Well Tulpa, you got your wish. I joined the 21st century and got my own smartphone (it's just an Obamaphone though)

[Estil | 1,265]

Remember once upon a time you told me to join the 21st century and get a smartphone?  Well it was just by chance a guy at my local Kroger was offering free "Obamaphones" (the kind where everything's free but you have to be on gov't assistance to qualify), so I went ahead and got one.  It's PCD Bengal brand (official phone of the Cincinnati Bengals? ) so it's obviously nothing like those fancy iPhone 15-20 or however many they're up to now.  Still, I don't really see any real difference.  While I still wouldn't have much of a need for it as far as actually taking it with me and making calls with it, there are a few things only it and not my regular computer can do.  For example some chat apps (for whatever reason) won't work on a regular desktop, some websites require confirmation via sending a 4-6 digit code via text message (that you can only do with a smartphone) and most important exclusive of all...the two Simon's Cat games!

So there you go @Tulpa, your favorite Video Game Sage member(?) has finally joined the 21st century.  Merry Christmas.  

Edited December 17, 2023 by Estil

[Tulpa | 3,497]

Let the good times roll!

And you're not my favorite. @skinnygrinny is. He can tell you I rag on him way more than I do on you.

[Tulpa | 3,497]

BTW, download the Instagram app, set it up, and search variations of #catsofinstagram

Thank me later.

[Mega Tank | 961]

31 minutes ago, Estil said:

Remember once upon a time you told me to join the 21st century and get a smartphone?  Well it was just by chance a guy at my local Kroger was offering free "Obamaphones" (the kind where everything's free but you have to be on gov't assistance to qualify), so I went ahead and got one.

I would never sign up for this around here. I see people in minivans with project boards and it just screams scam. If I ever find the picture on my phone, I'll share it.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

TRAITOROUS POLTROON!  (*feels betrayed*)

 

I now am likely the only person here with just a landline.

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by Tabonga

[Estil | 1,265]

2 hours ago, Tulpa said:

BTW, download the Instagram app, set it up, and search variations of #catsofinstagram

Thank me later.

I can do Instagram on desktop with a nice big (42") screen and a proper keyboard/mouse...no thanks.  

[Estil | 1,265]

1 hour ago, Tabonga said:

TRAITOROUS POLTROON!  (*feels betrayed*)

 

I now am likely the only person here with just a landline.

I'm still gonna mostly use that.  The smartphone is just for things I cannot do on a regular desktop.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

Just now, Estil said:

I'm still gonna mostly use that.  The smartphone is just for things I cannot do on a regular desktop.

Just goofin' on ya!

[Estil | 1,265]

2 hours ago, Mega Tank said:

I would never sign up for this around here. I see people in minivans with project boards and it just screams scam. If I ever find the picture on my phone, I'll share it.

Project boards?

[RH | 4,903]

I downgraded to a dumb phone for about a year and some change.  It was good, and I preferred it, but working in IT is quite difficult without smart phone based 2FA, so I eventually caved. I am on an iPhone SE, though, which is about as low as you can go.  I actually got it from my wife’s parents when they had to upgrade by switching to T-Mobile.

[BlackVega | 583]

That is always good news to upgrade your stuff and improve your quality of life but seriously, what the hell did you get?? Some sort of an FBI certified phone that spies on you and checks every day if you don't talk sexually to minors and if you pay your taxes regularly??

[Tulpa | 3,497]

2 hours ago, Estil said:

I can do Instagram on desktop with a nice big (42") screen and a proper keyboard/mouse...no thanks.  

Yeah, but now your own cats can be on instagram! Or just take photos of your cats all day, either/or.

15 minutes ago, BlackVega said:

That is always good news to upgrade your stuff and improve your quality of life but seriously, what the hell did you get?? Some sort of an FBI certified phone that spies on you and checks every day if you don't talk sexually to minors and if you pay your taxes regularly??

If that's the case, they're going to be bored to tears monitoring Estil.

"How many times a day is this guy going to make Pee-Wee Herman 'this is crack' references!?"

[Mega Tank | 961]

3 hours ago, Estil said:

Project boards?

A project display board. You know, science fair projects.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

12 hours ago, Tabonga said:

TRAITOROUS POLTROON!  (*feels betrayed*)

I now am likely the only person here with just a landline.

No, you're not the only one, I'm still landline only.  I love the reactions I get when I tell people I don't have a smartphone: they literally stare at me as if I'm some alien from a distant galaxy who just took off his mask...

[Tabonga | 2,317]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

No, you're not the only one, I'm still landline only.  I love the reactions I get when I tell people I don't have a smartphone: they literally stare at me as if I'm some alien from a distant galaxy who just took off his mask...

i hear you (as it were). When Mrs. Tabonga and I were still working we always ran only  one vehicle.  People always made the assumption that we could not afford a second one.  We could have, but running just one freed up a lot of income to do other things with - like paying both of our mortgages off early.

[Estil | 1,265]

11 hours ago, Tulpa said:

Yeah, but now your own cats can be on instagram! Or just take photos of your cats all day, either/or.

If that's the case, they're going to be bored to tears monitoring Estil.

"How many times a day is this guy going to make Pee-Wee Herman 'this is crack' references!?"

Well there were way too many people who needed to hear that message regarding the covid vaccines!  Because indeed not getting that vaccine wasn't just wrong...

