Are Our Smartphones Really as Smart as We’d Like Them To Be?

Whew! I just put down my iPhone and I’m exhausted. And frustrated. I am tired of being ordered around by this erratic engineering.

It’s true. I miss my small, light 3G. I realize I could go back to a 4G that isn’t as “fancy” as my iPhone 11. They have fewer options. I’ve read that some people are returning to the past and buying these kinds of phones.

Missing my 3G

The only reason we even have smartphones is our carrier, and I guess every other telecom, dropped 3G.

I miss the simplicity of my dumb phone. The press of ONE button would have me on the phone with Paul. Now, depending on where my phone is resting on the screen, it can take 3-4 taps to get ahold of him.

The dumb phone did all I needed it to do. Talk and text. My needs are small. If I need the Internet, I go to my iPad.

Watercolors by kyls

Do I really need a smartphone?

I don’t, but today’s culture all but demands it.

It was like getting a VCR. Like getting my first microwave, a Christmas present from Paul. I remember suffering through learning how to operate the VCR.

I remember ruining a bunch of food stuffs early on when trying to figure out how this New Age way of preparing food came on the scene.

I couldn’t help but teach myself these things. Basically, The Devil Made Me Do It. Either get onboard or be left behind in culture and society. “What? you don’t have a __________________?” No way do I want to fill in the blank. Who wants to be left behind?

And to think that parts of the country have minimal bandwidth, if any at all. Some people ARE being left behind. Let’s not even talk about the expense of owning one of these babies. I don’t think telecoms care about who’s being left behind and left out.

(Couldn’t help but to stand on my soapbox for a minute.)

And the same was true with the advent of desktop computers — only here, if you wanted to keep your job, there was no “opting out.”

I don’t really like my smartphone. All I really need is a dumb flip phone. For one, I think they are more secure. I used to never get spam texts. I don’t require the best in cameras or microphones. I certainly don’t need Siri suggesting and telling me what to do except when navigating. Is she considered AI?

On the smartphone, I feel like I press way more keystrokes than necessary to accomplish one task. I guess that’s why Siri exists. Perhaps having this phone for only a year and a half is an impediment and therein lies my frustration and incongruence.

I could do with a little bigger keyboard. I don’t know how men with big hands can even text. I imagine wearing gloves might be challenging. I just realized why gloves with cut-out fingertips are popular. I’m definitely slow on the uptake! I think my age is showing.

Updates iOS

Updates I am familiar with. Each time there is an update, someplace and somewhere on the phone things get skewed. Frustration. And I can count on it.

Not too long ago, I was trying to get in touch with my sister-in-law. I texted her two times. Left voicemail. Left two emails. She never replied.

I called her son finally to see if she was okay. It was unlike Cindy not to return communications promptly. Her son contacted her. She had responded to everything I had sent to her — unbeknownst to me.

I called her and we couldn’t figure out what the problem was. She could email me on my iPad but that was it.

After we played this charade for a week, we figured it out. The culprit was the latest update, I’m almost positive.

I went to her contact page. Towards the bottom, it said “Unblock this Caller.” Shame on you too-big-for-your-pants Apple. I would never block her.

There’s also the time some contacts were just dropped off the page and who knows where they went. Again, shame on you Apple update.

Input from friends and me

Seems most everyone has at least one thing they wish was different. One friend had not one complaint — maybe that comes with an iPhone 13. I am but a mere 11.

Someone mentioned that her phone no longer caps the first letter of someone’s name they call often . So now she has to be cognizant of proper nouns.

She said her phone now wants to put all names in bold. She doesn’t like that either.

Another friend said she’d have to think about it, but she misses the simplicity of her old phone.

Right now my main gripe is I’ll be reading a blog or a newspaper piece, and the next thing I know the page has scrolled to the bottom on its own without my assistance. I have to hunt back up the page to find where I had been stranded.

Just to be a show-off

I remember the very first time I talked on a cell phone. Ready: I was sitting in the back seat of a Rolls Royce. It was the mid 70s. I’m not sure I had even heard of a cell phone. The phone was as big as a bulldozer. Naturally, I called my mother, “I’m on a cell phone!” So exciting. Nice memory.

Dancing at the best birthday party ever!!

Surfing the net.

I found a few little tidbits of trivia:

Cons of smartphones:

  1. Mobile phones cause accidents.
  2. More difficult to establish interpersonal connections and strong relationships
  3. Distracting
  4. Battery can explode (now that is dangerous)

Pros of smartphones:

  1. Good in case of emergency
  2. GPS
  3. Control smart homes
  4. Online banking and finance (don’t use because I am not comfortable having my banking business available to some ingenious hacker)

Lifespan of smartphones: (1) iPhone – 4-8 years; (2) Samsung – 3-6 years. Replacing your device every two years is still a good idea. This recommendation probably comes from the industry so you’ll spend more money more often.

There’s so much more to be said (good and bad) about smartphones, but space doesn’t allow for it here. So sad, but what would we do without our phones. I’d like to try, and I can live without the constant iOS updates — can’t I?

Updates

My meds: I am delighted to report that I am feeling much, much better. Still wish I could drop one or two pills. Maybe one day. In fact, I told Paul yesterday and prefaced it with, “You are going to think this sounds corny and weird.”

I hesitated and then said, “I have never felt as alive as I do now.” That is how I was feeling at that moment anyway, always subject to change. My arms were stretching high to the sky, willing to soak in whatever the Universe sees fit to send my way.

I attribute this to my new cocktail of medicines. My anxiety is under control now, which has greatly improved my breathing patterns.

The tics are still with me, but only faintly. The only one I actually notice is drawing my upper teeth down over my bottom lip. Still a little squinting. So, not bad at all.

