Having your own Smart Phone Required?

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I was given a free Samsung and gave it back.  If you are a dedicated Apple user you won't like Samsung.  Plus Apple is developing more and more privacy features - I like that.

 

iPhone 8s are under $200 now and 7s under $100.  My 7 is 5G but I would not recommend a 7.  It is a good phone but it will be unsupported in a year or two at best.  The 6 is now being removed from support.

 

I agree with this. For those already living in an Apple world, it's worth the extra $$ to have an iPhone, especially if you are just moving into the Smartphone universe. I have a McBook Pro, two iPads, and an iPhone. It's so much easier to move from one to another and synch up.

 

This is also a great tip about buying an older model. Despite what some have said I have found iPhones to be very durable over time. I'm still using my iPhone 7 with no loss of functionality other than that it does not hold a charge as long as it once did.

 

In the US, some carriers offer very good deals on the newer/newest phone models when you switch coverage. Right now I cannot because I work from home and part of my internet is paid by my work. But when I retire I plan to take advantage of one of those deals....

 

[Hlitner]

We would point out that both Android and iPhones are fine in terms of what folks need to download and display the QR Codes that are becoming increasingly important in travel (and a necessity in Europe).   For us the choice was easy because DD "ordered us" to get iPhones because our Grandchildren use Facetime :).  But Android users can certainly use similar apps such as Whatapp although they still have no way to communicate using Facetime.

 

One could argue all day which (iPhone or Android) is better but I think they are both excellent.  There are some experts that insist that the iPhone's are easier to set-up for a non-techie....but that is also subject to some debate.  My advice to any non techie person getting their first Smartphone is get it at a real phone store and ask those folks to help you set it up before you even leave the premises.  

 

Hank

[TiogaCruiser]

17 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

The elimination of 3G service is my current tech concern.  My carrier, Consumer Cellular, has been warning about this for several months.  

 

Skeptical me, however, wonders how much of this is attempting to convince a poorly informed public to buy a product and how much is the elimination of 3 G service is really going to take place.  There have been "threats" in Ohio that the phone companies are going to do away with landlines.  Well, it hasn't happened and I don't think it ever will.  

 

I suppose if I do decide to replace my 3G flip phone, it would make better sense to do so by buying a smartphone and not a 4G flip phone.  

We’ll, 3-G was eliminated about a year ago where my Dad lives. He went to use his phone one day (after ample warning), and it wouldn’t connect. So he had to get another phone. To make matters worse for him, they no longer offered a flip phone with sliding keyboard. So he has to use multiple presses to text.

 

Totally agree with the quote below. I’m a dedicated Windows lady. I’ve had iPhone some 10+ years now. The only fatality I’ve had was when I left my phone on the hood of my car and drove off. I found it a few minutes later in the street- where I apparently had run over it. It still rang so I could find it, but no one would replace the screen. Probably a good thing as the battery swelled when I went to charge it.😜

27 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I agree with this. For those already living in an Apple world, it's worth the extra $$ to have an iPhone, especially if you are just moving into the Smartphone universe. I have a McBook Pro, two iPads, and an iPhone. It's so much easier to move from one to another and synch up.

 

This is also a great tip about buying an older model. Despite what some have said I have found iPhones to be very durable over time. I'm still using my iPhone 7 with no loss of functionality other than that it does not hold a charge as long as it once did.

[JennysUncle]

For those who only need temporary foreign service, consider Google "Fi" (fi.google.com).  This is a reseller service (like Tracfone, etc) that wholesales bandwidth from the "real" carriers, but with really nice terms:  $20/month for unlimited calls and $10/GB for data - prorated to how much you actually use.  The good deal for travelers is that there is no surcharge for foreign service in almost all countries.  And you can cancel at any time, and then reactivate, so it's affordable even just to use for vacations.  You get a SIM card to put into an unlocked phone, and you can get used or simple cheap smartphones.  I've used Fi for five years and it has worked well in Europe and Asia, as well as being my service here.

