Minimalization

[honda03842]

We try to reduce the amount of stuff we have, to make items serve multiple functions.

This month we bought 2 Galaxy S3 phones. It looks like the phones are nearly capable of replacing our computers. Since we purchased the phones I have not once used the computer to look at my emails.

As well the phone serves as a very good flashlight, a good bedside alarm clock and an unbelievable radio with some 50,000 stations. Since the phone's GPS knows where you are, it provides local sations, there must be 200 for our area. I'm also certain it will replace our Garmin used for geocaching....

I'm sure this will go on and on as I purchase additional apps. So far all the apps we've bought have been free.

[honda03842]

Just added the Nook app. Our entire Nook Library appeared immediately.

[Jim Bennett]

I have had the S3 for 6 months now. Great phone.

While the GPS is good, it does not do near as good as Garmin GPS. It's tracking is not quite as accurate, and if you refresh often it uses the battery fast. However, it certainly does the trick.

I use the flashlight a few times a day. The alarm when needed, though I am always up before it goes off anyway. I find the radio sound kinda ok, if you can keep the volume down, but for music I always pair it with a good speaker system, and plan to get a bluetooth one soon.

I have hundreds of apps, many I paid for, but they are not very expensive, $2-5 for most. I did buy a construction calculator for $20, which is identical in function to a $100 stand alone one I already have, but never have on hand when needed, so has proved to be a worthy buy when on site. Watch the Google Play Store for specials, I bought Audubon Birds for a fraction of its price, and it is a fantastic app. Last Christmas they ran 10 apps per day, for 10 days, at $0.10 an app, and I got a few good ones there.

[honda03842]

Jim,

We used the GPS in my blackberry for geocaching, it was better than my Garmin and so were the maps. We'll have to try the Galaxy's gps. presently looking for a good geocaching app.

I did go right to the Audubon bird book. Getting that book, a tree book and a rock book would eliminate three more books, a pound of weight gone plus the books would always be with us. Great suggestion.

We really don't use the alarm function but like a visible clock at night, particularly like the ability to set the colors of the clock.

As to the sound, we have a smaller than a coffee cup plug in rechargeable speaker.

[Gilda]

Norm, Ginny and others,
It amazes me to hear of the many things your S3 does. You really can't just call it a phone. Believe it or not, I am a total neophyte when it comes to cell phones/portable devices as I have never owned one. (We only have a desktop computer and we travel with no technology except a GPS) It seems as though the manufacturers keep expanding the number of things "phones" can do. I have not felt the need to purchase one until recently. It boggles my mind as to all the options/apps available. How often do you expect to replace your portable device? Every year? 2 years? 3 years? How did you choose the S3 over all the other "phones" available? Approximately what does it cost per month to activate and use your "phone"?

[Jim Bennett]

Gilda, even after having a smart phone since they came out, I still am amazed at what they can do, and how fast the technology is advancing.

I use mine for work a lot too, relying on email and texting quite a bit. I also find lots of use for the internet, for instance yesterday looked up the specs and dimensions for a built-in fridge we will be installing to build the cabinetry opening correct.

Another feature I use a lot now is online storage of documents (Dropbox is the main one I use), which is free and offers a ton of storage. I can keep photos taken there (automatically uploaded), but the main thing I like it for is sharing documents with customers, my employees, and subtrades.

The displays are incredible too, watching HD video is great, and photos look extremely sharp, way sharper than on a computer monitor.

I have used various smart phones, including Apple, Blackberry, Windows and Android. The iPhone and Galaxy S3 both are great phones. I switched to Android and Galaxy a few years back now, as I was not happy with the proprietary limitation of the iPhone, and Samsung offered some great technology.

As I use my phone hard, I tend to get abotu 1 1/2 years out of them. By then, I am usually eager to move up to some better technology anyway. By contrast, my desktop and laptop are about 5 years old, with no plans of upgrading for a while. Heck, by the time I do they might be obsolete, and tablet technology is still in its infancy and will likely take over most of that market.

