I have a dumb phone and have zero interest in "upgrading".

I find many people are way to obsessed with their phones and a lot of people are seriously rude with their phone usage. I got into a argument with an old friend just tonight. She came over to visit, the phone rang and she talked to this person for 30 minutes while I sat there waiting. Finally I asked her if she was ready to go get something to eat she holds up her finger to silence me and heads to my car. She is so focused on talking to this other person, she opens the door with one hand and slams it into the garage wall, sits down and closes the door STILL talking on the phone. I just went back inside. When she came back in I told her to go eat with whoever that was on the phone.... She acted like "huh?" and I had to explain how extremely rude that was and thanks for putting a dent in my car door while talking on your phone. Probably threw a few well placed F bombs in there.

I seeso many people people who refuse to stop talking at the cashier or they are talking super loud on the phone in restaurants etc. I go to social gatherings and instead of talking to each other, people are sitting alone playing with stuff on their phones.

If someone calls me on my cell, I won't answer it unless no one is with me and nothing is going on. I won't answer it if I am eating somewhere either, esp with friends. It can't be that important where my life and everyone around must wait for a call.

I have a stupid smart phone. Lemme explain...

I started my business back in 98 and one of the "tools" (toy) I purchased was a Pocket PC. This was back before Android was even on the market. It came with Windows Mobile on it. This thing is so old it doesn't even have wifi.

Anyway, I fell in love with it instantly and beat the hell out of it using it for everything I could think of. When it came time to upgrade I learned that the Pocket PC had been replaced with something else and I was in shock to find out what happened.

They built cell phones into them. I didn't want a data plan, I just wanted the upgraded version of Windows Mobile and wifi.

It took me another two years of using my PPC before I finally broke down and gave up my Motorola RAZR "dumb" phone.

Both the greatest, and worst decision I made. The PPC side of it was completely worth the money spent, and having 3G wasn't bad either.

But... It was a cell phone also.

Every time I was in the middle of doing something on the phone someone would call me, stopping what I was doing. It got to the point of having to decline calls so I could keep on working, and even putting the phone into airplane mode if I didn't need the network.

After Microsoft switched to Windows Phone I decided to switch to Android (much better then WinMo imo) and I still use my phone as a business machine.

I think even if I didn't have a business I'd still have a smart phone, I don't do Facebook but I still like having access to the Internet as needed. But I still wish I hadn't gotten rid of that RAZR, that was a damn sexy phone for being a dumb phone.

I wish I had my dumb phone still. I got a smart phone when signed with the new cell phone company after we moved here. I don't like it at all. Phones just need to make calls. I waste too much time on that stupid thing and the reception kinda sucks.

Nah... I bought my phone for about $14 at Walgreen's, 1.5 yrs. back, and it does just fine.

It does text, but I pretend it doesn't... I ain't about to get sucked into that...

My phone can call, text, and take 2mb pics. It's the dated "flip" style (which I think was modeled after the TOS Star Trek communicators).

I've played with a couple smart phones, owned by friends/relatives...and I am not sold on them. Screen is too small, phone/apps are too buggy, text is tiny, I prefer real maps and a notebook over the small screen/detail of the smart phone...I have a laptop in my car, I can use Google maps on it because the screen is bigger, have never really liked the GPS things people have...

And at $200+ each, it's too rich for my blood. Only drawback to a normal phone, is the limited memory. Otherwise...yeah, whatever.

I think that a huge bunch of people have them because they are the latest thing in dildotronics, and its' a whole new way to amuse yourself to death.  On the other hand, I'm sure an equally large number of people have them because the other option is unemployment.  For many people the pace of business is now so fast that if you don't have that capacity in your pocket 24/7 then your no longer a part of that business.  That might seem silly, but think - it's true for phone phase one (those land line deals), if you don't have a phone number most places won't hire you.  Now, lots of gig-based jobs put calls out and if your not back to them in five minutes (or less), then they are on to the next person - that's the efficient way for them to run their business, and if you can't comply, then find a new line of work.  Also, lots of people work in areas where documents and revisions are ubiquitous and constant, and you have to have the ability to receive (and send) on a moments notice.  I imagine that most of that trends to urban setting, and to more advanced jobs - but soon come, everyone will have one.

