Who here buys the latest and greatest cell phone?

[GK4Herd]

My wife had to get new phone recently so we went into the AT&T store and looked at what they had. Are you kidding me? Do people actually finance their telephones for two and three years? The iPhone X was selling for over $1000 dollars and they were offering financing for $48 a month for 24 months. For a cell phone. One that will be obsolete in 6 months when they roll out the next version.

I really don’t get the need for having to have the newest version. It’s all hype and artificial demand. And for what? The added camera pixels and facial recognition entry to save you 1/1000 second over the archaic fingerprint scan entry? I don’t think so.

This isn’t an affordability issue to me. This is a sensibility issue. I can afford the X...but there’s no way I would ever buy one. Maybe two years from now when they’re under $300. A friend of mine just got the X for their early teens daughter because she pitched a fit till she got it. I guarantee she’ll be screaming for the next update with over a year on the payment. I really don’t get it.

 

[extragreen]

I have a Droid Turbo 2. Love it. Battery life is a big thing for me.

 

[GK4Herd]

I have a Droid Turbo 2. Love it. Battery life is a big thing for me.

I really don’t know much about Android but I’m thinking about looking into them. The whole planned obsolescence thing surrounding iPhone right now kind of ruffles my feathers. I’d use my phone for ten years if the updates didn’t slow performance to the point of being useless and the batteries weren’t hermetically sealed so they can’t be replaced when they don’t hold a charge for 10 minutes. I love my phone, but I despise being taken.

 

[i am herdman]

Buy refurbed. Or unlocked phones. Don't buy from store. And, stay away from Apple phones.

 

[extragreen]

I really don’t know much about Android but I’m thinking about looking into them. The whole planned obsolescence thing surrounding iPhone right now kind of ruffles my feathers. I’d use my phone for ten years if the updates didn’t slow performance to the point of being useless and the batteries weren’t hermetically sealed so they can’t be replaced when they don’t hold a charge for 10 minutes. I love my phone, but I despise being taken.

I've never had anything but an Android. I always get Motorola brand phones. So I can't say anything about apple products.

 

[GK4Herd]

Buy refurbed. Or unlocked phones. Don't buy from store. And, stay away from Apple phones.

My phone is refurbished. Not an issue one. It is iPhone though. The truth of it is I really don’t know much about androids.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

I really like my I phone SE.

It's small like the old I phones but has a faster processor like the new ones. It is more reasonably priced.

Battery life is OK , but seems to be slowly getting worse in year 2. Probably planned obsolescence like they say.

Like E.G. says, I've heard the android platform phones have superior battery life.
https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-se-review/

 

[i am herdman]

My phone is refurbished. Not an issue one. It is iPhone though. The truth of it is I really don’t know much about androids.

Apple is too proprietary. Limited choices as they are the only one who make their few offering. Can't change the battery. Phones are not great quality. Different manufacturer's with Android so, lots more choices.

The only reason I could see going with an Iphone is if you are totally Apple with itunes and all that stuff.

 

[i am herdman]

One more thing, I can' wait until the day I retire and I turn in my cell phone. There are days I look at that phone and want to take my 357 and turn into pieces of plastic and solder.

 

[GK4Herd]

One more thing, I can' wait until the day I retire and I turn in my cell phone. There are days I look at that phone and want to take my 357 and turn into pieces of plastic and solder.

It’s my lifeline though. I use it to manage my business while I work my teaching job. I have a security camera system set up with ten cameras apiece inside and outside of both of my locations. With my TechPro app I can remotely view all the activity going on inside and outside of the business. I just put in biometric time clocks that send me a text instantly when employees check in and out. I can modify and make payroll changes immediately.If they forget to sign in I’m shooting them a text. I can go to the playback feature and view their actual entry time and modify their check in time right on my phone. I own the ATMs in my business. I can check balances remote from my phone. So I can basically work a full time job and still keep tabs on my business. I’ve even done payroll on the phone when I’m out of town and email myself the PDFs of the checks so they’re waiting for me to print paychecks when I’m home. I don’t ever see the day I won’t be dependent on my phone.

 

[extragreen]

I don't want to be without my cell phone either. It's a relief to know that it's available pretty much anywhere I go in case there's an emergency of some sort. My brothers and sisters group text with my dad most every morning to check on the two of them to see how they're doing. I've been the first person to come up on at least 2 automobile accidents and I've been able to immediately call 911. And I work my cabinet business part time and am able to communicate with clients and suppliers as I need to. Matter of fact, the wife and I no longer have a land line.

