going without... (cellphone that is) anyone?
- Thread starter Seminole Wind
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broken ed
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We have a Verizon Jet Pack, but rarely use. Verizon makes it to hard and expensive to use. We have two T-Mobile lines with 5GB of high speed data on each for $60.00 a month (T-Mobile ONE Unlimited 55 plan). After that they throttle you back, or you can pay another $15.00 for an additional 20GB of high speed data. Much cheaper then the Jet Pack.
So , yeah, I kinda agree. And as much as I enjoyed setting up my old iPhone for off line use, I'm one person not going without a cell phone (double negative). It really doesn't matter if it's a tablet, laptop or cell phone, I'm on line.
I do all my banking from check deposits to transfers to paying bills on the phone. I don't drive, so I check buses and other public transportation,,, and I check Google Street before I ever leave to make sure there's a path or sidewalk for my mobility scooter. I even check for cut-out ramps at intersection and in front of stores. I also look to see where cross walks are located. I never had to, but if my mobility scooter dies or breaks down, I'll get a Uber or Lyft, it's travel compliant and breaks down into five pieces. Since I don't drive I order on line as well, everything from food to batteries. I watch TV and listen to the radio on my phone. I could go on but I think you get the idea, but with all this, I try to go off line as much as I can. I still watch TV over the air when I can and have an AM/FM radio.
So , yeah, I kinda agree. And as much as I enjoyed setting up my old iPhone for off line use, I'm one person not going without a cell phone (double negative). It really doesn't matter if it's a tablet, laptop or cell phone, I'm on line.
I do all my banking from check deposits to transfers to paying bills on the phone. I don't drive, so I check buses and other public transportation,,, and I check Google Street before I ever leave to make sure there's a path or sidewalk for my mobility scooter. I even check for cut-out ramps at intersection and in front of stores. I also look to see where cross walks are located. I never had to, but if my mobility scooter dies or breaks down, I'll get a Uber or Lyft, it's travel compliant and breaks down into five pieces. Since I don't drive I order on line as well, everything from food to batteries. I watch TV and listen to the radio on my phone. I could go on but I think you get the idea, but with all this, I try to go off line as much as I can. I still watch TV over the air when I can and have an AM/FM radio.
Look at it logically and then you may come to realize that people who want to disconnect from technology such a cell phones they can't seem to put down are not going to be online in forums because that is what exactly the kind of behavior they are trying to avoid.
Seminole Wind
Well-known member
why cant you just be positive?
Have had trackfones for over a decade. $110 a year is good. I actually have 2. A $10 phone with verizon and an expensive phone (I use to write apps for android) that has AT&T that I now use to watch YT vids. So $220 a year.
I turn them off when I don't need them. That $10 phone I just can't kill. Dropped it in a river in Escalante, Ut where it rolled downstream. Picked it up, turned it on and was good-to-go. I also find that I can easily get 7-10 days on a charge if I only turn them on to check messages and email and then turn them off. Old school is best for me so I use maps, compass, and have a garman handheld GPS that I use only if I "feel" lost.
In fact, if I had to pick, I'd gladly leave the phone home and take the gps when I'm hiking no matter where I am.
I turn them off when I don't need them. That $10 phone I just can't kill. Dropped it in a river in Escalante, Ut where it rolled downstream. Picked it up, turned it on and was good-to-go. I also find that I can easily get 7-10 days on a charge if I only turn them on to check messages and email and then turn them off. Old school is best for me so I use maps, compass, and have a garman handheld GPS that I use only if I "feel" lost.
In fact, if I had to pick, I'd gladly leave the phone home and take the gps when I'm hiking no matter where I am.
broken ed said:
I'm going to look at this. I carry a Garmin eTrex hcx that has served me well for years. I constantly get free updated maps and have routes and waypoints from 20+ trips to the southwest. I suspect that better life is far better with the eTrex than with my Moto Pure X but it's worth a shot even if it's just a backup. Certainly worth spending a few hours on.
grumpygrizzly
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The WiFi phone you're talking about is what some have already mentioned.. Google Voice.
I first started using Google Voice when the company I was working for sent me to Ireland for 9 months. I'd just get online, go to Google Voice and dial the number I wanted to call. The number came up on the other end as a phone number in Oregon which I selected because it had a certain number I wanted. No cost for overseas to US calls or anywhere else for that matter.. And the Google Voice doesn't cost anything to register or use..
