Smart phones; a discussion

[Zflyer]

Whoop  e do 

[Learner]

9 hours ago, EvilC57 said:

That’s where a tape measure (or similar) comes in. My iPhone can do that too 😀!

I take it you have a spare i phone for emergencies as you cant seem to live without it.

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

8 hours ago, Arthur Harris said:

The emergency services in the UK are all familiar with what3words

Not so here, 3 weeks ago my wife ( don't ask ) fell down a ditch and broke her collar bone, the French have the '18' for geo localising,

they sent me in my car in the opposite direction around 4 klms , 1, 1/2 hour later she managed to crawl out of it to a main road, and still the '18'

couldn't tell me or the ( lots) of Gendarmes and Pompiers which road she was on !.

[Arthur Harris]

58 minutes ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Not so here, 3 weeks ago my wife ( don't ask ) fell down a ditch and broke her collar bone, the French have the '18' for geo localising,

they sent me in my car in the opposite direction around 4 klms , 1, 1/2 hour later she managed to crawl out of it to a main road, and still the '18'

couldn't tell me or the ( lots) of Gendarmes and Pompiers which road she was on !.

I've just Googled on my phone. No, What3words doesn't seem to have taken off in France yet: Anyone any experience with What3Words? - General Discussion - Survive France

[Learner]

9 minutes ago, Arthur Harris said:

I've just Googled on my phone. No, What3words doesn't seem to have taken off in France yet: Anyone any experience with What3Words? - General Discussion - Survive France

Mountain rescue etc are saying not to rely on mobile phones apps etc as their getting more and more calls from people getting into difficulties.

[Arthur Harris]

1 hour ago, Learner said:

Mountain rescue etc are saying not to rely on mobile phones apps etc as their getting more and more calls from people getting into difficulties.

This isn't clear to me. The location apps are getting people into difficulties? Or people are just using their phones to call MR more?

[leccyflyer]

Perhaps more people are getting into difficulties because they are wandering off  the beaten track, without any maps or appropriate equipment, on the assumption that they have their mobile, but that leads them into difficulties that they otherwise may not have ended up in?

[Learner]

13 minutes ago, leccyflyer said:

Perhaps more people are getting into difficulties because they are wandering off  the beaten track, without any maps or appropriate equipment, on the assumption that they have their mobile, but that leads them into difficulties that they otherwise may not have ended up in?

 If only they could develop a common sense app!

Now that would be useful 😉

 

Edited January 20 by Learner

[Cuban8]

16 hours ago, PDB said:

Nail hit firmly on the head. 😂

Not a given IMHO. Whilst it's true that many old people don't have a clue about the modern world (my 92 years old mother in law is firmly stuck in 1950!) I'd say that the majority manage very well with the modern world where they can be bothered to engage with it or see a tangible benefit of doing so.

I could give you a long list of over 70s that I know personally or are family members who use modern tech regularly to assist in day to day living. I think those who deliberately eschew smartphones or other tech do get worked up unnecessarily with what they've heard about social media. Certain negative issues that are to be found with it trumps everything else, and therefore they discount the whole technology out of hand.

 

 

Edited January 20 by Cuban8

[leccyflyer]

I remember some years ago when I had one of my first mobile phones and I was queueing up in Maplins for something or other. There was an older chap in front of me and he was having some difficulties with the assistant explaining something about his own mobile phone that he was having some problem with. The queue wasn't moving and there was a young lad getting quite impatient and had proceeded beyond the tutting under his breath stage to reach the very unusual stage of actually saying something along the lines that the older chap needed to get a move on and clear the way for the busy folks behind. The older chap was quite distressed by this and mumbled an apology. I told him there was no problem and not to worry about the impatient young oik, to take no notice of his lack of understanding of his problem and pointed out that he'd be completely stumped if he was asked to strip down a Bren gun, wouldn't he? The older chap liked that comparison and it's one that always springs to mind when I see the rants about oldies not being able to text and suchlike. 

 

Technology moves on and familiarity of technology of the time is a fleeting thing - if you want a good laugh seek out the video of the teenagers trying to figure out hw to use an old 1950's style dial telephone.

[Learner]

9 minutes ago, Cuban8 said:

Not a given IMHO. Whilst it's true that many old people don't have a clue about the modern world (my 92 years old mother in law is firmly stuck in 1950!) I'd say that the majority manage very well with the modern world where they can be bothered to engage with it or see a tangible benefit of doing so.

I could give you a long list of over 70s that I know personally or are family members who use modern tech regularly to assist in day to day living. I think those who deliberately eschew smartphones or other tech do get worked up unnecessarily with what they've heard about social media. Certain negative issues that are to be found with it trumps everything else, and therefore they discount the whole technology out of hand.

