Technological Genocide…Out with the Old, In with the Smart [arse] Phone

That title sounds harsh and insensitive. I apologize for that. It is however an age we have been moved into. Through no choice of our own companies that manufacture and sell technology devices have figured out a way to force us to upgrade. This is the business to be in! Imagine if you bought a vehicle and three years later the manufacturer told you that you had to buy a vehicle or lose all support with repairs, insurance, etc. You wouldn’t be allowed on the road before paying more for a newer model…hmm.

Technology is a funny thing. Intended to be helpful and allow us to be more productive, but whatever time is saved on tasks is spent on the learning curve mastering the new device, or upgrading. My new smart phone was old news the day I bought it. The next generation is due on the market before the end of the year, and so the short life cycle of this current device will accelerate. Oh joy!

Don’t get me wrong. This new device is fun. It has many apps on it that are useful, but I managed to live without until now and see limited use for them at best. It’s a little like having a toaster in the dashboard of your car; cool, but not that useful…unless you love toast.

Here is a short animation of me on my first day of being a smart [arse] phone owner. Please enjoy because it is 95 seconds of your life you won’t get back.

To that end, and in some fashion of rebellion, here is a photo of my smart phone with the default dialer app I installed. It is a transition you know.






I’m just saying.

I’d Like to Thank the Academy…oh yah, and I got a Droid!

A few months ago I told you all that I was doing tech direction (lights and sound) on a play being performed locally. The play was “Almost Main”. A campy comedy that takes place in very rural Maine with a cast that did a fine job of pulling it all off. Several of the cast members played multiple rolls and did a fine job.

Years ago I spent more than a decade producing and directing theater, gave it up and stayed away for more than 20 years.

Every year the theater group has a “Betty Awards” presentation dinner. The Bettys are the community theater equivalent of Broadway’s “Tony Awards”. I had to go out of town and was not able to attend the awards dinner. Not a big deal. I helped a little on one play to help friends out and didn’t give it much thought. I had provided some special effects lighting and sound bites for the play and wound up running the light and sound board for some of the productions to help out. Low and behold…I won a Betty! How cool is that?

I got a Droid!

I have always embraced technology. My livelihood depends on it. I have had a cell phone of some type since the 1980’s. The first cell phone I had was a bag phone that had to be charged with a 12 volt DC system (car battery) and if I left it in the car overnight to charge it would drain the battery.

I’m not complaining here…don’t get me wrong. I Love technology…I simply want my cell phone to allow me to make a phone call without too much trouble. That is what my most recent phone did…send and receive phone calls. I got an email from the phone company that beginning July 1 they would not support my phone for service and that I had to upgrade to continue doing business with them. WTF? I have to PAY for an upgrade in order for you to continue allowing me to pay you to provide me with a service I have paid for for decades? WTF!? I shopped around. I found a carrier that offered the same services as the carrier I have been using for 2 decades, at a lower cost, and frankly the customer service was much better (for now).

I switched and wound up with a DROID…which I am both enamored with and afraid of. I won’t make this a long story because I know you have better things to do and I am planning a follow-up animation, but I HATE texting…until now! This device allows me to do Speech-to-text…texting…I could get used to this.

More later on all of the latest innovations and an editorial on “Technological genocide”!

I’m just saying.