Smart phone or basic phone?

[sixdogs]

Big article recently on how people are ditching their smart phone in favor of the basic phone.
Heck, I was there first.

 

[Sigarms]

Big article recently on how people are ditching their smart phone in favor of the basic version.
Heck, I was there first.

If you use a phone for work, don't see why you would.

Can you still access the internet, download and store documents on a basic version?

I use drop box to transfer important files (and large), not certain what a "basic version" of a smart phone is?

 

[sixdogs]

Oops...Corrected to read basic phone.

 

[TractorGuy]

We use a basic smart phone.

We were having a fair amount of trouble with our Samsung S4 and S5 phones so I recently found the Motorola Moto E4 on sale at wally world for $40 each. These are on a prepaid Verizon plan. We were already on a prepaid Verizon plan for $45 per month and I discovered the new plan was $5 less with more data that rolls over. The plan provides unlimited talk, text, and long distance. The data package is 3 gigs per month so not for somebody that wants to use their phone for streaming a lot. I keep ours set to wifi so they use very little data. I eat up about a 1/2 gig per month surfing the web and using google maps when away from home. Not overly happy with the MOTOs but so far we haven't had to restart the durn thangs to make them work like we were having to do with the chitsung brand. These are pretty basic with not too many bells and whistles but they work okay and have a decent camera and sound quality. Only real problem I have is a couple of apps with input buttons close to the edge are difficult to work.

 

[Citydude]

I gave up my smart phone for a basic flip phone a few months ago. The basic phone will receive and make calls where the smart phone doesn't in areas with poor service reception where my property is. A contractor pouring concrete in my pole barn was the one to show me the difference. I had no service with my smart phone, he was talking and receiving calls all day.

 

[TnAndy]

I gave up my smart phone for a basic flip phone a few months ago. The basic phone will receive and make calls where the smart phone doesn't in areas with poor service reception where my property is. A contractor pouring concrete in my pole barn was the one to show me the difference. I had no service with my smart phone, he was talking and receiving calls all day.

Just to clarify.... you both had the same carrier ? Verizon is the only carrier we can use here at the farm.....none of the others get signal.

 

[Citydude]

Just to clarify.... you both had the same carrier ? Verizon is the only carrier we can use here at the farm.....none of the others get signal.

Yes, we both had Verizon as our carrier. The neighbors and my wife have Verizon and smart phones. Mine is the only one that can make calls.

 

[EddieWalker]

Don't think I could go back. I use my smart phone for online searches while at work when I need something, or need to learn something. I use the GPS several times a week when going a new house. I can't remember the last time I used a map to find where I wanted to go. I watch the weather and decide what I will do that day, or how long I have to work outside when a storm is coming. I send pics to clients, sometimes several a day if they are not around and I need them to make a decision on something. The flashlight is always there when I need it, and even though I have a nice LED in my truck, it's just easier to pull out my phone and use it for quick trips into attics or looking into a dark place. The calculator is used every time I figure out a bill for a client, and the calendar is how I know what day it is. There is an alarm on my phone so I don't miss appointments. The best thing about my smart phone is that I now have it all in one place instead of a dozen different things stored away in my truck.

 

[Citydude]

Going from a smart phone to a basic phone is an adjustment. When I was working a smart phone was invaluable. Now that I'm happily retired, the mobile technology need dwindled. I do all my smart phone tasks at home on my Galaxy tablet. Like this post.

 

[RoyJackson]

The only things I really want from a phone is calls and e-mail. The rest of it is, for the most part, useless.

So, what kind of phones did you guys get?

 

[Industrial Toys]

My Apple Smart phone is just an ugly shard of jagged glass! Not a day goes by that I don't hate that thing more and more. I finally managed to smash the Guerilla Glass. I squeezed the screen with my thumbs and that didn't break it, but then slapping it on my knee shattered it. Once I pressed my thumbs through the Kodak photo printing screen at Walmart! A "TAP" didn't work so I thought it might need a little more pressure.

I had a Rugby flip phone that was supposed to be heavy duty. Threw it on a carpet floor and it broke in two!

