Dragged Kicking and Screaming...or more accurately...Grouching and Grumping into the 21st Century

Kim Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:26 am

So, my dial-up provider had put me on notice that they would be shutting down their ancient internet service. As an incentive, I suspect, to make me go to something else, the normally super-slow responses to my internet buds totally shut down a couple times for over a week over the past two months.

Dragged Kicking and Screaming...or more accurately...Grouching and Grumping into the 21st Century Phone10

Now, this thing has replaced my equally ancient flip-phone, while providing an alternative to my being forced out of the house to mooch WiFi to trade notes and photos with my buds. All of the AT&T tech's foaming about 'how great this is and how much you're gonna like it' just bounced off my hardened suspicion of all things new, and more specifically, costing more money.

It's an iPhone, and I knew when I got it that it probably wasn't the right one (asking for help/advice in this area always unleashes a ton of jabber-wokking that only muddies my mental waters), having received only one positive vote in my circle of friends. But it lets me have an internet connection out on the hill, so I'm gonna make it work . I suspect I'll STILL be freeloading WiFi for videos and such until I get a handle on the data usage that apparently just leaks out of the thing.

So please bear with me as I adjust to this latest assault on my life's normalcy, and we'll see how this all turns out...

OVERLORD Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:13 am

Kim, I can feel your misery. Before, I had a smart phone too, now I'm happy. I threw that thing overboard a long time ago. I've got this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uQIHJhR2lo

It floats, is waterproof, shockproof and idiotproof. No internet, no mails, no funny gadgets. What you don't have, you don't have to worry about. I love it!!

crankbndr Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:25 am

I think you made a wise choice in an iPhone, there is no manual so you have to learn the OS by exploring the menu and sub menu. Trial and error.
Each OS upgrade gets more complex and they cram more functions in. About 30%of the times I touch the screen the wrong thing happens.
One thing I pay close attention to is Privacy and Location Services, I go in the menu and only allow a few programs like Maps know where I am.
Once you learn its operation there is a way to use the phone as a bridge to the internet from your computer, its called tethering.
How much data did you get? Just surfing internet won't use much, video is data hog, especially HD vid.
I find it a very useful tool, far more than a just phone.
Good luck and if you have any questions I can try to help without getting too technical.

PS The ATT dweebs will lie right to your face.

Kim Thu Apr 20, 2017 9:04 am

Hey Guys,

I got 3 g...gonna see how all this goes after the first month's bill. If I can talk on it, and use it to access internet out here on the hill (which I've done), that will probably be the extent of my use for the thing. Anything that costs an extra buck will be avoided.

I got my nerd buddy Rory to (over some of his pleading objections) plug as many of the little leaks that suck the data from it even when you're not using it.

My next greatest fear is that my old enemy 'Texting' will now be banging on the door again...a constant source of irritation in my past female-type relationships.

Tech-No Kim

andrew Thu Apr 20, 2017 1:06 pm

Sometime back I upgraded from an old reliable flip-phone. My new phone is not really a smart phone; I prefer to call it a fairly bright phone. I text little and talk less --- my phone spends more time on the dresser than with me and then I usually don't turn it on. I did find an app that lets me text for free anytime I can steal WiFi --- lots of unprotected sites about. So, for a miserly fee of $7.00 a month, I get all the connectivity I care to have.

Interestingly, I made my living in the tech world, but have never really cared much for a cell phone. Most of my buds really like theirs and do all sorts of things. I just sit back and enjoy the silence.

Kim Thu Apr 20, 2017 1:19 pm

andrew wrote:Sometime back I upgraded from an old reliable flip-phone. My new phone is not really a smart phone; I prefer to call it a fairly bright phone. I text little and talk less --- my phone spends more time on the dresser than with me and then I usually don't turn it on. I did find an app that lets me text for free anytime I can steal WiFi --- lots of unprotected sites about. So, for a miserly fee of $7.00 a month, I get all the connectivity I care to have.

Interestingly, I made my living in the tech world, but have never really cared much for a cell phone. Most of my buds really like theirs and do all sorts of things. I just sit back and enjoy the silence.

Testify Brother!!! I DO want to be in touch most of the time, and enjoy cruising this forum and a couple others (I like Facebook for the simple fact that it gives me a venue for my photos and the occasional rambling writing) while I knock down some Folgers in the morning. But I also love getting unhooked to recharge my own batteries...