I would hate to even venture a guess as to where they will be at in another few years.

[honda03842]

Gilda,

This is our second smart phone, previously we had a Blackberry. When we purchased the Blackberry we thought it was really powerful, the Galaxy is a tremendous upgrade in ability.

My reasoning for choosing the Galaxy was similar to Jim's, best technology and Apple's lagging and closed technology.

I don't switch phones as often as Jim. I would say, though changes in technology could make me move sooner, we tend to keep a phone for 3-4 years. Unlike Jim I no longer work so can justify lagging technology and Ginny has the same phone and changing to frequently makes learning a new phone a little bit of work, she is technology timid but absolutely loving her Galaxy.

Ginny is a 'pad and pen' in her pocket person. Now she uses the Noodle app for keeping lists and loves the fact that her Calendar is fully integrated between her computer and Galaxy. Since everything is tied together her life now has added efficiency.

As to GPS we never use one except for Geocaching though many of the apps use it to know where you are. For example the GPS lets programs like Trip Adviser suggest restaurants, banks,.... for your local, just as the Tune in Radio app knows what group of stations to suggest.

The phone does have a GPS program, though we haven't used it is apparently very good.

Though we don't play games I'm sure some will leak into our phone, particularly when our nieces get their hands on them. It's amazing how talented the little kids are on electronic devices. I sent my 12 year old niece an Amazon gift card for her Kindle. Her 4 year old sister used her Kindle and proceeded to spend $20 on a gift for herself. It's a new world.

These phones are not inexpensive. Each phone cost $169 to purchase, not too bad a charge spread over a 36 month life. The monthly charge is about $50-60. This varies from local to local depending on local taxes, for example in Bothell, WA there is 25% town tax on cell phones.

We are only in our third day of ownership and sit here thinking of what's possible that I know about and have yet to implement. Tremendous power.

I've asked my technically astute children to provide a list of apps to consider. Many of the apps used on your computer like Gas Buddy are also available for the phone.

Here's another interesting one, scan a bar code and you can read reviews on the item and find comparative pricing...

The magic of being on the road, of seeing new and eyeopening places, really an expansive gain in knowledge, the wonder of it all...the smartphone is the same kind of event... any answer is in your hand, available in a single query in literally seconds, a world in your hand. Is it necessary for a happy life? No. Is it expansive? Yes.

Safe and broadening travels to all,

[cpaharley2008]

Seems incongruent in minimizing by purchasing 2 of something!!

[honda03842]

I assume you were kidding about 'purchasing two'. If not the primary reason is so we can find each other.

Interestingly there is an app that can tell me where Ginny is, just like I strapped s GPS locator on her. It may be really helpful as we get older.

Really the phone is a powerful extender of our minds much as the ot original phone was an extender of our voices, allowing us to be heard by people beyond the range of our voice..... now a mind extender by providing access to infinite information, actually organized infinite information

I just downloaded the FRV app. This is my first galaxy post.

[cpaharley2008]

Perhaps "simplifying" may have been my choice. But yes, technology today is something we did not have 20 years ago and tomorrow it will be different. As we age we depend more on it in our lives.

[John Fazio]

Lately, I've been thinking about how one day people will be penalized for not having enough tracking data. What I mean is, if you don't have a Facebook page, twitter account, smart phone, <insert other stuff here> then the companies systems won't know enough about you so your premiums will be higher for insurance, loans may be harder to get etc...

I believe it's already possible to reference discernible behavior from a person's friends' online photos. If your friends do it then the probability is high that you do it too so...

There is speculation that one day you'll get insurance breaks for brushing your teeth each morning, walking to work several times a week, going to the gym... some of which can already be tracked, although rudimentary, by geo location services in your phone.

On another note, we have smart phones and find them extremely useful. I was a Palm Pilot user who continued to graduate with technology to where it is today.

