Contest: 100k If No Smartphone For a Year

[accolay]

https://www.vitaminwater.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3b3gBRDAARIsAL6D-N9QMr892cKJNFjoUncwbMcSLDl9Kw-oyWwY98QreL63uaMuSeadaDMaAt1xEALw_wcB

You have to sign up by posting to either twitter or instagram.

I don't have a twitter or instagram account and realized this contest wasn't for me.

Should they just give me the money now?

[MasterStache]

Hmm, I only started using a smartphone late last year and only because it was a free hand me down. 

[DreamFIRE]

It just makes you "eligible" for a prize.  I could do it easily if I was guaranteed the $100K.  But this is just marketing B.S. that I won't subscribe to.

I don't have use Twitter or Instagram either.

[Poundwise]

It just makes you "eligible" for a prize.  I could do it easily if I was guaranteed the $100K.  But this is just marketing B.S. that I won't subscribe to.

I don't have use Twitter or Instagram either.

+1

We only got smartphones for the first time last year (last month for my husband). And that's because we could buy the phones used and only pay $15/month for service. However we wouldn't want to be associated with watered-down Gatorade.

[ketchup]

I don't have a twitgram or else I'd consider it.

But then it would probably mean buying extra electronics to replace the smartphone.  At minimum, GPS unit, iPod, and flashlight.

[DesireeD]

I’ve never had a smart phone...did I win yet?

[MasterStache]

I’ve never had a smart phone...did I win yet?

My 98 year old recently deceased grandmother never drove a car (never even got a license), never owned/operated a computer and was still using a corded home phone.

[Just Joe]

How would I prove it?

However the contest seems to allow use of computers and tablets? All I'd need to do is shift my podcasts and RSS news feed over to a laptop and I'd be set.

[accolay]

I’ve never had a smart phone...did I win yet?

The only reason I have a smartphone now is because the screen in my cheapo flip phone cracked and I bought the cheapest AT&T phone at the Dollar Store for $30 dollars to use with my MVNO.

[ketchup]

How would I prove it?

However the contest seems to allow use of computers and tablets? All I'd need to do is shift my podcasts and RSS news feed over to a laptop and I'd be set.

Oh, you mean those less-useful oversized smartphones that don't fit in your pocket?  Perfect.

I still don't see why anyone would need a tablet as a mid-ground between smartphone and laptop.  Either will do anything better than a tablet.

[ChpBstrd]

The rules and entry method seem a bit too vague to be serious. They don't even describe how they will do a drawing or what proof I should accumulate during the year. I seriously doubt my odds of being able to collect $100k even if I follow their instructions perfectly.

[Just Joe]

How would I prove it?

However the contest seems to allow use of computers and tablets? All I'd need to do is shift my podcasts and RSS news feed over to a laptop and I'd be set.

Oh, you mean those less-useful oversized smartphones that don't fit in your pocket?  Perfect.

I still don't see why anyone would need a tablet as a mid-ground between smartphone and laptop.  Either will do anything better than a tablet.

My middle aged eyes surely appreciate the larger screen of a tablet.

[Crease]

Read the contest rules. Coca Cola will be selecting one hashtag entrant to participate in the 365 day challenge for $100k. The rules for the 365 challenge aren't fully disclosed but apparently forbid merely touching any smartphone, subject to verification by Coca Cola (including via a lie detector test).

[ketchup]

How would I prove it?

However the contest seems to allow use of computers and tablets? All I'd need to do is shift my podcasts and RSS news feed over to a laptop and I'd be set.

Oh, you mean those less-useful oversized smartphones that don't fit in your pocket?  Perfect.

I still don't see why anyone would need a tablet as a mid-ground between smartphone and laptop.  Either will do anything better than a tablet.

My middle aged eyes surely appreciate the larger screen of a tablet.

