It's bad enough I have a cell phone

[Peegee]

...but do they really have to have all these gadgets in even the cheapest phones?

My cell phones have always only had:

- cell phone
- satellite-oriented local time display
- calculator
- tip calculator for people who can't add 10% of something + half of that value to the bill
- a phone book

I don't need anything else. Now let's compare one of the cheapest LG / Telus phones I can find:

- all of the above
- 1.3-2.0 gigapixel camera (wtf trash)
- mp3 player (trashy speakers, ~128/256 MB of memory)
- customizable ringtones
- customizable background image (admittedly a good thing)
- blah blah

The point is that *I* have no need for such things, but obviously the vast majority of you (often the cause of my ire) do, because all I can find are phones that cost more money for things that I have absolutely no need for.

Since I probably won't get many people on my side, I'll just rant and moan about how I have to hope that my phone has no hardware problems (the Kyocera I had 4 years ago has a hardware issue with its battery / power system), and doesn't break. Even so, eventually Telus will discontinue my service to my phone if enough years pass, and by then, I'm sure I'll have to buy a phone with a built in GPS, laser guided measuring tape, shark mounted laser guns, and an arsenal of pika-related banality.

Ugh.

Topic: Are you an old fashioned coot when it comes to technology? And even if you aren't, are there things you'd prefer nobody touch? If not, what the heck is wrong with you (or me)?

=(

[Zeldy]

My phone is pretty damn basic. For what I use it for it really isnt important to have all those fancy gadgets you mentioned. Im happy aslong as its somewhat fashionable, has a camera (even if it is :skull::skull::skull::skull:) and can text. My phone doesn't have blue tooth, it can't play music and its a complete brick. I have the Sagem Myv65.

[Jojee]

Yeah, I don't use any of those fancy gadgets either :p I do have a camera on my phone, but as is, I have no idea what to do with it because I don't know how to connect to the internets using my phone to put it online, so I don't use it.

It'd be nice if I had games (I have like... 1 really crappy one atm xD) on my phone, so I can use it to pass time. :3

[Bunny]

My phone's most advanced feature is the ability to recieve text messages. I have a digital camera, mp3 player, and I use my phone as a replacement for my watch, so the clock background image works for me. That's about all I need.

I need to upgrade it still though, because my phone is old and dying.

[Luara]

I like cell phones

[Mirage]

I don't mind cameras on my mobile phones. They enable me to take photos of stuff where I would never bring a regular digital camera. MP3 playback is nice to be able to use MP3 ringtones, but I don't care about how much additional space there is for music. Besides, you're supposed to use headphones for music on your phone. The proper music phones are actually pretty good at playing music, and 2 GB memory cards are really cheap, but I don't really like using all the battery life on that. Customizable ring tones are a good thing. I want to use nerdy tunes for ringtones. Wallpapers are also a good thing.

I also like to use my phone for internet when I'm on the bus, or stuff like that. Because of that, I like high speed packet data, and high resolution and responsive displays.

[Xaven]

Phones today are scams--especially with verizon. 2/3 of all buttons/keys take you to the internet or sign you up for something. To view what you already have on your phone, you have to scroll past a horde of "get new pix", "get new flix", "get new ringtonz", "get intrwbz" options. :P

I long for my old 2002 LG phone (with the black and green display) before they went crap. I guess that's sort of old-fashioned. :P

[Mirage]

You're buying the wrong phones then, or are using the wrong providers.

[Araciel]

i'm the same way with cellphones pg...but my current one is a newfangled LG with all the crap...oh how i long for the days when no one had cellphones and answering machines were new...

[Mirage]

I don't. Those days sucked.

[Peegee]

I don't. Those days sucked.

Back in my day I walked to school and I had to use a land phone to talk to friends. We had nothing like 'internet chat' and if a friend left the state or the country you communicated using snail mail.

You're all spoiled brats. I'm joining the Dr Unne crotchety old geezer club.

/shuffles away

[Araciel]

hear hear let's make an eoff geezer clique and not let anyone under 21 in.