[sambamama]

For anybody buying a smartphone, but especially an iPhone, I would advise a protective case. Me, I manage to drop my phone a fair bit. I buy a military grade protective case. Many of my friends with iPhones have cracked their screens. I research best protective cases for my particular phone and buy that. 

[DaveOKC]

39 minutes ago, JennysUncle said:

For those who only need temporary foreign service, consider Google "Fi" (fi.google.com).  This is a reseller service (like Tracfone, etc) that wholesales bandwidth from the "real" carriers, but with really nice terms:  $20/month for unlimited calls and $10/GB for data - prorated to how much you actually use.  The good deal for travelers is that there is no surcharge for foreign service in almost all countries.  And you can cancel at any time, and then reactivate, so it's affordable even just to use for vacations.  You get a SIM card to put into an unlocked phone, and you can get used or simple cheap smartphones.  I've used Fi for five years and it has worked well in Europe and Asia, as well as being my service here.

Second this!  I have been on Google Fi for years now and love it.  It is especially good for travel, IMO.  I use the Google wifi most times right from our cabin balcony when in port and it costs me only $10 per GB FOR THE ACTUAL AMOUNT used.  So, most times I can check my emails and other sites and the cost will be less than $1.00.  So much easier, convenient and cheaper than searching for a wifi spot in the port.  I think calls back to the US are about 10 cents a minute from MOST countries.  Check it out for yourself.  PLUS, they often have some great deals on phones.

[HamOp]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We would point out that both Android and iPhones are fine in terms of what folks need to download and display the QR Codes that are becoming increasingly important in travel (and a necessity in Europe).   For us the choice was easy because DD "ordered us" to get iPhones because our Grandchildren use Facetime :).  But Android users can certainly use similar apps such as Whatapp although they still have no way to communicate using Facetime.

 

One could argue all day which (iPhone or Android) is better but I think they are both excellent.  There are some experts that insist that the iPhone's are easier to set-up for a non-techie....but that is also subject to some debate.  My advice to any non techie person getting their first Smartphone is get it at a real phone store and ask those folks to help you set it up before you even leave the premises.  

 

Hank

The high-lighted above is not quite true.  Apple now allows an iphone  to send a link to an Android user that allows the Andriod user to connect into a facetime call.  The Android user can not, however, initiate a FaceTime call.  Android users have an app called Duo which is similar to facetime and works across both platforms.  

[HAL4NOW]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm still using my iPhone 7 with no loss of functionality other than that it does not hold a charge as long as it once did.

I find my iPhone 6sPlus to be ample. It is the only smart phone I have ever used. I wasn't keen on getting a smart phone, but got tired of receiving text messages that I couldn't read because the phone was too antiquated to know what was being sent. I now use the phone for so many more things than I imagined.

[igraf]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

 

You can still use an unsupported phone for basic phone calls, texts and internet.  What does happen when a phone becomes unsupported is it no longer has security updates and financial and other security apps may disallow their usage and that may affect downloading boarding passes and other QR codes

 

Time line iPhone 6 - 2014, iPhone 7 2016,  iPhone 8 2017, iPhone 12 2020 and now the 13

 

I tend to keep older Android phones, though one must be aware of a couple issues.  The first is which frequencies are supported (or more importantly, not supported) by the phone.  This is more than just a question of 4G/5G.  There many frequencies (or bands) within 4G that may or may not be supported by an older phone.  Service will of course suffer if your phone does not support the appropriate newer bands for your particular service provider, especially when the older bands are shut down. 

 

I recently had to switch from ATT to T-Mobile towers because of this reason.   My service was poor, and I discovered that I was down to one working frequency band on ATT!   Fortunately, my phone still supports multiple T-Mobile bands and my service improved quite a bit after I switched services.

 

The other issue is the support of current operating system versions.  This is a bigger problem with Android than with Apple.  Many popular software apps (like Slack) will simply stop working if the OS is too old, and some Android manufacturers do not offer very many OS updates. 

 

igraf

[*Miss G*]

22 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I am seriously considering getting an Iphone as it’s set up similar to the Ipad and would be much easier for me to adapt to but the price is horrendous.