-John

[honda03842]

The ability to have knowledge at hand is amazing. In the past a 'passing question' would be just that. Now any question can be answered at the time of asking.This building of questions and answers is a tremendous asset to individuals and the society.

Recently I was reading a short paper by my 6th grade niece on 'replacement therapy'. replacement therapy...I'm sure I never heard the phrase until I was an adult.

[havingfunnow]

Hey, I have the Galaxy S3 too! It's my first smartphone. Jim, I'll be looking out for the 10 aps sale between now and Christmas. I get such a kick out of new aps.

I'm slowly training myself to stop doing things with pencil and paper and using the cell phone instead. I think I will rely on it more heavily once I am travelling. Right now, the desktop stays on all day. I've grown accustomed to a steady stream of always-available information, and it surprises me how unsettled I feel when that data stream is not available. Sure, lots of it is pretty low-level info, but still, what a change from even 10 years ago!

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by honda03842

The ability to have knowledge at hand is amazing. In the past a 'passing question' would be just that. Now any question can be answered at the time of asking.This building of questions and answers is a tremendous asset to individuals and the society.

Recently I was reading a short paper by my 6th grade niece on 'replacement therapy'. replacement therapy...I'm sure I never heard the phrase until I was an adult.

I know what you mean... I was thinking of asking you if the S3 could serve as a mobile hotspot. But instead I googled it just now, and in seconds I was viewing a utube video that showed exactly how to configure the S3 to serve as a hotspot. So, um... never mind!

[dbailey]

I work for a manufacturer of smart phones that will remain nameless ('cause it's not really relevant...) so I've got a particular opinion about these things...

But it might not be what you think...

Maybe I'm a bit of a Luddite, but I don't see this sort of technology improving society. Yeah, it's fun and it's useful, and maybe that's good enough. But is making us better people? Or is it making us worse?

(the internet as a source of information is a very good thing. But there are many other things that come with the internet and the always-on lifestyle that I see as destructive, either to the individual who doesn't have the insight to recognize and control their tendencies, or to society as a whole).

[honda03842]

Virtually every advance carries some negatives but it is the positives that make advances worthwhile. The fact that any person with access to the internet can now add to a better world thru access to knowledge can not be discounted.

Places where people until recently had little opportunity to gain knowledge, now have virtually the same access that affluent countries have offered for decades.

India is making millions of inexpensive touch pads for their children. The spread of access to knowledge is a transformation that has the power to truly improve the world.

Our children are now adults, but I watch my nieces and nephews who find the Internet to be vital in their studies. My 12 year old niece is taking French this year and goes onto You Tube to learn pronunciation skills. She seeks information for papers she writes (as well she has to write a lot more than I did at that age). True they do their tweeting and sloppy emails but they also do serious work.

How cool is it that we can be in some no where location and she can Skype me to help her with a particularly difficult math problem? Though we are on the road a lot, we are still instantly available to those who need our input.

It is all too easy to see negatives, it is the positives that we must embrace. The internet offers access to information and extends knowledge, more powerful I'm sure than the invention of the printing press.

I'm happy for the Internet, I do wish that my early education would have included it. I definitely would be more capable and informed.

The magic of the smartphone is that the Internet (and the information it carries) becomes even more accessible providing numerous tools that makes life more livable.

[dbailey]

Yeah, that was a bit of late-night pondering. There's no doubt that the positives outweigh the negatives. I often wonder how we can counter the negatives, though.

I see technology causing harm in a couple of different fashions. It can be used as a crutch, to cover up a problem that we really should solve. It can be used as an escape, to allow us to avoid problems we should face. These things aren't unique to technology, of course. They're more aspects of human nature.

I'll try to take my meanderings back in the direction of the original post...

There are two ways to go minimal: you can use combine tools so that you get the same functionality with less stuff, or you can reduce the functionality you have available to you. (There's also, of course, getting rid of stuff that serves you no purpose. Let's take that as a given).

