to purchase tickets to Atlantic City (our timeshare location). Then I had to go quite a distance in another direction to get to the bus.

For the local train, I had to try to see what was on the kiosk to purchase tickets That is very hard to do in sunlight (the platform is outside). Also, often the machines were out of order. I order my Uber and Lyft rides on my phone, track the cars' locations, ETA, see info about the cars, their plates and drivers and can share what's happening with the ride with others if I so choose. To keep myself occupied during down time (doctor's office, during trips, etc.) I play games on my phone and send texts if need be.

Of course my phone is also my calendar, scheduler, pedometer and oh yes....it's my phone and so much more. :) I can also video chat with loved ones when I miss them. And I can't forget..my phone is my music player with all my songs and playlists on it. Could watch TV shows on it but I never do because the screen is too small. I use my tablet for that if I'm on a trip. It also allowed me to get rid of my landline and the accompanying bill.

My sister was resistant to getting a smart phone too, until her children bought her one. I know other people who don't or won't own one. For those of you who simply do not need all those features, not having one is fine.
 
perplexed said:
I have a flip phone, I also heard on news that most people look at there phones 144 times a day!
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It's things like that, that make me glad to be "left behind." When has there ever been a new modern "convenience" that has demanded so much time and attention from the owners?

I just saw an ad for yoga pants with a special pocket for one's phone. There's just something so contradictory between doing yoga and keeping your phone at the ready.
 
This thread calls to mind a line from the movie Quigley Down Under. Referring to handguns, Quigley says:

"Said I never had much use for one. Never said I didn't know how to use it"​

If you have a cell phone, be sure you know how to use it for the important things.

 
My smartphone is for emergency, traveling, occasional phone calls, texting, and entertainment when waiting at appts. etc.
I don't do any banking, paying bills, scanning QR codes on my phone.
I'm glad I have it but could live without it.
 
just saw an ad for yoga pants with a special pocket for one's phone. There's just something so contradictory between doing yoga and keeping your phone at the ready.
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Lots of active wear pants have those phone pockets.

Very handy if one is running and then wants to buy something afterwards, catch the bus home, ring someone for a lift, take photos, are on call for work etc etc
You can keep things like a car key in the pocket too - those sort of pockets are deep and secure.
 
What I write has nothing to do with this particular post or those who have replied. It is just something that has been on my mind that I do have to get off my chest.


If I am at a coffee shop alone then yes, I will look at my phone. If I am at an airport and waiting then yes I will look at my phone. In those cases, and other similar cases, I am usually catching up on the news, going to sites such as this , or texting someone. If I am with someone while having lunch or whatever then the phone stays in my pocket unless I am sharing pictures with that person.

I never use my phone while driving unless I need to use Google Maps. In that case, it is mounted within eyesight, just like it is for an Uber driver. And as mentioned before I will use my phone to purchase tickets and such because it is easier for me. Do I get angry when I see people looking at their phones while driving ? Yes, too me it is as dangerous as a drunk driver. But in the past I also remember seeing people reading the newspaper while in rush hour traffic.

And yes, in my mind I will often make fun of those couples who are out for lunch , staring at their cell phones instead of putting them away and talking to each other. But whom am I to judge? For all I know, they go back home and make passionate love for the rest of the afternoon. Or they may spent all morning shopping together and take the time at lunch to catch up on their emails and texts. I don't roll my eyes when I see a group of teens using their cell phones and showing different videos to each other. To me, it's the same as when I was younger and would watch cartoons on the TV with my friends


I think it's great that there are people who are fine without smart phones. I don't mock them or try to preach to them that they "have" to own a smartphone. If they get along fine without one then there is no reason for them to own one.

But what I don't understand are those who are proud that they do not have a smart phone and think of it as some badge of honor. It shouldn't irk me but it does but that is my problem that I need to deal with. I do not feel that I am "superior" over those who do not use a smart phone and I do not feel that those who choose not to use smart phones are "superior" over me. It's just a personal choice.

Oh, and I probably do look at my phone more than 144 times a day, especially when I am home. Since I don't wear a watch (never have), I put my phone on a stand when I am home and while watching TV I will glance at it to check the time or to see if anyone has texted me or to see if I have received any important emails.
 
I miss the simplicity of my Military style flip phone, it just clipped on my pocket. Very handy.
It would clip to anything even the golf cart. 2G phone or Text. That was a different time. 2005 ish. It was AOL and Yahoo + Google back then with the Laptop. Haha
 
Bretrick said:
I can not see myself ever getting a smart phone.
People tell me smart phones are so handy. Everything is at your finger tips.
My way of thinking is that "everything is at your fingertips" is leading society down the wrong path.
One only needs to get on a commuter train to see 90% of passengers with their eyes glued to a tiny screen. Not interacting with the person beside them, not noticing the scenery as it passes every one by.
When I purchased my new vehicle last week the salesman wanted to show me how to set up my phone/blue tooth.
I said don't worry about that. I am old school and and do not have a smart phone. I rarely listen to music and I dislike phones.
I also notice QR Codes everywhere. Without a smart phone I no not they reveal.
Do I think I am missing out?
No. Having survived this far without scanning a QR code I see no reason to start now.
Tell me some of the things available through QR codes that you think may be advantageous to this (getting there) old codger.
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You are lucky. I have a smartphone, bought it years later than most of the people, but use it only on rare occasions. Most of the day it is out of action lying somewhere in the house.
 
Bretrick said:
Tell me some of the things available through QR codes that you think may be advantageous to this (getting there) old codger.
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I'm not comfortable with QR codes either, but I have used them twice this week.

Once was to avoid having to use cash to pay for a pedicab (bicycle rickshaw) ride in Central Park, the guy was willing to do zelle or Venmo, but between his long first name and even longer last name, I would have had trouble accurately typing it in my phone. But he had a QR code so all I had to do was point my phone camera at it and it found his account so that I could Venmo him the money.

Then today I went on a tour and after the tour the tour leader held up a big QR code for us to point at to get a link to the appropriate webpage to leave our reviews of the tour.
 

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