Smart phones?

[Fangthane]

It is!! Going to visit my son tomorrow and he is going to show me some stuff, I want to set up the GPS. Have already discovered that I have an alarm clock on the phone!

There really isn't much of anything to do, when setting up the GPS. Just go into 'Settings' ----> 'Location'; then flick the toggle switch to turn it on. Click on 'Mode' and select "High accuracy." That'll use all available location options: the GPS chipset, WiFi and cellular network triangulation. The built-in Google Maps is a pretty solid app, but it does require a cellular network connection to constantly download maps of your current location, which is pretty useless if you happen to find yourself in a network dead zone. Since I'm assuming you're on T-Mobile, that's always a very real possibility. At least in my area, they have the worst data network coverage..BY FAR.

 

[WebSlave]

I suppose that one of these days I will upgrade my plain vanilla phone to something a bit more exotic and capable. I can see where being able to get real time weather radar while on long trips would be helpful, but that would be a passenger only function. But by that time likely the screens on these little devices will have played the one-upmanship game with increasing screen sizes such that I won't go blind looking at it for extended periods.

Other than that, nope, I don't want to get the incessant email notifications and other crap via such a device. Lord knows I get more than enough "I forgot my password" emails as it is just sitting here in my den without being bugged by that sort of nonsense while out and about.

Oh yeah, and it seems that some of the quadcopters that I've been looking at actually use smart phones as part of the controlling interface. This seems to be becoming more and more common, and I expect I will be dragged kicking and screaming into the fold (you WILL be assimilated!) sooner or later as household devices become controlled by such handheld devices more and more often. I expect that someday I'll be able to query the refrigerator from bed to see what is in there to make it worth getting out of bed for.

Of course, the rumors I've read about that such devices pretty much give government agencies free reign on looking in on ME using those devices certainly doesn't set well with me. But I doubt most people will hesitate to resist such surveillance if the other offered bells and whistles are attractive enough. Not that my life wouldn't just bore such observers absolutely to death. But still, sometimes when I drive one of the vettes, I sure would not like to think I had someone looking real close over my shoulder at the speedometer..... GPS can determine speed, so it's not unreasonable to suppose that someday speeding tickets will be issued and mailed automatically in such a manner.

 

[Durante]

I been working in telecommunications for over 10 years & I dont have a cell. They even offered me a high end ones on there dime, thanks but no thanks.

I bet you can change a flat tire

LOL, true & my legs are pretty strong because even when i could call, no one ever came. I get teased, especially my wife who says I'm just being cheap. It's actually funny considering I magically find myself paying her bill so she continue her little gaming addiction. The truth is when I did have one I only got calls from co-workers needing help, friends wanting favors, or folks I didn't want to speak to. There are times I would like to have a camera handy or realize on my way home I want to pick up a pizza, just to few of them to deal with the other hassles. There is just something different about being able to look & speak to live person a phone can't replace for me. I am starting to think it would be smart to pick up a prepaid for major emergencies to kind of just forget about like Rich mentioned having.

 

[Lucille]

I think it is a wonderful new toy. It's got an alarm clock I woke up to, and later when I pick up my son I'll use the GPS.
While it IS a phone, just because it's a fancy pants phone, I don't have to answer every call.
These phones could become intrusive, (or in the case of texting and driving, outright dangerous) but it is a tool, and becomes what you make of it.

 

[sschind]

I do admit that they make things easier. I have one now because I travel more and the maps function is easier than printing out the mapquest pages for directions. Texting is also more convenient than calling sometimes. I also get free stuff from places like amazon.com, wal mart and home depot and all it costs me is some of my time.

I still think it is an unnecessary convenience however that can cause as many problems as it solves. Just like this whole interwebs stuff. But like I said before its a convenience I probably wouldn't give up willingly. I still forget my phone about half the time I leave the house.