Real Life Intrusions and Inspirations
Ron Knights
Posts: 2,501
It happened yet again. I hadn't slept all week. I was starting to finally feel hopeful and energized once again. Then my Dad called.
Dad has asked me for "technical advice" countless times. Sometimes he listens. Sometimes he doesn't. Tonight Dad said he knew I wanted to help him. Dad wanted to abandon iPhone 6 and get a "Flip Phone!" My own interests and pursuits involve moving forward wtih technology. I don't bother to clutter my mind with ancient, outmoded technology.
I was reading a book I'd started 15 years ago. Then, suddenly I started to think of an idea for a cartoon involving an old guy and a flip phone. Oh wow, awhile ago I bought Floyd 8 and his friends. Wasn't there a flip phone in there somewhere?
Ok, I couldn't resist. I fumbled about, and decided to update to Comic Life version 3. I probably paid more because I wanted to biy it in the Apple App store. I don't think they used the iTunes Gift card I bought myself. Here is a primitive cartoon.
Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
7533 S Center View Ct #4664
West Jordan, UT 84084
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2026 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
My husband hates his smart phone and would go back to his flip phone in a hot minute if he didn't need the weather channel so much lol. He is not a technological person. He doesn't even do email and while he can read his texts, he makes me text back! I think it would be fun render, you should do it!
IceDragonArt, I created a primitive render and updated my original message in this thread. I had lots of challenges on the way. Here's the kicker. Last year Dad bought an iPhone 7S Plus for $500 from TracFone. I said I was jealous so he traded my iPhone 4S for his 6S Plus. Then he decided he hated the small phone. So he bought an iPhone 6S Plus for another $600 from Best Buy. He's never learned how to use it. Now he says it's too big. So he's invested $1,100 in two iPhone 6S Pluses, but wants his flip phone!
I still have my flipphone Motorola RAZR v3 from 2003 I bought in Zurich for 600 CHF cash for an internationally unlocked phone with no contract! So it wasn't with the iPhone that new cell phone models were outrageously expensive. Now thought I added $100 of prepaid minutes on t-mobile and when ever a website asks for my phone number I use that phone as /dev/null because so many websites seem to get customer's personal information stolen from their databases. I keep it in my car as a roadside assistance phone (even though I take my iPhone SE with me all the time anyway).
My Dad was head of the IT dept many years back for a major university (pre windows). Now that he is retired and getting much older he is always asking for help with his computer and anything modern tech related.
...I actually went back to my old flip phone as all the Smartphone plans for a single line are so expensive, particularly as I don't get or make a lot of calls as well as arthritis and texting just do no mix (I like to joke that between my dyslexia and arthritis I can create new secret codes when I text that even MI-6 would have trouble breaking). The most use I got with the smartphone was checking bus/tram arrival times and loading it with "E-Tickets for our transit system, checking sports scores, checking the weather, and getting directions to places. 55$ a month just for that is pretty steep when you are on Social Security like i am. 15$ for 60 minutes is a lot easier on the budget.
I can still check bus arrival times as they have a number to call where you just enter the stop ID and it gives you the times for the next couple buses (the LRT and street trams have video arrival boards). Had to go back to paying cash fares though as our system stopped issuing paper tickets and passes, a bit of a pain as for the LRT there is no ticket booth or turnstile to buy a ticket at and if you are caught without a valid fare by an inspector, it's a hefty fine.
loved my still functional little Samsung X550 flip style phone reminiscent of a StarTrek communicator
but sadly my SIM stopped working and had to update the card only to find they now are incompatible
had no choice but to get a dirt cheap ZTE
miss my Nokia N70 too
...I was able to get a new Sim card for my old Samsung. They even gave it to me for free. 15$ for 60 min (which I rarely ever use up) that lasts for 30 days is so much more affordable than 55$. The difference pays for about ten days worth of groceries.
Flip phones obviously meet the needs of many people. My Dad's flip phone stopped working. He spent several hours with tech support trying to get the phone to work again. Apparently TracFone refused to work on the phone unless he paid for more minutes. Dad usually buys the annual plan card, and has gathered thousands of minutes on his phone. TracFone finally said the phone had likely died because it was so old. Obviously Dad had been talking to TracFone. Why couldn't he have ordered a new Flip Phone through them?!
Dad called me and said he knew I wanted to help him with my "considerable technical expertise." I know from experience that he'd ask me to do something outlandish or impossible. I tried to explain that I don't have any knowledge of "outdated technology." I love my Dad. But, over the years, he's asked me for technical help, and argued with just about every piece of advice I've ever offered.
My brother and I were thinking of relocating to be closer to my parents. My brother will eventually need to move to a nursing home. Yesterday I just had a real glimpse of what it might be like to live closer to my parents. I think I'll stay where I am. I don't mind helping Dad, but I don't want to be ignored or insulted all the way.
I am in backwater Adelaide in Australia too, am limited in what phone towers I can use cheaply and am on 4G like it or not, the technology just no longer supports my perfectly good phone or for that matter my perfectly good Samsung Galaxy tablet, Google impossible to browse on any browsers left that I can even get from the android store, apps just no longer support it.
All I can use it for now is to view files like media and pdf's it keeps its charge for weeks unlike my ipad air that lasts a day.
Sadly, that's "progress"
the3digit, I sympathize with your struggle for good, usable tech etc.
In my Dad's case, he wants to hang onto old and extinct technology. He drags me into a fruitless pursuit, and is disappointed when I don't want to help. I posted the cartoon on Facebook, and he was angry.
Y'all can call me dinosaur, 'cause I have no smartphone or flip phone or any other of these mobile torture devices that people seem to "need" nowadays.
Still got a landline phone in our flat. That's all I need as addition to my PC and it's internet capability through DSL.
LOL, from your icon avatar it looks like maybe you need to cut the internet too! Just joking!
..I just don't like it when "Progress" means making something that is necessary to have or use more "Expensive".