Who does not have a mobile phone?

Forums › Off topic › Who does not have a mobile phone?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1806789 26-Jun-2017 10:12

I can't think of any adult I know who doesn't have a mobile phone. I'm in my 40s and all my grands and greats have passed on.

The oldest people in my life are in their early 70's and they all have mobiles. Some even use Netflix.

Mike

lokhor

2858 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1806793 26-Jun-2017 10:18

old3eyes:

I would have thought anyone here on GZ would have a cell phone..

Me too, I have a hard time not judging people who don't have them..

All comments are my own opinion, and not that of my employer unless explicitly stated.

shk292

2853 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1806802 26-Jun-2017 10:41

An interesting question - if there were no phones, and you invented the telephone today, would you design it to connect person to person, or building to building and hope the correct person was present?

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18657 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1806807 26-Jun-2017 10:49

Well, this thread certainly quickly morphed into 'why I can't live without one'. I don't have a problem with them, just with the assumption that everyone has one and there must be something wrong with anyone who doesn't. I can certainly appreciate the value of them, though I think some people place too much value on them, but I just don't feel a need for one myself and I don't miss not having one. I am not devoid of geekiness, it just manifests itself in other ways.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Lastman

306 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1806809 26-Jun-2017 10:51

For some people it's just logical not to own one if you don't need one. There is a reasonable expense associated with cellphone ownership and plenty of other ways to access the internet.

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1806825 26-Jun-2017 11:23

Guess what? I also don't use facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat or give a rat's poop about any social media.

lokhor

2858 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1806826 26-Jun-2017 11:23

Lastman: For some people it's just logical not to own one if you don't need one. There is a reasonable expense associated with cellphone ownership and plenty of other ways to access the internet.

I think as a geek it is just hard to imagine a world where you don't have access to whatever information you need, where ever you are. I remember before smartphones were ubiquitous I imagined a world where we could just look up any question at any time and how convenient and also useful that would be. Part of being a geek is wanting to constantly learn and consume information, not having a smartphone just seems to go completely against that.

All comments are my own opinion, and not that of my employer unless explicitly stated.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18657 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1806856 26-Jun-2017 11:43

lokhor:

I think as a geek it is just hard to imagine a world where you don't have access to whatever information you need, where ever you are. I remember before smartphones were ubiquitous I imagined a world where we could just look up any question at any time and how convenient and also useful that would be. Part of being a geek is wanting to constantly learn and consume information, not having a smartphone just seems to go completely against that.

The thing is, smartphones are not the only way to do that. As a pensioner, I spend most of my time at home in front of the desktop with its big, easy to use keyboard and big, easy to read monitor. I don't need to be mobile, but when I am, my tablet and the ubiquitous free wi-fi services work just fine. There is no gap in my life that a smart phone fills. It is just an unnecessary expense.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

MurrayM

2455 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1806860 26-Jun-2017 11:44

I look at my smartphone as being more a portable computer than as a phone. As such I use it for way more than just phoning or texting people. I can understand people not wanting to be contacted by others, but for me that's a real small part of what I use my phone for that I'm happy to put up with that since I get way more out of it.

SJB

2945 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1806862 26-Jun-2017 11:52

I have never had a cell phone. There is no reception where I live and I am there most of the time but I probably wouldn't bother with one even if I lived in town.

I have also never used social media of any sort and fail to see the attraction.

All that probably means that I seem like a modern day Luddite but I have been involved with technology since the late 1960's until the present day as a software developer and I have become very cynical about what technology is used for.

Generally, the main aim of technology in my view is to take money out of my pocket and put it in to someone else's.

MikeAqua

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1806874 26-Jun-2017 12:23

DarthKermit:

Guess what? I also don't use facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat or give a rat's poop about any social media.

I've noticed that these sites tend to direct you toward people you agree with, think like. That's great if you want to discuss a common hobby. When it comes to socio-political issue it's a little isolationist for my liking.

I find I learn more form people I disagree with. So I prefer more open social media like this forum.

Mike

RUKI

1402 posts

Uber Geek

#1806891 26-Jun-2017 12:58

I remember one movie where Denny De Vito's hero was saying (referring to their car not being modern / sportish /fast enough):

- "If you are important they will wait..."

I rephrased that saying and have mentioned on a few occasions: "If you are important, they will call you.."

I have been actively engaged in setting up one of the first two Cellular Networks in the Far East over 23 years ago.

Feeling a pity for those who have to answer 24x7 (NOC people - I feel your pain :-))

I do not call people. Do not TXT. Do not use mobile Internet. People call me. For them to get hold of me I do have cell number. Prepay. Balance - almost never used... Number is also used for that double verification as in the OP.

Toyota / Lexus Hybrid and EV Battery Expert Battery Test & Repair

Inphinity

2780 posts

Uber Geek

#1806929 26-Jun-2017 12:59

I must admit to not understanding the idea of not having a phone, but then I also acknowledge that people have different choices. Personally, I couldn't stand going back to being tied to a cord on a wall or a desktop-bound device to communicate. I do not know, personally, anyone over the age of about 13 who does not have a phone - this includes some older family members in their 80s/90s (who have them mostly for emergency / health reasons).

MurrayM

2455 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1806933 26-Jun-2017 13:06

SJB:

I have never had a cell phone. There is no reception where I live and I am there most of the time but I probably wouldn't bother with one even if I lived in town.

I have also never used social media of any sort and fail to see the attraction.

All that probably means that I seem like a modern day Luddite but I have been involved with technology since the late 1960's until the present day as a software developer and I have become very cynical about what technology is used for.

I'm not particularly fond of social media either. I do use Facebook but only on my desktop, I don't do any social media on my phone. But I still like to have a portable computer with me for all the other things it provides. My main uses are:

Calendar/schedular
Mapping/directions
Grocery shopping list
Munzee game
Air New Zealand
Mobile banking
Camera
Looking things up (ie Googling stuff)
Email
Password keeper
Wifi analyzer
Language translation (great for when I'm in one of those dollar shops and I'm trying to figure out what the instructions for a product say when they're in Korean or whatever)
Note taking
Calculator

That's just a few things I use it for off the top of my head.

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8846 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1806937 26-Jun-2017 13:19

DarthKermit:

Guess what? I also don't use facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat or give a rat's poop about any social media.

Wot about gz then?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5