Where would I be without a smart phone....exactly where I am now. I do have one only because they are better for storing contacts and sending SMS than the small ones with a limited keyboard. It stays on my desk, not carried everywhere except in the car.

I have the internet on my computer for information and when I need to talk to someone I use the phone line, do not need to look at them when talking as I already know what they look like.

I would be in the same place as I am right now as I have never owned a smartphone. Life is good with a dumb phone.

Smartphones and mobile phones are the worst inventions of the past decades... Even kids don't learn anything anymore about socializing and playing outside with friends, as their mobile is glued to their fingers and eyes.. not only kids adults too and talk with someone, 10 out  of 10 doesn't hear and/or understand  what you are talking about... even in the traffic everybody can't miss their phone for 1 minute.. Glued with fingers and eyes on their phones

15 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

One develops an interesting weltanschauung spending ones early 20s in NYC attending university. 

Last month I stayed close to Times Square for 6 nights. Did all things touristy. Fun to visit. Glad to leave. 

Laptop is greatest invention ever. Smartphones are too small to do any work. 

 

Nice to have a camera in your pocket ... since everyone has one, all crimes are recorded now. 

Everyone is a cop. 

 

 

Without our smartphones, where would we be in 2025?

Don't know, can't get Google maps on my Samsung clam-shell phone

 

 

 

58 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Last month I stayed close to Times Square for 6 nights. Did all things touristy. Fun to visit. Glad to leave. 

You can only appreciate it by living there. You are always a NYer

2 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

I wonder what would happen if you placed in the hands of the average human being, a device capable of accessing every piece of literature ever written, every piece of music ever composed, every piece of scientific knowledge known to man (with the possible exception of what hotdogs are made from), and the potential to extend your knowledge and wisdom far beyond that of the world's hitherto greatest philosophers and scientists?

 

Oh yeah - Onlyfans and Tik Tok. Sorted. 

 

While I don't disagree with you, people do still study all those things, but use their phones typically to relax.  Reading classical literature or scientific knowledge is not the same as watching mindless videos.  People don't necessarily want to access something mentally taxing on their way to work or on their break.

 

You could ask, "Before smartphones, but when all these things were accessible through libraires or home computers, how many people were reading Russian classical literature or science textbooks on the bus/train to work, vs. how many people were reading the paper, a relaxing novel or just staring out of the window half-listening to the radio?"  I think the answer would be similar to what people access on their smartphones today. 

 

It wouldn't actually surprise me if, while people are accessing more garbage on their phones (TikTok, etc.), people accessing more intellectual media has gone up also (podcasts, YouTube, etc.).

where would we be without cars, planes, computers, safe water, medicine, hospitals, good universities, good doctors, smart engineers, great teachers, police, firefighters, Pattaya....  

 

smartphones are simply the progression of many things that came before, and now, because of smart phones, we will get Alien AI girlfriends to marry and never have an argument!!!!  Then I'll have AI dogs, my BFF, AI movies, and soon life will be ready for the next step....

 

Super BlackHole Accommodation.    Take a trip to the nearest black hole in the Milky Way for only 100 baht!!!!    It's so much better than riding elephants!!!!      

 

stay in the past......that's fine.  The 90s only had crazy mafia and serial killers running around everywhere, that was crazy.   Now my phone can save my grandfather if he slips, breaks a hip, and nobody is around.  That's pretty kool.  or maybe that's his watch.  anyhow...

I dont have one , don't want one ,don't need one , I don't need to take picture

of my food before I eat it ,or take photos of myself , sure they have other uses,

but in Thailand that's all I see them doing with it , plus playing games.

 

regards worgeordie

 

Doing banking without smartphones is easy - card, ATM, cash etc (and secure) - no problemo with or without.

 

Getting the news without smartphones is also easy - no problemo with or without .

 

Stopping the negatives of Social Media - that is a good reason to get rid of smartphones. But it aint gonna happen.

 

Smart phones are amazing devices...   My life has become far more convenient because of them. 

It hasn't changed, I'm still able to socialise as much as I ever wanted to, they're great for arranging sporting events (various football and sports groups).

