Okay, why bring up smartphones on an arranger forum? Well, I see a lot of parallels.

My son upgraded his Galaxy Note 5 to a Galaxy Note 8 and liked it so much that he decided to gift ME with one....big mistake. I was quite happy with my ZTE something or other and after two years had finally learned how use about 25% of it's features and capabilities. Now I'm an engineer by training with a background in computers and all kinds of very sophisticated avionics (aviation electronics) and I'm not (too) dumb, I don't think, just OLD. There will be those here that disagree with me but, trust me, the older you get, the harder it is to learn new things (especially concepts). Well, I've had this thing about two weeks now, studied the manual over and over again, and watched dozens of YouTube 'how to' videos. So far I'm able to make and receive calls successfully (60% of the time). During the upcoming month, I will be learning how to text on this thing.

The point is, so many of the things we buy (or lust after) are complete and total overkill. The 'must have' features that seem so good on paper turn out to be so complex that only a small percentage of us ever use them (or even LEARN how to use them). This applies to Arranger buyers even more than phone buyers. So is an $800.00 phone going to make your communications skills any better (than a $39 flip-phone)? Your conversations more interesting? Correct your spelling (text) or improve your grammar (speech/text)? Probably to the same degree that a new arranger is going to improve your playing skills.

Now I'm not knocking getting a sparkling new arranger; heck, I smile a little when some tech geek smiles and makes a favorable comment about my new Note 8. There's always that 'pride of ownership', but in terms or real-world practicality, GETOUTTAHERE. Now let's see, how do I get a dial-tone out of this thing?



chas

The old K.I.S.S formula is as true as ever today.
Eddie

Chas, I'm in the same boat. I have been going absolutely nuts trying to find a smart watch for my wife for Christmas. I have already purchased and quickly returned 2 of them, the product descriptions are vague to say the least, and the one I am currently sending back the watch band is totally non functional and the clasp does not work at all. Other than that Mrs Lincoln, how did you like the play?

Tomorrow, after seeing doctors that will examine both ends, I intend to stop at Best Buy, Walmart, and T-Mobil to see what they have to offer and hopefully find a sales person that ACTUALLY knows what the Hell they are talking about.

Merry Christmas, old man,

Gary

Aha, a Smartwatch. One more thing that's smarter than we are. Why on earth do we need a Smartwatch (says the guy who's wearing one....and has three more in my desk drawer ). At the moment I'm wearing a Chinese knockoff of the Fitbit wristband. For some reason I'm drawn to them like a moth to a flame. My pre-smartwatch Citizen Eco-drive which hasn't lost a second in the last three years and never needs winding, shaking, or charging, sits on my nightstand untouched, waiting for a chance to regain it's rightful place on my wrist. Between the Smart?watches and Smartphones, it's a real challenge to keep them all charged and ready for use. I will say one thing, though; they HAVE made us smarter.....just by learning how to use the damn things.

Gary, do your wife a favor; buy her a puppy instead....but not a SMART one .

chas

Actually, the reason I am buying it for her is because of health issues. She can barely walk, even using a 4-legged walker. She is in horrendous physical shape, overweight and if she were to fall, the smart watch could be used to call 911 as a standalone cell phone attached to her wrist. While she has a flip phone in her purse, she never turns the damned thing on, and most of the time, she leaves it in her car when she goes shopping. Why she goes shopping is another story. At our age, we don't need ANYTHING, well, other than the winning Power-Ball Lotto ticket. Kinda like one of those emergency pendants old folks wear that connects to an emergency center, but the smart watch offers much, much more. They have built-in heart rate monitors, GPS (In case she gets lost - which is never according to her), WI-FI connection, and other neat, health associated features.

If I am out on the boat, and she falls on our sidewalk, which is 300 feet from the road where no one can see her, she would lay there until I get home, which may not be for 3 or 4 days - that worries the Hell out of me. And, the way it looks, she can use her current cellular pre-pay plan with T-mobil, which is dirt cheap at 10 cents a minute, instead of $30 a month for the pendant which may or may not be able to reach the emergency center from where we live in the sticks.

The big problem has been finding a quality, smart watch, unlocked and with WIFI. Nearly all of them require that you have your smart phone with bluetooth with you in order to connect, which doesn't make sense. Only a few are stand alone cellular smart watches with WIFI, plus optional bluetooth if you wish to go that way.

Gary

Don’t use but a fraction of what my arrangers will do. Just want to play songs, not struggle with manuals, fancy features, and tech stuff. Got a smart phone, but carry it only for emergencies. Most of the time the battery is depleted. Don’t use any of the communication/technology stuff on my car. It’s a distraction. Only want heat, air, radio, and the CD player. Never use cruise control. Who needs to get on the web while driving-----on the dash screen? Saw that feature the other day. I feel just fine with the status quo.

What scares me about smart (ass) phones is that when I am typing something it finishes the NEXT word before I even get to it !!! ... Another thing - my wife and I went out for dinner the other night and before we even sat down there was a message on my phone saying "rate this restaurant' !!!

