Rethinking Phones, Part II: Cell Phones
I am not currently a normal cell phone user.
Cell phones are not REVOs.
I'm still sore about cell phones not being as good as my old REVO. That's a hand-held device from the Palm Pilot days which I originally got because it had a small keyboard. Reviews said it was too tiny to use like a typewriter, but I have tiny fingers, so I tried it.
I also couldn't type as fast as on a regular keyboard but it was because the keys were too sticky. Still, I didn't have to learn a fancy script. And I came to love that thing, mostly because of databases. I made databases for everything. I had lists of prices everywhere. I had lists of sizes of things (like air filters). I can't even remember all the stuff I had anymore, but I sure did love that thing. Except for the part about how it's made out of electronics and therefore cannot last forever, even when I don't accidentally get it wet by walking home in a flash flood event during which bus service has been stopped.
Modern cell phones have gone in a different direction, which I finally figured out a couple of years ago. My REVO was all about my data. Smart phones are all about other people's data. They do all the work, so you don't have to, but it's their data and you can only manipulate it in ways they have thought up. Which is not much. As a result, smart phones aren't great at even things like cutting a pasting. Di is the only person I know who has this same complaint.
Currently, I use my laptop for everything and carry around pieces of paper and still mourn the loss of my REVO.
I have a smart non-phone.
I do have an I-Pod Touch, which is just like a smart phone except there's no phone. It turns out that I have rarely used it. I don't know why not. I've used it a lot to play "Plants versus Zombies." I've used the timer to time my jogs. I have taken some notes on it at parties for things to look into later. Pretty minimal.
I have a cell phone.
The first smart phones came with really expensive monthly plans, so I resisted. Finally I broke down and got a TracFone, a pre-paid plan that cost me about $8.50 a month. However, I rarely gave out my cell phone number and warned people that my phone was never on. I used it for long distance calls with my parents and for when Robin and I split up at festivals or stores. Then I lost it. It's been lost for several months now.
Even when it wasn't lost, it wasn't very user friendly. The volume was too low and took me years to find any information on how to increase the volume but it didn't work for me. Also, it was hard to deal with my messages, so I ended up just never checking them.
I still never want to turn into a person who keeps checking my phone when I have friends right with me. But I'm now ready to make the switch to something new.
I'm likely going with Republic Wireless.
Many of my favorite personal finance bloggers recommend Republic Wireless. For example:
* Mr. Money Mustache - Republic Wireless: $19 for an Unlimited-Everything Smartphone Plan?! (5/30/13), Republic Wireless: Old Phone, New Phone, and a Tempting Competitor (11/16/13) and Republic Wireless becomes 50% More Frugal with the Moto G: A Review (5/13/14)
* Saving Money in Your Twenties - Republic Wireless: the first week (12/18/13) and An Update on the Cheapest Phone Plan Ever (2/12/14)
* Budgets Are Sexy - How I’m Saving $100/mo on Our Cell Bill! (7/14/14)
Here is a choice quote:
"At this point, I realized we’re dealing with a different kind of mobile phone company here. It’s run by real, intelligent people who are excited by the chance to change this country’s entire communications landscape" - MMM, 5/30/13
Here's how it works:
1) Service is cheap because if you can find a wi-fi network, it connects you through that. But if not, they use Sprint. And if Sprint isn't available, they switch to Verizon. (In Canada they use Bell Canada. In other countries, you need to look for wi-fi.)
2) You have a choice between Moto E, Moto G (1st generation), and Moto X (1st or 2nd generation); these are Android-based smart phones.
3) There are four plans; all include unlimited texting and calls; none require a contract; all have added taxes. For $5/month, you can just use it through wi-fi (an excellent landline replacement). For $10 you can also use it via Sprint and Verizon. For $25 you also get nearly unlimited 3G data as well. For $40 you get 4G data. You can easily switch back and forth between the plans up to twice a month.
Currently, I think I'll get the Moto G or maybe the Moto X 1st generation and start with the $10 plan until I find aps that make me want to switch to the $25 plan.
