Or, if you laugh, do it behind my back. My wonderful bosses gave me a Nokia cell phone for Christmas (with 1000 prepaid minutes), and even activated it for me. I have managed to call customer service and have the activation switched to my name and PIN number, but I will be blessed if I can figure out anything else on the phone other than how to make a call, dial, and end the call. I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out how to find "Options" and still haven't found it.

Scott and I will spend a lot of time tonight figuring this out. If all else fails, apparently one of my bosses has the same kind of phone, and for her generosity she will have to spend time educating me.

I resisted getting a cell phone successfully for the last many years - and now I know why!

Don't laugh at me - pleeeeease ...

By Unschoolmom on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 07:19 am:

I'm with you. The only time we had a cell phone was when my DH's boss gave him one for work. Only my DH hardly ever remembered to turn it on and most of the calls we DID get were from truckers calling the wrong number looking for 'dispatch'.

He gave DH the phone but I couldn't tell you where it is as we never bothered to get a new contract ot anything. I LOVE technology, am a complete geek, but cell phones just don't make any sense for us.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 07:40 am:

May I step out from behind the bushes? LOL Sorry Ginny, it was just a tiny chuckle. DH and I have had several different cell phones for over 8 years, including Nextel, Sanyo, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung phones, and each year, they get more complicated. So I'm not laughing at you....the guy who sold us our current cell phones at work had to show me step by step how to do things on it, and I STILL don't know how to do some of the stuff. Which, I suppose if I haven't needed it by now, is totally USELESS stuff anyway!

I know people who have phones who can't figure out how to access their voice mail so it's useless to leave them messages!

All I really want to say is.....You are not alone!

By Eve on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 09:23 am:

Don't feel bad, Ginny. I have voice mail and still don't even know how to check it. LOL I don't know how to do anything, but call! It's not just you.

By Feona on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 11:20 am:

Those things are great for the car in case you have a break down. Do the minutes expire?

By Sunny on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 11:28 am:

Find a teenager and have them explain it to you.

Didn't it come with an instruction book? I'm sure if you did a search on the model number, there is a manual online somewhere. It would be nice to be able to use all the features, don't you think?

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 12:14 pm:

Oh please. I started reading the instruction book last night, and decided I needed to have a drink and go to bed - which is what I did. My son has a Nokia, but his is an older model (by about 1 year), and an "economy" model, not a fancy one like mine. Personally, I could do with fewer bells and whistles.

My dear bosses framed it as a concern for my safety (as well as a very nice Christmas gift, I'll admit). And if things happen in Scott's life as he is hoping, I will be living alone again and then would want a cell phone. But it is going to take some time and training for me to be comfortable with it. And I think some of the features I could live without forever - like potential instant messaging, adding an extra line, and heaven only knows what else. Text messaging is built in, and that will be a treat to get used to, I can see.

I did talk to T-Mobile, and the 60 minutes that come with the phone plus the 1000 minutes they bought me expire on 12/23/05 UNLESS I buy additional minutes before then, in which case they roll over for another year. Heck, I don't spend 60 minutes on the phone in an average month (since I got on the internet), let alone a cell phone - heaven knows how long it will take me to use up the minutes. I guess I'll just buy the minimum once a year and keep rolling them over.

By Sunny on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 12:47 pm:

Hey! I was just trying to help!

Do a search on the phone by model number. There might be a video tutorial online.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 12:56 pm:

**snicker** I'm not laughing AT you...
On most cells there are left and right "soft buttons, and on in the middle, right below the screen. USUALLY, the one in the middle has the menu option. However, I'm going to do a search of your model, and see what I come up with. Good luck!!

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 01:02 pm:

Ginny, which Nokia is it?

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 01:49 pm:

I'm the cellphone expert in our house. DH is always asking me how to do stuff! I think it's fun to figure out this stuff and I would show you, if you lived closer to me!

You should be able to find some online documentation on your phone's features. We only have the free Kyocera Phantom (KX414) that was free with our plan.

We don't use the text messaging option since text messages cost .10 each. It seems that could add up quickly.

DH finally uses his voicemail, but I don't usually leave messages, because he doesn't check it very often and usually makes me do it.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 02:06 pm:

Sunny - that didn't come out the way I intended, and I do understand you were/are trying to help.

I do have an instruction book - I am just baffled by it (I think the same people write software and computer manuals). I don't have a teenager, but my son Scott has a cell phone and is willing to help me if I am willing to try to muddle through the frustration of learning the "bells and whistles" I want to learn. I am just so frustrated because it looks so daunting.

By Enchens on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 03:39 pm:

Ginny,
My husband recently got me an upgraded phone with a few bells and whistles. Though I can access the voicemail on it, it's hilarious to people who leave me a message because it's my husband's voice from his first cell phone over 5 years ago. I have no idea how to change it and he put the manual somewhere, I have no clue where. I've been trying to get the baby lock on the phone so my ds doesn't make random calls, but there's a code and I have no clue what the code is. I think it's in the manual!
Anyway, I'll join you in learning how to use these wonderful gifts.

