No smartphone, no problem ?!

[witch]

Yes but where from - wouldn't trust ebay

[mikeprice]

I was going to say that I very seldom use the features of a Smartphone - but actually I do

 

I like having a camera always available - if I want to go out and take pictures then I'll take a 'proper' camera - but sometimes I will see something unexpected and having a camera in my pocket is useful

I also use the GPS and a fitness app (stop laughing!) to track bike rides

 

on occasion I have also got lost on bike rides and having the satnav system has helped a lot

 

and when I cycle to the airport I use the WWW browser to see what aircraft are heading in or out - although that is a bit low at the moment!!

 

At the moment I am paying £8 a month - which is a massive increase from the previous £1.30 until they increased it 2 months ago - I think it was a mistake

 

I seldom use the data much so I will probably go PAYG soon and ditch the contract

[LeMarchand]

Yes but where from - wouldn't trust ebay

 

Don't Game and CEX both offer limited warranties? That said, as long as you don't want the latest and greatest or an iPhone, you should be able to pick up a pretty decent Android brand new for <£200.

 

I wouldn't be without my smartphone, but then I used to have a fairly thick Filofax back in the day until I discovered the Psion Series 3 (then the Handspring Visor). Once you could affordably combine one of those with a phone - and my first mobile looked like this

 

 

it was a no-brainer!

 

Don't have FaceBook or Twitter and WhatsApp is fairly limited, but it gets used a lot for: Calendar, clock/alarm, personal email, To-Do, Feedly, contactless payments, Stocard, Spotify, 2FA, looking up stuff on the internet, ereader, BitWarden, and is my primary camera. I've spent some time tweaking notifications so that I don't keep hearing it pinging.

[Norphy]

There is no contact required and no limit on how much you can pay with Apple Pay (except at the garden centre [emoji849])

 

And unless they've changed it recently, Tescos as well. And by what I'm sure is a complete coincidence, Tesco have their own phone paying app which doesn't have that limit and that they're completely not trying to get you to sign up to their crappy app.

 

WRT using Satnav on the phone, I generally use it for most journeys, even when I know the route, just so it can route around traffic.

[LeMarchand]

And unless they've changed it recently, Tescos as well. And by what I'm sure is a complete coincidence, Tesco have their own phone paying app which doesn't have that limit and that they're completely not trying to get you to sign up to their crappy app.

 

I'd rather use the Tesco app than have to use an Apple product . More seriously, the app is also linked to your Clubcard. I wish the Sainsbury's app allowed payments like the Tesco one does.

[Norphy]

I'd rather use the Tesco app than have to use an Apple product . More seriously, the app is also linked to your Clubcard. I wish the Sainsbury's app allowed payments like the Tesco one does.

 

I object to being pushed to use an app which replicates functionality already in the phone. Your clubcard can be added to your Apple wallet (I'm sure Android phones have similar functionality) so it's just an extra two seconds to scan your clubcard on your phone.

[FishCustard]

Yes but where from - wouldn't trust ebay

 

CeX is a good bet, and there are loads of companies that sell them on the web (Laptops Direct comes to mind). Apple even sell their own refurbs if you want iFruit.

[Norphy]

GiffGaff sell refurbed phones, as do Tesco Mobile. Carphone Warehouse do too I think.

[FishCustard]

Forgot about GiffGaff - you do need to buy a £10 data package with the phone, but nothing stops you just shoving whatever SIM you have in and forgetting about it if the total price is otherwise good.

[elsiegee40]

And unless they've changed it recently, Tescos as well. And by what I'm sure is a complete coincidence, Tesco have their own phone paying app which doesn't have that limit and that they're completely not trying to get you to sign up to their crappy app.

 

WRT using Satnav on the phone, I generally use it for most journeys, even when I know the route, just so it can route around traffic.

 

No Tesco round here so I can’t verify that

[elsiegee40]

I'd rather use the Tesco app than have to use an Apple product . More seriously, the app is also linked to your Clubcard. I wish the Sainsbury's app allowed payments like the Tesco one does.

 

Google Pay works just as well I assume

 

The Sainsbury’s and Waitrose apps are linked to their loyalty cards too. It would be nice if you could pay through the self scan app as well.

 

Sainsbury’s was trialling Scan and Go, payment through the app, a couple of years ago.

[elsiegee40]

I object to being pushed to use an app which replicates functionality already in the phone. Your clubcard can be added to your Apple wallet (I'm sure Android phones have similar functionality) so it's just an extra two seconds to scan your clubcard on your phone.

 

It doesn’t though does it? The app allows you to scan the shop as you do it and then pay at the end all in the same place.

 

If you’re using a self scan app for your local supermarket, as I do, it’s already linked to your loyalty card and why not just hit a button and pay for it rather than have to queue for the check out points?

Edited June 11, 2020 by elsiegee40

[mrstrong]

Picking up some good tips in this thread

 

Perhaps we should start a new one on must have / essential apps ?

Two new ones I've found during lockdown:

Johnson and Johnson 7m workout app, like it as no need to sign up, free and no adverts, all exercises have video demos

BirdNET from cornell lab, record audio of bird song, upload and AI algorithm trys to ID species for you

(top tip tried to fool it by whistling but got ID'ed as homo sapien)

[hardtailstar]

I use my phone for everything photos, clock, social media, emails, games, shopping, calendar, reminders etc.

 

I do have a Dell XPS at home too but I am normally out quite a bit, well I was before lockdown.

 

I only have texts, calls and reminders as audible notifications. The rest can wait until I look at my phone.

[Localtechie]

Google Pay works just as well I assume

 

The Sainsbury’s and Waitrose apps are linked to their loyalty cards too. It would be nice if you could pay through the self scan app as well.

 

Sainsbury’s was trialling Scan and Go, payment through the app, a couple of years ago.

 

I think they have rolled this out into all bigger stores now. Imagine the old barcode machine but all on your phone once you pay it auto adds your nectar card as well.

[LeMarchand]

I think they have rolled this out into all bigger stores now. Imagine the old barcode machine but all on your phone once you pay it auto adds your nectar card as well.

 

Maybe my local isn't big enough, but you can scan on your phone and it adds nectar points etc, but you have to pay separately. At Tesco it's pay + clubcard, but not scan. At Waitrose I believe that one's man takes care of such things .

[elsiegee40]

 

BirdNET from cornell lab, record audio of bird song, upload and AI algorithm trys to ID species for you

(top tip tried to fool it by whistling but got ID'ed as homo sapien)

 

Only on Android. No iOS version

[elsiegee40]

Maybe my local isn't big enough, but you can scan on your phone and it adds nectar points etc, but you have to pay separately.

Same in our branch which is pretty big.

 

At Waitrose I believe that one's man takes care of such things .