A while back, I loaded up the Night Train, made a three day bike trip with EVERYTHING turned off...after saying that I was going to...and you'd a thought I shot somebody's dog!

So on it goes...

batjac Thu Apr 20, 2017 3:16 pm

I feel yer pain. I hate smart phones. I don't have one of my own, but work makes me carry one, so I take advantage of that and carry it everywhere to make calls 'n such. Saves me having to pay for a dumb phone. I use it whenever I can and make the company pay for it.

Now internet access....

The Company Man Mark

roddie Thu Apr 20, 2017 9:10 pm

Oh man.. I feel your pain Kim. I just upgraded.. to a 4G Samsung/Galaxy phone. Understand that I don't use my mobile-phone for anything except "phone-calls".. or "text-messages". I couldn't be bothered with trying to work the internet-browser. I reserve my time at home for that, via my laptop and home-service. You may find that your mobile-provider will give you a faster connection though. I'm still in the "stone-age" with mobile communications. You've previously mentioned having a slow dial-up connection at your home-base. That's a killer when you want to upload some vids that you shot. I get that. I'm "old-school" dude..

I'm an "analog" guy living in a digital age".. I used to know how to "wire-up" pretty-much anything AV. Now things are literally being "beamed" at me for sale.. with instruction-manuals with as many pages as a paper-back novel.

roddie Thu Apr 20, 2017 9:15 pm

The instruction-manuals for modern-technology devices aren't written/edited by "mature people". Laughing

**RknRusty** Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:22 pm

roddie wrote:The instruction-manuals for modern-technology devices aren't written/edited by "mature people".

If they would write the settings menus in a flowchart tree fashion, it would help 99% of everyone and especially new users.

66 Malibu Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:53 pm

Kim, what I learned from this whole thread is that You possibly got hold of controlling female relationships !!
I've been married to the same woman since Nixon was president and have two daughters and a 15 year old granddaughter and I still nothing about females !!!
The best I can say is that I have got it down to where these women only get totally [bleep] at me only on days that end in "Y".
Oh Wait !!!

roddie Thu Apr 20, 2017 11:40 pm

66 Malibu wrote:Kim, what I learned from this whole thread is that You possibly got hold of controlling female relationships !!
I've been married to the same woman since Nixon was president and have two daughters and a 15 year old granddaughter and I still nothing about females !!!
The best I can say is that I have got it down to where these women only get totally [bleep] at me only on days that end in "Y".
Oh Wait !!!

Cripes.. I guess I'm just nubm.. nbum.. numb...

Kim Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:48 am

66 Malibu wrote:Kim, what I learned from this whole thread is that You possibly got hold of controlling female relationships !!
I've been married to the same woman since Nixon was president and have two daughters and a 15 year old granddaughter and I still nothing about females !!!
The best I can say is that I have got it down to where these women only get totally [bleep] at me only on days that end in "Y".
Oh Wait !!!

Yeah...no doubt about that, and got the same challenge as any guy with trying to strike a balance between making reasonable compromises and just flat selling out the farm. I've gotten pretty adept (maybe too-much-so) at pulling the imaginary 'Eject Lever' that always hovers beside me when I'm involved with someone.

I tend to guard my budget like a rabid pit-bull, and that allows me a lot of "Splurge Money" for swap meets and traveling. Used to be that, when someone said, "It's only x dollars per month", I'd go into my rant about how that attitude is absolute cancer to ever actually owning anything, much-less having a safety buffer of cash for real emergencies. Now, I just smile, agree, and change the subject. Admittedly, it's a lot easier for a single guy, but the cruel financial physics still apply. This has all gotten a lot more critical now that I'm fully retired and want to stay that way unless I chose to change things.

So, I sweat this goofy stuff, and try not to get ripped off any more than what HAS to happen.

Scrooge Kim

getback Fri Apr 21, 2017 7:24 am

I am with you on that Kim , waste not want not ... some people just don't have to worry bout that but i am not one myself . Smoking

I think we have more fun than realized even if its not what you need.. What?

i hope it works out for you man .. My son has a apple phone that is locked and cant get it unlocked because it was a giver from one to another to him tongue

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Dragged Kicking and Screaming...or more accurately...Grouching and Grumping into the 21st Century

Dragged Kicking and Screaming...or more accurately...Grouching and Grumping into the 21st Century

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