New Fones Are Stupid

Ask Ky to turn it upside down, and then you can get a correct reading for the Northern Hemisphere.

Don't need any gadget like that but I could test the thingo. It would have to penetrate a huge iron ball to get any readings though . I always know were I am anyway. If I'm on the big Island (west of here) and have the ocean on the left I know I am going south if on the right I am going north. OP in CA.

All other directions would lead me into the pacific or the desert but I don't want to go there ever again. If we ever meet one day and I ask you if you would like to go sailing just say no and your chances of survival would be 100%.

Did it once and me Mates, they called it '_kyling' afterward. I can be very confused about were I am heading if I am in foreign territory but have always gotten were I wanted to go, in the end.

I have not used my mobile very much at all. Too confusing. The amount of functions are completely unasked for. That's how I eagle eye my mobile , now imagine what would happen if I had a do it all for me (DIAFM) appliance.

It's an illusion for me and does not save time or give me orientation. I have not traveled much in the last years so having one could be a real advantage for professionals on the run.

Send me one of those whatsthenames and I shall hold it anyway you like, with all functions in operation (were is the on button?) so that the illusion of what you think were I am gives you an idea of were you could be.

Have one on me, Ky.

Put it on the base of an inverted wineglass and see the suspended image...maybe you will have the correct orientation. If not, sit on the wineglass as i did.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/67281#newcomments

It is unwise to confuse, "sit on it" with, "set it on" when objects are as large as a wine glass.

Lucky the needle didn't fall off otherwise you'd have been doing hunnydo's all day!

My phone was due for replacement as my contract was up for renewal.

Conversation with Orange:

Orange rep. You can have the basic model with camera, I-net, TXT……

Me Can I make calls on it?

O R Then there is model XXXX with Blah de Blah ………..

Me Can I make calls on it?

O R Then there is model YYYY with Blah de Blah de Blah ………..

Me Can I make calls on it?

This went on for about 10 mins until I blew my stack, I just want a bl**dy phone!

With all the other stuff it's a wonder why these things are still called telephones. After all, why not call them a mobile spirit level/drone remote control/e-mail interface/planetary observations mapping device, etc., etc.

Wanna make phone calls too?

There's an app for that.....

My brother in laws wife got a new phone too. She showed me how she could text on it, and even go on the internet.

I tried it out and had to tell her that if I had a phone like this, I would have to smash it against the wall................maybe I'm just getting old.

I'll admit that they can do a lot. 5 years ago, who'da thought. For my wife, it makes sense. She's an important person. (executive type)

Me, I don't even take pictures with my 3 year old phone. Even if I did, I wouldn't know what to do with them. My phone bill is $30.00/month, hers is $100.00.

My problem is that I can't see anything on the screen and I'm still in denial about needing reading glasses everywhere I go.

I just have a basic cell phone. 7 bucks a month and .10 cents a minute.......I use it about 5 times a year.

As far as texting goes, that's something that I will never attempt, or understand the reasoning behind.

As far as texting goes, that's something that I will never attempt, or understand the reasoning behind.

The reasoning is this: a text message is about 100 bytes of data, and goes through the network in milliseconds. Voice is a gazillion bytes of data per minute. The phone company, therefore, bills you at an unbelievably, incredibly, fantastically high premium for sending the text message. This gives them an outrageously high profit.

Thanks K I knew there must have been a good reason for texting instead of talking.

I was thinking it was primarily so teenagers could communicate in class without the teacher knowing.

If they think texting is cool, they should try passing notes.........it's free.

You don't need reading glasses

just longer arms

I already used up my arms for reading. I don't think they're getting any longer.

On a happier note, some people think I look smart with my reading glasses on.

So I've got that going for me. Yippie

Hey North Carolina!

My wife and I use text MOSTLY. A lot of our friends use text for a simple reason.

Deaf.

Glad to hear you don't need it.

We are in Aiken, South Carolina!!

John

I hadn't thought of that. In that respect it's totally cool.

I'll be screwed if I lose my hearing because I still won't be able to see the keys or the screen for texting.

Oh well, most people don't really care what I have to say anyway.

Join the club.

- there's an app for that....

This was my post on another thread on smartphones....

http://cr4.globalspec.com/comment/710962/Re-Smart-Phone-Specialist

To be honest, i am something of a gadget freak, even if i know they are not worth the price, they are no use to me, they are adding only incremental value ... ad nauseum.