By Sunny on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 03:44 pm:

Ginny, no need to explain, I understood the intentions behind your post. I added the smile to let you know that (at least that was my intention). I can almost hear the frustration in your voice! LOL

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 03:53 pm:

Ginny, the text messaging feature *might* really come in handy in the event of an emergency where normal phone services aren't working. It was the only way I could be in contact with my kids when we all evacuated. Phone service did not work, but the text messaging did, so it was a way to be in touch and for all of us to know the others were OK.

By Kym on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 04:03 pm:

I'm seeing in my Crystal Ball: a new techie is born, Ginny will have a blackberry by Valentines Day, XM radio with wireless speakers throughout the house by Easter, and of course with the car kit hmmmmmmmmm what else will she wantLOL

I live by my cell phone, however I don't want any bells or whistles, or a camera for that manner, I want, talk,end,voicemail that's it!

Have fun with it, and don't forget to carry it with you if it's for emergencies, we got one for my mom years ago and she always forgot it! Too funny

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 04:14 pm:

Well, one question has already been raised - am I going to keep it on when I'm driving. To which, right now, the answer is a resounding NO. I get much too frustrated when I see other people with a phone in one hand and steering wheel grasped with the other, making a left turn in front of me. I used the "ear bud" last night, and the sound is truly awful. I don't know if that is just the nature of the beast, or what.

But, I will have an opportunity to put it to use tonight. I'm driving Scott and Sascha to the vet, and will go over to the book store while they are at the vet. He can call me when he's ready to be picked up. Let y'all (do I have that right?) know how it works out.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 05:04 pm:

LOL @ Y'all! Yep, that's right, though I have tried my damnedest to not say that in many years!

By Tink on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 05:14 pm:

Ginny, I got my first cell phone for Christmas this year and I'm still figuring it all out. Some of it really is overwhelming. I've got the major features figured out but now I'm stymied by the MP3 player I also was given. Why, oh why, does technology have to be so darn difficult??? Does anyone have a copy of "The 21st Century for Dummies"?

By Annie2 on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 07:15 pm:

Sunny, I was thinking the same about the first part of your first post. My 14 year old dd could set it up for you, Ginny! She helps me with mine ALL the time!

By Jtsmom on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 07:36 pm:

I have had my cell phone for about 3 yrs now and I can make calls and answer them. Thats it!! So don't feel bad!

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 09:30 pm:

Ginny, please keep your phone ON while driving, even if you turn the ringer off. If you needed to make an emergency call, the time spent turning the phone on and waiting for it to pick up service could be critical. I don't often use my phone while driving, but I try to keep it easily accessible and on, just in case something happens.

By Mommyof5 on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 10:48 pm:

I will not laugh at you Ginny. I don't understand why I would want my cell phone to do anything other and make and receive telephone calls. My dd, a 7th grader, used her Christmas money to buy a Kyocera Slider phone with MP3 player, games, camera, video camera and so many options my head was spinning by the time we left the phone office. I really just want to be able to use my phone to talk to someone if I am not at home and I or they have an emergency.

By Pamt on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 12:00 am:

I hate cell phones and have one for emergencies only. My voice mail message says "I never have my cell phone on because I hate them. You'd be better off leaving a message at my house. Also, if you leave a message, I'm not sure I know how to check it."

By Imamommyx4 on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 12:13 am:

My mom is about 10 years older than you. I got her a cell phone about 3 years ago because I worry about her living alone and having car trouble, etc. DH got her a really cool one with all kinds of bells and whistles on it. Every time I talked to her on the land line, she had some new problem. So finally I went on EBAY and found the simplest one I could find. I wrote down very explicit instructions to dial a number and call it and hang up. And to answer a call and hang up. She is finally beginning to get it.

I ain't laughing. I feel your frustration.

By Bea on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 12:27 am:

I love my OnStar. One button push and I'm connected in any emergency....no hands to dial or hold a phone. It's an expensive cell phone, but I rarely use it as such. It is wonderful, though when I need it.

By Feona on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 09:41 am:

They are very addicting. I thought they were the biggest waste of money and now I couldn't imagine not having one in the car for emergencies at least. If you start to use it you will wonder why you didn't have one before. They can be very enjoyable. They do help your social life. I dial up when I go some place fun and get someone to join me last minute. I don' t use all the features of the cell phone either.

I dial numbers. I do have frequently dialed numbers that I can't remember saved in the phone.. Like doctors I go to frequently. But you can do that slowly over time. I check messages. I think that is all I do....

You can have someone met you at the museum and call you when they get there so you can met them at the cafeteria or what ever! How great is that. No waiting around for people who are late.