Smart Phone Questions

Discussion in 'Gadgets & Tech Talk' started by Hal Pollner, Aug 1, 2018.

  1. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    Howdy!

    I have an old "flip-top" cellular telephone that I've never used in the 14 years I've owned it, saving it just for reporting mishaps on the freeway to the Highway Patrol, which I've never had to do.

    I was just wondering if those "applications" that everyone talks about would work in my old phone, or do they only work on the more modern cellular telephones such as "I-Phones" or "Smart Phones"?

    Thanks,
    Hal
     
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    Last edited: Aug 1, 2018
  2. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    Probably not. 14 years...
     
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  3. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Von Jones
    I have a Trac-fone which is 2 years old, folds just like the old-style @Hal Pollner described, no account or billing, buy a block of minutes when 90-day life expires, double-minutes for life, $20 buys 120 minutes. My usage is such that I've accumulated 400+ minutes! The unused minutes roll-over each 90 days.

    The phone is mine, I own it, bought for $4.99, a ridiculous price for something of such complexity. It works virtually anywhere all the others do, has terrible frequency response, far worse than my land-line, horrible ring-tones, has internet capability and some other fancy "smart"-phone like options I don't understand, or even care to. Voice mail not "set up". Handy when my wife and I get separated in one of these vast dens of iniquity we frequent.....
    Frank
     
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  4. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    @Hal Pollner
    As @Von Jones was saying, it's not very likely. Those apps only run on the operating system which they have been designed for, today mostly either the open Android or the closed iOS (Apple). First thing, you'd have to find out which operating system your stone-age (sorry, Hal :D) cell phone runs on which is probably none of the two mentioned. Modern apps also need fast internet access and a certain internal storage space which older phones lack.
    One more thing, as Steve Jobs used to say, you may want to check the web for the price currently paid for old gems like yours. You may be surprised what some people are willing to pay for these if it's really something special.
     
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  5. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    The Apps you are asking about can be only got on "internet" type phones that get the internet. iPhones/Androids IOW.
     
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  6. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    @Thomas and @Cody, my "Stone Age" cellular telephone is just fine with me, because I never use it!

    I buy a Trak-fone airtime card every 90 days for $20. That's $6.67 per month.

    In truth, for years I've been using the 90 days of air time without making a single call, and I'm bragging about it!

    @Thomas assumes that I would be interested in loading applications on my old cellular telephone, but that couldn't be further from the truth!

    I have no idea and don't care what my operating system is, and I have no interest in accessing the Internet from my old cellular phone!

    What I'm trying to get across is I DON'T LIKE cellular telephones, and I have one just for the emergency call I haven't made in 14 years and may never make!

    Cellular Telephones and their so-called "apps" are for technozombies, :rolleyes: not me!

    When my wife and I are visiting the County Fair or the Home Show, or a Dog Show or a Swap Meet, we use a pair of cheap, compact "Walkie Talkies" to stay in contact.

    (Shown are a meeting of Technozombies discussing their latest "apps"...)

    Hal
     

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  7. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Well, Hal, there are those Seniors that love technology and those that don't. Obviously you can't be totally against technology...….you are on and using a computer and website.

    I'm very "techy" and just hooked up a Roku Streaming Stick to our HD tv. Already have a Chromecast Streaming on it, as well as a Wii Game and Blue-Ray DVD Player...…...I connected all to tv.

    One, or both, of our iPhone 6s will go, when we move. Just won't be able to afford. At that time, will possibly get a Cricket flip from AARP. Will definitely miss the iPhone that we have now, especially since we sometimes use FaceTime (Apple product) to talk to each other as well as see each other.

