Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Out of the Stone Age... Sort Of

To be honest, I probably belong in your grandparents' generation. I fear and avoid new technology, and usually remain clueless about it way longer than it's acceptable for someone my age.

I was late to the game in even getting a cell phone, and when I finally did get one I hung onto it FOREVER, making it embarrassing to even use in public (for pictures, click here, but don't say I didn't warn you.)

Anyway, my old and embarrassing cell phone died in August, and I never got around to replacing it.

Until now!

Out of the Stone Age... Sort Of -- What could be more shocking than a troglodyte like me getting a smartphone? Not much.  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

Combine this new development and the fact that yesterday I finally Googled "what is an Uber driver?" and I'm totally cool and with the times now.

But back to my phone. I was initially excited when it arrived on Friday, but when I opened the box and looked at the sleek new smartphone with a sticker on the front and everything, I got a little scared.

I'd never held my own smartphone before.

I felt as anxious about removing this thing from its box as a normal person might feel about taking their first newborn home from the hospital.

Out of the Stone Age... Sort Of -- What could be more shocking than a troglodyte like me getting a smartphone? Not much.  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

When I ordered it, nobody asked me anything about a phone number. So I guess the first order of business was to figure out what it was, right?

I texted Phillip's phone to see what it was, and no kidding, it was the exact same as our home number with the last two digits switched.

"Cool, I've already got it memorized," Phillip said, but I was mad! Now I couldn't remember either number!

After a few minutes of muttering to myself while Phillip made terribly helpful observations like, "You're overreacting" in the background, I found out how I could get it changed and it only took a few minutes.

Okay. We're on our way.

We've got a number, now the next step is to figure out how the camera works.

Out of the Stone Age... Sort Of -- What could be more shocking than a troglodyte like me getting a smartphone? Not much.  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
I'm laughing here because I didn't know what I was doing. Then I took a picture of myself by accident to prove it.

Well, I'll have to work on that.

Then there's the ringtone. I had Phillip call me to see what it was and practically peed my pants when a really deep male voice started beatboxing at me. Well, that had to go.

So I changed my ringtone and it's charging, and frankly I'm still a little afraid of it. I sort of eye it when I walk by, but the way I feel about it is still kind of like how I avoided using our master bathroom for about 6 months after moving here because it was so cavernous compared to the teeny bathroom in our old apartment where there was hardly room to shut the door.

At any rate, I definitely need a case (preferably a waterproof, shock-proof, explosion-proof, and baby-proof one) so the screen doesn't end up looking like this:

Out of the Stone Age... Sort Of -- What could be more shocking than a troglodyte like me getting a smartphone? Not much.  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Our iPad: if you're an Evans device, you're screwed.

All in all, I still have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I swipe the wrong way and hang up on someone when I mean to take a call. I text with my index finger instead of my thumbs, and I'm sure I'll take many more accidental selfies in the weeks to come.

I'm expecting to get used to this thing right around the time when smartphones aren't cool anymore and everyone's getting microchips surgically implanted in their ears.

Click to Share:
Unremarkable Files

23 comments:

Katy said...

I thought I was bad, so now I feel like I work at Google compared to you! Welcome to the smartphone generation. Sometimes they're handy, other times they're not. Whatev.

The Lady Okie said...

I only got one last year and I was scared of it too! I have an otter box case, if that helps. They are supposed to be good for dropping and smashing.

Jenny Evans said...

Are those just for iPhones? See, I know nothing. But I've heard really good things about Otterbox.

Kelly said...

Get yourself an otter box and welcome to the dark side!

Rosie said...

I dropped my first (hand-me-down) smart phone several times before I got an otterbox (they make them for Iphones AND Androids and other types of smart phones too) - then I spent the next year with large black splotches on certain parts of the screen. Get that protector case now!!

Lyndsay said...

Yep, a protective case is definitely in order.
Don't feel too bad..I HATE updating my phone and cried when they went to full touch screens. I still miss my keyboard. Every time I am forced to upgrade I moan and complain and call it stupid and clearly it is broken because I can get it to work..for at least a week.

I spent half of yesterday trying to navigate some of the new features on blogger, and part of today trying to work a video editing app. I got so annoyed that I seriously considered why I even thought blogging and an attached YouTube channel was ever a good idea. Lol thankfully my ten and eight yr old were nearby to save the day.
Hope you adjust to your new phone and manage to figure it out! Welcome to the new age...and don't put Facebook on your phone. ;)

Purfylle said...

That looks suspiciously like a phablet and not a smart phone at all. Are you sure you didn't just miss the whole smart phone craze and skip straight to the next great thing? (phablet = smartphone and tablet combined aka: a really big phone). Enjoy!

jen said...

Yeah... just got my first smartphone in January when my parents put me on their plan. So far, I am FABULOUS at buttdialing people...

Anonymous said...

Lynne from the UK here. I'll be 55 in October and seriously thought I was a tecnophobe until I read this!! :D I have a Windows phone and wouldn't swap now. It was the easiest phone I ever bought!! :D I still nearly two years on haven't learnt how to change it so it rings more than twice without going to voicemail so still have to keep it on me at all times to be able to answer calls but my children have got used to hanging up and redialling!! :D

Jenny Evans said...

That's what I'm here for - to make everyone else feel better about themselves. Sounds like you're doing what works for you, so I see no reason to change!

Jenny Evans said...

I think the big screen helps with the touchscreen. Phillip's phone is smaller and I cannot for the life of me type anything on his phone. I feel like a huge clumsy giant and everything I type looks like my toddler did it.

Jenny Evans said...

It's a skill!

Jenny Evans said...

Thanks for the advice. I've seen too many people walking around with cracked screens, phones that only sort of work because their kids dropped them in the toilet, etc... Better get it sooner than later!

Colleen said...

You and my husband would get along. He lost his first smartphone, then jumped in a pool with his second one. Lifeproof makes great cases, expensive, but they're waterproof and life-proof!

Queen Mom Jen said...

Welcome to the technology age! Yes indeed get that bomb proof, baby proof case and you are all set to go!

mumturnedmom said...

I'll second the Lifeproof recommendation :) I bet you'll wonder how you survived without it within weeks!!

Rachel said...

I've had a smartphone since September (not by choice--someone went out and bought one for me, and then I paid them back because I decided I had to be grateful for it if it was a gift, but I could continue to feel resentful toward it if I'd paid for it myself.)

Jenny Evans said...

Your comment totally made my day. If you lived closer, I'd invite you over so we could sit on my porch and yell at the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn.

Jenny Evans said...

I definitely need to lifeproof my phone. In fact, I need to lifeproof my entire house!

PurpleSlob said...


Haha, Jenny! I love the view up your nose!!
The male voice beatboxing made my day! (Not the visual of you peeing your pants- ew)

Unknown said...

I'm so excited that I can text you now. I was cleaning up my email a few weeks ago and realized that the family used to email a lot more than we do now. I realized it is because we text. And you guys are the ones out of that loop! So I'm really happy.

Jenny Evans said...

We'll see if I can figure out how to read them...

Jenny Evans said...

It's all part of the process when I learn new technology. It ain't pretty.