What does a tablet do better than a small laptop (same size/weight)?  It's more awkward to set on a table in front of you to use two hands (without a stand or something), type on, scroll, multitask, or anything I can think of that one would try to do with a tablet.  Closest one I can think of that would be remotely useful would be something like a Surface Pro, which at least runs a real OS and has x86 hardware (and a kickstand dealy and at least a token keyboard).

[partgypsy]

Lame. They will pick some stupid twitter/hashtag/instagram obsessed person, and then disqualify them for even participating in a post on a friends phone or something.

I have a smart phone. As long as I got a burner phone I could do texts with it, I could do it. But it is not using a smart phone, or not using instagram, facebook, twitter, texts if you do them from a computer? How can they tell?

[Just Joe]

I agree an ultrabook laptop is nicer than a tablet EXCEPT when I want to lay on the bed and watch TV/movies. Then I worry about the laptop fan/heat, shuffling it around and stressing the screen hinges, etc. My tablet is a strong thing and very old at this point. it is a consumption device. The laptop gets stuff done.

Back when my tablet was new (five years?) I bought a case that included a bluetooth keyboard. Its done some work over the years. Everything still works.

[Chris22]

What does a tablet do better than a small laptop (same size/weight)?  It's more awkward to set on a table in front of you to use two hands (without a stand or something), type on, scroll, multitask, or anything I can think of that one would try to do with a tablet.  Closest one I can think of that would be remotely useful would be something like a Surface Pro, which at least runs a real OS and has x86 hardware (and a kickstand dealy and at least a token keyboard).

I don't own a computer (I do have a work-provided laptop but that's only used for work).  My tablet is my home computer; I can hook a bluetooth keyboard up to it if I want, but generally it works fine for the type of "work" I do from home.  Biggest advantage I see is that it's near-instant on versus a laptop that needs to be booted up, etc, plus it is much more portable.  And I find laptops bulky to use on the couch or in bed, where a tablet works just fine.  But I recently upgraded to a huge smartphone, and find I reach for the tablet less and less. 

[ketchup]

What does a tablet do better than a small laptop (same size/weight)?  It's more awkward to set on a table in front of you to use two hands (without a stand or something), type on, scroll, multitask, or anything I can think of that one would try to do with a tablet.  Closest one I can think of that would be remotely useful would be something like a Surface Pro, which at least runs a real OS and has x86 hardware (and a kickstand dealy and at least a token keyboard).

I don't own a computer (I do have a work-provided laptop but that's only used for work).  My tablet is my home computer; I can hook a bluetooth keyboard up to it if I want, but generally it works fine for the type of "work" I do from home.  Biggest advantage I see is that it's near-instant on versus a laptop that needs to be booted up, etc, plus it is much more portable.  And I find laptops bulky to use on the couch or in bed, where a tablet works just fine.  But I recently upgraded to a huge smartphone, and find I reach for the tablet less and less.

I... didn't realize we had gotten to this point for some.  Damn.

[Chris22]

What does a tablet do better than a small laptop (same size/weight)?  It's more awkward to set on a table in front of you to use two hands (without a stand or something), type on, scroll, multitask, or anything I can think of that one would try to do with a tablet.  Closest one I can think of that would be remotely useful would be something like a Surface Pro, which at least runs a real OS and has x86 hardware (and a kickstand dealy and at least a token keyboard).

I don't own a computer (I do have a work-provided laptop but that's only used for work).  My tablet is my home computer; I can hook a bluetooth keyboard up to it if I want, but generally it works fine for the type of "work" I do from home.  Biggest advantage I see is that it's near-instant on versus a laptop that needs to be booted up, etc, plus it is much more portable.  And I find laptops bulky to use on the couch or in bed, where a tablet works just fine.  But I recently upgraded to a huge smartphone, and find I reach for the tablet less and less.

I... didn't realize we had gotten to this point for some.  Damn.

I've been like that for maybe 5 years now.  My wife and I both have work provided laptops, there's little need for us to have a home computer.  In fact, none I can think of. 

