Anyone still with a trusty dumbphone/going lower tech?

[notposting]

I might even be able to go without all the advancements of a smartphone, but the evolving cameras are really the clincher, for me. No need for a separate camera that I have to go find somewhere, I already have one (or two, or three) with me for shooting.

 

[escrow4]

You do realize the GSM (2G) network is going away, right? Happy trails.

That Nokia is 3G and a secondary dumb phone I bought is also 3G (yes I bought 2 :awe. 2G is only switching off here one telco, not all of them. All dumbphones that the majors sell here are 3G. Looks like I'm still in the minority.

 

[dullard]

I might even be able to go without all the advancements of a smartphone, but the evolving cameras are really the clincher, for me. No need for a separate camera that I have to go find somewhere, I already have one (or two, or three) with me for shooting.

Phone cameras are getting better, but they are still a FAR cry from almost any dedicated camera.

I take photos with a real camera, and if I like them I wifi it over to my phone (from my point and shoot) or USB (from my SLR). 10 out of the last 10 times that I've shown friends/coworkers the photo I have gotten an expression similar to "wow, you took that with your phone!". Then I have to explain, that no I didn't, a real camera gets you far better photos in almost any situation. And I'm not really that good with cameras yet. I just got my first SLR camera and it is a basic one with near basic lenses.

Yes smartphones are great for getting that shot that you'd lose if you didn't have a real camera around. But if you want quality, not even the best smartphone camera can touch the quality of most real cameras with the exception of a few specialized scenarios that are cherry picked to make the smart phone come out the best.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I like the idea of smart phones and it has lot of utility value, for example I use it to set furnace temperature or kick the furnace blower on, and some apps are useful for other stuff, and if I'm bored out of my skull in bed trying to fall asleep I'll pass the time playing games or surfing the web. But honestly, I could probably live without it if I had to. It's even crossed my mind because smart phones are basically government spy devices that we voluntarily carry around.

 

[videogames101]

My career choice involves engineering smartphone technology.

I still have a dumbphone.

 

[highland145]

My career choice involves engineering smartphone technology.

I still have a dumbphone.

:hi5;

 

[preCRT]

Just got my 83 yo dad a new Tracfone dumbphone, the Alcatel Big Easy Plus.
SCD is selling it on fleabay with 800 minutes & 1 yr of service for $40.

 

[RossMAN]

Wow that (pictured) was my very first back in 1999 with Sprint. I still have the same phone number from it now with VZW.

IIRC it was my 2nd or 3rd cell phone. My first was a Motorola MicroTAC look at those ancient specs.

http://www.motorola.com/mdirect/manuals/MicroTAC_DPC650_User_Manual_E.pdf

60 talk minutes for $29.99

Those were the days. The wind in your hair (while riding my 10 speed bicycle) and talking on a cell phone, that was so freaking awesome.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Since middle school, I've always looked for devices to take my favorite anime with me and watch it on the go. Smartphones naturally are the ideal fit. If my data plan was cut off, the smartphone would more than suffice as my portable media player.

Wish there were better games though. Emulators are fine and all, but I'd like a decent game to push the gpu a bit that isn't free-to-play trash. A couple games I really want are iOS exclusive, but I'll go back to dumbphones before going Apple.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Has anybody made a trusty dumbphone / rusty trombone joke yet? Cause I keep scrolling past this thread and thinking it says the latter.

 

[mikeford]

Still have Nokia 3200b, it works, even has LED flashlight and fm radio.

 

[Ancalagon44]

I would like an old fashioned phone, as long as it could run modern communications tools - such as whatsapp and facebook. So, a phone with an old style keypad, but with a touchscreen and running Android, would be cool.

My next phone is a Xiaomi mi4i though. I still like Android smart phones, but I don't see the point in paying so much money for them.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

A had a dumbphone until it became cheaper to have a smartphone. I hardly use it.

Same, have had a smartphone for six months now.

 

[repoman0]

P.S. Most people I know don't carry their home theatres with them on the bus.

I'd much rather read a book or just sit and think than tolerate watching TV or movies on a small shaky screen.

... Then again, I'd rather read a book anyway :hmm:

 

[Zodiark1593]

I would like an old fashioned phone, as long as it could run modern communications tools - such as whatsapp and facebook. So, a phone with an old style keypad, but with a touchscreen and running Android, would be cool.

My next phone is a Xiaomi mi4i though. I still like Android smart phones, but I don't see the point in paying so much money for them.

Agreed. There's precious few apps that will stress a Snapdragon 800 (now $200 performance level) let alone that Exynos chip in the Galaxy S6.

 

[Eug]

I'd much rather read a book or just sit and think than tolerate watching TV or movies on a small shaky screen.

... Then again, I'd rather read a book anyway :hmm:

You also mentioned a home theatre for music. I'd rather listen to music on the bus. Reading in a moving vehicle makes me sick.

 

[TheGardener]

Man needs a telephone and not a smartphone. That's what he should have. Besides what's wrong with getting 7 days on a charge and better quality phone service?

I do need better phone service, but I'd like to still have a smartphone. Phone and internet signal is deplorable. When I get a 3G signal, I usually cannot bring up a website. Often I get 1X or no signal. Maybe the phone is defective. Thinking of switching from my SG III to an iPhone 6. Recently I couldn't make a phone call. Went outdoors and the same thing. But a neighbor who had an Apple got through no problem. Same carrier.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

Still keep my 3320 for festivals, battery lasts forever and it can take some abuse.

 

[MetalMat]

I still listen to CDs in my car and have 2 big CD binders.

 

[highland145]

Pshaw...Boomer's got a Victrola.

 

[Protoman25]

Every single time, even when my eyes just pass over this thread title I read rusty trombone.

I'm convinced he did it on purpose.

 

[Man I Suck]

I read this thread title as rusty trombone by mistake.

 

[Murloc]

meh for me it's simply all about being able to use wi-fi and whatsapp, because me and most people are cheapasses.
Also the train timetable doesn't hurt either.

The rest I could do without, but it's useful to fill dead wait times by reading the news or e-mail, I used to do that when I came home in the evening and that was a huge waste of time, now I'm done with e-mail and news before I come home. Less idling around.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Still have Nokia 3200b, it works, even has LED flashlight and fm radio.

I always found it odd that smart phones don't have am/fm radio, is it just too hard to pack in there with all the other sensors and stuff?

 

[Remobz]

I never owned a smart phone until my sister bought me one for my birthday 4 years ago. A cheap one from Walmart but it got the job done considering I mainly just text and called.

I got a new Moto G a year ago. I still refuse to pay over $200 for a smart phone unlocked (only buy unlocked) because I don't watch movies or play games on my phones.

I won't go back to dumb phones because I like some features of smart phones and android apps.

My MOTO G has fm radio as well