Why I really dislike both Cell and Smart Phones. I remember when cell phones first became common for the masses. I was working at ABC Liquor in Treasure Island Florida and had my first encounter with a Yuppie that owned a “Brick”. He dashed over to me and demanded I stop waiting on a few customers to help him find his cell that he placed on a shelf and wandered away from. I explained that the people I was waiting on were primary my job, and finding his cell phones was not in my job description, but if he would wait I’d be glad to help him. “Do you know how much this cell phone costs?’ He demanded. I countered; “Sir I’m wearing a titanium Rado watch which is also quite expensive, but I never lay it on shelves and walk away.”
I thought I saw tears welling up in his eyes, so being possibly brighter than him, I asked; “Do you know your number?” Then handed him the store phone and said; “When you hear it ring walk in that direction.” My other customers applauded. He found his phone and walked out, and I shouted to him; “You’re welcome!”
Years went by, I was back to traveling the world again on ships, and cell phones were shrinking in both size and cost. Kids in Europe invented texting and a company in Scandinavia marketed a phone call Nokia (It was named Nokia to sound Asian.) Where did the Nokia company, go? They were missing for all that time, but they are back again (Not doing that well).
My wife and both daughters wanted cell phones, I only knew the cost of cell service in the USA, so I said no, but when I learned about the low cost in the Philippines and the lack of a landline on the mountain, I decided to rethink my desision.
On my next cruise when we stopped in Singapore and found they were cheap there, they seemed almost free. I bought a few, walked over to LBC (Same Building) and sent them home.
It’s not often I can be a hero, but this time I was. When I returned to the Philippines the price had dropped slightly, but still couldn’t beat Singapore.
I joined the cell phone age just before I retired in 1999, when I found that where I live in Bataan I would NEVER have a land line.
We already owned a computer, that stood idle until one of my daughter’s batch-mate hooked my phone up to it and I was online. Not fast, but there.
As cell phones improved some bright person invented the Wife Dongle. Hook it up, and dangle the dongle out a window and online connection improved Two years ago I bought a Broadband with an antenna and all is well on the mountain (Most of the time).
Okay, cell phones morphed into smart phones, but all I want any phone to do is ring when it’s called and for me be able to hear it.
I once sat in a five inch gun mount (#51) on the USS Mullinnix DD-944 and fired it time and time again, I had also had been on a ship and fired a 3 inch 50 gun mount and a twin 44 anti-aircraft gun al before the advent of proper hearing protection. But this a subject the VA is dealing with now.
But now needed a smart phone because I learned to text, and because of age and weak vision I need a bigger screen & font, that I could only get with a smart phone.
Now you can believe me or not, as I don’t care, but all the smart phone has done is confuse me first being the virtual keyboard. Oh my goodness, that was a struggle!
To date I have not turned on the Wi-Fi feature, as I own a computer and damn sure don’t want to be bothered all day with Facebook and e-mails. I’ve had seven or eight different brands of smart phones, and so far I find them lacking in the features I want.
I want, large font, loud ringer, to receive and send text and calls, all those superfluous APP’s can pack sand. Well I do like the cameras. I just bought the CKK Duke 6 Plus which does it all (That I want it to do) I gave the six month old 12,000 Peso OPPO phone to my 10 year old niece. (Din-Din) I am now some little girls hero again.
My new phone will loudly ring and vibrate and the flashlight and screen flashes. I’ve not missed a call if I’m in the room close to it.
But for some reason it just gets tired and shuts itself off for no apparent reason, but a teenager will fix that for me. Or even my niece Din-Din. True to what I said my Granddaughter solved the turning off problem, but I must on my own remember to recharge the damn thing.
So let’s sum it up:
It Rings: Quite well thank you.
Sound level: Very good if I push that little speaker button I hear it all. I refuse to hold it to my ear as I believe it fries the brain.
Reading the text: with large font I can read and respond using single vision classes, and I’ve mastered the virtual keyboard.
Plus when I return home there is a list of any calls I’ve missed and the same for text. Of course if no name appears on the screen I just delete it, plus any texts from Globe telling me the great deals I’m missing out on and the points I’m not using, it is like those Raleigh Cigarette coupons that insured I’d never smoke that brand. Who need a free Iron Lung?
So my phone still sits on my dresser recording my calls, my friends know that if I don’t answer they can reach me by calling Mayang’s phone, She has three smart phones in her purse. And they know we travel as a team. If my friends are with me wouldn’t that make a cell phone in my pocket redundent?
Hi Paul –
Can you understand what Mayang is saying when she speaks to you while you’re driving, or do you hear a continuous ringing sound in whichever ear you had close to the navy ship guns you were firing 30 years ago? If the answer is no and yes, you may be rated 30 percent disabled by the VA for your service-connected disability, as do I. I thought you might be interested to know the monthly VA disability compensation rate for 2018. Here it is:
Dependent Status 30% 40% 50% 60%
Veteran Alone $417.15 $600.90 $855.41 $1,083.52
Veteran with Spouse Only $466.15 $666.90 $937.41 $1,182.52
Veteran with Spouse & One Parent $505.15 $719.90 $1,003.41 $1,261.52
Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents $544.15 $772.90 $1,069.41 $1,340.52
Veteran with One Parent $456.15 $653.90 $921.41 $1,162.52
Veteran with Two Parents $495.15 $706.90 $987.41 $1,241.52
Hi John:
Very good info and the tax break is great, as I’ve not got to 50% yet because they are still evaluating my other problems. But the hearing is taken care of. Thanks for sending those facys!.
