Anybody up for a random meme dump?

I call bull shit on this. You keep saying it but it's patently false! Name everything a a new top of the line smart phone can do then list everything you need to buy to replace those functions and add up the costs.

About the most expensive thing I can think of would be a GPS. They're about $150 or so with lifetime maps support. I have 3 of them - so for purposes of conversation that's $450. One of them is well over 10 years old - show me a PHOOOOOONNE that's still usable after that time - even if it costs $200, I'm still money ahead, PLUS - most importantly - I don't have to fool with the inconvenience of the thing.

What else can a smartphone do that I'd actually use or be interested in? Of course, there's always that big bugaboo, accessing the Internet. Yea, like I really want to do that on such a crippled thing. There the price is pretty much a wash - you can get onto the 'net with a $200 Chromebook that would be a HELL of a much better experience. AND - again, the ease of use vs. brain dead pain in the ass "device", and I try to get at least 10 years out of my computers. I paid $1K for my new computer last January replacing one from 2012. The 2012 one was still. perfectly fine for Internet and similar things, but my usage model changed and I wanted more horsepower.

Camera? Already have them - but even if I didn't - your smartphone replaces a $200 point and shoot camera with a clumsy form factor and a monthly subscription fee. Nope. I'm the first to admit that smartphones can take good pictures - when the operator has enough brains to turn the damn thing sideways for most subjects. But why would I want to?

Music? What a laugh. I use Geek sticks for music. But its considered "better" to pay for an expensive data plan - PLUS - oftentimes another monthly subscription fee to stream it in. I put that into the category of "more money than brains".

Calculator - I have several, they're dirt cheap, and they're a much better experience than a damn smartphone. Plus, my flip actually has one, I think I've used it once.

Oh, how about an actual telephone? Yea - smartphones are mediocre in that regard as well, never mind the nuisance of the clumsy form factor and touch screen. I'll stick with a flip, thank you.

A jack of all trades is always a master of none. Would you use a Gerber to loosen your lugnuts? One writer likened the smartphone to a spork - which is probably an insult to sporks!

As I've said many times before, I've been using, programming, building, and designing computer hardware since way before 99% of people had ever seen one or knew what one was. I think I have a pretty good idea of what a computer is, and a smartphone ain't it. Mediocre phone and a HORRID computer.

And we haven't even had the surveillance conversation yet.

Allow me to quote another article I encountered - I have found this to be very true about smartphones and "social media" both - deny or abstain and the apologists will come swarming out:
"I have been surprised by the almost visceral response some people have when they discover I don't own a smartphone. Some even take it as a personal affront. It registers as a challenge to the myth of inevitability, the myth that one needs a smartphone to thrive in contemporary society."The article continues: "I can only conclude that I have scratched the skin of a technological fundamentalism that,like other fundamentalisms, wishes to monopolize a whole society, and, therefore, cannot tolerate the smallest difference of opinion."
 
About the most expensive thing I can think of would be a GPS. They're about $150 or so with lifetime maps support. I have 3 of them - so for purposes of conversation that's $450. One of them is well over 10 years old - show me a PHOOOOOONNE that's still usable after that time - even if it costs $200, I'm still money ahead, PLUS - most importantly - I don't have to fool with the inconvenience of the thing.

What else can a smartphone do that I'd actually use or be interested in? Of course, there's always that big bugaboo, accessing the Internet. Yea, like I really want to do that on such a crippled thing. There the price is pretty much a wash - you can get onto the 'net with a $200 Chromebook that would be a HELL of a much better experience. AND - again, the ease of use vs. brain dead pain in the ass "device", and I try to get at least 10 years out of my computers. I paid $1K for my new computer last January replacing one from 2012. The 2012 one was still. perfectly fine for Internet and similar things, but my usage model changed and I wanted more horsepower.

Camera? Already have them - but even if I didn't - your smartphone replaces a $200 point and shoot camera with a clumsy form factor and a monthly subscription fee. Nope. I'm the first to admit that smartphones can take good pictures - when the operator has enough brains to turn the damn thing sideways for most subjects. But why would I want to?

Music? What a laugh. I use Geek sticks for music. But its considered "better" to pay for an expensive data plan - PLUS - oftentimes another monthly subscription fee to stream it in. I put that into the category of "more money than brains".

Calculator - I have several, they're dirt cheap, and they're a much better experience than a damn smartphone. Plus, my flip actually has one, I think I've used it once.

Oh, how about an actual telephone? Yea - smartphones are mediocre in that regard as well, never mind the nuisance of the clumsy form factor and touch screen. I'll stick with a flip, thank you.

A jack of all trades is always a master of none. Would you use a Gerber to loosen your lugnuts? One writer likened the smartphone to a spork - which is probably an insult to sporks!

As I've said many times before, I've been using, programming, building, and designing computer hardware since way before 99% of people had ever seen one or knew what one was. I think I have a pretty good idea of what a computer is, and a smartphone ain't it. Mediocre phone and a HORRID computer.

And we haven't even had the surveillance conversation yet.