 

 

One thing I like about the iPhone (among many things) is that you can sync it to your iPad.  If my phone is in another room I can pick up the call, or make a call, right from my iPad.  As well, I can easily plug it into my car to sync with Apple CarPlay.  That allows me to display Waze on the dashboard and to be able to listen and respond to any incoming texts while I am driving.  I used to have Sirius but now I can listen to Pandora in the car at no extra cost.  (Okay, I’ll stop now. Lol)

[Skorpora]

10 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We would point out that both Android and iPhones are fine in terms of what folks need to download and display the QR Codes that are becoming increasingly important in travel (and a necessity in Europe).   For us the choice was easy because DD "ordered us" to get iPhones because our Grandchildren use Facetime :).  But Android users can certainly use similar apps such as Whatapp although they still have no way to communicate using Facetime.

 

One could argue all day which (iPhone or Android) is better but I think they are both excellent.  There are some experts that insist that the iPhone's are easier to set-up for a non-techie....but that is also subject to some debate.  My advice to any non techie person getting their first Smartphone is get it at a real phone store and ask those folks to help you set it up before you even leave the premises.  

 

Hank

You actually can FaceTime with an Android user. At the top of the FaceTime screen there is a "create link" button. This is used to establish a connection with an android user.

[Hlitner]

15 minutes ago, Skorpora said:

You actually can FaceTime with an Android user. At the top of the FaceTime screen there is a "create link" button. This is used to establish a connection with an android user.

Kind of (for lack of a better term).  It is possible if you have a supported browser (such as Chrome) on your Android device.  But the Android user can only join a facetime call initiated by an Apple person.  With Android devices you still cannot initiate a Facetime call.  That being said, I mentioned WhatsAPP because that also allows video calling and is compatible with both iPhones and Android Phones.

 

I do think the problem here is that Apple owns the Facetime app (and patent) and does not want to make it easy for Android users.  Lets face it, the Apple people see Facetime as a benefit that serves to promote their phones.  I will confess that DW and I have grown to like our iPhones.  If you own other Apple devices such as an iPad you can easily link the devices which is a nice benefit.   I own an Apple SE (2nd generation) which really fit my personal requirements.  While slightly smaller then the iPhone11, it has most of that technology inside.  I prefer the smallest available iPhone since it slips into my pocket a lot easier then its larger cousins.  And the SE was priced a few hundred less then the iPhone 11.  DW still uses an iPhone7 and it still meets all her needs and them some.  

 

Hank

[bcd2010]

DS has a smart phone, I don't (and don't want one). Can he download needed info for both of us to his phone?

[kevingastreich]

On 11/7/2021 at 6:55 PM, bcd2010 said:

DS has a smart phone, I don't (and don't want one). Can he download needed info for both of us to his phone?

I know that I can download my wife's airline boarding pass, along with my own, to my own smartphone. 

[Mary229]

On 11/7/2021 at 8:55 PM, bcd2010 said:

DS has a smart phone, I don't (and don't want one). Can he download needed info for both of us to his phone?

Use apple Wallet , it will store whatever you want 

[Boatdrill]

On 11/6/2021 at 2:40 PM, dmcfad2 said:

Just a side note on the use of smartphones and where things are heading. I am attending a concert tonight at the new Raiders stadium in Las Vegas. This venue is a totally cashless venue. Everything is ApplePay or credit card or debit card. Tickets to the event have to be downloaded to your smartphone and are scanned at the door. The scan bar on the mobile ticket is constantly renewing, so one can not even take a picture of the mobile ticket because a picture won’t work at the door. Parking is prepaid and you are given a QR code that must be scanned in order to enter the parking lot. This is a first for me and I have been spending the last few days figuring out how it all works. What happens if you don’t have a smartphone? 

I have season tickets to a professional ice hockey team, and NFL team. I also have a flip phone. Both  teams print and mail our tickets as requested (they always tell us we're not the only ones who want paper tickets). However this year, the owners of the hockey arena  changed their policy: no paper tickets, and  no cash at concession stands.  Our ticket rep gave us this work around - when we get to the arena, we go to the box office, show ID, and ask for our paper tickets. The agent finds our account, and presto, prints out the tickets. We go into the arena door, and our printed tickets are scanned.  It;s very easy and takes no time at all.    