Work still in progress. I hear my next lesson will be Vincent van Gogh.

I also attribute feeling this way to my latent interest in art. It has sprung up from deep within. I must thank Miss Pink and doodle Art Studio for this awakening. With love and hugs, Thank You, Miss Pink, for being the wonder you are.

Rejection: If you are a fairly regular reader of The Bruno Papers, you know I consider my cross to bear to be rejection. I happened upon a quote that lightens my heart a great deal. “Rejection is merely a redirection; a course correction to your destiny.” Quote by Bryant McGill. Love this.

My new car: As I alluded to in my last post, who knew how big the learning curve is for driving a car. Can’t help but laugh at myself.

I was leaving my trainer’s house the other day. I park in front of her house instead of her driveway because leaves and stuff and mainly bird do were leaving marks on the car.

Into “R” I go and lo and behold I hear this terrible sound of scratching/scraping. Got out of the car and didn’t see a thing. “Whoa” I say to myself, that was a close one.

I drive on and realize there was no way all that sound didn’t damage the car. I pulled over. Sure enough, the front right bumper had been pulled from the frame. I called Paul (nice having a cellphone) immediately to confess my inadequacy of backing up my car.

Got home. Paul said “no problem” and snapped the fender right back into place. Makes me wonder how much “snapping” is used in cars today. Legos, anyone?

That’s all for now

Here’s to the wonderful world of smartphones, great quotes, fabulous medicinal cocktails, art instructors, and a man who still can fix a car at home.

Until next time, wishing you peace, joy, tranquility, and love each and every day.

Your friend, Yvonne

Namaste 🌷

Thank you so much for reading. As always, I love receiving comments.

Sources

http://www.goodreads.com
http://www.smallbusiness.chron.com

12 comments

  1. It was so nice to wake up to your post. I have missed you. Nothing new here. Just more illness. Diabetes is getting worse. This is the middle of the night for me. Talk to you later. Love, Leah

    1. Hi Leah, so nice to hear from you. I’m sorry you are not feeling any better. I know it makes for long days. You are in my thoughts. Take it easy and we’ll be in touch. Love you.

  2. So glad to hear you’re feeling better! And that the mysterious situation with my mom was resolved. 🙂

    1. Thank you, Carter. The right meds and the correct communications make the world go around; if only I could figure out how to drive! Love

  3. I would love to go back to the days of no cell phones. I really would. But, you are correct, society demands it and we almost can’t function without them anymore. Love the photos this week!😘

    1. I agree with you, Lisa. We lived for such a long time without cell phones. I think it is a contributing factor to our hurried, busy, rushed lives . Times used to be less hectic.

      Glad you liked the pics this week.

      Thank you for reading and commenting.

  4. WOW! What a healthy exercise in optimism! Your latest recitation of adjustment to normally gnawing frustrations has left me in an even better than normal frame of mind. Are you sure that your trusted med “cocktail” has not somehow been enhanced with a happy ingredient?

    1. Hi Jim, thank you for reading and I appreciate your comment. Yes, things are looking and feeling good these days. I know Life is peaks and valleys. I’m enjoying this peak for now, knowing that a valley is around the corner. I’m not sure that that’s optimistic, but I feel good about life right now. I hope others do, too — only without my happy medicinal cocktail.

      Great hearing from you. Love to you.

  5. Ii agree with Jim that your new med cocktail has indeed brightened your outlook on life. You’ve been a joyful participant in my current health issues (going home today!). Your daily texts and cheer lifted me up.

    Re smartphones? It’s a love/hate relationship for everyone, I think. I use mine for lots of things and couldn’t have done without it during this health crisis. But Siri is a B&@ch!
    I hate when she comments out of the blue—very intrusive. I’m not going to be left behind, either, though. See you soon!

    1. Hi Judy, wonderful hearing from you. I hope you are feeling much better.

      I agree with your love/hate relationships regarding smartphones. Actually, this WordPress platform which allows me to write for free is unsteady and not reliable. Oh well, it eventually comes to.

      Thank you for reading and leaving a comment. TTYL. Love always.

  6. As always, I love your blogs! Great news in hearing your new meds have helped you to feeling alive again. Your strength and determination are so admirable. I’m getting at the point where I probably will give up my landline, which I don’t want to. Having a cell phone attached to my hip all day isn’t my cup of tea, but realize I don’t need both, and saving the money will help in retirement (not fully yet, but not far off). The cell phone can drive me bonkers too. If my son didn’t help at times, I’d be lost on how to do certain things. I hate feeling like a prisoner of my cell! I use a stylus pen when typing. Having arthritic fingers and fat finger tips causes me typos constantly, so stylus helps alot. Love your happy pic with the kids. Bet you enjoy that. You are truly artistic, a talent I wish I had! Stay well and know you’re happy to see spring arrive. I’m still waiting. Snowed here today. I hate Illinois weather! Luv ya

    1. Morning, Judy! You and Walt have been on my mind. Sending healing thoughts.

      We dropped our landline awhile back. Works out fine. Having a smartphone makes me feel like I am “on call” and that’s another thing that I’m not thrilled with. Glad to know I can use a stylus. I have tried my Apple Pencil to no avail. The price we pay for convenience.

      I have but small artistic talent. After watching my mother-in-law with her watercolors and colored pencil drawings, I have a long way to go. It’s a nice exercise for the mind and keeps me off the street!

      Sorry to hear about arthritis. It’s scattered throughout my body as well. It is one of the reasons I tough out my exercise regimen. It’s always something!

      Yes, I enjoyed the birthday party. Four-year-olds are such an adorable age. I was just helping out Ms. Pink.

      Thank you for reading and always appreciate your comments.

      Love.

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