There are friends that I don't even see anymore because they insisted on cancelling their home phone service and using their stupid smart phones. Great for emergencies, crap for a conversation. Poor connections, dropped calls, noisy background, touch tones generated in your ear by the other party, pocket dialing, interruptions and DISTRACTED attempts at communication.

No thanks!

 

[davrow]

I carry a Leatherman as my EDC instead of a knife to maximize number of functions vs items carried. I carry a smartphone for the same reason, it offers more tools while remaining a single item to carry.

 

[lpigott]

I switched back to a basic phone for a while but will never do that again. There are simply too many things a smart phone does that are hard to get along without nowadays. I carry my iPhone in a LifeProof waterproof case and have proven them to work extremely well.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Go back... to the stone age, no way. As a contractor working nation wide, my office is where I am, thanks to my Samsung smart phone. I do 80% of my business on my phone, and the rest off of a Microsoft Surface Pro. I can be out in the woods knocking out a new trail, mowing a field, and all I have to do is stop for a few minutes, whip out my smart phone, and I'm taking care of business. I seriously wouldn't be as successful without this phone.

 

[4570Man]

I use my phone for work. And it's nice for a lot of other things. No chance I'm getting rid of it and getting a flip phone.

 

[Rustyiron]

I got my first cell phone in 84, just before our first baby (and part of the reason). It was screwed to the "hump" in the truck, nothing near being a smart phone although it would honk the horn if I was away from the truck. I truly believe it was a big pat in me being able to retire when I was 50. I quit when Nextell was going out but can see the invaluable tasks you now can do with a smart phone and I'm sure I'd have one if I were still chasing the carrot.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'm curious how a "REAL" working man with working hands is supposed to operate such a fruity device. More for ET if you ask me. Just been trying to operate the fruity remote for my apple tv. Same garbage! I would prefer something like a bridge crane pendent! BIG buttons with English labels, not icons! I thought these apple devices were supposed to be intuitive. How are unknown icons intuitive?

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

We were having a fair amount of trouble with our Samsung S4 and S5 phones

Those are ancient. These things are generally good for about 2 years, maybe 3 before they start giving you grief.

Not overly happy with the MOTOs but so far we haven't had to restart the durn thangs to make them work like we were having to do with the chitsung brand.

I suspect you will be back in the "gotta restart the stupid thing every day" world in less time with the Motos than it took you to get there with the Samsungs. Motos just aren't the phone they used to be.

Samsung are the best, followed by LG, and none of them are going to last much past 2-3 years.

I gave up my smart phone for a basic flip phone a few months ago. The basic phone will receive and make calls where the smart phone doesn't in areas with poor service reception where my property is. A contractor pouring concrete in my pole barn was the one to show me the difference. I had no service with my smart phone, he was talking and receiving calls all day.

Yep. There's more room for antennas in the dumb phones, so the antennas are better. Generally speaking, of course. You may find exceptions.

Also you don't have to contend with having multiple antennas for different services, like LTE or WiFi. Makes it much easier to engineer a decent antenna.

 

[Oaktree]

I'm curious how a "REAL" working man with working hands is supposed to operate such a fruity device.
........
I thought these apple devices were supposed to be intuitive. How are unknown icons intuitive?

I also find them very non-intuitive, and I worked in a tech job most of my career. I have large hands too, and don't see how anyone with hands larger than those of a teenage girl can use them.

I switched back to a basic phone for a while but will never do that again. There are simply too many things a smart phone does that are hard to get along without nowadays.

I dunno, I've been able to get along just fine without all those "aps". Trying to make out something on a photograph-sized screen gets harder and harder the older I get too. Thanks but no thanks.
It seems that if you have one, everybody assumes that sending you a text message is your preferred method of contact. It isn't.

/crabby old man mode: off

 

[dragoneggs]

To each his/her own. I travel for work extensively and I am in a lot of situations where a text is best and a phone call is not appropriate. As Eddie said, I also use a fair amount of apps in my work that make me much more efficient than using traditional methods... it's not even close. I do kind of hate having the feeling of being without my phone.