  I repaired over 32,000 of the old analog/digital cell phones.  I never owned a one.  My phone is still attached by copper wires.  I do not get enough calls from family and friends to warrant an expensive cell phone.
  Joelene

I don't understand the hate on new phones. I understand the rude people bit but this just seems like the same rhetoric that was used when laptops and computers came out, or the people who didn't like the telephone because a hand written letter was better to them. I guess they could be "dildotronics" to some but on the other hand, I think it's pretty nice having what can be considered a personal computer/mp3 player/communication device in one package. Technology is nice. Especially when it can function better than older tech. I like having 3 types of communication because in the case where an emergency happens like earlier today, I have 3 different means to reach that person. I guess if a person can afford it then it is worth it. If it's not for you cool, I just don't understand the reasons against it.

To each their own.

Edit: Oh yeah, and the newer ones have very nice video recorders on them as well. It's really nice not to have to buy a separate camera for casual pictures and video. Tech sure is nice

many people people who refuse to stop talking at the cashier

Just for fun, but... why exactly do I have to stop doing my business so that I can engage in some petty small talk with pretty much the lowest person on the corporate food chain?  Why can't they just do their job and check the stuff out, take my money, and count back the change?  Particularly if the person on the phone is doing business at the time.  Joe Clerk might be doing his 9-5 with breaks, but lots of people are required to be on the job (or on call from the job) pretty much round the clock.  That's a reality for lots of people in the working world, and I'm not putting my job/boss/clients/coworkers on hold so I can chat you up while you ring up my Diet Pepsi and a bag of chips.  Pretty much, lots of people if they were not on the phone would not have the money to be shopping there in the first place.

Quote from: tekla on September 24, 2012, 02:47:18 AM
many people people who refuse to stop talking at the cashier

Just for fun, but... why exactly do I have to stop doing my business so that I can engage in some petty small talk with pretty much the lowest person on the corporate food chain?

As a former cashier I would say it's because these "important" people on phones tend to snap at me because they can't be arsed to get off the phone and pay attention. When I am ringing things up and trust me, I couldn't give a rat's patoot to talk to these customers 90% of the time, however it's when they suddenly freak out and pull the "HEY I have a price match for that!" suddenly that person is wasting the person's time behind them because I have to stop what I am doing and rescan said item. I would say there is a much bigger world beyond the phone, even though tech is nice.

I think most cashiers would agree when we say we don't really want to talk to customers, we don't really care beyond keeping our job. Customers are merely a means to a end for us. Many of us our paying for our schooling so we can get jobs much higher up on the scale, I myself am going in to get a degree so I can become a gender therapist. I think it would be congruent to put the phone down in a session like that.


Sincerely
         Former Walmart Employee

I have some strange attitudes.

Then again I'm strange.

I've always thought that being polite to people was important both for me and for them.

For some reason a diverse group of people develop into a society were they don't share a lot more than being from the same species. If those groups don't get on they tend to get violent and upset with each other and life isn't too good for anyone.

So I take a few minutes of my unbelievably busy life to ask how a cashier is feeling and what have been up to. After a while I even get to know the odd one going to Uni and horror they know me and we can share a joke and a smile. And we both feel a bit better in ourselves.

I think it is called social interaction and it is supposed to drive society in a way that we can accept each other and get along without bashing each other's brains out. At some bizarre levels it has also been seen in weird cases that people in the queue can not only put their phone away but also help the elderly person behind them, or even the Mum with young kids going ballistic, to unload her trolley and even, great horror, hold her screaming infant while she gets her purse.

It is an unusual concept, it has gone out of fashion because talking on a phone can be so important. But I hope the concept returns because I've found that even in my time critical and emergency on-call lifestyle that being nice to people has never held up my phone calls.

And it is so odd. You get a reputation in these places for being polite. And it gets to be contagious, so other people do it. And suddenly staff know you and say hello to you, and see you in a queue and take you to another checkout to let you through quicker. Must because they hate me.

