Pressure that could result in an expenditure of money.
Lots of money, but I'm fighting valiantly against the forces.
Should I join the large ranks of the "smart?" Or should I stay contentedly "dumb?"
We can't find any trace of paperwork for it anymore.
It's so old that it doesn't even show up on any cell phone trade lists. Anywhere.
It's not worth anything and nobody wants it.
Except for me. Apparently I'm sort of sentimentally attached to it.
Two incidents happened yesterday that got me thinking about this "smart" versus "dumb" phone debate.
First, I saw this conversation thread on Facebook, initiated by my daughter Rachel:
Rachel: Going to get a new phone today...it's absolutely ridiculous how excited I am over this. :)
Jennifer: Counting down the months till I can get a new one...so I feel ya.
Rachel: I wasn't due till February but I called last night and talked them into an early upgrade since the speaker in mine blew.
Jennifer: I'm not due till June...Grrr
Greg: I know how you feel...it's kind of like Christmas in December...
Rachel: Greg, who are you thru?
Jennifer: AT&T...thinking about switching tho once the contract is up
Greg: :)
Rachel: We're with Verizon. They're all a rip off with their prices really. They tried talking me into some "edge" program where you can upgrade every 6 months. Think AT&T has one too. But you pay the full price for the phone over 24 months.
Jennifer: Yea that is stupid.
Pamela: republicwireless.com, best program
Jennifer: What phone did you get?
Rachel: Samsung galaxy note :)
Jennifer: That's a pretty big phone lol. How do you like it?
Rachel: It is big but I really like it so far.
Rachel: It does a lot of cool stuff lol.
Greg: That is the phone I want to get...looks very cool
I'm feeling left out. Never ever have I felt any feeling of excitement over a new phone. In fact, my husband reminded me that he had to talk me into my current phone years ago.
Then later in the day, we went out for dinner. As my husband was paying the bill at the counter, he called me over. Sitting there on the counter was a bucket for collection of old cell phones and other small electronics. His comment: "Look Jilly, there are phones in there more updated than the one you're still using."
So what's really wrong with my phone?
First, let's examine why it's a good phone.
For one, it just won't die. It's ancient and just keeps doing what I need it to do.
I only need to charge it once a week. I see the others in my household charging theirs every day.
It doesn't require that internet payment each month that "smart" phones do.
I don't have to learn a whole new system.
Now, let's look at the down sides of keeping my old phone.
Well, for one, the 7-8-9 key on the face of the phone has fallen out several times now. However, each time I've easily snapped it back in.
And secondly, some of the letters on the inside keypad are worn off. Not really a big deal for me, though.
And finally, all of my grown-up-and-responsible-and-smart-adult children are making fun of me. Probably my grandchildren will soon be, too.
Somehow I think the writing's on the wall, but I want somebody else to read it.
Perhaps Santa will make the decision for me so that I won't have to.
In the meantime, I'll stay in the land of the dinosaurs.
I just have an old flip phone. I had texting and all that other stuff turned off. I just talk on a phone. Isn't that what a phone is for? Am I showing my age. I remember my first cell phone, it was so big it wouldn't fit in my pocket. I am a Ham radio operator and back when I lived in PA, they had repeaters set up with autopatch on them. In other words, I could call you from my radio. Used to do that when I left the mountains where I hunted. Called my wife and said I should get home in a couple of hours or so.
ReplyDeleteMom...its time lol. Think of all the grandkid pics you will finally be able to see on your phone! Its not too hard to figure out, you can do it. Rachel
ReplyDeleteP.s. I will come give you a complete sit down lesson on your phone over a lunch paid for by me if you get a new phone. THIS is how bad I want you to get one. If it makes you feel better, your 7 year old twin granddaughters could probably teach you too...they have our old droids just for playing games and the camera. Rachel
ReplyDeleteI resisted for years until my SIL talked me into it. I am now on my second smart phone. I would no longer go without it. It is amazingly handy and useful, especially while on the road. I would have normally taken a computer on our Alaska trip, but we managed to do everything with just smart phones-who knew:)
ReplyDeleteI would never heard from my son or talk to him if I didn't have a smart phone. Kids don't talk on the phone - they text or message. Now I can't imagine life without a smartphone. We use it for everything.
ReplyDeleteI have (oops- I mean "had"!) that same phone! I loved it, but decided it was time to move into the smart phone world. I promised my youngest he could get a phone at 15, which he turned at the end of Sept., so we took this opportunity to jump from Verizon to Straight Talk. We now have three smart phones (which we did have to buy at an initial cost), with unlimited talk, text and data for just slightly more than we had been paying for 1 smart phone and 1 dumb phone with limited talk (750 minutes shared), 250 texts each per month and 2 GB of data on just the 1 phone. It was a good deal . . . and it was time . . .
ReplyDeleteI dislike it that with every new phone you get, none of the charge cords from your old phone will fit the new one, and they certainly know how to make you pay thru the nose to buy the new ones. I'm resisting an upgrade to my old phone (hey it works great) because of the price of the cords, I already have one in the car, and two in the MH, one 12v and one 110v. That's almost $100 I'd have to spend to upgrade the cords with a new phone purchase. :c(
ReplyDeleteYour entry made me smile. My husband loves his flip phone and wants nothing to do with a smart phone. Of course, we're usually together so if he needs to know anything he just has me look it up on my phone :)
ReplyDeletePaul...except for the iphone...all cords are mandated to be universal now and five below sells them for 3 bucks :) they are all the mini usb cables. Rachel
ReplyDelete