A laugh for all of you who HATE the new electronics technology (moving, movies)

[TheShadow]

I don't have trouble with technology, in fact I'm good at most of it. My issue is when an "upgrade" actually makes things harder. I just updated my phone (newish Galaxy S20) yesterday, and now instead of just holding the power button to turn off, I now have to hold the button and then tap on a new icon that pops up on the screen, which takes me to 3 choices, and I have to tap a choice to power off, and then it asks me if I'm sure, and I have to tap yes. How in the heck is that an improvement?

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by katharsis

Reading so many of these responses make me so glad that I don't have a Smartphone. I have an "old-fashioned" flip phone, and even that one irritates me -- they keep "improving" it and I hate having to go through more than one step just to make a call!

As I go out in my car not more than four times a week for not more than four hours at a time, the cellphone stays in my car. Anyone who knows me knows that if they want to reach me sooner rather than later, they need to phone or e-mail me. If they don't like it, TOUGH.

That’s what I did with my previous two cell phones. They stayed in the truck and I only used them on the road. But for this house, “DH” nixed the land line. He adores his iPhone and has either that or the iPad out for nearly all our meals. Then when he doesn’t, he seems lost.

My current phone is also a flip phone, chosen for its less-slippery feel and its relative ruggedness. All the cell phones are so *delicate* compared with the old land phones. And I do not take it everywhere with me, nor will I ever do so.

I just spent several days recently completely unplugged from cell phone, Internet, and mail. It was great. This does not mean I “hate” new tech. I hate the growing trend toward people thinking everybody else wants to be at the beck and call of whoever and whatever pings them. Eff that.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

I love my smartphone, always have. Google maps is way better than a Garmin for travel. I like the convenience of having internet access, email and text message access and of course use of the phone especially if there is an emergency.

I use a bunch of apps as well. I even have apps for train/subway passes and schedules, for touring the Met and other museums. If we travel separately even locally, my wife and I can locate and track each other with an app. On rare occasions I even play music. I do all my banking and financial transactions online, often with the phone. I use Google search frequently. I have done Zoom sessions on the phone, including virtual doctor visits, when it was more convenient than staying home for the appointment. I use the Calendar app for schedules and it seems like I am always using the Calculator for something. I don't use the Camera much, but I do have jpeg files of my recent art work that I can use for discussion with fellow artists. My cellphone files also contain lots of gear specs related to my archery interests. I get notifications for appointments and often use the alarm clock to keep me on schedule.

The cellphone has changed my life for the better.

None of this is difficult. Individual each app is easy to access and easy to use if desired.

Again, what bothers me about this supposed "humor" is the stereotypical portrayal of older people as incompetent. If they want to make a joke about the complexity of 20 year old technology perhaps they should use a 20 year old actor. Would that be funny?

Sometimes physical limitations cause issues with technology. My husband had rheumatoid arthritis which made using a smart phone impossible. Trying to use that kind of a keyboard was beyond him because he “fat fingered“ everything. So he stuck with his flip phone. And that’s the issue — not everybody can use things. So there should be more than one flip phone for people to pick at the phone store.

Now, me? I took to my iPhone like a duck to water. I rarely open up my laptop anymore. I don’t need it except for genealogy. I do everything on my cell phone.

But I have also met people who will not have a computer or a cell phone. And people who are stepping away from technology. I don’t know if it’s an age thing or what. But they don’t like technology anymore, they don’t wanna deal with it anymore and they’ve had enough.

[TheShadow]

Originally Posted by slduvall

On a recent vacation where you had to scan menu QR codes it was hilarious, watching him take a picture or attempt to take one and not succeed and it only takes one eye roll from me to the wait staff for them to bring a menu. His eyesight is perfect, much better than mine, but watching him stab at the phone is painful. He can shut off a cellphone and laptop accidentally like a pro.

Some people just don't do technology...and they know it and own it.

I like technology, but this "advance" is just unnecessary and actually makes it very hard to read a menu when you have to scan the code, and then keep scrolling, or flipping back and forth between pages of menu categories, and then you forgot what you liked on that other page and need to go back, etc. Just give me a darn menu! I can scan an entire menu in seconds and quickly pick my meal versus flipping back and forth and "oops" I kicked myself out and have to get back into the app, and then scroll again, etc, etc. It doesn't make it faster or easier for the customer, maybe for the business it's easier, but they are there TO SERVE THE CUSTOMERS' NEEDS, not to make it cheaper, or easier for the company mgmt.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

I think the hardest part is having to learn new ways of doing things all the time. Much easier to go with what you already know.

We've gone from VHS, to DVDS, to streaming, then cut the cable and switched to streaming YouTube TV, and Netflix. Needed an Apple Fire Stick and a son to get it all set up for us. Figuring out how to watch as well as save programs to watch later was a challenge.

