My Dad has an iPhone. I am still getting used to this fact. Maybe writing this column will help it sink in completely.
Both he and my mom have been reluctant cell phone users from the get-go. They got one of those pay-as-you-go phones when I was in high school for us to use as a family. Everyone remember those dark blue, remote-size, box-shaped Nokia phones? That was the one. We even had the fancy extendable antenna version.
This slow technology transition didn’t just apply to cell phones. I always remember being slightly behind when it came to new technology, using cassette tapes and VHS much longer than the “norm.” We would hold out for them to become more mainstream and affordable before switching to CDs and DVDs. But that’s just how things were for us, and it worked.
I grew up in a time when cell phones weren’t everywhere. Mobile phones, or “Zack Morris phones” as I like to refer to them, were a wealthy luxury. As I got older, technology advanced and the prevalence of cell phones grew. My parents were firm in their belief it was an unnecessary expense. They broke down and purchased one in my teen years simply because we were so busy and always traveling to one event or another. Even then, it only left the house when it was absolutely necessary.
I got my very own pay-as-you-go phone in college. As long as I used that phone, mom and dad would pay for the minutes. However, that didn’t stop me from buying more when it was getting low. I suppose it’s OK to let that secret out of the bag now.
One of the first things I did after graduating and getting a job was get a cell phone on a “regular” network. Verizon was running a special on a family plan, so my sister and I decided to get a plan together. Somehow we convinced Mom and Dad they should join too. We went to the store and I got my very first flip phone. We couldn’t convince both mom and dad to get a phone, so they got a new phone to share through Verizon and kept that old trusty TracFone — upgraded to a flip phone to match.
Not long after finally getting my flip phone the digital age exploded. Smartphones were really taking off, and I upgraded as soon as possible. I went the LG route instead of the iPhone — big mistake. I hopped aboard the iPhone wagon at the iPhone 5, and I never plan to leave.
Dad however wasn’t budging from his flip phone. He knew how to use it and didn’t need a smartphone. Not to mention he has “three kids with them so why does he need one of his own.” To be honest, it was a legitimate argument.
Well, the breaking point came this year. We are planning a vacation to Walt Disney World next month and with the Disney FastPass system, it is imperative to have a smartphone.
Mom and Dad will be in Florida the week before and the week after we leave. They can’t have one of us making their schedule from Iowa, so for Father’s Day, we took Dad to pick out his own iPhone. This gave him about a month to get used to using it. He’s had an iPad for about two years, so he understands the basic operations. My siblings and I are slowly teaching him more.
Considering all the iMessaging that now goes on, it’s safe to say he likes it. It no longer takes him 5 minutes to send a text message. It’s been fun to see him text more and more. Although he still prefers when we just call him. I don’t think that will ever change.
As for Mom, she could care less, she still has that TracFone.
Contact Pam Rodgers at
prodgers@newtondailynews.com