 

 

Typical answer of somebody whos happy/can use the tech ,and stuff the others who in your mind are stubborn/unwilling to embrace it. I hope your never in the position to be confused enough to be involved in a scam !!

[Cuban8]

Just now, Learner said:

Typical answer of somebody whos happy/can use the tech ,and stuff the others who in your mind are stubborn/unwilling to embrace it. I hope your never in the position to be confused enough to be involved in a scam !!

Merely an observation that I've made when I've talked to friends and others who IMHO are not taking a fair and balanced view of technology and simply ignore it. That is 100% their choice and perogative. I don't seek to be judgemental, I simply think that many are missing out on something they'd find worthwhile if they'd only look into it properly.

As for scams and technology - yes, there is a risk.......but there is also a  risk to leaving your house unsecure, dropping your wallet in the street, your pocket being picked whilst being distracted, or an off the cuff phonecall (maybe via your landline|) perporting to be your bank and asking for personal details etc etc etc. I put it to you that we are far more at risk of loss through what one might term as 'conventional crime' than virtually anything else that the on-line world can normally throw at us . Simply avoiding tech in an effort to make oneself immune to bad actors is not totally effective, and in many ways one  is far better protected on-line than walking about with a pocket full of cash or cards.

[Frank Skilbeck]

On 19/01/2024 at 08:47, MattyB said:

You can tell a lot about the demographics of this forum (and the hobby in general) from this thread. Those asking why a smartphone and social media are a necessary part of everyday life cannot have attempted to get a well paid job in the last 10 years or so. I can assure you an actively maintained LinkedIn profile and the ability to respond very quickly to hirers and recruiters is absolutely key (some companies will actively screen out applicants who do not have a social media footprint they can use to review and research them). 

My profile says retired and they still keep contacting me!

[Rich Griff]

You have to "swipe" the screen in modern mobile phones to gain access etc. etc. etc .....

 

I saw s young lad ( 3 year old ) and his mum in the library some time ago.

 

The lad had a kids book in his hand and was swiping the pages and shaking/ moving the book about as if it was a mobile and hunting a signal......

 

The amount of expensive phones I see sticking out of sprayed on jeans back pockets....do those phones bend ?

 

Even kids out in Africa have mobile phones....

 

Yes they are very usefull ( researching a decibel meter app ), excellent camera and microphone etc. But not a status symbol to me.

 

My first mobile phone I still have and it still works, not used as priced out by a greedy phone company that I had been with since 1986 I think it was, a reverse robin hood.

 

I am using my second cheapo Tesco phone, the battery died on the first.

 

I do not need an all singing all dancing mobile, but one that can talk to a laptop ( freebee old dell Inspiron with mint software ) for the larger screen would be better.

 

We are all different....but please think of the planet, only recycle your phone when you have to rather than fashion etc..

[Rich Griff]

Morton's email about wanting to make the mags better....on my mobile phone.

 

I wonder what my reply told them.

[Rich Griff]

I must say that the app and hardware available these days for clever phones, costing very little money, that can interigate and change modern computer cars systems, is fantastic really.

 

Equivalent to a rolling road....in your hand ( as a passenger ! ).

 

Having said that, fault codes can be very misleading...

 

Is there an app to make a phone a tachometer ?

[Cuban8]

26 minutes ago, Rich Griff said:

I must say that the app and hardware available these days for clever phones, costing very little money, that can interigate and change modern computer cars systems, is fantastic really.

 

Equivalent to a rolling road....in your hand ( as a passenger ! ).

 

Having said that, fault codes can be very misleading...

 

Is there an app to make a phone a tachometer ?

When I was working, the equipment that I maintained had a very complex computerised control system that monitored a plethora of sensors and subsystems within subsystems not unlike a modern car, and we had a diagnostics package that was designed for fault finding. Unfortunately, whilst it gave you an indication of the general area or type of fault, it could drive you down a completely wrong path of complexity when in fact the error (when you sussed it) was often as simple as a bit of dust on a phototransistor. It was just a rotten piece of software that was far from user friendly and to me, caused as many problems as it solved in a lot of cases and needed to be used with caution. Not unique by any means even now.

[Rich Griff]

Absolutely....

 

Maybe a thread all of its own, but some will only moan. Maybe for a different forum perhaps...

 

The kit is probably only as good as the programmers imagination/experience...

 

The programmer probably never ever considered the possibility of two insulated wires ever contacting each other, in real life, when it rains...

 

The dam car would even dead lock us in the car on occasion. Thank god the rear passenger windows were mechanical and not electrical !

