Folks,

While not officially a member of the 60 and Over club, I certainly have a clear view of the door I'll be knocking on soon.

I recently returned from spending the most amazing evening with a truly remarkable and beautiful lady who at one time posted regularly on TER. We had so much fun together and for the first time in my life, actually felt the chemistry many speak of.

The next day I was sitting at the airport waiting to catch a flight home and started my usual people watching (in addition to reliving the previous evening). I noticed nearly everybody who walked by had a smartphone or some other gadget and were oblivious to everything except that thing in their hand.  

What is it with these phones...I just don't get it. My co-worker carries an iPhone and can be reached any time and then complains about being called at night or on the weekends. I have no desire to be connected 24/7 and do not want a smartphone. My boss recently offered to get me a one for work and I quickly said no thanks.

The other day my neighbor gave me crap when I pulled my old trusty Samsung Rugby flip phone out of my pocket to answer a call. She said “1999 called and wants it’s phone back”. Well that 1999 flip phone is dented; scratched; and beat up, but it does what I need it to…make phone calls. I’ve dropped it who knows how many times, stepped on it more than once, and had my neighbor throw it 30 feet in the air…and it still works!!! Try that with an iPhone.  

I don’t have a Facebook account, not Linkedin, don’t have a blog (whatever the hell that is), don’t follow anybody on Twitter, don’t Tweet (sounds kinda silly to me for a grown ass man to say he Tweets), don’t have an app for that, will not wait in line for days to get the latest and greatest gadget, and do not have a smartphone.

Am I an old dinosaur…you bet and I don’t plan on changing anytime soon. I’ll carry that flip phone as long as possible or until technology forces me out.  

Instead of focusing my time and energy into that device, I’ll put my efforts into something I really enjoy…meeting and spending quality time with the mature ladies of TER!!! One night with one of these special ladies is worth more to me than any number of those new gizmos. While technically still a newbie, I have had the opportunity to spend many amazing evenings with more than one mature lady and can honestly say I’ve truly enjoyed every moment. Thank you ladies for putting up with my old ass and the wonderful times we’ve spent together.

So, are there any other dinosaurs out there or am I the last one standing?

Walt

But I am being dragged away from extinction by necessities, Even though I have a smart phone, I am going to buy another pay as you go just as a back-up and for the hobby.

The main reason was cost.  Verizon offered a 3G phone for about half the money I was paying for my 3 year old LG phone that didn't even have internet.

There is a lot I don't like about the iPhone, but I do like that I can now check my email and TER remotely, like when I'm in my car or the hotel lobby waiting for a provider to call back to me and tell me the room number.

Like everything in life, things change and some things are better and some are worse.

What I won't do is pull one out when I am supposed to be  relating to another person, or walk and stare at the screen at the same time.

So, does this mean you can actually carry on a real one on one conversation without referring to a smartphone every few seconds? And you don't walk and stare at the screen without regard to anybody else? Thank you mrfisher...I think there may still be some dinosaur left in you.  

I'll get rid of my flip phone when it dies or I do. I control my phone it doesn't control me. It has an off switch, I use it often.

Please don't look at your phone while you talk to me. Don't respond to every noise it makes while we're talking, eating, or otherwise engaged. I'd just as soon you leave so you can deal with your phone et al which is so much more important than I. I'll be just fine by myself or with the person that leaves their phone while we are together.

and other such technology.... It has (almost) no memory!

Sooo, there is little chance of someone looking at the device and discovering whatchoo've been up to.

Now, can someone hand me my X386 PC with DOS, pretty please

I have one of those texting phones with the slide out keyboard with keys too small for my small fingers, yes, small fingers and I still get two keys at a time. I do text but hate it, it's rude.  I don't mind if someone checks their phone when it rings as long as it only now and then, it could an emergency.  

If mine rings I may ask if they mind if I just look to be sure it's not an emergency but mind you my phone rings about 10 times a month, maybe.  Then it is the V.A. healthcare system.  LOL   I do spend a lot of dead time on the laptop but I'm alone almost all day every day unless I go to get my mail at the P.O. box and to get food.  If the flip is working, all is good. Nice to hear you had a  great time.

Cheers,
Bordello6

With all of us dinosaurs staggering around here, Jurassic Park has nothing on us

I've been proclaiming my status as a dinosaur for years now.  I use a wonderful flip phone: the :LG VX8000 on Verizon.  This is one of the finest instruments of its type ever made.  As I recall it was very expensive when new, like $400 or $500.  They don't make any flip phones this quality any more and nothing lasts forever.  So I've got 3 of them now: my original and 2 used ones I found online.  As for the smart phones, I simply cannot make them work.  I don't know why, but my fingers won't operate the touch screen.  My wife has an Ipad and an Ipad mini and they drive me insane.  I can't seem to make them do anything.  So I'll stick with what works for me, thank you very much.

heads down on their phones texting or doing some other something while the world passes by. I see people obviously on dates at dinner both with their heads buried in their phones!!!

