Going obsolete – or maybe going backwards.
I miss telephones on which you could be sure you had a connection that wouldn’t drop randomly and on which you could actually hear what someone said to you and know they could hear you, too. “Can you hear me? Hello? Are you still there?” It’s like 1915 all over again, only without wires or accountability.
We have all this fancy equipment … but you can’t be sure that a simple phone call will go through. What’s wrong with this picture?
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Categories: Media, Technology
MADNESS I TELL YOU, IT’S MADNESS 
IS WORDPRESS THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN? 
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
I’ve had modern TVs that required 3 large devices (full of buttons) to operate.
When a formerly simple device becomes so complicated that I can’t use it … that’s going in the wrong direction. No?
Some modern phones are similar.
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I’m lucky that I rarely get dropped mobile calls. We have two conflicting things in Cornwall – often poor reception, but against that fewer people making calls so the network isn’t as busy as it might be in a city. Not that I’m much of a one for making phone calls, mind, so I don’t really have sensible statistics!
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We live in the boonies … but it’s a valley too, so signals get weird. Regardless, audio quality is poor. Sigh.
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What?
Sent from my iPhone
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I said CAN YOU HEAR ME!!
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My cellphone makes a fine paperweight…. and that’s about it.
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I actually had mine turned off for six months (the longest AT&T allows). So it really IS a paperweight. I never used it anyhow and I hate paying for it. What a stupid waste!
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I feel ya on this one. My phone is always dropping calls and no one can ever hear me. It’s not even a “smart phone” but pretty much the only thing it is reliable for is text and setting alarms for when the chicken is done. 😀
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Yes, our finest and fanciest “phones” seem to be great for all kinds of things … but not making phone calls.
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I would think a nice big i-phone would make a lovely coaster. Just sayin’! Multiple uses! 😀
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I think those are called iPods. A whole set would be a bit pricey, but would definitely make a powerful fashion statement.
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I remember having a party line when we were young! You had to listen to the ring pattern for your “letter”. Back then, you used to get told the news over the phone. Now the news gets pushed to you over the phone. Beam me up! 🙂
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I missed party lines, but hey, we have the entire government listening to our calls. News? I think we ARE the news 🙂
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We still have a land line. Wish we had our old TV antennae.
Leslie
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Even our land line is VOIC because Verizon wants $90/month, but I get my phone for $4.99. It means when the power or the cable is out, so is the phone. I don’t think that is really progress. You can still get TV antennae, you know. They use them a lot out in farm country where there are few obstructions to reception.
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We have some small antennae inside. But the big old ones that used to pepper the homes are a little more difficult for us to put up now. There isn’t much n TV anyway.
Leslie
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So true so true.
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And so pathetic 😉
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On the other hand, at least it IS like 1967 again….with our flip-open communicators just like the first generation of Star Trek. What’s that? They just got even smaller? Flip open is out…again?
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To flip or not to flip, that IS the question? Nah. Actually to get a signal and have decent audio quality. THAT’S the question!!
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Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the static and errors of outrageous reception, or visit the undiscovered country of switching carriers, and in doing so, end our current plans…
But then again, perhaps we ALL doth protest too much…
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What? You still use a phone to make phone calls? To talk into and to hold up to your ear and listen to? OMG! That’s so 20th century. Really, get with the program. Phones are for texting, for surfing the web, for taking digital pictures, for posting them on Instragram and Tumblr, for telling everyone where you are and what you’re doing 24×7 on Facebook and Twitter.
Talking on a phone? Pfft.
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We really ARE old school. We still TALK to our friends … and sometimes, we visit. In person!! Imagine that! Garry still sends GREETING CARDS by MAIL!
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