I’ve got one of those smart phones. Marlyn is the techno wizard in the family, and will give me her old one when she updates hers. That means that I have to learn everything all over again. The last time, I managed to convince her that I was perfectly comfortable with the one I already knew how to use. At least the parts of it that I wanted to use. There’s a lot of stuff loaded into the thing that I have no idea what to do with. But, I can call and text, take photos, transfer those photos to facebook, and video call on the thing. As long as I have load in it.
The speaker thing usually makes it loud enough for me to hear. But video chats are sometimes a bit odd. The speaker is on the bottom. I often have to point the speaker at my ear in order to hear it. That means whoever I’m video chatting with is looking at my ceiling rather than my face. But we manage.
Take care,
Pete
Hi Pete –
Can you lie down on the floor while video chatting? This way whoever you’re video chatting with is looking at your face rather that the ceiling?
LOL Sorry, I could’t resist this one, Pete…
LOL John,
The speaker is on the bottom of the phone. If the speaker is pointed at my ear, the camera will be aimed at a right angle to that. I figure the ceiling is a better view than the floor. But our son says they get dizzy chatting with me.
Take care,
Pete
Not to be too technical CC but couldn’t you plug in a headphone then keep the phone aimed at your face? Just asking
Hello AJ UK,
Combination of being uncomfortable to wear, and having the sound piped directly into my ear is painful. When I’ve had to wear headsets, I would rest the speakers on my cheekbones in front of my ears.
Take care,
Pete
Hi CC
As my wife would say…………..”Acceptable indeed!”
Pete;
Are we related? Except for a video call which I’ve never done, you described me and technology.
I too had those hand me down phones from my wife, but learned to say NO, It took me weeks to learn the one sitting on my dresser. That recharge think is important, but my wife put me on a Globe monthly plan.
I am still imagining your wife, with dongle attached, hanging out of the window. I do hope you bring her in at times Paul.
Mike;
Your non-funny comment made no sense to me. But you must of had your reason.
I certainly hope I did not offend you Paul as I have great respect for your service to the Free World and you positive attitudes towards life in the Philippines. I feel I should explain that when you wrote “some bright person invented the Wife Dongle. Hook it up, and dangle the dongle out a window”, it created an image in my head which I shared (but perhaps should not have done). Sorry for any (unintended) offence.
Mea culpa maxima culpa my misspelling of Wi-Fi caused me to misunderstand your comment. First my hearing, now my vision, It sucks getting old, but getting old beats the hell out of the alterative (LOL)
Thanks Paul – never would I intentionally offend you.
Morning Paul, After 25 years in the fishing industry with super charged diesel engines screaming away for days on end the old hearing is not good, so I use skype for all my calls, gives perfect reception and with the headphones perfect sound.
John;
Most of my ships were steam plants, which was not that load but a constant thumping noise. If the engineers dropped the load at night the silence would wake 90% of the crew up. When I came home after a job I had trouble sleeping in the quite. But after 18 years on the dirt I’m fine now.
I still have to have a radio playing at night lol.
John;
For years I did too, but now I can’t even hear that very well., I’m an old coot now! (LOL)
Great article, Paul.
I too wonder why it is so hard to find a “smart” phone that is clever enough to make and receive calls sensibly and simply. Four different cameras and thousands of apps? Oh, we got them, sir, but make phone calls? Uhhhhhmmmm.
Just so you continue to retain your smarter than the average netizen title, you might want to correct one minor point, The Nokia corporation was founded way back in 1865 as a paper mill company and their largest plant was in the town of Nokia, Finland, so the common concept that the name Nokia was coined to make the phone sound Asian is just an urban legend. Never happened. Best regards and don’t call me, I’ll call you. LoL.
Dave;
Thanks for that info but it still sounds Asian! (LOL)
I became a permanent resident this past February. Learning the phone system here (hear?) is much more challenging than I expected. Back in the country of my birth and citizenship, I paid a monthly fee to include unlimited calling, text and data for 4 phones (still paying it, my phone plan is suspended). First I changed the SIM card for a local company SIM card. They use a term “load” to describe the pesos paid for prepaid services on your phone. No understandable explanation was given on the means that is reduced for making a phone call, sending a text, or as they say, surfing the internet. Trying to extract this info from family members ( 4 public school teachers, 1 private college professor) drew the craziest looks. Searches on the internet was not any help. Any suggestions ([email protected])
Bob Martin, the creator and owner of this website, has produced a book “How to Move to the Philippines Manual” priced at $34.99 (eBook, which means you download it) – $39.99 (Paperback version) with “More than 230 pages of quality information!”
As a new comer here, I suggest you buy a copy and read it. Btw, I gain nothing from this recommendation – I just think newcomers would benefit greatly by reading it.
As a newby, I can recall the day (1985) when we had to travel from Bohol to The St. Moritz in Cebu City to make a long distance phone call to the USA. Since that time, the tech has improved obviously, but the skills,knowledge, and ability to explain the new tech is what is lacking. Perhaps Bob does have a handle on that.
In all the my career as a governmental civil servant (law enforcement), our only use and need for a computer was the word processing stuff for report writing. Now I am paying a price: catch up.
Thank you, Mike.