Smart Phones... what pushed you over the edge?

[nosticks]

Easier than taking a computer with you on the road.

[Illini Trekker]

Ever get lost turn on the smart phone maps app, looking for a store I use the app Where, need to find diesel near by and maybe cheaper the app Gas Buddy, traveling on the interstate and plan next stop IExit, find a post office USPS Mobil, plus as others have said the list can go on and on. Plus it is a great baby setter for the grand kids when I need some peace!

[Mynabird]

Agree with Illini Trekker .... my one peice of advice would be... if you use a lap-top or desk-top and enjoy accessing email and texting & a camera, then the apps (free) are frosting on the cake... deal!!!

Regarding apps cost.... one-time cost.... .99 cents to as up to as much as you would like.... your option. Most of the time you are given a "free" trial to see if you like it & want to spend more on the full app.! Again your choice!

Oh, and one more.... if your GPS sends you somewhere it is not correct, you can double check with the GPS on your phone (usually free... my iphone gps is free one).

[Bruce Lenhardt]

I agree with Illini Trekker. Use it all the time, especially when traveling. Want to find a specific store-just speak it into the phone. Sometimes better than my Garmin GPS for directions. We need to text our daughters and their families-they will text before answering the phone! Use Gas Buddy when traveling. It will find best diesel prices. Use free Pandora for music when wanting to listen to music. Use it as a wifi hotspot if the RV park we are in has no or bad Wifi. The list goes on.

[jpkelpe]

I use mine all of the time, all the info from the web you can possibly need. I have paid for no apps and like the above have mentioned can find diesel fuel, places of business, Panara Breads, motels, etc. only complaint is the print is small butt...

[CasaDelSol]

Love..Love..Love my Iphone...would not be without it!!!

[db_engineer]

quote:Originally posted by oldelmer1


We also use PDANET(costs $16.00) and you can connect your phone to your laptop and the phone becomes a modem. Speed is very good, as long as you have a good signal from Verizon.

If your into gadgets, I'd say, GET ONE!!! )

PDANet is a great app! I worked from the Monty for 5 months using it to connect to the internet and the VPN at work. Lots of other apps that I use when out with the Monty.

[Waynem]

Wow! What a mixed range of feelings.

Okay! I don't have one, well, not exactly (embellish later.) I have the old fashion flip phone, or if you prefer "dumb" phone. Actually it is not really dumb. It has the capabilities, less APPS, of doing many of the things people have talked about, texting, email, and of course actually being able to talk to a person. I told AT&T to turn everything off except voice mailbox and phone conversations. So my phone now is really a "dumb" phone. I considered when I would be using it, and most of the time it is only turned on when I leave the stick house. When we are on the road, my stick house phone (need to get rid of that) is forwarded to my mobile phone. People call me at home and I'm still there (great for solicitors who think you are home.) Also under consideration for all those other things besides voice communications is the fact that I'm driving a 30,000+ pound piece of machinery. I don't even like to talk voice, and most times I just hand the phone to Earlene. Some times I'll use the TomTom blue tooth for hands free. So how in the world would I be able to text or use the APPS. Dangerous, very dangerous!

My embellishment on not having an iPhone. On our last trip, visiting my brother who like me is into almost every techno gadget, he had his old iPhone (he go a new one) sitting around and he gave it to me. It does not have a SIM card so the phone will not work for some of the APPS loaded on it without a SIM card, like GPS. We did try taking my SIM card from my AT&T and put it in this old iPhone AT&T and it pulled down all the addresses and worked, but I just would not use the phone except for phone calls, so the SIM went back into my "dumb" phone.

Hey, I thought, Wifi. I connected to my brother's WiFi, with no SIM card, and everything works except making voice calls and looking at my address book.(iPhone is "jailbroke") Well, almost everything. You have to have an active account for that specific phone to send text messages, but hey, I don't send text messages I like to talk to people in person and it takes less time then typing with one finger. The old iPhone works on any WiFi network without a SIM card, except for voice and some other applications which I do not use. GPS works, but I don't like the small, small screen.

I plugged this old "jailbroke" iphone into my iMac, fired up iTunes, and downloaded all the applications that I had for the iPad into it. It makes a nice toy.

DW uses the iPad for all of her communications, except "telephone," but even then the iPad can be used for that. Kind of strange if you were to hold it up to your ear like a cell phone, but fortunately it has a good microphone and better speakers than the iPhone. Can do texting and all those other applications, and it has a 10 inch screen.

So, based on everything everyone has said, what evaluation have you made determining what you would specifically use it for. Whatever you decide will be the right choice for you. (Well, maybe not, but that is a matter of opinion.)

[Delaine and Lindy]

We have the I-Phones and we use them almost every day. The GPS system along with the GM On-Star and the Garmin we find about anything we need. The GM On-Star is about the best Tool we have found, don't have to update and all you do is push the button and the On-Star navigatior gets what your looking for. We are spoiled. Life is good.. Happy Trails....

[Jdrobone]

Lindy,
What I like about the On-Star is the phone itself, full 3 watts of power for about $10.00 for six months. When I'm on the road and have marginal/weak cell signal that phone signal is just about always strong, also completely hands-free.
Jerry

[HOOK]

We have Blackberry Storms. My high tech. DW got a buy one get one free deal. She says it does all she wants. I'm happy, send and receive calls and an occasional text. Especially from my sons when they are "down range".