We both switched to MacBook as we tired of all the virus problems with PCs. MacBooks seem to be working out better.

We have two types of phones now. One is easy to use. It is connected to the internet and as long as it's working we have a phone. However, we rarely answer it as it is always about our last chance to update our car warranty before they close the file, lower interest rate credit cards, hotel deals, contributing to some police charity, ... Our iPhone had a bit of a learning curve, but we can text with our children and that's their preferred mode of communication.

But each switch has involved a learning curve and I wonder at what point we will just be unable to catch on.

I love your user name. It gives me a chuckle every time I see it. I lost my debit card to fraud, had to learn to use a digital version of one until it comes. Glad I went to the bank today to learn. Google wallet kept popping up, realized that I had to enter the digital card into the google wallet.

Originally Posted by GearHeadDave

As an engineer over my career I went from using punch cards and paper tape readers with PDP 11/34s, to Cray computers, VAX servers, and SGI and Sun Unix workstations. Crazily enough, in recent years had a workstation sitting on my desk that exceeded the computing capacity of a Cray "supercomputer" from the 1980's!

The problem with the electronic toys we carry around today is not just the complexity of use. It is the constant dumbing down of the interface, and the ever reducing capability to access the information that is useful to us. Smart phones are not designed to benefit the user, they are designed to harvest information about you and send it to entities that want to sell you something, or to manipulate you in other ways.

Also, software these days is written cheaply - it costs money to design an interface that is logical and easy to use. Apple used to do a good job at this, but in recent years they have dropped the ball. It's a lot easier (and less costly) to dump some poorly planned, hard to use application out into the market and let the users scramble to sort out how to use it and to do the beta testing for them. After all their competitors are doing the same thing so the bar is very low.

I can't rep you since I recently did in another thread.

You're not kidding that technology had dumbed down everything. We used to open one browser to do everything, email, go to web sites. Now everyone wants you to download and install their app.

Bank of America drives me crazy because it doesn't want me to log into the cell browser where my password is stored, I have to open their app now to do certain things.

Originally Posted by jrkliny

This is another of those stereotypes that I absolutely detest and find degrading for older people. I am amazed at the comics which show older people as a bunch of idiots who need the grandkids to help them with technology. Sorry, I have grandkids. They know some computer basics but at ages 10 and 12 are not about the level needed to teach much to an adults even about modern tech.

I haven't watched it yet, I don't do videos. I had a feeling it was something degrading. No offense to the OP but I don't just click videos without knowing what it is with a summary of it. I don't have a headset on my computer so have to open my cell phone to search for it to hear it. I saw it was a parody of another brick in the wall, I can't stand pink floyd. I will read a few comments to see if it is worth my time to search for on my cell.

[Nov3]

The simplicity of the videos message. Loved it! Particularly liked the antic of glasses on, then she takes them off. That is SO typical of how I manuever thru apps.

It's a simple message with a bit of 'relatabilty'.

Creative

[matisse12]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

We used to open one browser to do everything, email, go to web sites. Now everyone wants you to download and install their app.

Bank of America drives me crazy because it doesn't want me to log into the cell browser where my password is stored, I have to open their app now to do certain things.

Have you tried using bankofamerica.com website on a computer?

Bank of America's website is organized really well and easy to use.

I access the Bank of America website using my laptop computer at bankofamerica.com - to check my balances, for example, or to see if a check I sent out for housing has been cashed.

But if I want to deposit a check, I use the Bank of America app on my iPad, and it makes depositing a check really easy, and saves a trip away from home to deposit a check. (you take a photo of front and back of the check to deposit this way and follow easy steps to do a deposit)

[slduvall]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

I like technology, but this "advance" is just unnecessary and actually makes it very hard to read a menu when you have to scan the code, and then keep scrolling, or flipping back and forth between pages of menu categories, and then you forgot what you liked on that other page and need to go back, etc. Just give me a darn menu! I can scan an entire menu in seconds and quickly pick my meal versus flipping back and forth and "oops" I kicked myself out and have to get back into the app, and then scroll again, etc, etc. It doesn't make it faster or easier for the customer, maybe for the business it's easier, but they are there TO SERVE THE CUSTOMERS' NEEDS, not to make it cheaper, or easier for the company mgmt.

Oh I couldn't agree more. In this case it was due to covid restrictions and they wanedt to reduce the number of paper menus they printed and threw away. Because that is exactly what they did after it was touched by a customer. I could understand.

[Yippeekayay]

C'mon guys. As hard as tech could be, the gubment wants you to be tracked in Google FBI, Facebook CIA and Smart phones NSA.

PS, You agent reading this post, get lost!!

[Mathguy]

If a new computer doesn't have that automatic coffee tray that pops out like my old one....I don't want it!