Not me, nope. I have my cute hot pink/fuchsia razor flip phone and I don't have my emails forwarded to it either. When my black razor flip phone got a crack in it and moisture got in it and it stopped working my cellular carrier want me to upgrade to a "better" phone. Um NO! I went to a store that has re-ferbs and got the identical phone in my new color. This outfits can't keep those phones in stock so I know it's not just me that loves those older razor phone, lol! I usually text about a sentence at most on it because texting on it isn't easy or fast. That's just fine with me.


Someday...

Steph


-- Modified on 8/26/2014 11:20:51 PM

You are so right Steph, thanks for your comments...I don't know how many times I've seen a young couple at dinner and they can't quit with the smartphone. Email this email that, look what so and so posted on Facebook, look at this, etc. Makes me want to go up to the guy and tell him to put down the phone and carry on a real conversation with that lovely lady sitting across the table from him, but guess I'm just different.

 

...although the antenna broke, it's still going strong.  It's probably 10 years old and was one of the first phones with the internet.

You my friend are spot-on. I especially love your comment "I control my phone it doesn't control me".

10 years old and you're still using it? You're my hero!!!

END OF MESSAGE

A few years ago I got a new dumb phone, and since it was a work phone, my office got it for me.

An intern brought it to me, and I said thanks, and mentioned that now I have to spend the better part of an hour programming in my phone numbers.

He said "no way", watch this:  He punched a few buttons and in minutes all my phone contacts appeared in the new phone.

I said how is that possible?  He said Verizon stores all these numbers on line for you so you never need to go and reprogram a new phone.   That's nice, but a lot of those number are sort of private, if you catch my drift.  It's pretty disconcerting to think that information is out there available to who knows whom.

Now I keep the numbers I don't want people to know about off my phone and on good old paper and pencil.

I needed to replace my cell(flip) phone. I had an old one stored in a desk drawer and brought it to the phone center. They informed me that my old phone that had been stored could not be re-activated because it did not have GPS tracking technology in it like ALL the new phones had. At that moment I KNEW our 4th Amendment was on its last legs.

I have a smart phone for my personal use and a flip phone for playtime. I try to avoid texting at all costs. It's a pain and I am constantly hitting the wrong letters.  My smart phone is for my convenience only. It's not always on and I don't always answer the few calls I might get in a week. I've told family members that if I don't answer and it's important leave me a voice mail or text.  If not, don't expect a return call.  The family members are on theirs all of the time; often at the exclusion of the outside world.  You'd think it was a functioning part of their bodies.   Drives me nuts.

When I'm out with others my phone goes into my pocket.  I don't answer it unless it's the security company for which I have a special ringtone.  I do like the convenience to check the weather, email, TER, stock market, etc. though.

As others have said I have no Facebook page (never been on the site) and other similar sites.  However, I am on Twitter.  Got there because of a lady I know.  I follow very few people and have only a few followers.  Interestingly, the Tweets from some of the ladies have dissuaded me from making an appointment with them while others have peaked my interest in seeing them.  Twitter seems to show their real personalities better that postings on sites like TER.

So that's my 2c worth.

I upgraded to a smart phone about a year ago.  I did it for one reason only, which was for email access while traveling so that I could leave the laptop at home.  Didn't take me long to see there were other advantages as well, like a way better camera and picture quality, a much bigger screen for my tired old eyes, no more multiple clicking to get the right letter while texting, having access to the internet anywhere, portable GPS, and more.  I'm glad I made the upgrade.  The device hasn't taken over my life, but it is certainly a convenience

I have an iPhone after using the same Motorola StarTac for more than 12 years.  I find some features of the iPhone helpful to me, including the ability to look up facts and to plot routes, but I don't (and won't) register for all that other foolishness that does nothing but create clutter and invade our personal privacy.

JMHO

OM

 

 

END OF MESSAGE

While you may be a dinosaur in some people's eyes, the one thing you are NOT is an easy target for phone hackers!

I agree - VERY convenient!  But

I control it - it doesn't control me!

Steph, you sound like my kind of lady. Walt may have to jump in his Gran Torino and come visit. I'd like to see your dinosaurette phone

No worries about your old phone being stolen either.

Nothing lasts forever, unfortunately.  I was perfectly content and getting along fine using much-dated technology, but last year I took the big step and leap-frogged from 1999 into the 2nd decade of the 21st century. It wasn't because I necessarily wanted to. I'd still be using my trusty flip phone but I had to replace it because it went toes-up on me at a most inconvenient time! The problem was that I had just arrived at the parking lot of a motel and was set to call for the room number so I could see a fair lady that I had been waiting a long time to see! I opened my previously totally reliable phone, flipped it open, and my heart sank because the display was blank! It didn't appear to be totally dead; the power button still lit up so I knew it had a pulse. I used the little keyboard and followed the sequence to call the last number dialed and fortunately was able to make the call.  

So now I have a smartphone and as with most things, I've grown to really appreciate all the advantages.  Sometimes they're as much a distraction as they are a help, but all in all it's helped with hobbying. And that is all that matters!  

It is a razr, LOL!

I haven't gotten into the 'smart' phone yet. Not sure if I ever will. I still use my trusty laptop. (Love Firefox with it's "Private Window" so my wife can't see where I've been.) I do have a Facebook but under a false name just so I can check on others. No tweets but still looking for twats. Ah, great to be old and still in health to enjoy the girls.