Awesome for keep in touch with the family overseas, with my Wife here when out and about separately through the day.

Information at our finger tips... Cinema tomorrow ? sure...  info at our finger tips.

 

The social media aspect - I think is great: I love to see how my friends are getting on in the UK when they post photos of their family, one of their children has reached a milestone.

 

As far as the toxic side of social media - It ONYL influences us as much as we allow it it - So have any of the Snapchat, Insta, Facebook,  X on your phone etc if you want...  I can't be bothered with that stuff, other can and thats up to them. 

 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Doing banking without smartphones is easy - card, ATM, cash etc (and secure) - no problemo with or without.

 

It is ? I've just done some Banking on my smart phone - took 5 mins while enjoying a coffee... 

No need to go to a bank, use an ATM card...   I have cash in my wallet I haven't touched for months.

 

 

8 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Getting the news without smartphones is also easy - no problemo with or without .

 

Stopping the negatives of Social Media - that is a good reason to get rid of smartphones. But it aint gonna happen.

 

IMO - the negatives of 'Social Media' are easy enough to stop - by not paying attention to it and being able to identify the trolls and click-baiters for what they are.

 

Sites like this are different, they're the equivalent of watching netflix or reading a book, passing the time in a different way...   we can be reading the (real) news, and discussing some local event at the same time... 

But, thats social media - and its accessible without smart phones on a laptop.

 

 

 

Its this topic really 'just about smart phones'... 

 

Or is it about the 'tech' age - where most of us have access to Information and convenience at our fingertips through computers, iPads and Smart Phones ??

 

All of the criticisms of smart phones could be levied at any of the technological devices we've become accustomed to using. 

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Smartphones and mobile phones are the worst inventions of the past decades... Even kids don't learn anything anymore about socializing and playing outside with friends, as their mobile is glued to their fingers and eyes.. not only kids adults too and talk with someone, 10 out  of 10 doesn't hear and/or understand  what you are talking about... even in the traffic everybody can't miss their phone for 1 minute.. Glued with fingers and eyes on their phones

 

Yes they do... The issue in your examples are not the smart phones - the issue terrible standards of parenting.

 

iPads are incredible education devices, outstanding - but they can also become abused IF parents are careless and lazy.

 

At the weekend my Son gets his few hours on his iPad - he keeps in touch and plays games with friends who have since moved overseas, its lovely.

 

On school days my son leaves home early in the morning, does 2 hours of ECA (football, basketball, swimming, craft, etc) which usually involves his friends too...   then they disperse to their homes for they are not in the same living community (its a long day) - so its not the same as when I was a kid and could hang out at the local sports field and get muddy... 

...  these devices have helped maintain social interaction... 

...  I'm amazed at what my son has picked up from videos and online learning for run - but he has to be guided on some of the dumb stuff I don't want him watching.

 

Regarding critics of such devices (where children are concerned) - it seems the most vocal nay-sayers are boomers without children looking down on generations below them and picking out the worse they can see.

 

Personally, I'm in a few football groups, I hear guys saying, "I can't join, I deleted my facebook, it was taking over my life" ... I can't believe people are so weak. 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, pomchop said:

I am so tired of people who want to show me all sorts of pics and videos on their phones ; even when I try to be polite and look at one or two then try and change subject and look away they go on and on and on. 

 

HINT:  I do not care or want to see all your girlfriends or kids or grandkids or pics of your cat  or cars etc.

 

Dream on - With that attitude - I don't think you have much to worry about... not many people are likely to endear themselves to you and open up personally with photos of family.

 

 

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Life can be boring.

We need distractions. 

'Boring' is in the eye of the beholder. I don't find life boring at all. I enjoy watching the wheels go round and round. 

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

if there was no smart phones I'd be walking round with a tablet in my pocket !

Is that a tablet in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? 

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its this topic really 'just about smart phones'... 

 

Or is it about the 'tech' age - where most of us have access to Information and convenience at our fingertips through computers, iPads and Smart Phones ??