Allow me to quote another article I encountered - I have found this to be very true about smartphones and "social media" both - deny or abstain and the apologists will come swarming out:

Saying you don't like the way a phone does it or the way it's shaped doesn't mean you get to offload the burden of finding a replacement that makes it cheaper...
 

It's not about what you use a smartphone for, it's what the smartphone can do that you're claiming can be done for cheaper. We all know you hate them, that doesn't mean they're overpriced relative to buying individual things to replace it
 
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It's not about what you use a smartphone for, it's what the smartphone can do that you're claiming can be done for cheaper. We all know you hate them, that doesn't mean they're overpriced relative to buying individual things to replace it

Of course they're overpriced. GPS is cheaper. Computer is a wash. Calculator is cheaper. Camera is cheaper. Music is FREE. And they all LAST LONGER, which makes them cheaper still. Even the computer turns out to be cheaper because I'm not replacing it all the time. I didn't give a rat's ass about smartphones one way or another until about 2016 when I had taken my flip out for some reason in a meeting at work. "You call THAT a phone?!?" The expectation that everyone owns one, the expectation that I'm supposed to spend all this money on the fucking thing, and then pay, pay, pay, pay, pay even more every Goddamned month to "feed" the thing. You tell me how wonderful this overpriced toy is, all I see is an expensive, fragile gadget that doesn't do much very well, doesn't last very long, has a VERY sub optimal usage experience, is yet another battery operated gadget that doesn't have much battery life.

Everybody refers to that false God of our day: ConvEEEEEEEEEENience. Convenience ALWAYS has its price - and that's when the convenience is actually real, not perceived or contrived. I find nothing whatsoever conVEEEEEEEENient about an overpriced, crippled and brain dead device. It has nothing good to contribute to my life - yet the scads and hordes of apologists seem to think they're "essential".

So - let's talk costs. Let's say a mid-range PHOOOOOONNE is $600 - give or take. Then you're spending at least another $50/mo to feed the thing if you're really using it much at all. That's $1,200 right off the bat for the first year. Or let's say you're thrifty and you're getting by with a $400 phone and $25/mo. That's $700 for the first year. Over 10 years, these examples swell to $6,600 and $3,400 respectively - and does NOT include having to replace thing thing 2 or 3 times which most people do. I pay $15/mo to feed my $50 phone - I'll leave the math as an exercise for the reader. In the meantime, I haven't had to replace ANY of my other devices in this decade, and have had a much better - and dare I say it - "conVEEEEEENient" experience with all of them.
 
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About the most expensive thing I can think of would be a GPS. They're about $150 or so with lifetime maps support. I have 3 of them - so for purposes of conversation that's $450. One of them is well over 10 years old - show me a PHOOOOOONNE that's still usable after that time - even if it costs $200, I'm still money ahead, PLUS - most importantly - I don't have to fool with the inconvenience of the thing.

What else can a smartphone do that I'd actually use or be interested in? Of course, there's always that big bugaboo, accessing the Internet. Yea, like I really want to do that on such a crippled thing. There the price is pretty much a wash - you can get onto the 'net with a $200 Chromebook that would be a HELL of a much better experience. AND - again, the ease of use vs. brain dead pain in the ass "device", and I try to get at least 10 years out of my computers. I paid $1K for my new computer last January replacing one from 2012. The 2012 one was still. perfectly fine for Internet and similar things, but my usage model changed and I wanted more horsepower.

Camera? Already have them - but even if I didn't - your smartphone replaces a $200 point and shoot camera with a clumsy form factor and a monthly subscription fee. Nope. I'm the first to admit that smartphones can take good pictures - when the operator has enough brains to turn the damn thing sideways for most subjects. But why would I want to?

Music? What a laugh. I use Geek sticks for music. But its considered "better" to pay for an expensive data plan - PLUS - oftentimes another monthly subscription fee to stream it in. I put that into the category of "more money than brains".

Calculator - I have several, they're dirt cheap, and they're a much better experience than a damn smartphone. Plus, my flip actually has one, I think I've used it once.

Oh, how about an actual telephone? Yea - smartphones are mediocre in that regard as well, never mind the nuisance of the clumsy form factor and touch screen. I'll stick with a flip, thank you.

A jack of all trades is always a master of none. Would you use a Gerber to loosen your lugnuts? One writer likened the smartphone to a spork - which is probably an insult to sporks!

As I've said many times before, I've been using, programming, building, and designing computer hardware since way before 99% of people had ever seen one or knew what one was. I think I have a pretty good idea of what a computer is, and a smartphone ain't it. Mediocre phone and a HORRID computer.

And we haven't even had the surveillance conversation yet.

Allow me to quote another article I encountered - I have found this to be very true about smartphones and "social media" both - deny or abstain and the apologists will come swarming out:
Still waiting, you obviously didn't understand the assignment. Top of the line smart phones vs comparable equipment they replace. I'd be willing to bet you don't even know the full capabilities of the new smart phones. I know you wont bother to do any research on the subject so, I stand by my statement. You're full of shit when it comes to being able to do all the things (I'll say it again) a TOP OF THE LINE smart phone can do and better with a suitcase of devices, for less money.
 