    Obviously, the modern technology isn't for everyone and that really includes some Seniors. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
     
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  8. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    Never mind, Hal, I can't know what you're up to, can I? You were just asking a question which indicates a certain interest. Otherwise you wouldn't have asked it. So I tried to answer it.
    I recall from earlier threads that you don't like cell phones. Fair enough. I'm not particularly enthusiastic about them either. I just use them because it seems to be increasingly necessary. That's all. :)
    PS: I just recognise myself in the pic. If at all, I'm the one in the background looking sceptical and being hesitant. People who know me would never call me a "techie", though. That's also an indication.
     
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  9. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I don't like the idea that cell phones have given to so many people, that they have the right to call at any time and I am supposed to drop whatever I am doing to answer their call. My phone rings at least four times an hour and rarely is it anyone I want to talk to, or even know. Mostly, they are people trying to sell me stuff that I don't need or want, bill collectors, or others whose purpose I'll never know because when I answer my own phone and an automated voice says something that begins with, "Please hold...," I am not about to do so. Don't call me if you're not ready to talk. I might hold if I'm making a call, although I often hang up then too, but I am certainly not going to hold when someone calls me.

    When I get a call, it pops up on my computer with the options to decline. I will either do that, or I'll answer the call and then set the phone aside, or I'll answer the call and immediately disconnect it.
     
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  10. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    @Ken Anderson, the reason we maintain a landline is so we are not hounded by calls. A limited number of people have access to our cell phone numbers, mostly family and a few friends, and all other calls go to the landline phone with caller ID. If we are home and choose to answer, we do; if not, we listen to the message and answer or delete it. If we are not home, we assume that anyone important will leave a message, and we pick those up when we get home. We could pick them up remotely but choose not to do so. My wife helps run an "emergency charity" so has to be contacted through the church phone which gives our landline as a contact for urgent matters, but never to the cellphone.
     
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  11. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    Did I know? My goodness, no, I didn't. I'm probably too chickenhearted to find out. :D IOW, being cautious and meticulous seems to be an innate quality so that I don't need to learn about something the hard way.

    Thanks, Frank, for this plausible explanation. So it's a kind of inner drive linked to a joy of discovery as well as a need for assuring yourself of how something works, yet not just theoretically but coupled with a hands-on approach that spares no effort to see it in operation. Both of you should have become scientists then. Bad idea?
     
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  12. Tim Burr

    Tim Burr Veteran Member
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    I might be in the minority here, but I don't mind having a 'smart phone'.

    It is just another 'tool' among many I have.

    It is used for whatever purpose I need at the moment, then I put it away.

    Don't trust what the weather people tell me, so I check the 'radar' app
    since I walk to and from work.

    Need to check the charge on an A/C unit, just pull up the PT chart for R404a,
    R410, etc. and no need to carry paper charts anymore.

    GPS to get around in a strange city, having a book handy for times I have to wait,
    a still and video camera, to do list, music, etc.
    I could do all these things without a smart phone, but I would have to carry around
    a lot of extra stuff.

    Why would I want to?

    Again, these are just tools.
    You can abuse tools or just use them for their purpose and put them away.

    I live in the 21st century, why not take advantage of what is available...
     
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  13. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    I agree with you totally Tim... ..and just fr the record re a post further back... I ''totally own'' my iphone ... no need to have some cheap £4.99 ancient ark phone to be able to own it outright... :rolleyes::D
     
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  14. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Ah, a fine array of technology and it is indeed wonderful to have the knowledge that is necessary to make that same array useable.
    Now, as I scrutinize the pictures and in particular, the bomb, I have only a couple of problems.
    I do not see any means to call for assistance in case the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere nor do I see the button which when pressed, dials 911 and gives the location in case a person is having a massive coronary when no one else is around.
    In this day and age, I would not care for my wife to simply hang around until someone stopped to help her on the road because it truly is a dangerous world out there.

    On second thought, if there are such buttons, everything looks a bit too cumbersome to carry around so I’ll stick to my IPhone and it’s partner, the Apple watch. :)
     
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  15. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    Sorry @Frank Sanoica, did I miss something?
     
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