OT, smart watches.... huh?

[oxford]

What made me decide? The bulk, weight and fragility of those damned 'smart' phones, not to mention the poor quality of actual phone calls. I have a small, mostly stupid flip-phone that sounds great on both ends.

Again, they do more than make phone calls. Being on a machining forum I am going to assume you have some sort of machine tools.

Why have them? Compared to a file they are bulky, weight a lot more, and the fragility of broken parts is much greater than the file.

[J Tiers]

........................

Obviously, everyone posting here saying they don’t have a smart phone has access to a computer and internet. What made you decide that was a valuable tool to have but not having access to that same tool in your pocket wasn’t?

...............................

I DO NOT CARRY NOR HAVE a "smart 'phone.

You ask WHY does this Luddite not have a smart phone?

Well,...... background.

I used to carry a pocket watch. Then I started using a wristwatch. I could not keep them working. Although, as an engineer, I am nominally a "desk worker", places I have worked always had engineers assisting in building and testing the prototypes. That meant we were in the shop a good deal, "hands-on". And, of course, in my own shop, it is 100% "hands on" work.

I had a self-winding wristwatch.... The weight in it was wound right off it's shaft, because it was not designed to handle as much hand movement as was normal for me at work and in the shop at home.

The next one was not self-winding. Crystal in that lasted something like 5 weeks max. I went back to pocketwatch.

So eventually I got a flip phone... Only pocket for it was the same one with the watch. The two of them in one pocket were too bulky, and the 'phone had a clock in it. Kept the 'phone.

Now, all the smartphones are huge and bulky. The smallest ones are fairly useless except as a phone, and I have a 'phone. The big ones are so big that they either do not fit a pocket, or they don't slide into the pocket well, the way the flip phone does.

The flip phone has hit the concrete a number of times, no damage. I've seen smart phones hit the concrete, and instantly the screen is in a hundred pieces.

Yes, there are "Otterbox" and other cases. The cases do NOT improve the bulk of the 'phone. Worse yet, many are rubbery, which means putting them into a pocket is a hassle, with a bulky, grabby rubber case on an already huge 'phone.

Finally, the huge flat 'phones in my pocket would probably last a few days before they were just folded in half if I bend over to see something or pick up some item. The 'phone would be in my front pocket of the pants, and would not last.

Put it in a shirt pocket? NO! 1) they slide out.... seen them slide right out onto the floor. 2) I hate anything in a shirt pocket, let alone a huge 'phone.

Meanwhile, the flip 'phone just slides into my pants pocket easily. It does not shatter if dropped, always works, the battery lasts a week, and it makes or receives calls and texts.

I am NOT one of those people (there are a surprising number of them) who seem to empty their pockets whenever they get somewhere that they will be for a while. I worked with people like that.... 'phone, car keys, wallet, etc went onto whatever flat surface was available whenever they sat down, wanted to do any work, or the like. Weird.... I don't do that, and would not.

Would I rather have a smart 'phone? It would be nice, if it lasted, which it would not. I might consider one of the folding ones where the screen folds with the 'phone. They are smaller, seem to have a good strong case, and a folding screen seems unlikely to shatter. Naturally they are "the" most expensive 'phone you can get. I don't need a smart 'phone that badly yet.

[MikeL46]

No smartwatch, or any watch for me. Watches seem to be jewelry and I don't like jewelry - did reluctantly wear a wedding band until my wife passed away. I actually have a cellphone. It is only used for talk and/or texting. Talk and text are free on my service and I'm not going to pay for data. You don't get to be that frugal (cheap) overnight; it takes a lifetime of not having money to be really good at it. And I'm pretty darn good at it.
I really don't understand why so many want a smartphone or watch. One of the joys in life is getting away from the pressures brought on by being connected. Disconnect and live in the real world, not online.
Mike

[oxford]

Disconnect and live in the real world, not online.
Mike

Yet here you are participating on the internet telling people to live in the “real world”

[tomato coupe]

Yet here you are participating on the internet telling people to live in the “real world”

Funny.

[chipmaker4130]

Again, they do more than make phone calls. Being on a machining forum I am going to assume you have some sort of machine tools.

Why have them? Compared to a file they are bulky, weight a lot more, and the fragility of broken parts is much greater than the file.

You aren't making any sense. Apples to oranges, etc. A phone goes in a pocket or a holster, both annoying. The machines sit on the floor. The computer, on a desk.

[oxford]

You aren't making any sense. Apples to oranges, etc. A phone goes in a pocket or a holster, both annoying. The machines sit on the floor. The computer, on a desk.

I’m sure people made the same arguments when it was time to trade in the old horse for a car.

[J Tiers]

Heh....

Coincidentally, I found the manual for my phone when I was cleaning up some boxes containing desk mess".