However, a top-of-the-line phone (not necessarily the most expensive) will give you :

1. A phone

2. A camera (say 5 Megapixel) with short movie capability

3. A music system especially if you can plug in a good pair of noise-cancelling hifi headphones

4. A GPS system

5. A device to read and answer the more important emails which can't wait for you to get to your computer

You do realise, don't you, that all my life, i have been carrying different devices to do 2-5 ?

Not a bad thing. i don't have one, but when prices drop, may consider one....

This should have been my original question.

We're inside the house. No way for GPS signals to penetrate the roof. Yet, the phone still knows were it is and which way it is pointed.

How?

"No way for GPS signals to penetrate the roof." Really? Had not heard that before.

As I understand, most phones do not use GPS for the compass indication, instead using magnetic field sensors.

My understanding is that the signal is so weak that you need unrestricted space above you. When I go back to Mill Creek, sometimes I loose the signal when driving under trees. That was with my old GPS, but I don't think it matters. Maybe the recievers are more sensitive now. Guess I'll have to find out.

Thanks for the info on phones and sensors. That makes sense to me now.

So much for "smart phones", eh?

I've got a cell phone that won't even ring half the time (very primitive - not even a camera)! I've had my "plan" for 6+ years. I am considering an IPhone, since I am already with Verizon.

Maybe it will enhance my life, or maybe it will distract me from what needs done.

Hmmm....

BTW, it's not spelled fone, but phone. Lyn, don't start doing the texting thing. That would be a travesty.

"don't start doing the texting thing"

LOL! Good catch.

Don't worry. It was just for effect.

Down our way I believe they use triangulation off various cell towers, not actually the GPS system. However having said that my iphone tells me I am living in the bush (forrest for those up north) about a half mile straight out from my front door.

Triangulation is a less accurate method of position determination that can be used by some apps instead of the GPS circuit because the GPS drains the battery quickly and not knowing your position within 3 feet is ok.

Lyn,

Inside the phone, there's a little tiny homing pigeon. When you turned it upside down, he got dizzy and punched the wrong key on his keyboard.

Logan

So, if I turn the phone over slowly, will it work OK?

Maybe I should "peck" on the display first to warn it?

Ha! Yeah, try that!

Now the other point of view, after a long argument chat with my son who uses an Android phone, the very latest. All the aforementioned bells and whistles.

He still carries with him when he travels (once a week) the following :

1. Kindle - why ? much easier on the eyes than the phone

2. iPad - why ? much better screen for movies

3. iPod - why ? much better audio especially with the Bose noise-cancelling phones

4. Dell Laptop - why when iPad is there? Oh, that can't handle all my software, that's just for emails.

5. GPS - why ? Come on, the rental car may not have one, and i can't stop now and then to look at my phone, i need that voice to tell me where to turn....

Well, c'est la vie

Do you have a wife? ...

lyn, is that true do you have a wife, really?

There's an app for that.

My ex boss came into our workshop to show off his new phone / GPS. It showed our shop 2' below ground and moving a 2 MPH.

Can't say I was impressed

There's an app for that.....

Is there an app for turning an old phone into an archery target?
Maybe not yet, but trustme KrisDel^TM labs are working on it
Del

If it's like mine, the device has a three dimensional magnetic field sensor to detect direction and a three dimensional position sensor to detect the direction of "down". The software apparently orients the compass as if you were holding it horizontally. As you moved it over your head, you apparently passed the vertical, and it was as if you had been facing in the opposite direction, causing the compass to reverse. Mine does this with "GPS Status" app.

I have a Smartphone... Wanted a regular one, but this was a gift. It did take some getting used to, but now I love it. I can manage all my Email accounts (work included) easily with a single push of a button. I can get satellite imagery of nice trails, parks, bike paths etc to go adventuring in that otherwise would never have been found. I can do quick internet searches on the move if I need some quick information. I have a very nice scientific calculator, and conversion tool in my pocket at all times. I can translate any spoken or written language with a push of a button, which really helps at times. I use the phones 16GB flash storage to transfer/hold/backup my important files. I can view, and manipulate PDFs, word/excel documents etc. Sometimes I'll use the GPS to find the nearest gas station or coffee shop, and best of all I can play online poker when I'm stuck on a plane, or in a very boring meeting. ;) and bestist best of everything, I can come check on all you guys on CR4 any time I want from any location I'm at. :)