Author Topic: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?  (Read 3061 times)

thunderball

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Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« on: February 02, 2018, 07:33:34 PM »
So we are all obviously posting on the MMM boards, but what are you using to do so?  My 20-something colleagues swear they can use a phone for everything- no computer needed.

I am feeling inundated by technology lately...  I'm pushing 49, and appreciate tech, but in an "iPhone X means I'm still using my iPhone SE" way.  I'm currently typing on my bought-used, circa 2011 Macbook Air (which my teen will inherit next year for high school).  I did purchase an iPad Pro 18 months ago for work.  it is fantastic, but in truth also makes an excellent second TV.

Can it all be done on just one device, like a new-ish Samsung or iPhone?

The budding minimalist in me would love to pare down from all this tech (even though most was bought used over the years)

me:
iPhone SE
iPad Pro
apple Watch (gift - really cool but could live without)
work laptop (dell)

Is anyone else living in the 21st century with just a phone - no PC, laptop, tablet?  (Work laptop excluded if supplied by job)


BlueMR2

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2018, 08:59:01 AM »
Sorry, no smartphones here at all.  We both have cell phones, but my wife's is a  flip phone and mine's a candy bar phone.

She's got a tablet (Android) for media consumption, but still uses a full size Windows PC for creation as trying to generate content on even a tablet is so painful.  I've only got an ancient Lenovo Ideapad laptop for all my PC uses.  I had several GNU/Linux machines too, but scrapped them all this year (they were all 32-bit and my distro of choice has gone 64-bit only).

Just Joe

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2018, 10:07:43 AM »
I'm using Mint Linux KDE on a desktop at work and a laptop at home. I rarely use Windows for anything but 3D-CAD.

My phone is ancient - perfect for PAYG phone calls and texting - but I don't use it much otherwise. Mostly responding to family needs like Dad-taxi service.

I have an older tablet that I use some but I seldom write anything on it. Mostly a consumption device. I prefer to write with a keyboard and at a desk or table.

ketchup

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2018, 11:28:50 AM »
I'm 26, and I have a smartphone: an iPhone 7.  It's nifty, but not my only (or even primary) electronic connection to the world.

Girlfriend and I share a desktop at home, but it's really hers (and outrageously powerful and expensive, built last year - she's a pro photographer so in Photoshop all day).  I also have an older (2012) Dell laptop provided by work.  We also have a few older machines puttering around that get occasional use.  GF has a fancy work laptop for travel, but she only uses it a handful of times per year.

No tablets, not ever.  I can't think of anything they can do that a real computer or a smartphone couldn't do better.  I've never seen the point beyond very specific specialized uses.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2018, 02:55:34 PM »
No tablets, not ever.  I can't think of anything they can do that a real computer or a smartphone couldn't do better.  I've never seen the point beyond very specific specialized uses.

Very much agreed, tablets drive me crazy with their pointlessness.  From what I can tell, they're mostly 'shut up and leave me alone' devices for parents to give their kids.

Phone's aren't there yet to replace computers, but I think they will be soon.  Ubuntu (I think it was them) tried to do something that I think is an inevitable step, which is to take a phone and be able to put it into a docking station with a monitor/keyboard/mouse and have it be your computer also.  They're just about fast enough nowadays.  The trick is the apps, to have an app for say your email, which works like you'd expect in phone mode, but then switch seamlessly to full computer/monitor mode when docked.  Same with browser, or FB app, etc.  Too many hurdles, Ubuntu couldn't get it to work just right, but they were close.  As soon as someone gets that working properly, I'll totally ditch my computer for one device.  Only problem then is when that device breaks...

BlueMR2

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2018, 04:06:51 PM »
Ubuntu (I think it was them) tried to do something that I think is an inevitable step, which is to take a phone and be able to put it into a docking station with a monitor/keyboard/mouse and have it be your computer also.

Windows phones had that.  It was really pretty awesome.  Interface was great too.  I actually considered buying a setup like that, but they never got traction in the market and started shutting down that division before I moved on it.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2018, 04:23:03 PM »
Ubuntu (I think it was them) tried to do something that I think is an inevitable step, which is to take a phone and be able to put it into a docking station with a monitor/keyboard/mouse and have it be your computer also.