[ketchup]

What does a tablet do better than a small laptop (same size/weight)?  It's more awkward to set on a table in front of you to use two hands (without a stand or something), type on, scroll, multitask, or anything I can think of that one would try to do with a tablet.  Closest one I can think of that would be remotely useful would be something like a Surface Pro, which at least runs a real OS and has x86 hardware (and a kickstand dealy and at least a token keyboard).

I don't own a computer (I do have a work-provided laptop but that's only used for work).  My tablet is my home computer; I can hook a bluetooth keyboard up to it if I want, but generally it works fine for the type of "work" I do from home.  Biggest advantage I see is that it's near-instant on versus a laptop that needs to be booted up, etc, plus it is much more portable.  And I find laptops bulky to use on the couch or in bed, where a tablet works just fine.  But I recently upgraded to a huge smartphone, and find I reach for the tablet less and less.

I... didn't realize we had gotten to this point for some.  Damn.

I've been like that for maybe 5 years now.  My wife and I both have work provided laptops, there's little need for us to have a home computer.  In fact, none I can think of.

How do you store and back up your important personal data?

Another sticking point in day to day use would be typing speed.  I just tested it for fun, and I can type only 45wpm on a smartphone but 108wpm on a desktop computer.  Due to physical awkwardness, I can't imagine typing on a tablet being any faster than a smartphone, and probably slower.  Of course, I recognize that this problem is solved by a decent Bluetooth keyboard.  I can't stand typing more than a couple paragraphs on my smartphone.

I'm also 300% faster at alt-tabbing and finding snarky image macros to use as replies on a PC than on a smartphone.  (the important things)

I guess it's just the much faster user experience of a keyboard, mouse, and Windows environment that I'd miss using your setup.

[Chris22]

How do you store and back up your important personal data?

What important personal data?  Photos, etc, get stored in the cloud, or on flash drives (can use work PC for this).  fiscal stuff gets put into a spreadsheet and stored on work computer and printed out.  Mostly just user names and passwords, the rest available online.

Another sticking point in day to day use would be typing speed.  I just tested it for fun, and I can type only 45wpm on a smartphone but 108wpm on a desktop computer.  Due to physical awkwardness, I can't imagine typing on a tablet being any faster than a smartphone, and probably slower.  Of course, I recognize that this problem is solved by a decent Bluetooth keyboard.  I can't stand typing more than a couple paragraphs on my smartphone.

I rarely have instance to type more than a paragraph or two that isn't for work.  Long forum posts on work computer, but really, that's not that often.

I'm also 300% faster at alt-tabbing and finding snarky image macros to use as replies on a PC than on a smartphone.  (the important things)

You get fast on phone or tablet when you get used to it.

I guess it's just the much faster user experience of a keyboard, mouse, and Windows environment that I'd miss using your setup.

I've never been on my iPad or iPhone and said "man I wish I was in a Windows environment" :-P

[DragonSlayer]

Back on topic... I saw in the fine print of the contest that tablets can't be used, either. Also, the winner must be willing to submit to lie detector tests to determine whether or not you get the money. So that's how they'll know if you cheat. And anyone who has to have a phone for work will be disqualified because there will be no exceptions for "work" use. So if you have a job that requires a smart phone, forget it.

[partgypsy]

Back on topic... I saw in the fine print of the contest that tablets can't be used, either. Also, the winner must be willing to submit to lie detector tests to determine whether or not you get the money. So that's how they'll know if you cheat. And anyone who has to have a phone for work will be disqualified because there will be no exceptions for "work" use. So if you have a job that requires a smart phone, forget it.

I have a friend who doesn't use a smart phone. Can she join, even though she is not on twitter, etc?

[ketchup]

Disclaimer: I work in IT, so clearly by bias is towards computers.

How do you store and back up your important personal data?

What important personal data?  Photos, etc, get stored in the cloud, or on flash drives (can use work PC for this).  fiscal stuff gets put into a spreadsheet and stored on work computer and printed out.  Mostly just user names and passwords, the rest available online.