Tongue in Cheek But true

Cindy

Quote from: Christine on September 23, 2012, 01:30:14 PM
It seems Everybody has a smart phone except me. Am I missing something here? Texting,  Surfing the net on a tiny screen tiny keys to punch and a big phone to carry. Am I just getting cranky and set in my ways or what?   I am probably just to cheap to by a data plan.

Yep.

It's not just surfing the net, it's GPS, finding things, looking things up in the moment easily, getting the weather, keeping track of my appointments and having them automatically synchronize.

Quote from: tekla on September 23, 2012, 09:47:00 PM
I really, really - no REALLY - hate the fact that people are expected to be instantly reachable in three different electronic forms now - though since two of them are text based it's somewhat better than phone calls.  And I have learned to love the map/GPS function (which in my area goes down small enough to pick up trails, bike trails and fire roads).  But I've had mine for 6 months now and haven't added a single app, so I'm not as cool as I look.

If I don't want to be contacted I just set the phone to autodivert all calls to voicemail. If someone asks and I don't want to tell them the truth I just say the battery was flat.

Quote from: Snowpaw on September 24, 2012, 03:02:20 AM
As a former cashier I would say it's because these "important" people on phones tend to snap at me because they can't be arsed to get off the phone and pay attention. When I am ringing things up and trust me, I couldn't give a rat's patoot to talk to these customers 90% of the time, however it's when they suddenly freak out and pull the "HEY I have a price match for that!" suddenly that person is wasting the person's time behind them because I have to stop what I am doing and rescan said item. I would say there is a much bigger world beyond the phone, even though tech is nice.

I think most cashiers would agree when we say we don't really want to talk to customers, we don't really care beyond keeping our job. Customers are merely a means to a end for us. Many of us our paying for our schooling so we can get jobs much higher up on the scale, I myself am going in to get a degree so I can become a gender therapist. I think it would be congruent to put the phone down in a session like that.


Sincerely
         Former Walmart Employee

Agreed, I have no desire to make things harder on the cashiers. If I'm on the phone and have to make a purchase, which doesn't come up too often, then I ask the person on the phone to hold on for a minute and I put them on mute while I make the purchase.

Quit F Talking

Or That's the truth?

Quote from: Abracadabra on September 24, 2012, 04:00:03 AM
QFT = Quote For Truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Eish, eish

I had never heard QTF so I had to look it up!! I didn't think you were being rude, we know each other too well Shows I don't text enough

Hugs Sis,

Keep warm, nice days here but bitter nights.

I just need a warm hot water bottle man and I'll be OK.

Quote from: tekla on September 24, 2012, 02:47:18 AM
many people people who refuse to stop talking at the cashier

Just for fun, but... why exactly do I have to stop doing my business so that I can engage in some petty small talk with pretty much the lowest person on the corporate food chain? Why can't they just do their job and check the stuff out, take my money, and count back the change?  Particularly if the person on the phone is doing business at the time.  Joe Clerk might be doing his 9-5 with breaks, but lots of people are required to be on the job (or on call from the job) pretty much round the clock.  That's a reality for lots of people in the working world, and I'm not putting my job/boss/clients/coworkers on hold so I can chat you up while you ring up my Diet Pepsi and a bag of chips.  Pretty much, lots of people if they were not on the phone would not have the money to be shopping there in the first place.

Wow...I'm shocked.  A comment that belittles someone for the job they hold?

Most people I've heard on phones aren't making big business deals or arranging job interviews, Tekla...they're talking to their friends about some party where so-and-so spilled the booze, or their pet took a dump, or whatever the latest drama is in Hollywood...meanwhile the clerk is trying to get their attention to enter their freakin' PIN number into the pad, the customer gets all pissy for being drawn out of their phone-world, and the customers behind them (who all have places to go) have to wait, while this self-important boob finishes his/her phone call.

I'll stick with my dumb phone, I have no need of surfing the internet on my phone.  I've got an old Nokia 6201i and it serves me well for talking, I don't need it for email, for texting, etc.