Windows phones had that.  It was really pretty awesome.  Interface was great too.  I actually considered buying a setup like that, but they never got traction in the market and started shutting down that division before I moved on it.

Wonder why.  Phones not fast enough at the time to be used as a regular computer?  That's a bummer it didn't catch on.

Just Joe

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2018, 07:59:04 AM »
Older person here. Luddite, minimalist. Nothing but a phone. Don't need no stinkin' computer as I can do nearly everything from my phone. Not a fancy IPhone either. Just a cheap off brand smart phone. Of course I don't do much computer or phone related stuff and prefer not to spend my time in front of any screen.

I just replaced my old PAYG phone with something new. My first nice phone. Still using the new one as a PAYG phone for ~$10 per month. I can do most of my "important" tasks on Wi-Fi.

Wasn't Samsung, wasn't Apple. LOTS of nice "other brand" phones out there to choose from that can do all the same tricks and tasks as the Samsung/Apple cousins and the "off-brand" stuff is half price.

Saw an article this week where KDE (another desktop environment in Linux-land) is trying to move towards a smart phone debut.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2018, 08:01:43 AM by Just Joe »

Blackeagle

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2018, 05:37:49 PM »
No tablets, not ever.  I can't think of anything they can do that a real computer or a smartphone couldn't do better.  I've never seen the point beyond very specific specialized uses.

I've had iPads since day one, and I'm at the point where I'm seriously considering not replacing my laptop and doing all my mobile computing on the iPad.  If I need a real computer, what I really need is a desktop with a big screen, lots of power, and much better ergonomics than a laptop.  Anything short of that the iPad can do what I need, in a package that's a lot easier to use while away from the desk.

dang1

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2018, 11:50:05 PM »
Mid-40's here. My daily driver is a galaxy s7, as hotspot for the asus flip chromebook. When i'm out and about i use my s7, but prefer the bigger-screen flip when lounging about. Current unltd vzw data usage 20 days into month cycle is 55 gb.

The payg airvoice sim is in the 2013 moto x and the $3/month tmobile sim in the nokia 3110c. I always have the explorer 500 bgan terminal and inreach se, in case of an emergency, when in remote places.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2018, 01:28:44 AM »
Midt 40-ies here as well. We own a private laptop, 2 iPads, 1 iPhone (DH) and one Android phone (me).

We have had an iPad for many years. When it became unbearably slow, I bought a second one, last years model (50% off), and we kept the old one. This year I replace the old one with a new last year's model and we kept the second one.

DH's iPhone is quite new, but he used his previous iPhone for many years. I think he went from model 4 to model 7 or 8.
My Android phone is now 3,5 years old and I bought a last year's model to start with. I've noticed it doesn't have all the functionality I need (calling over Wifi), so I am in doubt whether I should replace it (only for that one function). Not having that function means that I can't receive phone calls on my private phone at work, as I currently sit in a building without coverage. I do have a old-fashioned work phone that works.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2018, 01:50:43 AM »
I'm typing this on my nine year old MacBook Pro that I spent far too much on back in the day. It's still working but it's definitely starting to show it's age. My current phone is a HTC 10.

I doubt I could go phone-only. There's many things that, while I could do them on the phone, I find much more comfortable using a standard keyboard and an OS with a cursor rather than poking the screen all the time. That said, when I went overseas for a couple of weeks last year I managed just fine with only a phone.

Thinking about replacing the MacBook with a used desktop running Linux later this year.

No tablets, not ever.  I can't think of anything they can do that a real computer or a smartphone couldn't do better.  I've never seen the point beyond very specific specialized uses.

Very much agreed, tablets drive me crazy with their pointlessness.  From what I can tell, they're mostly 'shut up and leave me alone' devices for parents to give their kids.

Phone's aren't there yet to replace computers, but I think they will be soon.  Ubuntu (I think it was them) tried to do something that I think is an inevitable step, which is to take a phone and be able to put it into a docking station with a monitor/keyboard/mouse and have it be your computer also.  They're just about fast enough nowadays.  The trick is the apps, to have an app for say your email, which works like you'd expect in phone mode, but then switch seamlessly to full computer/monitor mode when docked.  Same with browser, or FB app, etc.  Too many hurdles, Ubuntu couldn't get it to work just right, but they were close.  As soon as someone gets that working properly, I'll totally ditch my computer for one device.  Only problem then is when that device breaks...