 

All of the criticisms of smart phones could be levied at any of the technological devices we've become accustomed to using. 

 

 

I agree that you can't just isolate smart phones in an age of significant technological development.

 

An intransigent, Luddite approach to technology developments is as bad as the blatant misuse of smart phones. The difference is that if the Luddites want to sit at home, not travel, and barter for their purchases, they are not going to have an impact on culture or society. They are harmless. Saying that you have an ATM card so you don't need a smart phone is ignoring the fact that technology brought about ATMs and plastic cards. Technology introduced cash. 

 

The big difference with technology is it's misuse. A smart phone can be a useful tool in daily life but the cultural impact through social media has been a disaster. There is a thread running about the Thai smile - IMO smart phones have been responsible for it's decline. Pattaya bars are as good an example as you need....attention diverted from providing an attentive service where the girls would rather spend time on their phones than interact with customers.

 

Any technological development is great in the right hands....take the simple Thai digging tool, the "jorb" ..... an essential building/gardening tool that makes life easier, but misused it can be a deadly murder weapon. 

37 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its this topic really 'just about smart phones'... 

 

Or is it about the 'tech' age - where most of us have access to Information and convenience at our fingertips through computers, iPads and Smart Phones ??

 

Smartphones are different. It’s not just about the technology, but the portability. They can be used in so many places and situations where a computer or even an iPad simply wouldn’t work. Standing in a crowded train, walking down the street, at the dinner table, waiting in line at the store, at the beach, sitting on top of a mountain - these are all moments where only a phone fits. But that convenience comes at a cost. People end up abusing that portability, trading the beauty of being present in exchange for the habit of pulling out their phone and scrolling through nothingness, just because they can.

11 hours ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

'Boring' is in the eye of the beholder. I don't find life boring at all. I enjoy watching the wheels go round and round. 

and people say you're lazy? and they look at you kinda strange?

and they give you all kinds of advice designed to enlighten you? 

 

 

3 hours ago, Asean Tiger said:

Everything in consumer techology since the original Sony cassette tape walkman has been an overall  negative

People said similar about television.

I came to Thailand right as the iPhone was being introduced and before it and its competitors were commonplace. Life was less hectic. Still had access to digital archives and banking with online desktop computing. More ATMs were present. More bank branches were available. Immigration extensions were easier to go through. No cameras on every street. Faster and easier to rent houses. It was simply better.

5 hours ago, Asean Tiger said:

Everything in consumer techology since the original Sony cassette tape walkman has been an overall  negative 

So you prefer the sound of cassette than CD or mp3.   

Still prefer books papers and reading matter that is not smart,only use sf for banking ,then it’s an old Nokia fone for msgs and chat ,takes up less of my time ,don’t wanna be fone zombie

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Smart phones are amazing devices...   My life has become far more convenient because of them. 

It hasn't changed, I'm still able to socialise as much as I ever wanted to, they're great for arranging sporting events (various football and sports groups).

Awesome for keep in touch with the family overseas, with my Wife here when out and about separately through the day.

Information at our finger tips... Cinema tomorrow ? sure...  info at our finger tips.

 

The social media aspect - I think is great: I love to see how my friends are getting on in the UK when they post photos of their family, one of their children has reached a milestone.

 

As far as the toxic side of social media - It ONYL influences us as much as we allow it it - So have any of the Snapchat, Insta, Facebook,  X on your phone etc if you want...  I can't be bothered with that stuff, other can and thats up to them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you do any of those things before the smart phone. It was possible.

3 hours ago, Alpha84 said:

at the dinner table, waiting in line at the store, at the beach,

Poor etiquette. Actually at the beach is sinful to beach people.

My first dorm in college  (a small rural school) right after high school had this phone on the wall. Turn the crank, tell the operator the 4-digit number you wanted, and she'd connect you. Obviously an old dorm. The new dorms had the new-fangled push-button phones.

 

I enjoy watching olde people who struggle with technology express their frustrations with it.

 

Get off my lawn. 

5 hours ago, Yagoda said:

You can only appreciate it by living there. You are always a NYer

NYC is a turlet.