How I Wish Someone Would Invent a Gran(D)Ma Phone 😊
Last week, after 12 wonderful years together, my phone died. I have to say it was a little traumatic. Contacts lost, photos, personal data, but mostly the familiarity of how it works. I knew which tune meant I had a text, or a call, where to find my step counter, how to switch on my light in the middle of the night, or scroll through photos.
So, it was with a little trepidation I took myself off to the phone shop to choose a successor. The choice was enormous – number of cameras, size, colour, price, and that was before you got into what the phone actually did!
I spent a while choosing before deciding:
- Not to take out a mortgage.
- To choose the (seemingly) simplest.
- To get the least gadgets possible.
- To buy the pretty pink colour … obviously!
Could I Learn How to Use It?
After my purchase, I was given the opportunity to meet with a man who would explain the phone to me. I jumped at the chance. Instead of me wading through instructions or YouTube videos, a nice man would explain it all to me. How lovely!
Except, I was sent to a table with one poor man trying to explain to a group of women, mostly my age, how the phone worked. Each, slightly dazed, looking more perplexed as his individual explanations went on. Press this, hold that down, scroll here, click this, enter that …
I looked at my all singing, all dancing phone. It had more apps and functions than I had ever seen. I am sure if I had asked Siri (if I could find his button) he would have made me a cup of tea.
I had no need for Playground or Movie Star, I didn’t want a find my iPhone button. I have absolutely no use for spreadsheets, no idea what Keynote was, kept a journal by hand, and couldn’t even begin to imagine what Garage Band was!
Future Inventors
So, for any future inventors out there, please set about designing a phone perfect for me. 😊
Instead of Find my iPhone, I think Find my Glasses might be better. I am sure many of my steps throughout the day are made looking for my glasses (often found on my head).
My ideal phone wouldn’t mysteriously go back to the screen page every 30 seconds, when I was just thinking what I was going to write, or who I was going to call.
After a little afternoon nap, it would wake me with a gentle story or some lovely music, rather than an alarm that went on forever.
Hotspot would stay on, how do I know when I need to find some extremely important piece of information, such as ‘why is that caterpillar hairy’?
Mostly, it would be simple, easy to understand, and grow with me as my knowledge increased. I don’t want to be a dinosaur … but I also don’t want to be a mad professor – at least in the beginning.
One Week On…
So, my new phone and I are slowly making friends. I guess at this stage we are more casual acquaintances. I am not brave enough to question her or ask her to make changes. Hopefully that will come as our friendship, and my confidence, grows.
I now have a contact list of 8, and 3 new photos. I still freak out when I, somehow, make an emergency button appear, half expecting police and ambulance to appear at my location.
For all the fear it evokes in me, part of me loves the challenge, and the I-can-do-this-at-my-age. One of the ladies in the phone shop asked if she could take a photo of us both to send to her kids, with the latest iPhones in our hands. 📱
Wonder what will be on my next phone… if I am here 12 years from now. 😀
Join the Conversation:
Have you updated your phone recently? What do you miss most about your old one? What would you love to add to your new one?
Tags Technology
This article reminds me of my long-time wish that my television remote control only had three buttons: volume, channel, and of course, power.
There’s nothing that says you have to use more than three buttons.
My tv would not work and I could not watch anything if I only pressed 3 buttons!
Hi Julie, thanks for joining the conversation. As the youngest child my job was to be the button :) x
Hi Suzanne, thanks for joining the conversation. I know what you mean… that temptation to press the button is always there:) Fortunately, for me, I haven’t had a tv for years. Personally it is one of the best things I have done and cannot imagine getting another one. Everyone’s preferences and situations are different. If you enjoy it, that’s great! Lily x
I was lucky enough to work in a setting where being tech savy was absolutely essential so I am quite comfortable using my Android phone, but I get it. What might be more helpful is if phone companies hired more reps that are seniors in their conceptual design deparments, and provide more opportunities for one on one trouble shooting and instruction. No chatbots please! And no, I am not looking for a job. ;)
Hi Diane, Lucky you! I too have always been involved with tech, I just don’t like how it doesn’t account for those who haven’t, or choose not to. I know so many people who find it intimidating, and it is getting more difficult to live life without it Lily x
I agree. Many seniors are struggling with this Not their fault.
Updating your phone and living in the present are good things. They all exercise your mind and everybody needs that to remain happy, functional in the world, and more relevant. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be so good for you. Let’s help counteract ageism by living in the present and showing we are perfectly capable of learning new things.
I think some of these things have caused more stress less patience and less relationships!
Hi Julie, thanks for joining the conversation. I couldn’t agree more :) Lily x
Hi Claudia, Hi Diane, thanks for joining the conversation. I agree, learning new things is very important but I do think some people really struggle with tech. Lily x
I updated my phone because I had to. I purchased the oldest one that was newer. But still, I only need texting and a telephone. Oh how I wish they would just make that. I don’t do eveything on my phone and refuse to carry around my life in money, photos, and joys in my phone.
Hi Anne, Hi Diane, thanks for joining the conversation. Like you, I only use a fraction of the functions, but while researching for writing the article I looked into Garage Band and it looks fun :) Lily x
I update my phone as needed. Use I Phone as Apple products are more intuitive for late bloomers in tech.
Years ago …when I panicked moving to the phone technology..my grandson took the phone and explained…”This is a computer that happens to have a phone in it”.
That changed my perspective and i use it more as an invaluable tool that makes my life easier,safer, organized. I can do everything on my phone!
Sometimes I actually use the phone part!
Hi Mary, thanks for joining the conversation. Your grandson is very wise :) I never thought of it like that before! Lily x
You’ve just given me a new way to see my phone! I’m good with computers, but panic if I hit the wrong button on the phone. Looking at it as if it’s a ‘computer that happens to have a phone in it’ may be a less stressful way to see it. Thank your grandson for me!
Hi Shellie, Hi Diane, thanks for joining the conversation. I felt exactly the same :) Lily x