Cell phones are not REVOs.
I'm still sore about cell phones not being as good as my old REVO. That's a hand-held device from the Palm Pilot days which I originally got because it had a small keyboard. Reviews said it was too tiny to use like a typewriter, but I have tiny fingers, so I tried it.
I also couldn't type as fast as on a regular keyboard but it was because the keys were too sticky. Still, I didn't have to learn a fancy script. And I came to love that thing, mostly because of databases. I made databases for everything. I had lists of prices everywhere. I had lists of sizes of things (like air filters). I can't even remember all the stuff I had anymore, but I sure did love that thing. Except for the part about how it's made out of electronics and therefore cannot last forever, even when I don't accidentally get it wet by walking home in a flash flood event during which bus service has been stopped.
Modern cell phones have gone in a different direction, which I finally figured out a couple of years ago. My REVO was all about my data. Smart phones are all about other people's data. They do all the work, so you don't have to, but it's their data and you can only manipulate it in ways they have thought up. Which is not much. As a result, smart phones aren't great at even things like cutting a pasting. Di is the only person I know who has this same complaint.
Currently, I use my laptop for everything and carry around pieces of paper and still mourn the loss of my REVO.
I have a smart non-phone.
I do have an I-Pod Touch, which is just like a smart phone except there's no phone. It turns out that I have rarely used it. I don't know why not. I've used it a lot to play "Plants versus Zombies." I've used the timer to time my jogs. I have taken some notes on it at parties for things to look into later. Pretty minimal.
I have a cell phone.
The first smart phones came with really expensive monthly plans, so I resisted. Finally I broke down and got a TracFone, a pre-paid plan that cost me about $8.50 a month. However, I rarely gave out my cell phone number and warned people that my phone was never on. I used it for long distance calls with my parents and for when Robin and I split up at festivals or stores. Then I lost it. It's been lost for several months now.
Even when it wasn't lost, it wasn't very user friendly. The volume was too low and took me years to find any information on how to increase the volume but it didn't work for me. Also, it was hard to deal with my messages, so I ended up just never checking them.
I still never want to turn into a person who keeps checking my phone when I have friends right with me. But I'm now ready to make the switch to something new.
I'm likely going with Republic Wireless.
Many of my favorite personal finance bloggers recommend Republic Wireless. For example:
* Mr. Money Mustache - Republic Wireless: $19 for an Unlimited-Everything Smartphone Plan?! (5/30/13), Republic Wireless: Old Phone, New Phone, and a Tempting Competitor (11/16/13) and Republic Wireless becomes 50% More Frugal with the Moto G: A Review (5/13/14)
* Saving Money in Your Twenties - Republic Wireless: the first week (12/18/13) and An Update on the Cheapest Phone Plan Ever (2/12/14)
* Budgets Are Sexy - How I’m Saving $100/mo on Our Cell Bill! (7/14/14)
Here is a choice quote:
"At this point, I realized we’re dealing with a different kind of mobile phone company here. It’s run by real, intelligent people who are excited by the chance to change this country’s entire communications landscape" - MMM, 5/30/13
Here's how it works:
1) Service is cheap because if you can find a wi-fi network, it connects you through that. But if not, they use Sprint. And if Sprint isn't available, they switch to Verizon. (In Canada they use Bell Canada. In other countries, you need to look for wi-fi.)
2) You have a choice between Moto E, Moto G (1st generation), and Moto X (1st or 2nd generation); these are Android-based smart phones.
3) There are four plans; all include unlimited texting and calls; none require a contract; all have added taxes. For $5/month, you can just use it through wi-fi (an excellent landline replacement). For $10 you can also use it via Sprint and Verizon. For $25 you also get nearly unlimited 3G data as well. For $40 you get 4G data. You can easily switch back and forth between the plans up to twice a month.
Currently, I think I'll get the Moto G or maybe the Moto X 1st generation and start with the $10 plan until I find aps that make me want to switch to the $25 plan.