[Mirage]

As I said, those days sucked.

[Ramza Beoulve]

Half of me no, half of me yes. I have a pretty old laptop, my cellphone is good I think (ROKR E2), a good clock, an 80's stereo, a flat TV, an 80's car, and the list goes on.

[Jessweeee♪]

I used to have this ugly grey phone that had a green and black screen, no colors ; ;

All it could do was play a couple of games and text message...and I think there was a calculator, not sure :P

...anyway, it was so old, they wouldn't provide service to it anymore, so I got a nicer phone, which did the same things except it looked prettier.

[Peegee]

hear hear let's make an eoff geezer clique and not let anyone under 21 in.

Make the cut-off age 26 and we got a good group going.

22 year olds are not geezers.

[Araciel]

hear hear let's make an eoff geezer clique and not let anyone under 21 in.

Make the cut-off age 26 and we got a good group going.

22 year olds are not geezers.

in that case i can't be a member....that's cool i guess.

[blackmage_nuke]

Cell phones havent been the same ever since they took off composer and snake :(

That was all i used it for, no one ever calls me

[Resha]

You're totally right xD I like my phone's camera, it's handy when I want to remember something, but oh, man. What the hell is up with phones being mini-computers these days.

And yes; I think I am kinda old-fashioned. x_x

[Mirage]

What's up with your idiot providers not providing old phones service? Never happens over here. I can take the SIM card from my current one year old phone and stick it in a 8 years old phone, and it'll work just fine.

And it's really no problem finding a phone with a black and white display, no camera, and no mp3 support.

[Craig]

I don't understand the difference between companys only selling hitec mobiles with camera ans mp3 players and sony only selling ps3s instead of ps2s or companys only selling dvd players instead of video players.

[Mirage]

The difference is that many look at phones as utilities, not playthings. What's the point in a utility with 50 functions you'll never use?

[Miriel]

My phone is pretty basic, and truthfully I've never wanted or needed anything fancier than a phone that calls people, has an alarm clock, and has text messaging. But today, a friend was showing me her iphone and all the stuff it can do, and seriously, the iphone is SWEET. I mean, it's god damn delicious. When it first came out, I thought people were insane to spend $500 on a freakin' phone, but having spent like, 20 minutes playing with one today, I think that I actually want one now. The whole "pinch" thing is in itself amazingly fun to play with, and the visual voicemail is something I would LOVE to have on my phone. I really hate shifting through voicemails. And plus, the iphone is just sexy. Looks sexy, feels sexy. Sexy.

[Roto13]

I just signed up for a two year contract and got a free phone. *shrug* I don't use most of the extras either, but I don't care if I have them if I didn't have to pay for them.

[persephonehermione]

I do have a 'mobile' phone. I think they are a lot like computer systems and new gadgets. There will always be new ones out there and there will always be people out there wanting them.

Ye olde supply and demand.

My mobile does the things I need it to do
- text messaging
- ringing people
- plays games
- alarm clock
- calculator

Apart from that I don't use any other services apart from Orange Wednesday!! Woo! Oraneg Wednesday's are cool!

Oh I do also use my video recorder and camera, but thats mainly for recording work and sharing it via bluetooth, so that then can present as evidence.

I do like to have a range of ringtones, although my phone doesn't have composer :mad2: I miss that, because then I could get the key inputs and make sure I have a tune I wanted........instead a lame supply of ringtones have been provided

Mind you, it spends most of its time on vibrate :rolleyes2 anyway, but thats just because I like to lsiten to music....at good levels may I add, noone else can hear it.

That is a pet peeve of mine with mobile phones, the kids that use them on the public transport to play loud music, and as such a company has seen that and are now giving away free speakers with their phone....

...it gets on my nerves because even I can hear it through my headphones......

...grrr....

*calms the beast within*

Persephone Hermione x

[Madame Adequate]

My phone does what I want it to, and little more than that. Seeing as the whole thing cost $40 and came with $100 free credit, I'm not going to complain that there's a camera as well.

