Smart phones; a discussion

[Cuban8]

My Samsung smartphone only cost a little over a hundred quid -runs a recent version of Android, has a six inch screen and large memory. All my manuals and important docs are on it......bmfa stuff, car and bike insurance, various manuals, photos, medical records, NHS app etc etc etc. All backed up elsewhere of course. 

Each to their own, naturally,  but why anyone would struggle with an old out of date phone with so many limitations in this day and age I don't understand.

 

[leccyflyer]

Just now, Cuban8 said:

My Samsung smartphone only cost a little over a hundred quid -runs a recent version of Android, has a six inch screen and large memory. All my manuals and important docs are on it......bmfa stuff, car and bike insurance, various manuals, photos, medical records, NHS app etc etc etc. All backed up elsewhere of course. 

Each to their own, naturally,  but why anyone would struggle with an old out of date phone with so many limitations in this day and age I don't understand.

 

Not everyone wants a smartphone. Not everyone wants a contract, or a data plan. Some folks are perfectly happy with no mobile phone, pr with a basic mobile phone which can make and receive calls and texts - they don't want, or need, to access the internet.

 

That said, there really isn't any absolute need to have the BMFA Handbook to hand at the flying field - operation of your models should be easily achieved without consulting the handbook every few minutes.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I own no smart phone, I don't struggle.

Bemuses me why folk "need" em.

[Cuban8]

Could make an interesting discussion thread?

If a smartphone isn't your thing then that's fine.  I hate tech for the sake of it and I point a finger at many of the latest radios that to me are bloated with over the top functions that only a very few will understand, let alone have a use for.

To me, my phone is a valuable tool that makes life so much easier in so many ways. For instance, I use it for supermarket shopping at busy times when the customer scanner handsets are all in use.

Smartshop as they call it is fantastic, no more fiddling about queueing at checkouts waiting for slowcoaches to go through the checkout,  no unpacking and repacking - scan-confirm-tap your card and away. Brilliant.

[GaryW]

13 minutes ago, Cuban8 said:

Could make an interesting discussion thread?

If a smartphone isn't your thing then that's fine.  I hate tech for the sake of it and I point a finger at many of the latest radios that to me are bloated with over the top functions that only a very few will understand, let alone have a use for.

To me, my phone is a valuable tool that makes life so much easier in so many ways. For instance, I use it for supermarket shopping at busy times when the customer scanner handsets are all in use.

Smartshop as they call it is fantastic, no more fiddling about queueing at checkouts waiting for slowcoaches to go through the checkout,  no unpacking and repacking - scan-confirm-tap your card and away. Brilliant.

 

We do the same with out shop at Asda

[Arthur Harris]

4 hours ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

I own no smart phone, I don't struggle.

Bemuses me why folk "need" em.

If you got one, John, you would seriously wonder why you didn't have one before. They are pocket computers- the apps are really useful- whatthreewords (which many of us use to identify slope sites); Google maps; you can get reviews and info on items in shops while you are in shops; sharing photos and videos with family and use your phone to video talk with people; and you can download and install only the apps you feel are useful to you. I resisted for a long time, but found that they are designed to be user friendly and so are not complicated, you start with a virtually blank home screen and then you add the apps you want: your club emails, your personal email, Google, YouTube, RCME, RCG, etc. They appear as icons; you touch them and open them up like you would on a PC at home. At my club, members who first arrive at the field can tell everyone what the flying conditions are like. You can also switch notifications on or off, so you don't receive info you don't want. Once you have bought one on contract for about £20/30 a month the usage fee drops to less than £10 per month. Oh, and you also have a high-quality camera and video built in. If you get one, you won't regret it.

[Arthur Harris]

4 hours ago, Cuban8 said:

Could make an interesting discussion thread?

If a smartphone isn't your thing then that's fine.  I hate tech for the sake of it and I point a finger at many of the latest radios that to me are bloated with over the top functions that only a very few will understand, let alone have a use for.

To me, my phone is a valuable tool that makes life so much easier in so many ways. For instance, I use it for supermarket shopping at busy times when the customer scanner handsets are all in use.

Smartshop as they call it is fantastic, no more fiddling about queueing at checkouts waiting for slowcoaches to go through the checkout,  no unpacking and repacking - scan-confirm-tap your card and away. Brilliant.