And I wish I did have cats, plural...but my mean apt won't let me have more than one :,(

[Estil | 1,265]

11 hours ago, BlackVega said:

That is always good news to upgrade your stuff and improve your quality of life but seriously, what the hell did you get?? Some sort of an FBI certified phone that spies on you and checks every day if you don't talk sexually to minors and if you pay your taxes regularly??

Sure, Dale Gribble.

[Estil | 1,265]

18 hours ago, Dr. Morbis said:

No, you're not the only one, I'm still landline only.  I love the reactions I get when I tell people I don't have a smartphone: they literally stare at me as if I'm some alien from a distant galaxy who just took off his mask...

You know, once upon a time having a cell and later smartphone was considered a luxury, a status symbol.  Now, ironically, it seems more a luxury to be able to freely choose NOT to have/use one.  I mean I don't even like taking my DS or 3DS out an about as I'm afraid I might lose or wreck it.  I mean I have seen more than a few other peoples' phones with a big spider web cracks all over it and one little boy who banged his mom's tablet over and over until it got the BBOD (black blob of death; you get that on an LCD screen (even and especially the old fashioned kind) and your device is done for...period).

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

4 hours ago, Estil said:

You know, once upon a time having a cell and later smartphone was considered a luxury, a status symbol.  Now, ironically, it seems more a luxury to be able to freely choose NOT to have/use one.  I mean I don't even like taking my DS or 3DS out an about as I'm afraid I might lose or wreck it.  I mean I have seen more than a few other peoples' phones with a big spider web cracks all over it and one little boy who banged his mom's tablet over and over until it got the BBOD (black blob of death; you get that on an LCD screen (even and especially the old fashioned kind) and your device is done for...period).

For me it's more a case that I don't need a cell phone because literally every single person around me and in my life has one, so the whole "emergency" excuse is invalid.  Furthermore, if I'm at home or at work, I've got a pc to use, and if I'm not at either of those two places, then whatever I'm doing doesn't need to be bogged down and interrupted every two seconds by a phone.  Finally, the thought of being "on call" 24 hours a day with a phone in my hand or my pocket for the entire rest of my existence is literally the opposite of the kind of life I ever want to live...

[Estil | 1,265]

21 hours ago, Dr. Morbis said:

Finally, the thought of being "on call" 24 hours a day with a phone in my hand or my pocket for the entire rest of my existence is literally the opposite of the kind of life I ever want to live...

Ain't that the truth!  I'm very much the introvert type and I'm much more comfortable in a nice quiet cozy apt with kitty!  Kitties are so purrfect for introverts as they are so very nice and quiet!  Not all barking and growling like that silly other species...

[Tulpa | 3,497]

On 12/18/2023 at 10:45 PM, Dr. Morbis said:

Finally, the thought of being "on call" 24 hours a day with a phone in my hand or my pocket for the entire rest of my existence is literally the opposite of the kind of life I ever want to live...

You do know you can turn the ringer and notifications off, right? 

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

9 hours ago, Tulpa said:

You do know you can turn the ringer and notifications off, right? 

You have changed my life.  I don't know how I could have been so foolish for so many years.  I just went to the Apple store and signed up for a five year plan with the most expensive phone they had (over two thousand dollars!!!).  I have so many people to apologize to that I'm not going to have time to return to this forum for probably four or five months.  I will miss you all, but this is the only way I will ever be able to live with myself as I begin this long, painful journey toward my personal reunification with the twenty-first century.  I'll see again you when I finally arrive...

 

 

Seriously, though, if you're so smart with those things, maybe you can help me with this one: how do I turn off everyone's insistance on explaining to me how badly I need to get a cellphone?

Edited December 21, 2023 by Dr. Morbis

[Estil | 1,265]

7 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

You have changed my life.  I don't know how I could have been so foolish for so many years.  I just went to the Apple store and signed up for a five year plan with the most expensive phone they had (over two thousand dollars!!!). 

That from the very start is why they didn't appeal to me...why pay all that money for something with such a teeny screen and no proper keyboard/buttons/mouse, doesn't hold nearly as much data (like my external 8TB hard drive for example; I got lots of UK basketball games and TV series saved on it you see) and there's all those really confusing plans were you either stuck on a (usually) two year plan or pay more for that pay as you go stuff.   It's just so much expense for what seemingly sounds like so much less than what you can do on a more traditional desktop computer.

Okay, okay, just suppose you can never go wrong with the newest iPhone...how then do you know which plan is the best?  But seriously, what is there on an iPhone that I cannot do on this "Obamaphone" (or Bidenphone now?) that I now have?

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

You have changed my life.  I don't know how I could have been so foolish for so many years.  I just went to the Apple store and signed up for a five year plan with the most expensive phone they had (over two thousand dollars!!!).  I have so many people to apologize to that I'm not going to have time to return this forum for probably four or five months.  I will miss you all, but this is the only way I will ever be able to live with myself as I begin this long, painful journey toward my personal reunification with the twenty-first century.  I'll see again you when I finally arrive...

 

 

Seriously, though, if you're so smart with those things, maybe you can help me with this one: how do I turn off everyone's insistance on explaining to me how badly I need to get a cellphone?

@Tulpa isn’t insisting on you getting a phone, just pointing out your reasons for NOT getting one are pretty flimsy. Or maybe Im wrong and he can correct me?
 

If not joining modern technology for the edgy counterculture aspect of it is part of your personality, just own it

[Hammerfestus | 3,846]

If you don’t have a smart phone how are you supposed to look at porn and memes in the bathroom?