Posted on 09/06/2010 7:28:47 PM PDT by thecodont
Sitting here in my den, I have two ways that I can call you and two ways that I can get a call from you. One of them has been around since the late 1800s and still does pretty much what it did when it was invented. The other is virtually magic in a box — and that box isn't much bigger than a deck of cards.
One sits like a weird dusty antique on my desk. It's not pretty. No talented designer has ever bothered to make it museum-worthy. When it rings, I hear the same sound, no matter who is calling. It won't let me play Brick Breaker when I'm bored, it has no built-in GPS to remind me how to get to Temecula, it doesn't get text or e-mail, it has no apps and, as devices go, it's pretty much chained to the house. It can't even take pictures.
[...]
So why am I suddenly nostalgic for my maligned, nearly obsolete land-line telephone, and why do I so often prefer it, when I'm here at home, to my newer, cooler gadget? I'm a guy who likes his tech toys: I love my iPad, my Prius was one of my smarter purchases, I'd give up sugar before I'd give up Quicken, and chances are good I'll be buried with my ever-present smartphone.
But my smartphone isn't always smart. When it comes to an effortless, nearly foolproof, reliable, high-quality device, I have a soft spot for my land line. The reason is simple: If I'm talking to you from my land line and you're on your land line, I can actually hear you. Perfectly. If we're both on our cells, chances are good that we're in for some frustrations, even in 2010.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Over the past 12 yrs I’ve had ATT, TMobile, and VZ and VZ has been the least trouble (best you can hope for) so far. VZ sucks less, especially if you spend much time in a rural area.
I’m in the process of refurbishing my parents old rotary phone from the early 60’s. Cant wait to get it hooked up and hear that old fashioned bell ring.
I have both a MAC and a PC... The Mac didn't work very well with the MJ so I bought one of those small 10 inch laptop PCs and dedicated it to my MJ. Great sound, great features and works perfectly.
I used to work for Time Warner Cable and bought the MJ to compare for my job... MJ is superior to the Time Warner system and Time Warner is over $40.00 per month.
That's $2400 for 5 years for Time Warner OR... $60.00 for 5 years for the MJ.... well DUH!
All these reasons are perfectly acceptable!
I have an old wooden phone booth with the folding glass door and a pay phone in it, but I like my free google telephone service and a head set, in fact google and my cell phone are my only long distance.
We have no cell phone coverage where we live...our land lines aren’t going anywhere :o)
I agree. Every single worker that has been working at my house had a cell phone. I'd leave their presence and when I would return in a few minutes, they'd be yapping on the cells instead of working.
I can't stand cellphones. Most of the conversation is filled with "I can't hear you" "What did you say?" "glub glub glub". A lot of times words are misheard and misunderstandings happen. I love my landline.
Hmmm, most of my news and info I get from my blackberry. Including my time on FR.
Upon taking a direct hit from Hurricane Rita five years ago, I had no power, no water, no gas, and all the cell-phone towers were downed. For three weeks, the ONLY bloomin’ thing I had that worked was an old-time 1940-vintage telephone I had, hooked up to the landline.
Bingo!
Cell phones a fad? Gee, I guess your family got their first radio in 1940 and first TV in 1965. BTW, did you get your 386 computer in 2007?
I’m with you, haven’t had a land line in many years and don’t miss it at all.
I’ve seen land line telephones with built-in AM/FM radios and alarm clocks. They still only have one ring-tone.
In all likelihood that's a VOIP connection, not a true land line. That's what the cable/internet installers now offer as phone service in their "bundle". If the cable goes out, so does the phone.
“I’m with you, haven’t had a land line in many years and don’t miss it at all.”
One issue is alarm systems. They generally use a land line to connect to the monitoring company and to the police and fire departments. Are there alternatives.
<Works when the power is down, too.
That’s exactly why I keep mine. Although, to heck with getting a phone call, I keep a landline so I can get the internet when the power is down. Seriously though, like most universities, we use an online course management system. I never want to be without my internet as it would affect my ability to get class-related work done.
Unless things have changed, my understanding is that mobile phones aren’t part of the 911 system. I don’t want the EMTs to wonder where I am.
Is that you Dan?
If you still have a POTS line, great. But if you're getting VOIP service in a broadband bundle, good luck getting it to work.
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