Online surveys often
ask if I’m an early adopter of new technology. Oh, no, not me! While I heartily approve of all things
digital, I find I have to sneak up on new things rather than jump in wholeheartedly.
Part of the problem is
me being cheap frugal. Why replace
something that’s working perfectly fine just because a new model is available?
Sooner or later,
though, most things wear out and I’m forced to succumb to the need to buy something
new. I don’t rush home to tear open a package and use a new thing right
away. Whatever it is has to adapt to
being in my home. A new computer may sit
in a box outside my office for a month or so before I reluctantly introduce it
to my desk.
Recently my husband’s phone refused to emit any sound no matter what we did to it. I’d call, it would ring, but when he answered I couldn’t hear him. Off we went to the phone store where we discovered that not only was his microphone disconnected, but the phone had a virus.
The perky young
clerk shook his head and advised us we’d be better off with a new phone. And since I’d been complaining about my phone
being too slow for the past few years, and I’ve been working around an annoying
message about my memory being full, and since the nice young man told us if I
also bought the same phone I’d get $30 off, I broke down and bought one for
myself.
Transferring most of
the data was fairly simple. However, I
had to spend a few days fixing things like the background and the size of the
font in an effort to make the new phone look and feel like the old phone.
Mostly it was okay except I lost my knock-knock.
I loved my knock-knock.
Whenever I got a text my phone knocked, and it really did sound like someone
was knocking on the door. It provided me with little moments of amusement, like
when I was in the eye doctor’s office and someone sent me a text.
The doctor was doing
his “Which is better, number one or number two? Which is clearer, two or three?“
routine.
“Knock-knock.”
“Come in,” he said, forcing
me to explain that it was my phone and not someone intruding on our efforts to
measure my eyes.
Similar scenarios
played out in many places. Okay, so maybe I’m a tad too easily amused. Sadly, my
new phone no longer has the knock-knock sound. It has a doorbell, but it’s just
not the same. I searched so many apps
and played so many knock-knock sounds, but none were exactly the same as my old
one. Now I’m resigned to ding-dong instead of knock-knock.
With so much in the
world changing every day, a change in my text notification sound isn’t anywhere
near a catastrophe. On the other hand,
it’s the little moments of enjoyment that keep us all from going totally insane
in today’s crazy world.
Here’s something new I don’t mind jumping into…the Gems’ new box set Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End.
It’s a
collection of 14 brand new, short stories from 14 authors.
And grab a copy of our free recipe book Cocktails on Last Chance Beach, and maybe you’ll find a new favorite poolside beverage.
I am much like this, too. When I DO get a new phone, I spend at least a few weeks considering taking it back and asking to reload my old one.
ReplyDeleteI'm old school frugal. I don't replace something until it breaks. To a great extent, I guess I live by that old saying: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
ReplyDeleteI just wish I’d read tutorials before getting down to work. I will read paper manuals on say a new kitchen gadget but never read up on software. It’s caused me far too much wasted time clicking the wrong buttons. I doubt I’ll change now but I should.
ReplyDeleteI am with you. Technology to me is a necessary evil. I will only get a new ...whatever... when the old one no longer works. And because Murphy's law follows me around, my technology has a habit of failing when I need it most.
ReplyDeleteI am totally on board with this. Some people are gadget freaks, attracted to ñew and shiny. I prefer tried and true.
ReplyDeleteMy husband still has his flip phone. I guess that sums up our family.
ReplyDeleteOkay. I confess. This is a household of one (me) with 4 laptops -- one especially for the kitchen for writing recipes, and one is a MAC to do MAC stuff on. The others are PCs. I have two smart TVs. An iPad, a Kindle Fire, an older model Kindle. My phone is three years old though.... My gadgets make my life easier!
ReplyDeleteI hate technology, but I use it because, well, I have to. However, I do think Netflix is a great invention. But I hate cell phones. They've created so many problems. But, we're here and we can't go back. I love your "knock, knock" alert. That's funny!
ReplyDeleteI got a budget phone just right before the pandemic. It was because the wifi connection on my old (7 year old phone) s4 phone was buggy. Hope tech works out for you in the future :)
ReplyDeleteTake this post, for example! I spent about an hour trying to insert a picture and finally gave up. Today I looked and the picture was there. I also managed to go back to edit the post and insert my other picture. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteAhh technology. My day job forced me to keep up, but the young ones ran rings around me and still do. This is where my nieces come in. I still would rather pay to get it done right. Had a stand alone TV for years. It worked, so why not?
ReplyDeleteI find change is inevitable. Nothing you can do so embrace it, but not too hard of an embrace.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at hotmail dot com