Community Chat

[Porcelain]

Alexander Graham Bell worked on his invention without cell phones too. I think people were just really smart. And they used really big notebooks and blackboards. And they had very hard working assistants.

Huge teams of scientists and mathematicians worked on projects. For example, see the movie Hidden Figures: "The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program."

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/

Kids need cell phones in schools in case of active shooter lockdowns, unfortunately.

[Mom2Dogs]

DH and I both have smart phones - but we have no data.  I have no desire to live my life on a phone.  We have them for emergency only.

 I am a bit annoyed because everyone seems to think everyone has a smart phone...example....I got a magazine in the mail, and I wanted a couple of how to's that were shown in the magazine.  The only way to get the instructions was to scan the QR code.

[Porcelain]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

I believe there will be a day, in the distant future, where education will be a matter of downloading info into our brains...no schooling needed. 

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[LuvmyLab]

@SeaMaiden My husband says the exact same thing! I tell him I don't even use the flip phone so why would I want a fancy iphone?  

[beach-mom]

I held out as long as I could. DS was the only one in his first grade class who didn't have a Game Boy. His TEACHER advised me to get him one. Technology is great, but it has a LOT of drawbacks too!  

[gertrudecloset]

Since the mass shootings at schools and other places have happened before the widespread use of young adults and phones, It was a given that parents would want their children to have them to communicate.

Many schools collect their children's phones and they return them to them at the end of the day.  Some make using their phones during class a major issue and if caught using the phone during class (not break; bathroom; lunch) then they are in big trouble.

Let the kids have the phones, I say.  It's bad enough many of them are going to school under such difficult circumstances nowadays. (i.e., mass murder; bullying; teen suicide). 

[gertrudecloset]

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@patbz wrote:

@SeaMaiden :  My smartphone is my only phone.  Except for maybe 5 calls daily I primarily use it to entertain myself in waiting rooms.  So much better than nasty outdated magazines we used to have to settle for; sometimes I read a book on my device.

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@patbzMy cell phone is used for making calls and texts.  That's it.  Once in a blue moon I pull it out and play solitaire.  I certainly can't read on it.  I have music stored for when I go to the gym.  I don't pay for anything with my phone, nor do I buy things with my phone.  I don't bank with my phone.

Call, text, listen to music and the ocassional game.

[Drythe]

@SeaMaiden 

No beating here... for anyone who hasn’t read, or seen, please take a moment to read about the women behind the computers at NASA.

 Go women!!

[kaydee50]

@Mom2Dogs   I don't even have a smartphone just a plain, ordinary flip phone.  More and more things are being done using a smartphone and I truly dread the day when they will be required and that day will come.  Hope I'm long gone by then!!!!

[Porcelain]

Smartphones are are really not that different than flip phones. You can strictly use them only for calling and texting if you want to. You can ignore all the apps and delete them from the screen. Many years ago I resisted getting a smart phone, but I wound up finding it very useful.

There are times when being able to bring up a google map is exactly what you need. Or being able to look up an address or phone number online when you're in your car. Or being able to get your emails on the go.

People who live in their phones are mostly using them for social media. And yes, games like Solitaire.