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Missing something we no longer have

Homebird

I have recently had to get a new phone. I was looking at a post and it changed the colour of the background then asked me about changing colours. It keeps telling me about new things and do I want to install an app.  I keep having to ask how to get out of loops.

Also I can no longer just turn it off, but have to swipe quickly up the screen twice (to avoid doing anything in the process like turning on the torch), to find a small square to start off the powering off. Apparently they are all like that now.

Then I can't swipe to the next page but have to use an arrow and to get rid of a page I have to minimize it first.  Rant over.

  • I’m still using an old iPhone 8, it has a home button, I really do need to get a newer phone but they are swipe only. My wife has a work iPhone 15, it’s swipe and facial recognition, it’s got too many functions and you need both hands to use it, I can hold my old phone and use my thumb to go to the home page or open apps, all done with one hand. Some of my apps have started to not update so I suppose it’s only a matter of time.

  • I have managed to turn off the annoying sound ever time I do anything on the phone. It is under 'haptics'. That's one result.

  • in reply to Marianne72

    Works in a power cut though and no batteries needed. We had torches like that. It was ok if you didn't mind occupying your hands regularly. 

  • in reply to Martin

    It's a pity there aren't ones for those of us who just want something that works and has less chance of going wrong. One of our washing machines needed an update on the computer technology for it to work.

  • in reply to Martin
    Martin said:
    Looking flash and modern can result in the introduction of much lower usability and efficiency.

    Indeed. Every appliance I buy needs an instruction book the size of a brick. I buy low tech whenever I can. Bought myself a hand crank radio Headphones [only problem is the exhaustion in winding Weary).

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    If you find you can use your laptop for any online things you need, it may be easier not to have a smart phone. I use my phone quite a lot because my laptop loses power quickly, but it is easy to make it do something I didn't want by hovering near. I have just had to correct words it replaced too.

    One of the things that are sent sometimes are texts where you can complete forms, but they may be able do that via email instead.

    They are quite expensive now too.

  • in reply to Marianne72

    Just a small rant, OK? I'm still using my old flip top stupid phone, I know I will have to get a smart one eventually, but I keep putting it off as I simply don't understand them or how to use them, I resent the idea that I will have to get one for the sake of other peoples convenience and fork out all that money for something that I will barely use. 

    Having just joined the AA, I'm going to have to contact them and find out if I can actually use thier service without a smart phone!

  • Working in a lab we used centrifuges a lot. The old ones took about two seconds to set, turn a knob to select the speed, turn another knob to select the time then press go! Then touch-screen digital controls arrived - up and down arrows to press for both speed and time meant overshooting and undershooting the setting you wanted all the time. The result, something that took a couple of seconds then took  a frustratingly long time to achieve. Not an improvement, just the opposite! Looking flash and modern can result in the introduction of much lower usability and efficiency.

  • in reply to Marianne72

    Exactly, my best washing machine just had a dial and a few buttons and worked well for years. 

  • Why do the technies have to constantly update these things, when most of us are perfectly happy to have the same thing for decades. Dont get @TheCatWoman started on this subject!