So for example, if you have a pile of PDFs related to an insurance claim you're in the process of resolving from someone hitting your rental car, where to you put those?  The kind of thing you'd stash away in a physical file cabinet if the year were 1995.

Another sticking point in day to day use would be typing speed.  I just tested it for fun, and I can type only 45wpm on a smartphone but 108wpm on a desktop computer.  Due to physical awkwardness, I can't imagine typing on a tablet being any faster than a smartphone, and probably slower.  Of course, I recognize that this problem is solved by a decent Bluetooth keyboard.  I can't stand typing more than a couple paragraphs on my smartphone.

I rarely have instance to type more than a paragraph or two that isn't for work.  Long forum posts on work computer, but really, that's not that often.

Breaking up the quotes like this and replying to this short forum post would have indeed been a lot more work on a smartphone.  I also frequently type long emails and whatnot.

I'm also 300% faster at alt-tabbing and finding snarky image macros to use as replies on a PC than on a smartphone.  (the important things)

You get fast on phone or tablet when you get used to it.

I suppose I have been doing it on a PC for something like 15 years now.

I guess it's just the much faster user experience of a keyboard, mouse, and Windows environment that I'd miss using your setup.

I've never been on my iPad or iPhone and said "man I wish I was in a Windows environment" :-P

I understand the anti-Windows smarm, but just an example from today: I'm looking at some numbers in a news article and want to do some quick calculations to figure something out.  I waited until I was at my computer to do it, since to do it on my phone I'd have to keep flipping back and forth between the calculator app and the browser app (broken home button on my phone reallly does not help either, but that's a different problem), when on the computer I could just have the small calculator window over the browser and see all the numbers I wanted to type.  Dumb little stuff like that is way simpler/faster on a real OS with a windowing system.

[Just Joe]

Actually my smart phone can open two windows at once. There isn't much screen acreage though so I rarely use it.

[ketchup]

Actually my smart phone can open two windows at once. There isn't much screen acreage though so I rarely use it.

Yeah, I thought that was an Android feature, but I'm not familiar with it since I'm still in iPhoneland.  Probably would be more usable on a tablet than a smartphone due to physical size (assuming sane resolution).

[Chris22]

Disclaimer: I work in IT, so clearly by bias is towards computers.

How do you store and back up your important personal data?

What important personal data?  Photos, etc, get stored in the cloud, or on flash drives (can use work PC for this).  fiscal stuff gets put into a spreadsheet and stored on work computer and printed out.  Mostly just user names and passwords, the rest available online.

So for example, if you have a pile of PDFs related to an insurance claim you're in the process of resolving from someone hitting your rental car, where to you put those?  The kind of thing you'd stash away in a physical file cabinet if the year were 1995.

In my insurance company's online app where they save all documents related to my account.  Or in my email where they mailed them to me.

Another sticking point in day to day use would be typing speed.  I just tested it for fun, and I can type only 45wpm on a smartphone but 108wpm on a desktop computer.  Due to physical awkwardness, I can't imagine typing on a tablet being any faster than a smartphone, and probably slower.  Of course, I recognize that this problem is solved by a decent Bluetooth keyboard.  I can't stand typing more than a couple paragraphs on my smartphone.

I rarely have instance to type more than a paragraph or two that isn't for work.  Long forum posts on work computer, but really, that's not that often.

Breaking up the quotes like this and replying to this short forum post would have indeed been a lot more work on a smartphone.  I also frequently type long emails and whatnot.[/quote]


Yeah, but this is a pain in the butt on the computer too.

I'm also 300% faster at alt-tabbing and finding snarky image macros to use as replies on a PC than on a smartphone.  (the important things)

You get fast on phone or tablet when you get used to it.

I suppose I have been doing it on a PC for something like 15 years now.

I guess it's just the much faster user experience of a keyboard, mouse, and Windows environment that I'd miss using your setup.