For hockey parking, we pay cash. For NFL parking, we have a our season ticket parking pass. 

[Djptcp]

No one can make us buy a smart phone. The expense is not a problem, it's the principle that we just don't need or want one. We have been on two Carnival cruises, August and late October, and were given menus in the restaurants and our room steward brought us the printed out daily newsletter every night. We certainly didn't need a smart phone on those cruises. We do have a newer Tracphone we use ONLY when traveling in case of an emergency while driving. 99% of the time it is in my purse turned off and I only have to charge it a couple of times per year. We eat out, shop, and do many things you people use your smart phones for and we never have a problem. But, don't try to take my laptop from me😀

[visagrunt]

I'd say you don't need a smartphone, you need a handheld internet device.

I am considering leaving my phone at home on my next trip, and taking my old Galaxy S7.  After a factory reset I will download all of the essential apps, screenshot the essential QR codes and use a portable wifi hotspot when necessary.
 

[ontheweb]

18 hours ago, Djptcp said:

No one can make us buy a smart phone. The expense is not a problem, it's the principle that we just don't need or want one. We have been on two Carnival cruises, August and late October, and were given menus in the restaurants and our room steward brought us the printed out daily newsletter every night. We certainly didn't need a smart phone on those cruises. We do have a newer Tracphone we use ONLY when traveling in case of an emergency while driving. 99% of the time it is in my purse turned off and I only have to charge it a couple of times per year. We eat out, shop, and do many things you people use your smart phones for and we never have a problem. But, don't try to take my laptop from me😀

I wish there was an emoji for applause. That was so well said.

[BruceMuzz]

Currently, every individual entering Japan for any reason must agree to own, buy, or rent a smartphone. Two tracking Apps are required to be installed on the telephone, 

Starting next month, a third App, a digital Vaccine Passport, will also be required.

 

Right now, most people who do not have a smartphone are not allowed to enter Japan for other reasons anyway, but that will change sometime next year.

[cruisemom42]

20 hours ago, Djptcp said:

No one can make us buy a smart phone. The expense is not a problem, it's the principle that we just don't need or want one.

 

No one can make you buy one, perhaps. But you may become more and more limited in what you can do without one or find yourself going through ridiculous and tedious work-arounds. Perhaps if you are only planning to travel another (very) few years, you'll be fine without one....  As mentioned below, some countries may begin to require them. Your choice not to visit those countries, of course. But what happens when the number grows and limits your choices?

 

I've been down this path before with my parents -- they decided they didn't want or need to learn about computers back when they were less ubiquitous than now. They also decided they do not need a cell phone. They are no longer traveling (in their 90s) but at the end it was becoming difficult -- couldn't print out their boarding info, luggage tags, etc. for cruises. But bigger issue, they had no real way of communicating with their only grandchild whose main methods of non face-to-face communication are texts.

Edited November 10, 2021 by cruisemom42

[*Miss G*]

Coming back to Canada following my uncle’s funeral, my Dad and I couldn’t locate the airline check-in counter for boarding passes and we were limited on time.  (My father wanted the paper.) We both had carry-on luggage so we went straight to the gate instead.  I had downloaded both boarding passes to my phone so was able to scan us through the turnstiles into Security at Manchester Airport.  We probably wouldn’t have made the flight otherwise.

[XBGuy]

 

 

3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Veni Vidi Velcro
I came; I saw; I stuck around

 

 

 

🤣🤣🤣

[KirkNC]

Reminds me of people who resisted the introduction of the automobile, you can but you will eventually get run over.  Eventually, businesses will not accommodate you anymore just like they removed places to tie up your horse.

[rkacruiser]

Pardon me if this is a dumb question, but having the ability to obtain QR codes considered "data"?  I have the choice of a plan that is phone only or a plan that is "talk, text, and data".  The "phone" only is what I prefer.  But, I suspect, the need to be able to obtain QR codes in the future will become increasingly important.