 

Nice car we like but effectively priced off the road, insurance rip off.

[john davidson 1]

Looking out my window 9 out of 10 dog walkers are engrossed in their phone, no idea what the dog is up to, yesterday had to clean the pavement at my gate , again.

Edited January 20 by john davidson 1

[Rich Griff]

Dog collar with "shocker" and camera all controlled by the phone ? 😁

 

Disgusting, collect it and put it thru the dog owners letterbox.....

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I suppose it's not unusual how the conversation has moved from smartphones to car management systems (and dog poo) but I think we have to accept that the world is evolving and that the majority of people find the convenience and practicality of having access to the internet at most times and the ability to run apps tailored to their individual interests and requirements to be a positive contribution to their daily lives.

 

Increasingly, fewer people are disenfranchised by the technology but it's important to accommodate those who are unable, through disability or disinclination, to access services and goods through the use of modern devices.  I was a little taken aback by mention of 70 year olds being in this category - being less than 2 years from this milestone and an enthusiastic adopter of the internet and mobile telephones from the early days of their practical availability this made rather strange reading!  I'm old enough though to remember when one of the most common questions when being introduced to new people included whether they were "on the 'phone" - we've turned full circle and the question would now have to be whether you are still on a landline!

 

I'm currently in one of those situations where contact with family is so important and family members are travelling extensively - while some might see it as intrusive, we have a shared location app which brings peace of mind and practical benefits. 

 

I do feel that many of those set against these devices could not only cope, but discover that they've been missing a great deal of their benefits if they would open their minds - but they should also have freedom of choice.

 

 

[kc]

23 hours ago, Peter Jenkins said:

The information you accessed was published in Part 2 of the building and flying instructions in the next issue of RCM&E.  If you wanted to access them earlier then the option was there to gain access earlier.  So, your comment isn't true but you did need to buy the next issue.

Frankly Peter I think my comment WAS true!   Your own posting elsewhere shows the QR list of instructions that are not in the Chilli Breeze articles in  either issue!

 

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Be different you'll get called out as thick or missing out, par for the course in todays world. Pocket full of cash or cards, stop over egging the pudding, a wallet is a lot less intrusive than a smartphone, some so big they can't fit a pocket. 69 years old, I can use a smartphone but I don't want one, internet I have I'm using it now, I can shop without a device, my memory is good, 69 years taught me to cope with what is a simple task. I'm not thick nor in need of insulting others who own a smartphone. My small flip top 3G phone has a camera and a calculator so those "needs" are met, should work mean I "needed" a smartphone, I would have one. Plane overhead, I don't care It's trivia, Alexa, I can switch a light on, heating has a timer, my music centre sounds better, "What three words" No Thank You. Linkedin, messages to Email on a regular basis and no smartphone.

I "need" The wife + kids (They all have a smartphone and apps), books, music, my dog, a reliable car, being connected to the hive 24-7 I don't need, YMMV.

[Peter Jenkins]

6 hours ago, kc said:

Frankly Peter I think my comment WAS true!   Your own posting elsewhere shows the QR list of instructions that are not in the Chilli Breeze articles in  either issue!

 

The extra information is what anyone who has already built a model would know.  Mike was catering for those who hadn't ever built anything - I grant you that in that respect your comment is true but you didn't need that level of information as you are an experienced builder.

[FlyinFlynn]

16 hours ago, Martin Harris - Moderator said:

............... but I think we have to accept that the world is evolving and that the majority of people find the convenience and practicality of having access to the internet at most times and the ability to run apps tailored to their individual interests and requirements to be a positive contribution to their daily lives.

Undoubtedly true, but not to the exclusion of lifting your gaze from the 5" screen and taking in your surroundings, seemingly living their lives vicariously through a data plan.

 

I have computers at home for all my digital requirements, all with copious real estate on their screens, I have a GPS built into the car to help me if I should actually feel the need to travel beyond my departure points 'line of sight' and I have plastic cards keeping my cash company safely in my wallet.  The ONLY necessity my mobile provides me is secondary identification while accessing sites from my computer chair and so my mobile hardly ever leaves my house.......

 

Talking about secondary identification, why do sites demand you perform secondary identification on your mobile by the way - surely, if your card has fallen into the hands of some nefarious character then your mobile might well have done so as well, would it not be better to perform secondary identification by ringing a fixed line at your home?. I would have thought if you are out and about when you 'lose' your cards you have more important things to do than continue shopping.

 

Also - card security - I scratch off the three digit 'security code' on my cards, it is of no use to you when making purchases when out and about but is of great value to thieves should your card be lost. Just keep a record of the code at home for use when making purchases on-line.