A smart phone is brilliant. So many companies tailor their websites to it. You can Google a store, get their stock inventory, get price comparison stores, order stuff- the only thing I don't do is actually bank or do transactions by phone-but that may be because I am an old codger. But nowadays I wouldn't leave home without my phone- like I suggested above, it is like having a computer, a camera, a video camera, an encyclopedia, and a calculator, in your pocket.

[GaryW]

I've got the Huawei P30 lite ,, God phone although the std monthly bill without out any calls etc... is a little higher than I'd like it only thing that sends it a little nuts now and then it Whatsapp... It's never really liked running that app.,,,, I get use for calls far more than the house phone does as i get unlimited calls,,, also used for the usual messaging and whatsapp, which i also have whatsapp on the pc also use it for the Camera Gimbal on my Blade 350 QX3 from time to time .. any important stuff, documents manuals and tx data/model momories backup are done on the computer

 

Although I cud happily go back to a non smart phone like an old nokia 6210 very easily

Edited January 17 by GaryW

[Peter Jenkins]

The biggest advantage to me is that I can check and respond to emails when I'm out and about or lounging around at home as I don't have to tied to my desktop.

 

Messaging apps, like WhatsApp, are also very useful and far more reliable than texts which can sometimes take an age before they appear.

 

But without a doubt, having a camera available pretty much all the time and one that takes far better photos than my Nikon is undoubtedly a huge plus.  Paradoxically, when I was working in the defence and aerospace world, having a phone with a camera meant you had to surrender it at the visitor desk and collect it when you left!  I still prefer my Sony Camcorder for taking video as holding the phone steady while shooting and then trying to zoom in and out is a recipe for a disaster - at least for me!

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Still not for me I think, cameras I have, apps I don't want, aids to shopping, I'll take the nice lady/gent on the till and help keep them in a job. If I'm out flying/fishing/working I don't want pestering, check on the weather, look out the window, emergency, they ring me on mycheap pay n go. Next thing you know they be roping us into tech just to go fly models. 😉

[Peter Jenkins]

17 minutes ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

Still not for me I think, cameras I have, apps I don't want, aids to shopping, I'll take the nice lady/gent on the till and help keep them in a job. If I'm out flying/fishing/working I don't want pestering, check on the weather, look out the window, emergency, they ring me on mycheap pay n go. Next thing you know they be roping us into tech just to go fly models. 😉

RID?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Humour Peter.

[Simon Chaddock]

I fear it is an age thing.

My primary use of a phone is to phone people!

 Text messages are useful. I have Kodak "EasyShare" (remember them?) to take pictures and video when necessary.

I have a PC and a metal 4 draw filing cabinet for all the rest.

My son had to give me a "fancy" 5g phone simply because the rest of the family and relatives only seem able to communicate using WHATS APP along with endless trivial posts. 

Humans have been called the "Compulsive communicators" although I prefer the term "Addictive communicators". When you see the number of folk on their mobile whilst pushing a trolley around the supermarket I tend to despair.

 

Tech to fly models? Surely it here already with "computer" Txs and telemetry, let alone "Flight controllers".

 

[Brian Cooper]

You probably need to be 12 to get the best out of a modern phone. 

And then people become a slave to their little screen, and it's downhill all the way after that.

 

 

[Tim Kearsley]

The only reason I carry a mobile phone around with me when away from home is for the unlikely event the car breaks down or there is some other emergency, when I can make a call.  All the other fluff and rubbish - totally unnecessary.

[PDB]

Cannot remember when I last used cash or a card.

[Learner]

I always carry cash but mostly use card, my wife still prefers cheques and she works in IT! She hates Tech!!

Definitely no banking details on a phone no matter how smart it is.

Edited January 18 by Learner

[leccyflyer]

The iPhone camera is superb and, as is often said, the very best camera is the one that you have with you, so that can make for some fantastic pictures just in your daily life, when out and about.  Very handy for making record pictures too - I used to photograph the gas and electric meters in my town flat in the darkened utility cupboard and still have those pictures on the phone. Much simpler than getting the DSLR out and transferring the images to the computer - they all go directly to the cloud for access. The video capture is excellent as well- though not as good as a dedicated old school camcorder for zooming into aeroplanes.