 

[sistersville]

Same here extragreen. No land line phone but its still on the wall. Her cellphone went out and I was gone. Her mother stopped breathing. The landline phone allowed her to call 911. She died that night. I was at the opening herd football game against miami of ohio. Birdsong started his first game.

 

[i am herdman]

It’s my lifeline though. I use it to manage my business while I work my teaching job. I have a security camera system set up with ten cameras apiece inside and outside of both of my locations. With my TechPro app I can remotely view all the activity going on inside and outside of the business. I just put in biometric time clocks that send me a text instantly when employees check in and out. I can modify and make payroll changes immediately.If they forget to sign in I’m shooting them a text. I can go to the playback feature and view their actual entry time and modify their check in time right on my phone. I own the ATMs in my business. I can check balances remote from my phone. So I can basically work a full time job and still keep tabs on my business. I’ve even done payroll on the phone when I’m out of town and email myself the PDFs of the checks so they’re waiting for me to print paychecks when I’m home. I don’t ever see the day I won’t be dependent on my phone.

I will need a personal phone. I just want rid of the business one so I can live in peace and harmony.

I had to talk to a customer the other day while I was trying to drop a deuce. Can't even shit in peace.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

$1k for a cell phone is insane.

I am a big Motorola fan. I have the latest, greatest G series phone. I pre-ordered it before release for $229. There's nothing more I need in a phone. It's fast, tons of memory, even a dual lense camera. Fingerprint scanner that doubles as a swiper (neat trick and useful). I just play with the dual lense for the hell of it, it doesn't take the best photos but they are plenty good for a cellphone (and I have a real camera anyway).

There is zero need to go above $300 for a phone. There are very good phones for $200 or a little under. $1k? It's a fashion accessory.

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

I use an Android. Currently, a Galaxy 5 I've had for three years. I'll keep it until it croaks, so hopefully my next one will be a Galaxy 14.

 

[ohio herd]

My wife had to get new phone recently so we went into the AT&T store and looked at what they had. Are you kidding me? Do people actually finance their telephones for two and three years? The iPhone X was selling for over $1000 dollars and they were offering financing for $48 a month for 24 months. For a cell phone. One that will be obsolete in 6 months when they roll out the next version.

I really don’t get the need for having to have the newest version. It’s all hype and artificial demand. And for what? The added camera pixels and facial recognition entry to save you 1/1000 second over the archaic fingerprint scan entry? I don’t think so.

This isn’t an affordability issue to me. This is a sensibility issue. I can afford the X...but there’s no way I would ever buy one. Maybe two years from now when they’re under $300. A friend of mine just got the X for their early teens daughter because she pitched a fit till she got it. I guarantee she’ll be screaming for the next update with over a year on the payment. I really don’t get it.

I always use a model a few years behind. I did buy my sons the X. Wife wants to update as well.

 

[WV-FAN]

It’s my lifeline though. I use it to manage my business while I work my teaching job. I have a security camera system set up with ten cameras apiece inside and outside of both of my locations. With my TechPro app I can remotely view all the activity going on inside and outside of the business. I just put in biometric time clocks that send me a text instantly when employees check in and out. I can modify and make payroll changes immediately.If they forget to sign in I’m shooting them a text. I can go to the playback feature and view their actual entry time and modify their check in time right on my phone. I own the ATMs in my business. I can check balances remote from my phone. So I can basically work a full time job and still keep tabs on my business. I’ve even done payroll on the phone when I’m out of town and email myself the PDFs of the checks so they’re waiting for me to print paychecks when I’m home. I don’t ever see the day I won’t be dependent on my phone.

require direct deposit, then you don't have to worry about not being home to print checks and you'll never have to go home again!

 

[GK4Herd]

require direct deposit, then you don't have to worry about not being home to print checks and you'll never have to go home again!

I've made it optional up to this point. Some use it, some don't. The biggest gripe with DD from employees is that it lags two business days behind payday. I pay biweekly so payday is every other Sunday (technically Monday, but I get their checks to the locations on Sunday because I work Mondays), so the deposit doesn't hit their account till Wednesday. I know from a logical standpoint they're still getting paid every two weeks, but many of them have grown dependent on getting their checks on Sunday.

I'm kicking around making it mandatory and just emailing them their paystubs. It would make my life easier for sure.

 

[WV-FAN]

I've made it optional up to this point. Some use it, some don't. The biggest gripe with DD from employees is that it lags two business days behind payday. I pay biweekly so payday is every other Sunday (technically Monday, but I get their checks to the locations on Sunday because I work Mondays), so the deposit doesn't hit their account till Wednesday. I know from a logical standpoint they're still getting paid every two weeks, but many of them have grown dependent on getting their checks on Sunday.

