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Old 06-26-2008, 11:04 PM   #1
Flint
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I know what I don't need: a newer, "better" gizmo, just because they made one, and they want to sell it to me. I'm not Pavolv's idiot dog, drooling over the latest techno thingee that I "must have" because they tell me so. I didn't have a gyroscope in my phone last year, and I didn't drive my car off an overpass. Why do I "have to" have one this year?

Now I'm a Luddite because I want a device available on the market that fulfills a specific need I have, i.e. verbal communication. I have to carry a phone because I'm on call 24/7. I got the cheapest, least-featured one they have, and it still takes pictures in my pocket all day.

And people do text me on it; mainly people who want to cancel dinner plans at the last moment, or other things people are too much of a pussy to say in person. It used to be rude to do things over the phone, now we're lucky if people even pick up the phone. A friend of mine got a text from his girlfriend that she was breaking up with him, and he was disappointed that she didn't call--people used to do that in person!

Maybe I'm a grumpy old man. Or maybe I'm just not infatuated with these incrementally more useful objects, just because they market the hell out of each new little feature. Every six months.

They still don't do anything near as useful as placing phone calls, yet they've already moved on past that in the design. They're overshooting the goal. It still needs to work as a phone.
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Old 06-26-2008, 11:12 PM   #2
lumberjim
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what kind of a fucking phone do you have?
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Old 06-26-2008, 11:19 PM   #3
Flint
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the kind of phone that I will beat you to fucking death with
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******************
There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there
it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your
expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever
gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio
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Old 06-27-2008, 12:44 AM   #4
morethanpretty
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Why don't you just set up voice dialing? Then you wouldn't have to go through all that clicking, and you can't expect the phone to come already set up with that just like it doesn't come with all your phone numbers entered.
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Old 06-27-2008, 04:37 AM   #5
Sundae
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IF you're making or taking calls when you're driving the only hope is that you'll take yourself out of the gene pool before you take too many other people out of it.

Oh - just thought - it might still be legal in America.
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Old 06-27-2008, 05:55 AM   #6
nowhereman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundae Girl View Post
Oh - just thought - it might still be legal in America.
In some states, it's is illegal to drive and yak - I guess lots of people didn't get the memo, including police officers who ALL seem to be talking and driving. "Citizen's Arrest!! Citizen's Arrest!!" - (Gomer Pyle on the Andy Griffith Show", 1963.)
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Old 06-27-2008, 06:56 AM   #7
DucksNuts
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Blackjack here....

click one button - contacts/phone book
click first letter of name...scroll if needed
click dial

One click to get to txt messages

One click for email

qwerty keypad

its awesome

and I could beat LJ or Flint to death with it
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Old 06-27-2008, 07:19 AM   #8
Undertoad
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Yeah dude voice dialing with bluetooth.

press bluetooth device button

say "call jacquelita"

It says "call jacquelita. which number?"

say "mobile"

It says "mobile. connecting"

One button, hands free, no dialing, no looking down, no fiery crash.
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Old 06-27-2008, 07:50 AM   #9
classicman
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I have to agree with Flint to a point - I had an LG phone which was very easy to use. I "upgraded" to a new phone and got a motorola with all sorts of new features and shit I don't really need. I spent the time and read the manual.

The reality is that it is less user friendly, takes and just isn't as easy to use. Texting, which I do a lot, is a pain to get to and the phone features suck. It is nice and shiny though - looks cool, but its functionality is subpar to my "old phone." I will definitely not be getting another motorola again. I'll go back to LG.
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Old 06-27-2008, 08:19 AM   #10
Flint
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Quote:
IF you're making or taking calls...
I've explained I carry the phone because I'm on call. I feed my family by being available 24/7, whether I'm driving or whether I'm asleep at 3am. I'm not making social calls to chit-chat about trivialities.

Sure, there are extra devices I could spend money on that would add functionality. Convenient--the device fails to perform its core function, yet spending extra money remedies the situation. Cha-ching!

Or, here's an idea: how about the people who design phones design them well? How dare I suggest that!
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******************
There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there
it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your
expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever
gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio
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Old 06-27-2008, 01:38 PM   #11
dar512
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flint View Post
Or, here's an idea: how about the people who design phones design them well? How dare I suggest that!
How did you end up with this phone? Something you purchased or provided by the company?

Oh, and you still haven't said what model this is so that we can all avoid your fate-worse-than-death.
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Old 06-27-2008, 01:42 PM   #12
dar512
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flint View Post
I've explained I carry the phone because I'm on call. I feed my family by being available 24/7, whether I'm driving or whether I'm asleep at 3am. I'm not making social calls to chit-chat about trivialities.
I'm sure that information will be a great comfort to the family you cream as you slam into them while trying to open your phone list.
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Old 06-27-2008, 01:55 PM   #13
HungLikeJesus
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dar512 View Post
I'm sure that information will be a great comfort to the family you cream as you slam into them while trying to open your phone list.
No, he said he was on call. Doesn't that mean that people are calling him?
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Old 06-27-2008, 05:21 PM   #14
lumberjim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dar512 View Post
I'm sure that information will be a great comfort to the family you cream as you slam into them while trying to open your phone list.
while he listens to pirated music on his cd player, no doubt.

here is flint's phone:

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Old 06-27-2008, 09:39 PM   #15
dar512
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lumberjim View Post
while he listens to pirated music on his cd player, no doubt.
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