a smart phone for the confused

It wasn't quite unanimous, but by far the majority of my people recommended an Apple iPhone for my phone of choice. Yes, they are kind of expensive, IMO. They are even breakable. But they are very, very cool. And artsy. And I do aspire to be both.

I thought I wanted black. But when the little salesgirl put her last iPhone 4 (white) in this nifty blue Otter Box case, I fell pretty hard. I'm a sucker for blue and white anything, whether sailor dresses on little girls, or a phone in its case. That's perpetuating the pathetic stereotype of women who buy a car based on color, but who cares? Here's what else sold me:

1. Fabulous camera. On the back AND front! I just drool thinking of the photos of my granddaughters. (Oh and my kids ... sorry, kids.) Large and clear! Instagram, too. I can't exactly explain what that is, but it's a neat way to share your photography.

2. Face time. Like skyping on your phone.

3. GPS. Suffice it to say, there are times when a GPS would have saved me time, headaches and gas.

4. Weather at my fingertips, in case I don't want to step outside.

5. I got the "bottom of the line" iPhone 4. "Slower, less memory" some say. That sounds very compatible for me! And after a little flip phone, this one feels like I've gone from the Flintstones to the Jetsons.

I had another thought as we left the phone store. There might be a real niche for middle-aged phone sales people. Twenty-somethings try very hard and they know their stuff, but I'm not sure they know MY stuff. There came a time in our conversation when her eyes told me she just didn't quite understand my questions, needs and overall confusion. And I feel silly saying, "Wait, can you repeat all that again? Because I didn't understand any of it." Baby boomers need other baby boomers to sympathize with their confusion when it comes to technology. Remember this post?

So how about it, Verizon? Hmmm?

the nightmare for old people

Saturday Night Live has done it! HA HAHA! This is exactly how I feel when I go online or take the tiniest step into today's world of technology and electronics and cell phones and all the rest. At the moment, I'm trying to figure out what phone to get. So very C-O-N-F-U-S-I-N-G. Gaaahhhh! Check this out ....

(And no commenting on how "easy" all this is unless you're over 55!)

an iPod for grandma?

To iPod or not. That's the question. I embrace new technology much the same way that I learned to swim. Failing beginning swimming three times shook my confidence in the water. Then in college I took lifesaving and there was no looking back. I loved swimming!

Maybe it's time to jump on the iPod bandwagon. CD's clutter my life: the desk, car, kitchen counter, drawers and shelves. And they're so ... 90's!

And allow me digress, but my favorite CD story happened when son Dan came home from preschool one day in 1990. Wide-eyed, he spread his hands a foot apart and exclaimed, "Mommy, they have CD's THIS BIG at preschool!"

So why not, I should get with the program. According to those in the know (my friends) an iPod is a must-have. Maybe a must-want. But like my fear of the pool, I start listing the negatives.

1. How do I load the thing? Dan says it will "take him 5 months" to teach me. Your point, son?
2. Earphones. I absolutely detest things in my ears. So I figure I'll buy a "dock" - yeah I'm getting the lingo - a clock radio that charges and plays your iPod. And, I can play it in the car as long as there's a pluggy hole for it.
3. Which model? Shuffle. Nano. Classic. 250, 500 or 2,000 songs? Oh, dear.
4. What if I get tired of songs, can I take them off and replace with new ones?

My kids are laughing, I am certain. IPod technology is as complicated to them as brushing their teeth. Which, had I not been teaching them to do all those years, I might be better versed in iPods!