I'm kicking around making it mandatory and just emailing them their paystubs. It would make my life easier for sure.

if you're paying on sunday for hours worked through, say the day before, saturday, that's obviously the problem. I'm sure you know this and i'm wasting typing (not being a smartass), but back the time you're paying up one week and make payday every other Friday, i.e. pay 1/26/18 for the dates of 1/7-1/20, and send the file to your financial institution on wednesday, 1/24. give your employees a month notice of the new payroll structure and that direct deposit will be required.

 

[i am herdman]

I've made it optional up to this point. Some use it, some don't. The biggest gripe with DD from employees is that it lags two business days behind payday. I pay biweekly so payday is every other Sunday (technically Monday, but I get their checks to the locations on Sunday because I work Mondays), so the deposit doesn't hit their account till Wednesday. I know from a logical standpoint they're still getting paid every two weeks, but many of them have grown dependent on getting their checks on Sunday.

I'm kicking around making it mandatory and just emailing them their paystubs. It would make my life easier for sure.

GO to a Thursday pay day. Friday through Thursday is the work week. Run payroll through on Tuesday and they have money on Thursday with a one day buffer for glitches or delays. That still allows the weekend which I am guessing is your higher revenue time for your deposits by Tuesday.

 

[herdfan06]

My wife had to get new phone recently so we went into the AT&T store and looked at what they had. Are you kidding me? Do people actually finance their telephones for two and three years? The iPhone X was selling for over $1000 dollars and they were offering financing for $48 a month for 24 months. For a cell phone. One that will be obsolete in 6 months when they roll out the next version.

Phones have been financed for a long time, it used to be presented as being free (or low cost) as long as you signed a two year agreement, then the carriers significantly dropped their monthly fees and all but stopped offering the phones for free/buy one get four free/$1, etc. Same shit, different price model.

 

[herdfan06]

I've made it optional up to this point. Some use it, some don't. The biggest gripe with DD from employees is that it lags two business days behind payday. I pay biweekly so payday is every other Sunday (technically Monday, but I get their checks to the locations on Sunday because I work Mondays), so the deposit doesn't hit their account till Wednesday. I know from a logical standpoint they're still getting paid every two weeks, but many of them have grown dependent on getting their checks on Sunday.

I'm kicking around making it mandatory and just emailing them their paystubs. It would make my life easier for sure.

Our DDs almost always arrive a day or two prior to payday.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Phones have been financed for a long time, it used to be presented as being free (or low cost) as long as you signed a two year agreement, then the carriers significantly dropped their monthly fees and all but stopped offering the phones for free/buy one get four free/$1, etc. Same shit, different price model.

Yep. Meanwhile now my out-of-contract Verizon bill is so cheap on two lines I would only save a few bucks by going to prepay...and Verizon prepay's coverage map is not as good as "regular' Verizon.

 

[WV-FAN]

f this thread . . . the wife just told me the hospital is going to stop providing managers phones and they have to get their own. she wanting a i8. fvcking phones.

 

[mlblack16.]

It’s my lifeline though. I use it to manage my business while I work my teaching job. I have a security camera system set up with ten cameras apiece inside and outside of both of my locations. With my TechPro app I can remotely view all the activity going on inside and outside of the business. I just put in biometric time clocks that send me a text instantly when employees check in and out. I can modify and make payroll changes immediately.If they forget to sign in I’m shooting them a text. I can go to the playback feature and view their actual entry time and modify their check in time right on my phone. I own the ATMs in my business. I can check balances remote from my phone. So I can basically work a full time job and still keep tabs on my business. I’ve even done payroll on the phone when I’m out of town and email myself the PDFs of the checks so they’re waiting for me to print paychecks when I’m home. I don’t ever see the day I won’t be dependent on my phone.

If you rely that heavily on a phone for your business, then I would say make sure you are still getting a high end device. Can't you write it off on your taxes anyways since you rely on it for your business?

There's a learning curve with Android, but it doesn't require much to be functional. There may still be a lot of cool things that you won't know how to do, but won't really be necessary either. I've owned Android since shortly after it came to market. Over the years, I've only had to learn a couple new features with each release of updated versions.

The Galaxy S8+ has been perfect for me. Plenty of horsepower in the processor to do whatever you need and the infinity display is insane.

 

[i am herdman]

GK, if you lose your phone, break it, stolen, etc. you are hosed. Get a good phone and a plan to get a replacement asap. Also, get a tablet and have it around. Eliminate single points of failure. Honestly, if I was doing that much on my phone, I would have spare phone sitting around, ready to go and be activated.

OH and I could never worked for you because you are Big Brother,