 

A few useful apps are the online banking, Ringo for car parking - no need for a cupholder full of change for parking, handy when travelling for flight updates and suchlike. When I was working the work phone had tracking and emergency response stuff installed, which can be useful if you are in some of the less salubrious parts of the globe. I never really got on with having all boarding passes etc as only electronic, preferring to have good old printed itinerary and boarding passes. When we were on our last road trip in the states the iPhone was invaluable, making hotel reservations on the fly on a daily basis as we motored through the country.

 

As for calls, I really only call a couple of people on mine, it now has Whats App on it, but reception at the flying field is patchy at best - have never made or received a call whilst there.

[J D 8]

  There is no doubt the mobile phone has made search and rescue more effective.

   In my last couple of years Coastguard service I had a new area manager, a young chap who every now and then would say " Why cant you answer your mobile?" 

I live in a mobile black spot with no signal, you can ring my land line or page me says I.  Somehow it just did not twig with him so mobile orientated he was.

  However my not so smart old mobile, one of them super tough jobs that has survived falling down on rocks, been dropped in the sea is coming to an end.  

  No need for anything like that now but what to get?  Do not want all singing and dancing but would like it to have tidy camera and be straight forward to link with other devices.

  Not something I want to spend a fortune on like my kids, Reserve that sort of spend for a new Tranni😀

Edited January 18 by J D 8
correction

[Ernie]

It used to be so much fun. To start with, you had to find a penny, or even two if it was to be a long distance call. Then go to the nearest shop that had a phone. There was a wee handle thing that you had to whirl round, and......magic there was a lady speaking....you gave her a mix of letters and numbers POL3848 comes to mind....then you put the penny in the slot beside the phone, and more magic, there was aunty jean talking. If it all went pear shape, you pressed a button, and voila, the penny shot back out

Now, those were the days, when guys even could make up a wire undercarriage

ernie

[James Green2]

Anyone concerned about the dangers of WiFi might not want a smartphone either. 

[PDB]

30 minutes ago, J D 8 said:

 

I live in a mobile black spot with no signal, you can ring my land line or page me says I.  Somehow it just did not twig with him so mobile orientated he was.

 

 

I too live in a mobile signal blackspot however that issue has now been mitigated with wifi calling, if an inbound or outbound call doesn't find a mobile signal your handset uses uses wifi instead. Whatever you get might be worth checking the phone and your mobile provider support wifi calling, most do but a few don't.

 

1 minute ago, James Green2 said:

Anyone concerned about the dangers of WiFi might not want a smartphone either. 

 

What dangers?

[Basil]

16 hours ago, Cuban8 said:

My Samsung smartphone only cost a little over a hundred quid -runs a recent version of Android, has a six inch screen and large memory. All my manuals and important docs are on it......bmfa stuff, car and bike insurance, various manuals, photos, medical records, NHS app etc etc etc. All backed up elsewhere of course. 

Each to their own, naturally,  but why anyone would struggle with an old out of date phone with so many limitations in this day and age I don't understand.

 

I could start to give you reasons why anybody would even want a phone to do all those things but I get tied of typing.. Each for his own. First use of phone ..... to make phone calls. Use of computer ....... store data. Dont know how you cope with such a tiny screen.

Bas

 

[Peter Jenkins]

8 minutes ago, James Green2 said:

Anyone concerned about the dangers of WiFi might not want a smartphone either. 

I take it you don't hsve a broadband connectiion to hour house then because if you do you will be surrounded by WiFi whether you use a mobile phone or not.

 

WiFi operates in the 2.4 GHz band which is the band we use for our 2.4 GHz radios while mobiles operate at either 900 MHz or 1.2 GHz.  

 

Also, according to you, anyone concerned about WiFi shouldn't fly RC using 2.4 GHz either.   Do you fly RC and do you use 2.4 GHz or 35 MHz?  Love to understand what is your issue.

[James Green2]

We have a wired connection and are lucky in that we do not have any other WiFi signals from neighbours at all (we do not have any neighbours) . The use of RC equipment is generally short in duration by comparison. The risks of WiFi are not fully understood, but each to their own of course!