Smartphones

[Antonia]

Not in my experience. You obviously haven’t used the system so you don’t know how good it is. I booked another show and by having electronic tickets I saved between €5 and €20, the additional cost of having bits of paper sent to me.

Sorry, you misunderstand me. I buy all my tickets electronically and have the QR codes on my phone as a back up. I simply find it quicker to flash a piece of paper and leave the PDA safely in my pocket. Should I wish to buy additional tickets or make amendments to my travel arrangements obviously the phone is available with the additional security of a Debian operating system. As with typing, I tend to do a lot of writing while traveling so a keyboard was important to me.
Regarding new technology, I think I can safely say I've always been an early adopter ( betamax anyone ). I bought my first 'smart phone' in 2005. I'm more than happy to take advantage of any new innovation, if it fits into my lifestyle.

[Antonia]

you can't fight it. It is the way life has gone & you need to accept it.

Go quietly into the night - Never!!!

[hughnique]

I was prompted by this subject to have a quick perusal through the smartphones on offer at Amazon, again absolute nightmare when you have not a clue what all the specifications relate to, if I am going to be forced in to buying one I don't want to end up with a load of c--p, so how does one make sense of it all. The thing is that I remember the first Motorola mobile I had, it was the size of a small briefcase, then everything was miniaturised, now only to go back to making them bigger again. How these people walk about with them in their back trouser pocket without sitting on them, God knows.

[Blaze]

How these people walk about with them in their back trouser pocket without sitting on them, God knows.

Oh but I think they must sit on them, though it's more likely that they drop them, judging by the number of people with broken/cracked screens !

[Wilbro]

I have a 99 euros reconditioned Doogee bought 3 years ago. It does all the things I need whether it's booking flights, boarding passes, banking etc.etc. No need to spend lots of money but there again my phone is not a permanent attachment to me like it is with a lot of people. It's there when needed.

[Hotrodder]

The cracked screens are down to simple engineering. Easily cracked screens could be avoided by making them thicker but this would mean fewer replacements. This would affect profits so it won't be done. They make the excuse that people want thinner and lighter phones. In much the same mindset as car manufacturers that add more and more useless electro-gadgets to entice us into buying their products when something much simpler and reliable would get us from A to B at lower cost. ~All down to our love of the capitalist market economy that rules our lives. "Its new so it must be better".

[Blaze]

The cracked screens are down to simple engineering.

It's as much to do with carelessness as simple engineering.

[demi]

Get a case for your phone if you're worried about dropping it.

As for chosing which phone to buy, find someone 20 years or so younger than you that you like & trust and ask for help. Or go to Darty or the like and ask for help. Darty have been enormously helpful to me when buying electrical stuff as has the U technologie part of a Hyper U near me. Endlessly helpful & very patient with my not perfect French.

[Hotrodder]

And their prices are not bad either, with decent after sales service.

[L Austin France]

The cracked screens are down to simple engineering. Easily cracked screens could be avoided by making them thicker but this would mean fewer replacements. This would affect profits so it won't be done. They make the excuse that people want thinner and lighter phones. In much the same mindset as car manufacturers that add more and more useless electro-gadgets to entice us into buying their products when something much simpler and reliable would get us from A to B at lower cost. ~All down to our love of the capitalist market economy that rules our lives. "Its new so it must be better".

Has anyone ever accused you of being an Old Cynic?