Tools like smart phones fit the first category. They combine many tools into one small package. Plus, some times when you combine tools that were once disparate, you get something entirely new.

I find the second category more philosophically interesting, though. At what point does it become advantageous to do without a tool, simply because bringing the tool along is too expensive? A lot of people reach that point with smart phones and other bits of modern technology, though they probably don't think about it that way. Most of us have functionality on our phones that we don't know how to use. We haven't considered it worth the time for us to learn. In effect that's a tool we've left behind, no different than leaving behind an ax because we seldom cook over a fire.

To make the point succinct: some times going minimal is about what we take the time to learn or prepare, rather than about what equipment we bring.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Ginny is a 'pad and pen' in her pocket person. Now she uses the Noodle app for keeping lists and loves the fact that her Calendar is fully integrated between her computer and Galaxy. Since everything is tied together her life now has added efficiency.

I am still that way to some degree too. I keep a pen and pad in my pocket all the time while working, despite the numerous great memo apps available. Old habits die hard, but I am sloooooowly changing.

Originally Posted by honda03842

Interestingly there is an app that can tell me where Ginny is, just like I strapped s GPS locator on her. It may be really helpful as we get older.

Fortunately for Ginny though, she can turn it off if she does wish to hide for a bit.

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

I know what you mean... I was thinking of asking you if the S3 could serve as a mobile hotspot. But instead I googled it just now, and in seconds I was viewing a utube video that showed exactly how to configure the S3 to serve as a hotspot. So, um... never mind!

I have friends (a couple) that just dumped their home internet, and are going with using their phones as a hot spot. The are near the end of the first month, and have yet to come close to the limit of their data plans, which I think are 6 gigs each. I have used this function a fair bit, and it works great, though I find some things are a bit slower on it.

[honda03842]

You are correct, there are many aspects to traveling light.

Certainly a Scamp 16 that has about 90 square feet of space does define a limit in itself, particularly for our 315 day trip. My Oregon friend Byron does a 100 days in a 13 foot Scamp 13. In either case we are both living in comparatively small spaces compared to probably 95% of Canadians and Americans.

In a sense the size forces a minimal level of equipment. As to expense, our life style is inherently inexpensive, particularly compared to our pre-retirement life state. Previously we had three vehicles and drove about 70,000 miles a year, now we're down to one.

As to expensive items, by far the most expensive is fuel. Now we did meet someone towing a Scamp size wagon with two horses on route 101 in northern CA.... now if I were younger and had more time....

In that area we do use technology to reduce our costs. We have Gas Buddy on our phone and a added gauge that helps us maximize fuel consumption. Of the gas towers, we are among the most efficient. We do help the situation by towing a light and aerodynamically clean (very little on the roof) Scamp 16.

As to learning the phone, I am a person who leaps into all kinds of things and am working hard to understand my phone. It's only been a few days but it
is quite clear that my phone will take over most of my computer's function. I have downloaded the FRV app and this weekend plan to install our monthly budget on the phone. As well I am teaching Ginny the ins and outs. She already sees the advantage of the phone and is adapting quickly.

Preparing is a great part of making RVing easier. We are typically on the road for 7-11 months a year. When we return home we spend a good part of the summer considering what worked and didn't work in terms of items we brought and systems within the rig. Each year we try to get a little better at our travels, hence our rather too long thread on "Preparing a 1991 Scamp".

The first step in getting 'minimum' is getting a small fiberglass trailer. All the rest happens naturally once you begin using it.

There is an ease in traveling light, simply having less stuff. There's an additional ease in having a well organized trailer where things have known locations. There's so much to the lifestyle that adds a grace to life.

[honda03842]

Has anyone tries Allstays Camp and RV program? It's available as a phone app listing campgrounds, BLM, COE and. National Forests.

If you used it please comment.