Friends

09 May 2013

TECHNICAL GADGETS WE EITHER LOVE OR HATE

Wouldn’t we be lost without telephones? Mostly they bring us closer to relatives and friends, and more often than not they make it easy to deal with organisations, but sometimes they’re simply a pain in the ass.

We got so fed-up answering the numerous International phone calls, along with other presumed bonafide numbers sent to harass people, that we were forced to pay extra for ID Display. The charge is worth it, though, since we now know who or what is calling.

If it says International, number withheld or number unknown we ignore it,  except that the downside was when Joe rang from Australia and it showed, yes you guessed it, INTERNATIONAL. So we worked it that he would send an email to say when he would ring. Honestly, the things we have to go through to avoid nuisance calls.

However, sometimes all we see is a number and I’m quickly learning those to be avoided at all costs. Some spammers have got it sussed. If someone doesn’t answer they leave a message on voicemail and if, like us, you happen to use voicemail belonging to the telephone company then you have to pay to find out which (un)kind person left you a message! I have discovered that we can Google numbers to find out who called but it doesn’t stop them leaving voicemail messages - which we have to pay for.

What with that and spam email it’s a wonder we all stay sane. Here’s the latest new way to advertise, if advertising it really is. Is this an opportunity not to be missed, I ask myself?

This message contains blocked images.

Mrs Jenefar Gobat (from Hotel) sent you a private message:
PAN PACIFIC HOTEL JOB DISCRIPTIONS.
Suite 300-999 Canada Place Vancouver Canada.
From Mrs Jenefar Goba , Manager PAN PACIFIC HOTEL Canada.
This Invitation mail is from PAN PACIFIC HOTEL Canada, Pls PAN PACIFIC Hotel Needs Men And Women, Who Can Work And Live here In Hotel PAN PACIFIC Hotel Will Pay For Your Ticket And The Visa Fee In Your Country ,If You Are Interested kindly Contact us Back Ok.
E Mail; canadian_hotel@rocketmail.com
please reply me back
Mrs Jenefar Gobat General Manager PAN PACIFIC HOTELS VANCOUVER CANADA...

I didn’t dare release the blocked images... well, you know what goes on in hotels! 

oOo

My new catchphrase is I LOVE APPS. Yes, the iPad continues to entertain. I am addicted to some of the games and my pass rate is improving. For many years I’ve had a penchant for solving or trying to solve puzzles and this has developed even more with the iPad. Joe would probably tell you about the peacefulness that reigns when I’m occupied working through a seemingly unfathomable poser.  Some of the games are easy but others force me to persevere until I find the right clues, let alone the answers. Tell me about a new game and I can’t resist checking it out.

The latest app on my iPad is Britain’s Got Talent where I can vote for the acts as they are performed ... free. Beats using a landline phone and paying astronomic charges!

Oh where would we be without technology?

Since enrolling in ‘Cloud’ I have the added advantage of having the same games or other information on all my gadgets... the computer, the iPad and the iPhone. Take the day to day diary, for example: 

I can enter appointment dates, birthdays and other information on my computer and simultaneously those dates appear on the other devices. I can enter a date on the computer and delete it on the iPhone, and I can read blogs and reply to them on all gadgets. I can read, delete, or save email on iPad or phone so that next time I visit the computer I don’t have those jobs to do. But the best thing is being able to send photographs by phone to all stations, all thanks to wifi and ‘Cloud’. Isn’t that marvellous? 

I guess my needs are simple but I imagine businesses find it a cost-saving development. In case you’re interested the video below explains more about ‘Cloud’. Just imagine what a happy bunny I would be if I was younger and able to benefit from future developments, whatever they may be. I always said I was born in the wrong era...lol. 

 

18 comments:

  1. Hi Valerie. I get so many calls that my friends now have to do a code ring before I answer. This misuse of our phones surely is illegal?

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  2. it is pretty amazing the technology advances we have made the last 10 - 20 years...some are not bad but others i dunno...

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  3. We don't get many nuisance calls, as we are ex directory, thankfully.

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  4. Do you always have your head in the clouds? Lol

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  5. Do you always have your head in the clouds? Lol

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  6. Valerie, I was just talking on the phone with a friend in Florida last night about this same thing - technology and it's pros and cons.

    She works for a retail store that GIVES each of their employees an iPhone to use (and keep) while they're at work so that they can contact their customers throughout the day (by texting or calling them), to see if they're interested in replenishing certain products they use. She loves it because she can actually take pictures of NEW products and send them to her customers to see if they want to buy them.

    I love so much about technology, but what concerns me is that we're getting to a point of never actually interacting with people face to face, because it's all done through technology.

    Thank you for sharing the video on Cloud because I've heard about it, but didn't know the details.

    Sounds AWESOME!

    X

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  7. Very informative video! Thanks for that!

    I LOVE my iPad and spend entirely too much time on it! I love the apps, and I, too, play some games. So, between my laptop, my iPad, and my smart phone, I am always attached to some technology. Yikes!

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  8. Brian, sometimes I wish I understood technology more.

    Pearl, unfortunately we can't go ex-directory for business reasons.

    Joseph, you are a CHEEKY MONKEY :O)

    Ron, I can understand why employees are given phones but I'd hate to be bombarded by calls from them. I did have a call from the Elizabeth Arden girl. I wasn't home but she left a message. Wondering now if EA have given out phones here. It really is an invasion of privacy.

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  9. I bow to your knowledge and familiarity of things technical, Val. I got scared just reading that.

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  10. Wow,l that's interesting. I've heard about "cloud".

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  11. My favorite thing is the patio swing app. It's automated once the rear hits the seat...birdies galore and I always WIN!!
    I adore and respect technology for closing a people gap. But I fear we are taking it a bit to the extreme, go figure. Mankind is historically greedy like that. *sigh*

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  12. Luckily I haven't had to pay for a cell phone in fifteen years. I just use the one my company provides. And still I only use it when I'm on call. Rarely do I call people. Communication through e-mail, I say! And yes, I too live and die by Apps. They're this generation's form of crack, and I can't get enough. I keep telling myself that I'll get "just one more" and "I can stop any time I want". But so far, there's no end in sight. Heh...

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  13. Gosh, Herman, I'd better watch my step with those apps...smiles.

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  14. Hi Mel, is the patio swing app the same as crazy birds? Note to self: investigate!

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  15. Don't be scared, Mr V, we'll look after you!!

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  16. Hi Valerie, fortunately I don't get a spam call on my cell but rarely and never any texts but I guess this is only a matter of time. I love my cell phone and wouldn't want to be without it now. Other half says that everyone seems to communicate either by e-mail or texts these days. He says he can go a whole day in his office without hearing a phone ring!!!

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  17. We have Caller I.D. here too. We'll sometimes answer a strange call if the number looks like a cell phone that maybe we just aren't recognizing. It's usually a company though. They are finding ways to still reach us.

    I have a cell phone, but it's not a 'smart' phone. I can do basic texting, which I don't care for all that much anyway. And it has a camera and a few things like alarms and reminders. I do all my online things with my MacBook Air. I have the Kindle app on it, but only have a few things downloaded. I have had iCloud notifications pop up, but so far just click cancel on them.
    I still like a real book for pleasure reading! Luckily, I carry a pretty big purse so I can even take one with me when I go certain places.

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  18. I am so afraid of how out of it I will be with technology when the kiddos are older. Kyle has already picked up so much stuff with the tablets and computer. Enjoy your technology and hopefully the phone spam eventually disappears. Take care Val.

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