I have a Mifi that I picked up at a yard sale for $10 or so.. Might just drop my phone account and switch it to the Mifi as I need wifi when I'm on projects when I'm visiting a client and need to send or receive a drawing.
I live just North of Portland, OR and it seems like the news reports every night about someone crossing a street and getting run over by a car. I'd bet 90% of the time, either the driver or the crosswalker was busy on their cellaphone and not paying attention to traffic.
I see kids that are 12 or 13 y/o carrying around a $1000 Ipod and they all expect new phones for Christmas or their birthdays.
When I was that old, if my father wanted me when I was outside playing, he'd step out on the porch and whistle.. Every kid I was playing with would run for home because on an Army base, that's how parents did things..
I don't answer my phone while driving or at any other time that could be dangerous.
Kids these days are so addicted, if they receive a text message at 3:00am and don't respond immediately, they'll hear about it at school the next day.
One other alternative is to use a pager and get a ham radio on 2 meters. You can do NON-BUSINESS calls on a 2 meter radio as long as you can reach a repeater nearby. Usually that's no cost either and you can do that anywhere in the USA.. No long distance calls but, that's what your mifi and your tablet are for.
To those that mentioned the need for GPS, take a look at an app called maps.me.. Works by itself, tracks the same satellites as every other GPS program..
I first started using Google Voice when the company I was working for sent me to Ireland for 9 months. I'd just get online, go to Google Voice and dial the number I wanted to call. The number came up on the other end as a phone number in Oregon which I selected because it had a certain number I wanted. No cost for overseas to US calls or anywhere else for that matter.. And the Google Voice doesn't cost anything to register or use..
I have a Mifi that I picked up at a yard sale for $10 or so.. Might just drop my phone account and switch it to the Mifi as I need wifi when I'm on projects when I'm visiting a client and need to send or receive a drawing.
I live just North of Portland, OR and it seems like the news reports every night about someone crossing a street and getting run over by a car. I'd bet 90% of the time, either the driver or the crosswalker was busy on their cellaphone and not paying attention to traffic.
I see kids that are 12 or 13 y/o carrying around a $1000 Ipod and they all expect new phones for Christmas or their birthdays.
When I was that old, if my father wanted me when I was outside playing, he'd step out on the porch and whistle.. Every kid I was playing with would run for home because on an Army base, that's how parents did things..
I don't answer my phone while driving or at any other time that could be dangerous.
Kids these days are so addicted, if they receive a text message at 3:00am and don't respond immediately, they'll hear about it at school the next day.
One other alternative is to use a pager and get a ham radio on 2 meters. You can do NON-BUSINESS calls on a 2 meter radio as long as you can reach a repeater nearby. Usually that's no cost either and you can do that anywhere in the USA.. No long distance calls but, that's what your mifi and your tablet are for.
To those that mentioned the need for GPS, take a look at an app called maps.me.. Works by itself, tracks the same satellites as every other GPS program..
Headache
Well-known member
Here's something positive Seminole; except for a few posts that have absolutely nothing to do with your OP I like this thread and am enjoying the stories. I hope more post. Thanks for starting it.
It's a matter of personal choice.
Tips on ways to have communications when necessary, without an always on, does everything, smartphone that tracks you via cell towers.
That may not be a concern to others, however it is a concern for some.
Reading how others have found smartphones useful is not the intent of the thread.
How can one detach from the omnipresent, omniscient, electronic grid?
Personally, for a long time I thought that I needed alcohol to function. Then I learned how to function without alcohol.
Tips on ways to have communications when necessary, without an always on, does everything, smartphone that tracks you via cell towers.
That may not be a concern to others, however it is a concern for some.
Reading how others have found smartphones useful is not the intent of the thread.
How can one detach from the omnipresent, omniscient, electronic grid?
Personally, for a long time I thought that I needed alcohol to function. Then I learned how to function without alcohol.
crofter
Well-known member
Mine is a message phone only. I don't want to be interrupted because I value my time. I do call everyone back who leaves a message, when I want to be talking on the phone. ~crofter
B and C
Well-known member
If government is out to track you, they still can even if you don't have a smartphone with gps. Just the act of turning it on it connects to a cell tower so you location can be determined to an area. The more cell towers around, the closer the pinpoint will be. If your goal is to not be tracked, a burner phone that you replace each time the minutes run out is the way to go and leave it turned off unless you are using it.
Gee, how did we survive before cell phones? If you want to unplug, it is as simple as not having one.
Gee, how did we survive before cell phones? If you want to unplug, it is as simple as not having one.
