- April 23, 2024
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Wayne Grant
News Editor
Of all the advances in technology through the years, probably the device with the biggest effect on our lives has been the phone.
I can remember, back in the mid-1900s, when the house phone would ring. You would hear, “I got it … I got it,” throughout the house as family members raced to answer it.
Usually, after answering, a disappointed voice would say, “It’s for you,” because It was not the call they were expecting.
But today, when the cell phone rings in our pocket, belt or purse, we know the call is for us. That must be why we never leave home without it.
When I plunged into the smart phone era, and the 21st century, I naively asked if it came with a manual. No, I was told, all information is available in the phone. Good, just learn to use the phone so you can learn to use it.
But of course, a wealth of information is available, on the Internet and from other phone users. And the smart phone is a fascinating little box to explore.
Some tips
Recently, I learned about the Control Center, which is available by flipping it up from the bottom of the screen. You don’t even have to laboriously punch in that four-digit code. You can access the flashlight, clock (which includes a timer, stopwatch and other items), calculator, and camera. There’s also airplane mode, brightness control and other handy features.
My goal is to learn more, and make this little device earn its monthly payment. However, I remember the first rule of training a dog is that you must be smarter than the dog. I wonder if that’s true with smart phones. I hope not.
Who is smarter?
The iPhone reminds me of the novel, “I Robot,” by Isaac Asimov, about a machine that gained self-awareness. I don’t think the IPhone has a self-identity, but I’m not too sure about Siri.
I know It can be too smart. On my Facebook page, as a joke, I listed my employer as Mayfield Dairy Farm, which was my first job out of high school. The iPhone picked up on this from Facebook, and now when I call some people, it identifies me as “Mayfield Dairy Farm.”
But I really wonder who is getting the last laugh here. Is it me because I fooled the system, or the iPhone making me look foolish for not recording my real job? But that’s ridiculous. The machines are not that smart yet, I don’t think.
I recall the days of being unreachable. People would ride a bus and gaze out the window, alone with their thoughts. They would hike through the woods with no way of being bothered.
Today, people call from the grocery store aisle and explain in a loud voice that they are going to buy creamy instead of crunchy peanut butter. Or, they call from a Ferris wheel because they absolutely must share the moment with someone else.
Of course, there’s always the option to leave the phone at home and not carry it around. But what if I get that call I’ve been expecting?