I've never been on my iPad or iPhone and said "man I wish I was in a Windows environment" :-P

I understand the anti-Windows smarm, but just an example from today: I'm looking at some numbers in a news article and want to do some quick calculations to figure something out.  I waited until I was at my computer to do it, since to do it on my phone I'd have to keep flipping back and forth between the calculator app and the browser app (broken home button on my phone reallly does not help either, but that's a different problem), when on the computer I could just have the small calculator window over the browser and see all the numbers I wanted to type.  Dumb little stuff like that is way simpler/faster on a real OS with a windowing system.
[/quote][/quote]

I actually have TWO iPhones (one for work) so I can read with one and calculate with the other.

[Rural]

I can touch type on my IPad mini as fast as I touch type on a full computer keyboard, maybe faster. But neither of these speeds approach 100 wpm; at that speed I'd probably want a real keyboard.

But typing on a phone is misery, and I won't do much more than 140 characters that way. Tablet lets me do almost everything. Come to think of it, I don't have a computer at home other than a work-provided one either, though I did set up an old laptop at husband's grad school apartment so I could build my online classes when I'm there (can manage them from the tablet, grading and interacting and etc., but new content creation is still a pain in the ass that way).

However, I also do write scholarly articles with the voice-to-text feature on the tablet and/or my phone. Both Android and iOS do that much better than Windows. For cleanup and citations, it's back to a computer. My world, for now, is hybrid.

[JLee]

Disclaimer: I work in IT, so clearly by bias is towards computers.

How do you store and back up your important personal data?

What important personal data?  Photos, etc, get stored in the cloud, or on flash drives (can use work PC for this).  fiscal stuff gets put into a spreadsheet and stored on work computer and printed out.  Mostly just user names and passwords, the rest available online.

So for example, if you have a pile of PDFs related to an insurance claim you're in the process of resolving from someone hitting your rental car, where to you put those?  The kind of thing you'd stash away in a physical file cabinet if the year were 1995.

In my insurance company's online app where they save all documents related to my account.  Or in my email where they mailed them to me.

Another sticking point in day to day use would be typing speed.  I just tested it for fun, and I can type only 45wpm on a smartphone but 108wpm on a desktop computer.  Due to physical awkwardness, I can't imagine typing on a tablet being any faster than a smartphone, and probably slower.  Of course, I recognize that this problem is solved by a decent Bluetooth keyboard.  I can't stand typing more than a couple paragraphs on my smartphone.

I rarely have instance to type more than a paragraph or two that isn't for work.  Long forum posts on work computer, but really, that's not that often.

Breaking up the quotes like this and replying to this short forum post would have indeed been a lot more work on a smartphone.  I also frequently type long emails and whatnot.

Yeah, but this is a pain in the butt on the computer too.

I'm also 300% faster at alt-tabbing and finding snarky image macros to use as replies on a PC than on a smartphone.  (the important things)

You get fast on phone or tablet when you get used to it.

I suppose I have been doing it on a PC for something like 15 years now.

I guess it's just the much faster user experience of a keyboard, mouse, and Windows environment that I'd miss using your setup.

I've never been on my iPad or iPhone and said "man I wish I was in a Windows environment" :-P

I understand the anti-Windows smarm, but just an example from today: I'm looking at some numbers in a news article and want to do some quick calculations to figure something out.  I waited until I was at my computer to do it, since to do it on my phone I'd have to keep flipping back and forth between the calculator app and the browser app (broken home button on my phone reallly does not help either, but that's a different problem), when on the computer I could just have the small calculator window over the browser and see all the numbers I wanted to type.  Dumb little stuff like that is way simpler/faster on a real OS with a windowing system.

I actually have TWO iPhones (one for work) so I can read with one and calculate with the other.




**********************************************************

Posting from a PC to fix your quotes ;)  I left it un-quoted so you can delete everything below the ***'s and more easily resume the chain.

If a phone works for you, awesome - I kinda wish I didn't have the desire to keep a proper computer around. With 100+wpm typing ability and a 4k display, I can do a lot of shit really fast.