To get the most benefit from smart phones, as well as other computers, you have to take charge of them. You can stop the unwanted ads, suggestions, notifications and even the word suggestions. Unfortunately you will have to read the pdf manual or better, go to the website of the phone maker and read how to operate it. My 9 year old grandson can do all this, so .... I believe any of us can if we decide to.
They also have off buttons when you don't want to have them on.
My phone has more than earned its keep over the years, by affording quick help in several minor and a couple of major emergencies. And in a few seconds I can find any information on any subject in the history of mankind. And it is often correct.
It keeps me from having to pay for a GPS in the car, and a golf rangefinder, a compass and GPS when I'm fishing... I always have weather radar on hand and it has at least on one occasion kept me from getting stuck across a large lake when an unexpected storm developed.
It also has an excellent flashlight app, that is really useful. Free. It will find the nearest gas station, with the lowest price, or the nearest restaurant, or about anything else.
I used to buy or rent audio books on CD (tape before that). Now I use my library card to access just about any audio book ever recorded, instantly download to my phone and listen at my leisure, all free. I use it for email, internet, and as a hub for my laptop and/or tablet to connect to the internet, saving a monthly fee for that.
It also serves as a high-resolution camera, video recorder, music/midi player if needed.
I can have a real-time face-to-face conversation with my grandsons in Oklahoma, instantly see the fish my fishing buddies are catching on another lake or in another state, or have Pizza waiting for me to pick up on my way home from a hard day on the golf course or in the boat! That saves a delivery fee and tip btw!
I have USB chargers in my office, bedroom, vehicles, boat and in my music setup. In addition I have three spare batteries always charged, just in case I'm away from electricity for a few days!
Oh, and in an emergency I can use it for a phone as well.

I'm on the same page with Don I enjoy my smartphone and use many of its features. Facetime is a handy feature, Ed Shoemaker and I have in the past held a Facetime session, by the way, Ed is a bit of an Apple Geek himself.

I started with an iPhone in 2009 but wanted to make a change 2011 I tried the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, nice large phone it was, but I didn't care for the Android operating system it could be a real pain in the butt to work with, when Apple released the large iPhone 6 plus I moved back to Apple. In my opinion, the iPhone is simpler to use and doesn't require the tweaking an Android phone needs.........but from what I've seen most don't use a fraction of what their smartphones can do.

what we have now in smart phones & keyboards will all be ancient technology in a few short years.....
that said I'm on the Android team for now. as said before learn how to use it these devices & keyboards wont make you a better player or user..That said Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah & Happy New Year to all.

I'm firmly in the Android camp. My wife has I phone and I like mine a lot better. I have replaceable battery, memory card, etc. I don't like being tied to Apple apps and OS. She loves hers though.

I’ll admit it I’m a hopeless Apple fan boy. Got way more Apple equipment than i care to admit.

Apple is God's way of telling you you've got too much money .

chas

The story is wrong. There were actually FOUR wise men, not three. The FOURTH being J. Larry

I mean, how much info can the human brain hold? I'm still using XP Pro, about 15 years now, and still sometimes I can't even remember how to do a command I've been using for the longest time, I have a "reminder" program on my desktop computer that I need to remind me just to turn my cellphone on, a box of technology items in the next room and a stack of manuals on my desk that go with them waiting to be read, every time I attempt to learn my PA3x operating system, something comes up and I forget what I learned and have to start over again, bought a Windows 10 laptop and can't remember the password to get into it half the time. I had to set up a database to keep track of serial #'s of things I do buy, need to carry a GPS wherever I go so I remember how to get home, etc

I don't know how you all do it and still find time to write about it on the Synthzone?

Well I guess I'm somewhat in the J.Larry/Mark7900 camp. It's not that I'm anti-technology, it's that the whole world, especially the marketing world, assumes that EVERYONE is a sophisticated young millenial that grew up with cellphones and can't go from the kitchen to the bathroom without one in grabbing distance. They also assume that we need to know every single event that happens in the world (as it's happening) and be aware of every sales event in the universe (remember the good old days when most sales were just cheap furniture stores holding 'final going out of business' sales on Friday but then miraculously were back in business on Monday? Mark is right. When you need reminders to help you remember what to remember, you're probably overloading the old noodle.

I don't think the problem is that we're dumb; I think the problem is that as we get older, fewer (especially petty) things are important to us and so we tend to discard them to make more room for the REALLY important things in our ever-diminishing storage capacity (aka brain). As someone pointed out, our grandkids can absorb and master every function on a new phone in 30 minutes, and let's not even talk about today's video games (Playstation/Xbox,etc.). While they're excitedly showing me their latest video game, I smile and try not to give away the fact that I have no idea what the heck is going on . OK, maybe I AM dumb .

Oh well, time to wake up my phone and check my appointments; oh wait, I don't have any. Why is this thing vibrating? Oh, it's Amazon notifying me of something I browsed a week ago that might be worth another look. REALLY! I think I'm going to get a flip phone for actual use, you know, in case I need to like, make a phone call. I'll keep the Galaxy Note 8 (turned off) for show though, 'cause appearances are important.

chas

Chas...
Very good. This and so many of your posts are reminiscent of Dave Barry articles. Love 'em.
Eddie

Go to Settings, Notifications, and turn them off! If you can't follow that, have one of your grandkids do it for you!

Eddie, I LOVE Dave Barry. In fact, I've met him a couple of times back in the late 80's/early 90's. He's from my neck of the woods, West Chester, PA. He's a really funny observer of the human condition. BTW, thanks for recognizing when I'm serious and when I'm just exaggerating for the sake of humor.

chas

I'm also a fan of Dave Barry's, and of ol' Chas as well. But don't tell him.

Typical Dave Barry quote..."I'm not flying anymore until they start making airplanes out of the same thing they make the Black Boxes out of."

chas

My son just returned from a PC gamers convention in Sweden, the largest in the world. From what he tells me, we, and I mean nearly everyone on this forum, are living in the dark ages, even with our smart phones, I-pads, etc... Some of the stuff he works with is light years ahead of what we could ever imagine. And, his PC game was just published a few weeks ago. If things go as expected, in the next few months he will never have to work another day in his entire life. The amount of money to be made on these sophisticated computer games is beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

If you would like to take a trip to insanity, you can download the game from http://red.planetarena.org/

Gary

Not a 'game guy' ...
But I'm a Droid user ... I have no need to get caught in the Apple web ...