Samsung also offer that feature with the DeX on the S8 and Note 8. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if Google end up doing something like that with ChromeOS built into a future Android version, especially now that ChromeOS can run Android apps.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 01:52:38 AM by alsoknownasDean »

Just Joe

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2018, 08:48:52 AM »
Will be seriously looking at a Chromebook next time I need a laptop. I recommended one to an older friend who was always dealing with viruses and so forth b/c they click on everything.

We tried Mint Linux on his desktop but it was too foreign to him - basically the big blue E wasn't there and that was too weird. ;)

They are loving the Chromebook and have no idea it is Linux/Android. Got a call recently that they had a message pop up about a virus/porn/call this number.

I think they clicked on an email that they should not have.

Told them just to reboot and the problem would go away. And it did.

Was just a browser pop up that looked official and was structured for a Windows user (clear to me, not to friends).

This might be the ultimate low-maintenance solution for my older friends that look to me for IT support. I have several more on Mint Linux.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 10:43:23 AM by Just Joe »

ketchup

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #13 on: February 07, 2018, 09:09:06 AM »
No tablets, not ever.  I can't think of anything they can do that a real computer or a smartphone couldn't do better.  I've never seen the point beyond very specific specialized uses.

I've had iPads since day one, and I'm at the point where I'm seriously considering not replacing my laptop and doing all my mobile computing on the iPad.  If I need a real computer, what I really need is a desktop with a big screen, lots of power, and much better ergonomics than a laptop.  Anything short of that the iPad can do what I need, in a package that's a lot easier to use while away from the desk.
I guess for me, the smartphone has become the default for my mobile computing (beyond normal phone-exclusive tasks such as calls, messaging, camera, GPS, etc.).  I can type out a quick email, look something up online, or update a Google Docs spreadsheet if need be.  It's not as nice as a laptop for doing any of those things, but it's way way more convenient to have it in my pocket vs dragging something like a laptop or tablet around.

A tablet could do all of that, but not much more, at least of what matters to me.  The closest to a useful tablet I've seen is Microsoft's Surface Pro series, since it runs actual Windows, but even that seems like way too expensive for what it is.

If I need anything more than my smartphone, what I really need is a laptop/desktop.  And what I find myself needing is either an actual window manager, multiple monitors, real apps running on a real OS, a lot more power, or a real keyboard.  I can only type 30wpm on my phone, and not comfortably, while I can do 110wpm all day on a desktop keyboard (tested both just now online).  And even a shitty trackpad is better than any touchscreen.

My laptop rarely leaves my house these days; it's basically a backup for if I want to use the computer and my girlfriend is already on the desktop.

Daley

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2018, 10:49:29 AM »
Ubuntu (I think it was them) tried to do something that I think is an inevitable step, which is to take a phone and be able to put it into a docking station with a monitor/keyboard/mouse and have it be your computer also.

Windows phones had that.  It was really pretty awesome.  Interface was great too.  I actually considered buying a setup like that, but they never got traction in the market and started shutting down that division before I moved on it.

Wonder why.  Phones not fast enough at the time to be used as a regular computer?  That's a bummer it didn't catch on.

Oh, Continuum, you will be sorely missed. It wasn't an issue of phone speed as even the Lumia 640 was technically powerful enough to run it, but pure marketshare. Windows Mobile was an amazing platform compared to the competition and deserved better, but irrational FUD and hatred of all things Microsoft killed off a beautiful thing. It even integrated and synced with Win10 desktops flawlessly. I refuse to replace my Lumia 435 (running WP10!) until I'm forced to.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 10:51:57 AM by Daley »

Just Joe

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #15 on: February 07, 2018, 01:51:43 PM »
I wonder why they would make the investment and then kill it off completely if it wasn't a best seller. Seems like the real work is done. Now sell phones even at a reduced price.

Looks like a great idea.

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Re: Tech-tastic or beholden to tech?
« Reply #16 on: February 07, 2018, 04:03:12 PM »
My phone does not have enough computing power or speed to run programs I use at work, my top of the line computer at work barely keeps up. Looking at my computer performance, it is currently using 18GB of physical memory. I think the majority of people saying "I can use my phone for everything" are authors that only really need a pen and paper(electronic equivalent), or people that don't use programs requiring lots of computing power (which would probably be most people).