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I do own a pre-paid cell phone I use infrequently, but see no need for a smart phone for myself. I bought it originally as a safety item, turned off and stowed. I find myself in remote locations kayaking and cycling. If I get in trouble it's a nice backup item, but not something I chat on.

I wonder if the majority who own smart phones really NEED them or are they more for recreational use?

What say you?

I have previously, like most of you all, had the old "flip" phones, or other non-smart phones.
Just for, well, calling people.

Today (and for the past 2 1/2 years), I have had an iPhone and while I do talk on it, some
I mostly text people, as well as do some facebooking and a few other things more than talk on it.

I do find the apps interesting and functional (sometimes) and without the "smartphone" I would ideally have to spend a lot more money for software for my PC or buy other equipment.
...Most recently, I downloaded a "Poker Timer" for home Texas Hold'em games.
Prior to, I would have a kitchen timer, or other timers, or buy a commercially available poker timer (with blinds and countdowns, etc)
this was free. So it is functional, and free.

I only have one because it is paid for by my company. It is used for phone calls and emails. I have not used any "apps".

I'm a crusty dinosaur...some say fossil. I have just a flip phone.

I have yet to see a plan for a smart phone that didn't cost $50 a month. I don't see the value in that for me. All of our kids and their spouses have smart phones and rely on them a lot. I see why. There are a lot of good features. I'm a separate device guy.

- My Garmin is as good as any of the smart phone GPS apps. The smart phone running the GPS app takes hands while driving. My Garmin does not.
- I have a digital camera. It produces better pictures than any of the smart phone cameras. Like my Garmin, it means that I have to carry another device. I'm OK with that.
- I'm really old fashioned. I also have a Palm Pilot to run my schedule. When those were in vogue, I developed sophisticated ways to use it which I won't share here. I continue to do that.
- I have a voice recorder. Yes, it is yet another device that I have to carry but I use it extensively, too
- I have an iPod Classic. If I started to play the music on it 24 hours a day, I could last for 11 days without a repeat. Yep, one more device.
- Since I work out of the house a lot, I use a desktop computer. My eyes like the big screen a lot. I have a lot of "stuff" on it and I backup my critical stuff on a regular basis. I have some data bases that go back more than 30 years.

What I cannot do is to access the web while driving or moving around. When we travel, I have a laptop with Wifi and I have a pay-as-you-go Virgin Broadband dongle that I can "top up" at Wal-Mart for $20 a month when I want.

I inquired about just buying a smart phone which disabled the web feature and wanted to use it as I do my phone today. That is not allowed. So until the price or my situation changes, it will be just the flip phone for me. I'm technology savvy and have no problems operating as smart phone so that doesn't figure into my decision. I do have a bluetooth headset.

Most important.... my world doesn't crash if my smart phone does. I can exist for days and weeks without my phone. Looking at those around me, that is not a statement that many can make.

Yes

Once you have a good smart phone the real question is "do I need a home computer?".

rotor wrote:Once you have a good smart phone the real question is "do I need a home computer?".

I do understand that line of thinking. For me, the optimum would be a laptop that works like a table (lays completely flat) Lenovo has those with a 250G solid state drive but they are $1,400.

One of the biggest considerations about NOT having a smart phone is the very small size of the fonts on it. They are not bifocal friendly.

Pre-paid flip phone is all I have/use. Seldom use more than about 15 min a month. I'm cheap. It is a whole lot cheaper all the way around and I'm not bothered by incessant beeps, twirps, and deedles like my daughter and her husband are.

chasfm11 / 2farnorth ,

We think very much alike, with one small caveat:

I never text as I think it a nuisance, why bother?

I can't see myself texting when there as so many convenient means for communication.

Texting seems like taking a step back in communication, but I know it's all the rage...heck, maybe the Minuet will make a come back.

I have a company iPhone with quite a few apps and about 60 hours of music.

After I retire I will get another iPhone mainly as Mrs Anygun's leash on me, and for face time with the grandkids. I do like the few apps I use regularly. Outside of this if I never talk to anyone on the phone again it will be too soon.

I will need a lap top or tablet when I retire to do what I need to do. I do not consider a phone as a computer because my sausage fingers can't type on the phone as well as they can on something bigger, and I need all the advantage I can get.

Anygnanywhere

I have a flip phone. Only use it for a rare emergency and to use as a "CB" to talk to my wife when needed. My desktop computer is all I need otherwise...real size keys, etc. Have no interest in all those "aps" since I don't do all that sh...t. :)

I'm a smart phone junkie but I'm trying to use it less. I started noticing that you can not go out to eat without everyone pulling their phone out as soon as they sit down.

For the most part I wished I still kept my flip phone!!

Abraham wrote:chasfm11 / 2farnorth ,

We think very much alike, with one small caveat:

I never text as I think it a nuisance, why bother?

I can't see myself texting when there as so many convenient means for communication.

Texting seems like taking a step back in communication, but I know it's all the rage...heck, maybe the Minuet will make a come back.

I never text. The small keyboard frustrates me. Can I do it? Yep. But I'm a QWERTY kind of a guy.
I don't discount the convenience of texts. Getting a small amount of detailed information asynchronously does have its advantages at times. There is a text plan on my pay-as-you-go program but I used it so seldom that I didn't continue it when I changed from one year's plan to another.

Don't discount Minuets. Some of us still play them.

chasfm11,

I'm a QWERTY guy too.

I can't see myself manically texting like some over-amped jr. high girl...shudder.

Or, finding some electronic device so enrapturing I develop OCD.

If, in the very next moment I couldn't access the internet ever again, my own electronic drug of choice, I wouldn't need to seek therapy like so many I know who can't live without the so-called smart thingies...but, I probably would read more books than I currently do.

I fought it for quite a while. Traded in my "antique" phone a year ago. The clerk could not beleive I was going from a dinosaur to the top of the line I-phone. I like it. As far as texting goes... it is a time saver. You know those people who just don't know how to say goodbye? Text them, get some of your day back. My family knows not to call me while I'm working, unless someone dies. They can text me. You have a record of what was said. You can review it later. I'm not really into apps but, my favorite is "Sky Survey" Ever wonder what you were looking at in the night sky? Just look through the phone it will tell you.