Still waiting, you obviously didn't understand the assignment. Top of the line smart phones vs comparable equipment they replace. I'd be willing to bet you don't even know the full capabilities of the new smart phones. I know you wont bother to do any research on the subject so, I stand by my statement. You're full of shit when it comes to being able to do all the things (I'll say it again) a TOP OF THE LINE smart phone can do and better with a suitcase of devices, for less money.

You can keep up your apologia all you like. I only included the things that I do/need - not every single thing that I - and a lot of others - wouldn't use. And regardless of cost, the smartphone doesn't do much of anything better than a dedicated device - except suck money out of the owner's wallet and spy on hir. You couldn't GIVE me one of these things - they're just sub-standard at most everything they do. They're brain dead, and crippled. Brain dead by design, crippled by necessity - you can't make a useful computer with a 8 inch (or whatever) screen, no keyboard, and no reasonable pointing device. How much CAD have you done on one? How much software have you written on one? How large a movie have you done extensive editing on one? How about graphic design?

READ MY LIPS: I don't give a damn about "capabilities" - I can remove my lug nuts with a Gerber tool - but I prefer to use a tool that is optimized for lug nut removal, not a jack of all trades and master of none like a Gerber - or a PHOOOOOONNE. Piss poor implementations of "capabilities" is still just that: Piss poor. A Gerber has a lot of "capabilities", which doesn't make it ideal for very much. At least they're cheap - idiots with smooth brains buy "flagship" phones thinking their new status symbol means something - and they're not wrong. It does mean something - that they have more money than brains.

Why would anyone put up with the sub-optimal crapola that is the smartphone? WHY? Answer me that. The thing is a craptastic stupendous steaming stack of stinking steer stool. And I'm supposed to replace my computer with this shit? I'm supposed to replace my camera with this shit? I'm supposed to pay pay pay pay pay pay pay out my ass for this oh-so-conVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENient piece of garbage. Oh, and PAY some more for the dubious privilege of streaming music in my car and countless other things.

And again, never mind the surveillance state, shitty spyware "Apps" that mostly can be replaced by a simple webpage, abysmally short battery life, etc, etc. The cost to society of the world wide obsession with these things can catering to them is MASSIVE.

Ye Gods, what an evil thing this is - the greedy TelCos have everyone convinced that the world will immediately stop turning if they don't own one of these oh-so-essential and conVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENient things. To listen to said TelCos - and their apologists - you can't even do X,Y,Z without one. I had an insurance employee think that the only way I could submit photos to them was via a smartphone and, presumably, their "App". Etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.

Whatever. Like I said, the Apologists come out of the woodwork in vehement droves over this subject - as well as "social media". They have their religion, I guess.
 
You can keep up your apologia all you like. I only included the things that I do/need - not every single thing that I - and a lot of others - wouldn't use. And regardless of cost, the smartphone doesn't do much of anything better than a dedicated device - except suck money out of the owner's wallet and spy on hir. You couldn't GIVE me one of these things - they're just sub-standard at most everything they do. They're brain dead, and crippled. Brain dead by design, crippled by necessity - you can't make a useful computer with a 8 inch (or whatever) screen, no keyboard, and no reasonable pointing device. How much CAD have you done on one? How much software have you written on one? How large a movie have you done extensive editing on one? How about graphic design?

READ MY LIPS: I don't give a damn about "capabilities" - I can remove my lug nuts with a Gerber tool - but I prefer to use a tool that is optimized for lug nut removal, not a jack of all trades and master of none like a Gerber - or a PHOOOOOONNE. Piss poor implementations of "capabilities" is still just that: Piss poor. A Gerber has a lot of "capabilities", which doesn't make it ideal for very much. At least they're cheap - idiots with smooth brains buy "flagship" phones thinking their new status symbol means something - and they're not wrong. It does mean something - that they have more money than brains.

Why would anyone put up with the sub-optimal crapola that is the smartphone? WHY? Answer me that. The thing is a craptastic stupendous steaming stack of stinking steer stool. And I'm supposed to replace my computer with this shit? I'm supposed to replace my camera with this shit? I'm supposed to pay pay pay pay pay pay pay out my ass for this oh-so-conVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENient piece of garbage. Oh, and PAY some more for the dubious privilege of streaming music in my car and countless other things.

And again, never mind the surveillance state, shitty spyware "Apps" that mostly can be replaced by a simple webpage, abysmally short battery life, etc, etc. The cost to society of the world wide obsession with these things can catering to them is MASSIVE.

Ye Gods, what an evil thing this is - the greedy TelCos have everyone convinced that the world will immediately stop turning if they don't own one of these oh-so-essential and conVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENient things. To listen to said TelCos - and their apologists - you can't even do X,Y,Z without one. I had an insurance employee think that the only way I could submit photos to them was via a smartphone and, presumably, their "App". Etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.

Whatever. Like I said, the Apologists come out of the woodwork in vehement droves over this subject - as well as "social media". They have their religion, I guess.
It's hilarious how you think we're all apologists. What's more hilarious is you can't win the argument you started with facts.
You're just mad that I called you out on your factless diatribe.

But I digress...
Back to memes!!!

Look at me I'm Zorba!!! I hate Smart PHOOOOOOONES
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