I know Im not the only one frustrated with current technology, with people having their faces constantly stuffed into their iPads, Smart Phones etc.Seems they no longer communicate or interact with one another, and damn sure don't get out to enjoy the outdoors.
Apparently the good folks at Cabelas have noticed this too and in an effort to get folks away from their devices and into the outdoors they have started a campaign to disconnect from all this technology and get out and enjoy.

And I quote " to learn more, just go to www.disconnect.com"


WTF!


Somebody please kill me now....

TFF.

I know what you mean. It would be like having an AA meeting at the local bar.

Exactamundo.

I had a Blackberry and when it broke he wound up in the Atlantic not to be replaced.

I have an iPad that is still brand new in the box. 2 years now. Will likely stay there or wind up with his buddy in the ocean.

Blue will receive their work computers before year end along with a nice letter of thanks for the memories.

I have this laptop and when it dies it will certainly join the Blackberry at which point you gents and lady will ask....where's byc?

That leaves me with a rugged flip phone that is darn near indestructable But when it dies.....well you know.

Oh I do have a TV and I like the Cabels's commercials that you speak of.

I have just gone back to the old man version of a flip phone. It makes phone calls and will text if you simply must. Thats all.

the Jitterbug ?

I dunno, I booted up a Garmin GPS once, got it initiated, stuck it in my pocket and took off along a trail in West Texas. I pulled it out maybe 30 minutes later and found it showing me a map of Siberia. Easiest dang around the world trip you could imagine

No....but close. Mine doesn't have the big buttons.

Was in a restaurant last night with a man and woman sitting across from each other at the next table - not teens, probably late twenties and no wedding rings - neither was talking to the other but both were intent on their smart phones. Three guys in the early twenties were at another table, and again none were talking to each other, all three had their faces buried in their phones. As far as I know they were having a lively conversation texting each other.


I've made my living from computers for the last 34 years and still don't own a cell phone of any kind. Keep meaning to get one but just haven't found a pressing enough reason to get off my ass and do so.

All my co-workers make fun of mine until their battery runs out and I'm still going for days.

Kids actually laugh and ask me what it is. Up until theirs break and my old mans rugged flipper is still ticking,

Next time you are in an airport, look around at the people. Hard to find someone NOT glued to their damned cell phone...

I here ya,

Reasons to get one. -

Weather radar in the palm of your hand
Price checking in a store

*Check into the campfire from anywhere*

Flip phone here too. Am I the only one that can't turn the volume up high enough to hear? May have to upgrade to a "smart" phone just to get volume.

I will definitely take time to look up from my book and do so.


(Notice that was book, not Kindle... )

Tracfone.

I was sitting in an airport a couple weeks back and noticed the vast majority of people buried in their phones. I felt like a old man with my book in hand... Ya gotta wonder with people holding phones 8" from their faces for hours on end what their vision will be like in a few years?

I recently gave up my flip phone for a modern phone of some configuration. The only real reason was to be able to text the kids and wife easier. The problem now is it's too damn big. Doesn't sit in a pocket comfortably and the battery drains in a couple days. So now it gets left at home the majority of the time. My family gets frustrated with me.

My family gets just plain mad at me. I figure the cell phone is for MY convenience...not the rest of the worlds. I turn it on when I want to call somebody and turn it off when Im done.

Was at a pizza place near the house with the family. In the center of the restaurant a table with about 15 teenagers were sitting there. The boys all congregated around the ends of the table and the girls were packed in the middle. Surprisingly the boys were audibly discussing sports stats as if they were interviewing for a desk job at ESPN. The girls were all stone statues except for the ravenous texting. This continues for 20 minutes or so until a squeal came out of one of the girls. She waved her phone around and 4 of the closest girls giggled briefly. Quickly their eyes glazed over and the zombie state resumed to texting purgatory.

Even my wife, an avid texter, was perplexed by it.

There are definitely good reasons to have a cell phone of some kind. In my case it would be traffic emergencies, if you're stopped by the side of the road everyone figures you've already called for help on your cell. Other conveniences are fine but I'm enough of a luddite that I've gotten along so well without them for so long I just don't have a real pressing need to switch. (Don't tell anybody, but I've been known to actually send written letters to people via snail mail. Apparently they are so rare that folks are tickled pink to get one... )

But knowing how much time I do spend waste in front of this desktop screen, I'd fear succumbing to the dark side of those little tiny glowing screens like everyone else...

My son and my wife have my cell number.

A couple of weeks ago I was riding through downtown on my scooter on a 4 lane main artery that goes straight through the middle of town, 4 lanes one way.

A city cop was beside me on my left.

A young woman talking on her cell phone walked right out in the street in the middle of the block right in front of the oncoming traffic. I had to swerve right to go around her and the cop to my left had to brake hard to keep from hitting her. She was totally oblivious to the whole thing until the cop hit his siren while she was about 5' in front of him.