[Jess]

I've had a Nokia N70 for about a year and a half, and I need a new one because it's literally dying. xD
The front bit is falling off and I've got over 3000 text messages on it so it's running really slow, but it takes far too long to delete them because it's so slow so I've kinda given up on it. It also doesn't make a noise when I recieve a text anymore - even on loud, I only find out when I next check my phone, which is so annoying. :jess:

[Loony BoB]

The one thing I miss about old phones is their size. I have to get the leather cover for my phone just for the sake of comfort. Maybe my hands are too big.

[Rye]

If you don't want a fancy phone, then buy a pay-as-you go Cingular phone. They're ghetto and crap, and unfortunately I had to buy one, because I didn't know that you could buy ANY Cingular phone and just put pay as you go service on it. It's barely color and it's tiny.

[Iceglow]

I've got the Sony Ericsson W200i model cell phone, it's a walkman phone and damn useful if I must say so, the camera on it isn't all that bad though I'd prefer a 6megapixel camera or even just the Sony Ericsson Cybershot phone the camera in that is amazingly clear. I use the walkman through the headphones/hands free kit whenever going out as the nice muffling earplug style headphones stop me hearing useless convo's of other people (I hate Eaves droppers on my convo's so why should I enjoy doing so to other people. Most people don't have anything interesting to say at best anyway) or background noises like Traffic or the Tube. I don't actually have a camera so I'm forever relying on the tiny camera built in to my cell phone.

I love technology sorry but I'm a techno freak.

[KentaRawr!]

I agree. All a phone really needs is the ability to call people. However, customizing Ring Tones is nice, in case you're waiting for a specific call from someone.

[Peegee]

I agree. All a phone really needs is the ability to call people. However, customizing Ring Tones is nice, in case you're waiting for a specific call from someone.

I guess. I had that in my earlier cell phone. mp3 ring tones are too luxurious for my tastes though.

[Shoeberto]

Custom ringtones are the most obnoxious things ever. I leave mine on vibrate for the sake of people around me.

There was a point where I was pretty into the idea of getting a crazy high-end phone with all the bells and whistles, but now I just don't care. I think I'd like one that didn't randomly lock up or go to menu items I don't want it to (going to the camera when I distinctly hit the key for phonebook), but eh. I don't use it enough that it matters.

Oh, and what's the deal with new (and new meaning new as of... 2004 or so) phones not having Snake on them? Honestly, that's ridiculous. Snake should be on every phone ever built.

[Rye]

Custom ringtones are the most obnoxious things ever. I leave mine on vibrate for the sake of people around me.

There was a point where I was pretty into the idea of getting a crazy high-end phone with all the bells and whistles, but now I just don't care. I think I'd like one that didn't randomly lock up or go to menu items I don't want it to (going to the camera when I distinctly hit the key for phonebook), but eh. I don't use it enough that it matters.

Oh, and what's the deal with new (and new meaning new as of... 2004 or so) phones not having Snake on them? Honestly, that's ridiculous. Snake should be on every phone ever built.

I was crushed when I found out my phone didn't have Snake on it. It's not fair. ;_;

[Miriel]

Custom ringtones are the most obnoxious things ever. I leave mine on vibrate for the sake of people around me.

There was a point where I was pretty into the idea of getting a crazy high-end phone with all the bells and whistles, but now I just don't care. I think I'd like one that didn't randomly lock up or go to menu items I don't want it to (going to the camera when I distinctly hit the key for phonebook), but eh. I don't use it enough that it matters.

Oh, and what's the deal with new (and new meaning new as of... 2004 or so) phones not having Snake on them? Honestly, that's ridiculous. Snake should be on every phone ever built.
Pfft. My ring is the theme to The Office and it's FANTASTIC. Sometimes I let the phone ring and ring without picking up just cause I love hearing the ring tone. :p

I agree about the snake thing though.

[Shlup]

I use my phone's calculator all the time.

[xXsarahXx]

i love my phone!
Got a sony ericsson k800i only had it for two weeks!
3.2 megapixel camera, msn messenger and all the other extras :D i use all the gadgets on my phone!