Quote from: Cindy James on September 24, 2012, 03:22:49 AM
I have some strange attitudes.

Then again I'm strange.

I've always thought that being polite to people was important both for me and for them.

For some reason a diverse group of people develop into a society were they don't share a lot more than being from the same species. If those groups don't get on they tend to get violent and upset with each other and life isn't too good for anyone.

So I take a few minutes of my unbelievably busy life to ask how a cashier is feeling and what have been up to. After a while I even get to know the odd one going to Uni and horror they know me and we can share a joke and a smile. And we both feel a bit better in ourselves.

I think it is called social interaction and it is supposed to drive society in a way that we can accept each other and get along without bashing each other's brains out. At some bizarre levels it has also been seen in weird cases that people in the queue can not only put their phone away but also help the elderly person behind them, or even the Mum with young kids going ballistic, to unload her trolley and even, great horror, hold her screaming infant while she gets her purse.

It is an unusual concept, it has gone out of fashion because talking on a phone can be so important. But I hope the concept returns because I've found that even in my time critical and emergency on-call lifestyle that being nice to people has never held up my phone calls.

And it is so odd. You get a reputation in these places for being polite. And it gets to be contagious, so other people do it. And suddenly staff know you and say hello to you, and see you in a queue and take you to another checkout to let you through quicker. Must because they hate me.

Tongue in Cheek But true

Cindy

YES YES YES!!!! Exactly!!!     Common courtesy spread a little cheer and kindness.  It makes me feel good! Next time you are in a busy check out line where there is an elderly person moving slowly try saying this,  " take your time I am in now hurray"  Most of the time you will get such a warm thankful response it makes you feel great!!!!  They are so appreciative and sometimes their smile melts your heart. But then again maybe I am weird

Quote from: tekla on September 24, 2012, 02:47:18 AM
many people people who refuse to stop talking at the cashier

Just for fun, but... why exactly do I have to stop doing my business so that I can engage in some petty small talk with pretty much the lowest person on the corporate food chain?  Why can't they just do their job and check the stuff out, take my money, and count back the change? 

They can do their job and if someone has this kind of condescending attitude towards others, the cashier would likely would have no interest in engaging in small talk with them anyway.

The problem is people on cell phones believe being on the phone is not a distraction and they are so superior to other humans they can talk and interact with multiple people at the same time to save their own precious time. They can't. Note how many car wrecks are caused by talking on cell phones a year, it's higher rate than drunk drivers. So the cashier and everyone behind them in line has to wait while they make this pathetic attempt at multitasking as they never have their card out, are talking and ignoring the cashier while she is trying to get them to sign the pad etc.

If you can't put whoever you are talking to on hold for a few seconds to deal with paying for your merchandise, you should not get in line until your call is over. If this would cost you your job (which I highly doubt), maybe that bag of chips and a coke aren't really that important? Most people talking on their phone in line are not talking about a world shattering business deal and again if a call is regarding some critical business move, why would you want to be doing that in line buying a bag of chips and a coke anyway?

The other day a UPS truck was parked behind me when I was leaving the dentist office. I waved to her and said "I don't mind waiting if you have a quick delivery" which I didn't. She waved back, smiled and then I realized she was on her cell phone. She wasn't taking a package in, she was chatting it up with someone about a party they had been to etc. She let me stand there waiting 5 minutes till she finished talking to her friend standing next to her truck before she moved to let me out.

I don't hate smart phones, what I hate is how rude people have become about their phone usage.

I agree Stephe, I get tired of hearing other peoples conversations and they yell into their earpiece while grocery shopping.  Truthfully I'm not interested in hearing all about their personal business half way down the aisle.  Hang up the phone once in a while and do the business your in the store for.

But that's just me.

Quote from: Christine on September 23, 2012, 01:30:14 PM
It seems Everybody has a smart phone except me. Am I missing something here? Texting,  Surfing the net on a tiny screen tiny keys to punch and a big phone to carry. Am I just getting cranky and set in my ways or what?   I am probably just to cheap to by a data plan.

Your not alone, I don't have a cell phone at all.