I went on and didn't see what he did or said, but it was the stupidest thing I'd seen in a long time.

I admit to using my iPhone, my second cell phone, my iPad mini, my lap top........ I just love that stuff.
I also really like being away from them, and of course, I am still doing a lot of paddling, camping, hiking. I enjoy being with my buds, and hate to miss an event with friends.

That said, ya wanna sell that unused iPad? I need a new one.

My sister is a techno-freak.

When it became the norm, she thought texting was fabulous. My retort of course is that its ridiculous,you have a PHONE in your hand!

Now, to take the sublime to the ridiculous, she has " Speech Texting" where you speak into the phone..... and it writes out and sends a text of what you said.



That kind of schitt makes blood squirt out of the corners of my eyes!

I actually like my phone, but no where near an addict. When it comes to conversions or trying to accomplish anything I'll call you. Texting is for short phrases that help prevent any conversations I don't want to be involved in and for recording CYA messages.

While at a hotel pool bar in Waikiki two months ago, we watched a young couple stare into their phones for an hour, occasionally groping blindly for their drinks. They never once looked up at the amazing ocean scenery, the people around them, or even to do more than grunt to the server. Whyinhell did they fly to Hawaii anyway, we asked ourselves. You can be a phone zombie anywhere.

I kid you not..... a woman in my own neighborhood was run over and killed by a trash truck backing down her street. She was taking out the garbage and had her ear thingie in while talking on the phone. The truck backed over her and she was caught up in the wheels. Dragged for some 10+ feet. The truck even had one of those loud beeping signals. It happens.

The Company now make the guys running around off the back of the truck walk behind the truck when backing down streets.

Cops found fault with the pedestrian.

Don't have computer other than this iPhone. All I got. If I didnt have it I wouldn't be able to stay up with all my compares on the fire.

The way I see it is some of these poor people are so connected they can't break free from work anymore.

My wife is one of them.

Her job is demanding and she gets text messages from co-workers at all hours of the day and weekends even though they only "work" Mon-Fri 8-5. She used to have to check work email occasionally when not at work, now the cell phone and texting have replaced that and people are made available 24-7. It's part of the gig now and expected by management. They have been suckered in and it is too late to stop.

I hope to hell my job never gets like that, and if it does, I'm done.

In other news, at the gym I go to probably 60% or more of the folks have earbuds in listening to some kind of music.

When you see someone standing near a piece of equipment you want to use it's courteous to ask them if they're using it or about to. When I see someone with earbuds sometimes I'll mouth the words but not make a sound. When they say, "What?", I'll act like I'm talking slower and louder but still not actually make a sound.

When they finally take the earbud out I'll continue to just mouth the words and not make a sound - but that depends on if the guy is a lot bigger than me and looks like he might not see the humor in the situation.

Funny how exercise makes me relaxed and pleasant but a lot of folks get real grumpy and angry at the gym. Maybe it's because they are away from their cell phones for a few minutes...

I think it's great! Several reasons I like my phone-first, I can hardly buy anything without doing a little research. If I'm at a store and see something I might want, I can quickly check if there is any reviews on it.
Second is texting. Texting is the best thing about these phones. I despise phone conversations. They go on too long, you usually don't even want to be talking to whoever is on the other end and they always happen at inconvenient times. Texting allows me to send or receive information in the shortest amount of time possible. And if I get a text from someone I don't want to talk to, I can ignore it or respond later. If I get a phone call now, I generally ignore it and let them text me. Usually ends up being a simple question that can be answered in one sentence, much better than having to spend several minutes on the phone.
If I'm out with people, I don't take my phone out until they become boring...but then I'll try to leave if I can. Lots of oblivious people lost in their phones out there, but it saves me from having to talk to them, so I'm ok with it. People who are intersting enough to be worth talking to usually aren't the ones glued to their phone anyway.

My father is almost 99. He does the same chitt. I keep telling him to leave it on in case he has an emergency....heart attack, wrecks his car, whatever. It's good for emergencies.

Poobah, you ain't getting any younger man. You might want to start leaving it on.

Hear ye, hear ye! The true danger of being connected.

I run heavy equipment doing construction. Weather has a lot of bearing on how I do my days work so being able to check the radar is important.
Everything is loud and I hate shutting machines down every time my phone rings (owner/operator so I try hard to answer). Texts come in handy for the small details. Look at them when I have time and answer when I have time. Everything from SO wondering what time I'll be home for the evening to one of my guys wondering which job site to go to.

This world is going faster and faster everyday and a cell phone is a great way to save time and speed up processes.

I don't pull my iPhone out until everybody else has theirs out. My hearing has deteriorated to the point that carrying on a conversation is very difficult, not just for me but also for those wanting to talk with me. It doesn't usually take long for everybody to get tired of repeating everything for me and either turn to private conversations or retreat to their smart phones, I understand their frustration.