Turns out it CAN access the internet, it has a reduced version of Opera built-in. Never used it that way.. The screen is about 3 x 4 cm, and not a lot of pixels, so I imagine it is not very useful that way. It's possible that I checked that out when I got it, and decided it was worse than nothing... don't recall.

[LKeithR]

But is that really an issue in todays times?

As far as the people that don’t have a cell phone, you do know it does more than just make calls and tell you the time? It is a tool in today’s society.

Obviously, everyone posting here saying they don’t have a smart phone has access to a computer and internet. What made you decide that was a valuable tool to have but not having access to that same tool in your pocket wasn’t?

I would bet with 100% certainty that you have some other types of tools or conveniences that use modern technology in your life. People seem to take some sort of pride saying they don’t have a smart phone but in today’s age is not really any different than saying I still use the outhouse instead of indoor plumbing.

Well said. I'm not sure why some people take pride in being Luddites. As you've said, a phone is just
a tool. If you control it instead of letting it control you there shouldn't be an issue.

I'm 75 and I've had a cell phone for a good number of years--got my first one before they came out with
flip phones. It's been very handy and useful for running my business. For example, when talking with a
customer about a project it's extremely handy to have them take a couple pictures with their phone and
send them to me via a text message. Believe it or not as I was writing this I did that exact thing with a
customer and confirmed that a mower he has can be repaired. Saves a lot of hassle and running around...

[tomato coupe]

Well said. I'm not sure why some people take pride in being Luddites.

Ironically, online forums have become a haven for many Luddites and “retro-grouches.”

[Tungsten dipper]

This place is amazing, we endless threads on the cost of CAD programs and threads on CDC machines and yet we have here folks that resists smart phone and watches. Go figure.

[J Tiers]

This place is amazing, we endless threads on the cost of CAD programs and threads on CDC machines and yet we have here folks that resists smart phone and watches. Go figure.

So very ODD and non-logical that someone would actually write things like that quoted above. He's not the only one, but I did not multi-quote, and I'm not going back to do it now, because I just don't care to give that much of a damn.

He'll do as an example.

So, he said "that resists smart phones and watches". Did anyone notice WHY some of us do not have one? I don't think so.

That "resists" thing is just "fake news".

At least two of us said we just don't want to carry the big, fragile thing around. A very valid reason. I also mentioned that it would not last in my pocket, it would be damaged to uselessness in a matter of weeks if not sooner.

I will add that alternatively I just would not have it with me, because I'd have to take it out and put it somewhere if I remembered before I did something that would break the phone in half. I'd forget it wherever I put it down, and then it would not be any good to me.

Also, a "smart 'phone" is not the only type of cell phone that exists. Yet not having a "smart 'phone" is evidently regarded as the same thing as not having ANY "cell 'phone".

News flash: that's "fake news" also....

If folks would pay attention to what is actually WRITTEN, the degree of understanding of posts would be much higher than it is now. Instead, the written word seems to be a "suggestion", on top of which the reply poster layers their own opinions and biases, to arrive at what they think the person said.... Wild... but it seems to be true more than it is false. The famous steam heat thread was a great example.

Also..... there is no logical inconsistency n having and using one type of technology while not using another one. If anything, it shows that the person is perfectly willing to use any technology that they feel "adds value" or enhances their convenience. Obviously then, those folks do not feel that a smart phone adds enough to make it worthwhile against the disadvantages of carrying one of the large and fragile things around all the time.

If your opinion is different from that, good for you... But clearly that is YOUR opinion, and someone else with a different one is perfectly valid and rational in this case. (We'll not worry about the "flat earth" type opinions here).

[polaraligned]

I love my iWatch for so many reasons. Among them being able to see who is calling without unclipping my iPhone and dumping spam calls by hitting the side button. I have a sleep app that monitors how long and restful my sleep is. It also measured my heart rate and tracks it. I also suffer from A-fib and it does a 1 lead ECG.

[oxford]

Did anyone notice WHY some of us do not have one? I don't think so.

That "resists" thing

I noticed the WHY and it was poor reasons at best.

Correct there are some “huge” smart phones, they aren’t all though. According to apple mine is 5.44” x 2.64” x .280”. I would bet not much is any larger than your flip phones or other non smart phones in volume.

It is daily pocket carried, all day every day. Never destroyed one in my pocket (or in general). They are not as “fragile” as you make it out to be.

Yes there is a chance of breaking if you drop it. Same thing happens with precision measurement tools but your are careful with them so you don’t drop them. Do the same thing with the phone. Sometimes **** happens. I’ve dropped a 1” mic and a 6” dial caliper and ruined them, it was an accident and I moved on, same if a phone screen gets cracked.

If your reasons about not having one make you feel better about it then so be it.

[Tungsten dipper]

Jerry I hope you feel better now, and I hope you have a nice day.