Back to a flip phone

[tindog13]

I posted my feelings about talking a driving a few posts back, I firmly disagree. I think it is far more dangerous reaching for buttons, especially since you have to look at a touch screen, and I believe speaking with someone on a hands free wireless system is safer than actually talking to someone in the car with you, most people tend to gesture when talking to an actual person and look at them for reaction or approval. Again, a lot of that is propaganda. There is no reason for a "smart phone" to be dumber than a "dumb phone" for specific operations, it even makes it less smart. It is still a "phone" w/ benefits, for all intents and purposes... if one wants a phone that doesn't make phone calls, they should get an iPad (not that I would ever suggest an Apple product to anyone, maybe one of the other "pad" products)... just because that's the way technology 'roll' doesn't make it "smart" "wise" "intelligent" (clever, yes... ruthless from a business standpoint, yes, intelligent, not so much) or "socially responsible"... but as Americans anymore, we seem to just take it... "roll" with it, throw our money at the new toys without demanding any responsibility. Again, my main concern is being as safe as is possible, so more voice commands all around is a good thing, but voice dialing is a must.

 

[tindog13]

Anyway, I will upgrade when I find a phone that does what I believe it should do, and that includes internet access and if it has an app that turns it into a bidet also, that's okay. I don't particularly want to root my phone because there is always the chance of screwing it up... I shouldn't have to be a hacker to make a safe call. But once I do find that phone and upgrade, I intend to make it the last upgrade for a long time, unless the customer consideration factor improves immensely.

 

[3devious]

Anyway, I will upgrade when I find a phone that does what I believe it should do, and that includes internet access and if it has an app that turns it into a bidet also, that's okay.

and people think I'm odd for saying that I want a toilet made of gold...

 

[Outlaw71]

and I believe speaking with someone on a hands free wireless system is safer than actually talking to someone in the car with you, most people tend to gesture when talking to an actual person and look at them for reaction or approval...

I'm not debating you on what I/you feel is safer. This was on either 60 Minutes or 20/20 a few years back. These were the results of scientific data that proves that it takes a great deal more of your concentration abilities to have a conversation with someone who isn't present with you.

I never would have came up with something like that on my own. I don't fully understand it myself. All I know is that when hooked up to probes that were scanning the brain, they found it takes up to like 70% more of your concentration to talk to someone on a phone that it does to talk to someone sitting beside you. I'm not making that up.

It was this scientific data that resulted in many laws being passed prohibiting talking on mobile phones while driving, as well as a lot of programs aimed at educating the population of these dangers. Like I said I don't really care if you do or don't, I'm just giving out the facts that science has given us.

 

[tindog13]

Oh, I fully get that, I've seen similar if not the same reports. I'm just saying I don't buy it, based on my own experience. If I have to hold the phone to ear, I am thinking about not only the conversation, but what to do with the phone if I need that hand... if I'm on a headset I can concentrate on my driving much better... also, I am one of those that tend to look to the person I am talking to for reactions, as much as I try to control it, so I know that's an issue. And I'm often in a car someone else is driving and find myself thinking, 'you don't have to look at me to talk to me, eyes on the road please'... which is why I think those reports are at least partially propaganda, bought and paid for by lobbyists with an agenda of some sort. But even if they're accurate, that's all the more reason to make using the technology as safe as possible... why put more road blocks in the way of being safe when it's already unsafe? I came to the conclusion long ago that we're must not going to be able to get people to stop talking while driving, so "as safe as it can be" is our only option.

 

[DC E1G]

Notice that I put 'oudated' in quotes? It was nothing against your phone, but that's how technology 'roll'. Lets face fact, your phone gets 'outdated' in a couple of months when a newer, faster, shinier phone comes out. Some people consider my Nexus One 'outdated' and it's only a year out.

This is a very interesting idea to get off-topic on.

Because in our manufactured and stuffed-based world things become outdate and obselete so quickly now a days. In fact, living in Canda I only got the Desire this summer when it was released, and I bought it knowing that it was pretty much already 'out of date' the second I got it.

But really this whole idea of obselence is kind of silly. My mother still uses an old Nokia that's 10 years old, and it works fine for her. She's embarassed about it though. The reason for this is a system of design created after WWII to boost industry. In those days they wanted come up ways to boost sales and stimulate the economy, so they "created" obselence. The two kinds are planned obselence and preceived obselence.

Planned obselence: When a product is designed to become useless after a set amount of time. It is created with the intention of it "needing" to be replaced after a certain amount of time.

Perceived obselence: This explains why people are embarassed by old things, especially old tech. The product is designed to appear obselete after a certain amount of time. This forces people to upgrade in order to feel fufilled or "cool."

Just a little food for thought.

 

[MoodyBlues]

my main concern is the fact that there's no way we're going to get away from using our phones while driving

I'm probably in a VERY small minority, but I have NEVER used a phone while driving. I just don't do it. I made a conscious decision back in the '90s when I got my first cell phone that driving and using a phone at the same time wasn't a good idea. Granted, I drive cars with manual transmissions, so that certainly made the decision easier, not having three hands and everything, but still. Based on everything I've read/heard it seems pretty clear that there's a correlation between using phones while driving and causing traffic accidents due to distraction. I just don't think it's worth the risk.

 

[Dark Guitar Lord]

I will admit that with the prices of cell phone plans across all networks, I did give it thought to go back to a KRZR or RAZR, but having all this technology in my hand is hard to let go. My smartphone has really become a necessity.

 

[tindog13]

I understand planned obsolescence, I use to own a Vega. But my G1 is only a year old, maybe a year and a half, and my understanding is that from a hardware standpoint, it will support 2.2 at least... T-mobile quit supporting upgrades on the phone precisely to force me into buying a newer model... that's not planned obsolescence, it's just manipulative business practices and bad customer service; I don't know to what degree HTC was involved in that decision, if at all. So that puts me in the position of having to either shell out for a new piece of plastic or take a chance at unlocking the one I have and maybe being forced into an upgrade.

 

[Outlaw71]

Have you looked into ROMs for it? Many times ROMers will come out with the updates for a device before the OEMs do. They may have come out with a ROM for 2.2.1 on the G1. I don't know that to be true, but you could check it out.

Have you ever been into the 'Everything Root' section in the G1 forum? If not check it out. You just might find what you're looking for.

 

[tindog13]

I don't even know what that is, but I will look into it. the T-mobile G1 forum, or the HTC G1 forum?

 

[Outlaw71]

Well like I said if you go into the 'Everything Root' section of any device page it will talk about rooting, ROMing, themeing, etc... Beware, once you start ROMing, it's hard to stop!

 

[dylo22]

I could do handsfree dialing/text/email on my Droid X with Vlingo. The problem for you is Vlingo needs android 2.x to operate. I believe the G1 is still on 1.6.

 

[Outlaw71]

So nobody's ported any of the updates to the G1 that you know of?

 

[tindog13]

I have to say, I have only a vague familiarity with any of these terms, "ported", "ROMs" - I am looking at a rooting guide on xda-developers... if I get brave enough I may try it.

 

[gruss]

Hey I'm with ya man (OP) in some ways anyway. I actually think it was nice back in the day when I had my Palm tungsten set to tether to my Razr. I had my phone and if I needed email/internet I used the palm....that being said the Incredible is actually a very good phone, as is the Droid X (the two I'm most familiar with) and either rivals my old v3m reception wise. If I were to ever get a tablet type thing I think I'd step back to a dumbphone that it could tether to. Just sayin I understand your point, BUT there are some pretty good PHONES that are smartphones now too.