Smart phones are a blessing to me though, because my family can text me. Multiple Dr's have said that there is no help in sight for my type of hearing loss. Face to face I can do fairly well in a quiet environment, but in a room full of noise, I'm toast…I can't talk on the phone at all now and I spent 30 years in the telecommunications business. That just kills me. Friends know not to call me and text me instead. So if you see me texting on my iPhone, it is about the only way I have of communicating with family and friends. In a world where it is getting harder and harder for me to stay connected, I'm going to keep every option I have that works.

Brian, you might have a point...I used to give my 83 year old mother hell when she didn't answer the phone ( she lived alone)


When you are 83..you NEED to answer the phone!

He droves at 99?? Good for him!!! That is impressive.

It gets pretty worrisome for your loved ones when they can't get a hold of you. You never know, that minute of reboot time might save your life.

I've resisted so far and hope to keep just a flip phone. Plus its now "vintage" like my #1 in 7x57.

My old flip phone died. I had to get this 'second generation' flip phone. It doesn't even have that sweet little plastic antennae. I have no idea how its able to pick up a signal without it!

Yes!!! It's really scarey to think about. The worst part is he's blind in his right eye and wears glasses so he can see out of the left. He doesn't drive too much. Only to his GIRL FRIEND'S house a couple of miles away. He's really hard headed and doesn't want to loose his freedom. Last fall he hit a deer on his way home. I asked him if it was a buck. He said he didn't, he never saw it. At first I hoped it wasn't a person, but he had a friend following him and confirmed it was a deer. He told me a light came on, on his dash and didn't know what it was. I looked at it and was the airbag fault light. If it had gone off, it would have killed him.

And while Cabelas is asking us to disconnect, they are selling these...

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Mens-Data-Tip-Power-Stretchreg-Gloves/1611909.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dgloves%26x%3D10%26y%3D6%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=gloves

May your laptop last a hundred years.

Being an Outdoorsman, and specifically a charter Captain, I spend lot's of time on, around and in the water. While I've never lost my phone overboard, I've had friends do so, and always hasseled with a "dry bag" for my phone.

About 6 months ago, I went with a new phone that has smart phone capabilities, not that it's the main selling point, but because it's waterproof, shockproof, and has astonishing battery time!

It's the Kyocera "Brigadier", and while it is and Android phone, I have found it to deliver all I need from it while living in the outdoors. I particularly like the "Gorilla" glass screen....no need for a protective case, or screen cover!

You mean checking trail cams under feeders from an iPad isn't being outside??

Oh, and don't forget to name the buck something cool.

Igot a flip phone about 4 years ago. It died, so I got a new one. I don't text and don't ever plan to text. I do use it to call folks now and then, if I HAVE to. I don't like phones much.
I got the wife a smart phone, and all she does is check the weather for me when driving, and play some silly-azz games. She does text from time to time, not enough to call it an addiction, yet.

They are a necessary evil, but that's the trick, they're necessary, and they're evil.
Hell, I went for about 15 years without any phone of any kind, and loved it. It sure does reduce stress levels.

I have a smart phone. I basically live at work during me work week. So it's handy for doing everything I'd need a computer for. And it's great for entertainment between shifts when I'm not sleeping.

But I do get irritated at people who can't seem to leave there phone alone. Especially when they're in a conversation with someone else.

It's a bit funny to be talking about this subject on-line though. Just sayin

Is it akin to this?

Had a girlfriend back in 2000 and hadn't seen her a long time. I was in the area and set up a meet for dinner that she was VERY much looking forward to, as was I. In the first 20 mins we got interrupted three times by her texting "for work" at 7:30 at night.

Food was fair, beer was better - have no idea how she was doing, I just paid the bill and left.

Ingwe - get the big numbers, you might have to actually dial someone sometime.

http://endoftheinternet.com/

My younger bro has gone back to a dial phone in protest just ask Keith..

I've had friends call and I don't get back for several days, because I left my cell phone in the car. I go days without ever touching that thing or know where it is.

Just got back from doctors, watched a woman and her 2 children across from me, all three with their noses stuck in a cell phone. I don't get it.

They were probably chatting with people they'll never meet, arguing about schit that doesn't matter, and trying to find people who agree with every decision they've made to feel better about themselves.

Oh wait......

I had a job like that and I hated it. At one time, I had a walkie-talkie, pager, cell phone, 2 office phones, and a gaitronics (in house phone system), that I had to monitor. I stuck it out for 12 years, and then I quit!

That's a good one! And very very true!

Sorry but if you're working on more than 20,000 posts here, you ain't disconnected! I don't care if you have a flip or rotary phone, or send smoke signals. If anything you're hardwired.

Bazinga!