Well my dad is wanting to get a new cell phone and has been looking into the iPhone 5. We have all iMacs here at work (thanks to my recommendation and have been problem free since the switch) and he is also looking into an iPad. I have told him how easy it would be to carry all his notes and files on the iPad instead of 2 or 3 bulging file folders on each job we have going on (construction business). So he asks me to go with him to our local Apple store on Saturday and we talk with one of the associates for a while and he is now in awe. He kept saying "it will do that? Wow". Then as we are leaving he says to me, "Do we need to get any literature?" Im so glad no one heard him but i just giggled a little and said "No, I dont think they have any literature here" I explained to him that even though our products still require literature that the technology world has since moved on. Im 33 and dad is 54. He just hasn't moved into the new age just yet. He has had a smart phone for 2 years now and still dont know how to use it and he is wanting to move into more technology? This will be very interesting and comical at the least.

 

I can relate to your old man.

I'm a tad younger than he is (and just got my first iphone last week.....lol) but I have to say I often miss the old days when the only way people could track you down is by leaving a message on your answering machine at home that you checked once you got back home from work in the evening! In many ways technology is helpful, but it can also be a horrible curse because it means people can be after you virtually 24/7!

And some things I absolutely HATE using technology for -- directions for example. I'd much rather just get directions to a location and jot them down on a piece of paper than have that annoying wench on the GPS shouting at me constantly as I drive down the road!

 

I have to agree with you ddellwo. I have been debating going back to a basic phone here lately just because i cant stand for something to not work when i need it to. These smart phones can give problems. I have been debating an iphone too. Just waiting. And for directions, yes i would rather look it up on a map and jot down points of interest such rd name or exit. I dont use GPS at all.

 

Having it do all that is nice, but one thing to consider is if it is lost or stolen, whoever gets it now has all your fathers info. One reason I will not have anything but a regular cellphone. And yes I did lose a phone before. Only thing on it was work numbers, so no harm done. People are also getting better at hacking them without leaving your pocket, just like they hack the chipped credit cards. Something else I will not own.

 

I still have a flip phone. Them googlie contraptions are just fluff.

Adrianspeeder

 

My last flip phone died last year, and there isn't much available that is not a Smart phone. I ended up with Droid Razr Maxx. Really didn't want a smart phone but, I love it now. Since I got out of college in 92 and started working I have had either a pager or a cell phone, due to job requirements. Have to say a cell phone is a whole lot nicer. New job isn't as bad only have to carry work cell from 6AM to 10 PM, 6 days a week, instead of 24/7.
I know what your saying about your father. My mom got an I phone about 2 years ago. After the trouble she had with her flip phone I figured it was nightmare waiting to happen. She has taken to it like a duck to water. She bought a Ipad 2 and has now bought a IPad 3.

 

What is a flip phone?

 

Haha i've got a flip phone and buddy was telling me they're going extinct, i believe him. Technology's ruining the world and i don't want a part of it, you guys can have fun.

 

Kid's nowaday's are overweight wussies thank's to new technology. If they're not playing video games they're on their phones 24/7 yaking or texting nothing that important. If they lose or break their phone they'll have a mental breakdown. Parent's are just as bad...rude and dangerous when driving and talking or texting. I know these people are not that important to be on a freakin' phone all day. What happened to the day's of playing baseball or football after school...riding bikes or hunting? Technology is great just ask any CEO of these cell phone companies or video game manufacturer's...that's who's getting rich while hooking people on these new phones that seem to be coming out every month. My grandson can work the heck out of a video game or cell phone but I can't get him to do any physical activity. I'm 65 and he's 12 and can't keep up with me. Pretty pathetic and I blame all this new technology for this. Emergency or business use technology is great but all this personal BS all day is a joke.

 

I have to agree with most of this but you cant blame technology for the issues kids are having. Just like you cant blame the gun for a shooting, or obesity on the Big Mac. It all comes down to self control and as far as kids go, its the parents responsibility to say no or enough is enough. This country has a moral problem, really bad. I'm with a lot of people by not liking some of the side effects of technology but a lot of it is really handy and useful in "moderate doses". It sickens me to death to hear anyone, but especially kids, use words like O.M.G. and I.D.K. I mean come on. Talk normal. Of course I dont like any reference on the OMG one no matter what the circumstance is. And seeing someone constantly texting eats me up too. Just call the person. Texting is great if you just need to send a quick note with little or no response needed. Im all for that.
But I think we got off topic here. I was just sharing a quick laugh about "literature" not being used as much these days noting how everything has gone online. But good replies from everyone. Just dont want to get it off the original intention.

And one last thing on this. I had the Ataris, Nintendo's and Playstation's growing up but i never sat in front of them all day. When i got home from school i did just what you said. I went out and played football, traipsed through the woods behind my house with my brother and our BB guns, and rode our bikes. The games were played when it was raining outside or didnt feel good enough to go out and play. My parents would "encourage" me to go out and play. Thats not happening today. Our 2 girls, 4 and 6, both got Nintendo DS games for Christmas. They play those on some down time and when traveling. We dont let them sit with them all evening and on weekends. So my point is, its the parents responsibility to teach children healthy habits. But its hard when the parents are sometimes immature too. Kids having kids, you know.

 

Excellent post. Too many self indulgent, lazy parents leading to total moral decay in our society.

 

+1 with that whole statement. I have a flip phone and dumped my Droid, it drove me nuts...............

 

Agreed great post. We never had video games in our house. My brother bought them himself, we were always outside.

 

What get's me is trying to keep people off of their phones when they're supposed to be working. My daughter's office has a big problem with that...useless chit chat all day long and then go on facebook and give a play by play of everything they did that day. I saw some crazy stuff where I worked at...machines carrying over 20k pound's of steel over someones head and they are on the phone and don't even realize what's going on...and these were laborer's talking on their free phones. Being one of the safety team leader's I chewed them out on a regular basis...even got to a point of restricting use to break's and lunch time use only. None of them liked that.

 

This is what I just got. Minus the internet.



Adrianspeeder