# Sticky  What features do you use on a smart phone....



## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Share with us what you like on your smart phone and how you use it in everyday life...


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## LaneFarms (Apr 10, 2010)

I have a Droid and use the maps and internet on it frequently and use it to check email. Some of the apps are pretty handy.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

I have an iPhone. I probably use it to make calls more than anything else (is that "other"?). Internet and texting are handy and I have a number of apps that are causing me to forget everything I ever knew about math and conversions. The best thing is the GPS/maps. I've used it all over the world to navigate and keep from getting lost.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Anybody have a opinion on how durable the smart phones are? I'm rough on phones, even broke the screen on a flip phone while it was in my pocket. I've never owned a touch screen smart phone before but have used other peoples on occasion.

Verizon is horrible where I'm at for reception so at first I thought about going with Sprint, according to an employee at the AT&T store that used to work for Sprint, Verizon and Sprint use the same towers so going with Sprint won't gain me much. Supposedly before the super bowl in Indy, AT&T will have the entire region from South Bend to Indy upgraded to 4G.

I was looking at the HTC Inspire as I have a real beef with Apple about how proprietary they are with all their 'stuff', also won't own a Dell anymore for pretty much the same reasons. I'd prolly spring for an Otter Box for it as well.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I use a Storm 2 and like the gps and weather apps the most. But I am 30m miles outta town and my service sucks. Lots of dropped calls unless you are in the RIGHT place. Mike


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## LeadFarmer (May 10, 2011)

I have a Droid 2 and I also use a Motorola Xoom for work. Does anyone know where i can get good satellite pictures, and then overlay text on them, such as field number, acreage, etc. I'm not paying an arm and a leg for this either, I'd like to use a free service like Google Maps so I can just pull the sat pics up on my Xoom.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Have a Motorola Atrix 4G now, absolutely love it, check commodity prices, weather, etc. while in the field. Can google phone numbers from the field as well if I need to contact somebody not in my contacts list. Also great for when the Autosteer is engaged when planting a 3/4 mile long field to try to get three stars on all levels of Angrybirds


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

mlappin said:


> Have a Motorola Atrix 4G now, absolutely love it, check commodity prices, weather, etc. while in the field. Can google phone numbers from the field as well if I need to contact somebody not in my contacts list. Also great for when the Autosteer is engaged when planting a 3/4 mile long field to try to get three stars on all levels of Angrybirds


I have the exact same set up Marty and I get 4G internet about every where I farm. I can surf the net while the tractor runs on autosteer.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

For those concerned about dust, water getting into your smart phone I suggest a case by Lifeproof. I have one for my iphone. It's supposed to be water proof. Though I fear to try it. Though I did put it in a bucket of water without the phone in it and it didn't leak. Though it does kind of dim the screen or make them harder to see in bright sun.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I have a droid OS, motorola x. Nice phone only 3G but that's plenty for me. Let me tell you tho, I sent my sons and wife's and daughters iPhone to a company that takes the phone and coats inside and out with nanoparticles that makes it completely waterproof, I dropped insurance and got that instead, seems like they are always getting wet.....at least in my family, went to the Tennessee aquarium this summer and my son would hold his under water to take pics.....no case.....impressive, cost 60 bucks per phone...well worth that, and they got it back to us in 3 days


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I finally broke down and got a smart phone this past Spring.
Last week we were in a hay field and were trying to find the owner of some bordering property. he had bought the field and had told us to cut it to keep clean.
We knew his last name and community, did an internet search, found a relative, got his number. No answer, looked the address up, found a neighbor, neighbor knew his mother, called mother and got his cell number. No answer, left voice mail and text.
He was on vacation in Cades Cove and did not have service.
All the time we were doing our detective work i remember thinking how cool it was that Dick Tracy had a watch/walkie-talkie.

I keep check on the weather, take pictures of cow/calf births for the record. I snap a picture when the bull is following a cow, know when she was bred.
Rather than text my wife where I am or doing, I snap a picture and text it. She can usually tell which hay field by the lay of the land.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I got my first smart phone recently, an iphone. So far putting pdf of parts diagrams, manuals in the library has been handy, gps, the camera for getting pics of parts or part numbers, notes on bales on each field, having email/text access to arrange times for help to come hay etc. Also I use the siri speech thing quite a bit to take notes while driving. I don't have any auto steer lol.


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## IslandBreeze (Nov 6, 2012)

I have the Samsung Galaxy & getting ready to get the new Galaxy. It's been my best phone so far but the larger screen is what I like. I mainly use the weather radar, always using the internet & love Pandora radio. Don't know how I could survive without adding music to whatever I'm doing.

Randy


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## askinner (Nov 15, 2010)

mlappin said:


> Anybody have a opinion on how durable the smart phones are?


I dropped my brand new iphone under the (running) irrigator the other night. After hrs of searching by torchlight I gave up and resigned to the thought a horse may get a new iphone for xmas in his dinner, as I had to mow the next morning! Did one final search at daylight, and found it!! It was very wet, sat it in the sun for a few hrs while I mowed, and it made a full recovery







I was happy to say the least, this phone had only just replaced another iphone I had dropped in a drum of oil lol!

I use it for almost everything, I love it! My favourites are the Messick's NH parts lookup my local parts interpreter loves when I walk in with all the part no's), NH weather app, internet to check the radar, a unit conversion app, spraying rate app, and the compass and calculator, oh, and only recently discovered the torch app which is real handy! Also use the camera heaps, and the notes for recording things that my head can't retain, and for recording rainfall and planting / haying records. Only thing missing is the HayTalk app


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I use mine to check Haytalk! Used it to post this. Internet text talk. As well as tracking mileage on my car. And as a general notepad and calendar. Alarm clock. Little of this and that....


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

IslandBreeze said:


> I have the Samsung Galaxy & getting ready to get the new Galaxy. It's been my best phone so far but the larger screen is what I like. I mainly use the weather radar, always using the internet & love Pandora radio. Don't know how I could survive without adding music to whatever I'm doing.
> 
> Randy


I had the HTC Inspire for a bit, beautiful big screen on it but as a phone it was horrible. Went with this Motorola for call quality and smaller size. I haven't busted the phone yet but have gone thru two Otter Boxes already. I'm afraid a bigger phone would just get snagged on something even more which is what keeps breaking the belt clips on the Otter Box.


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## ladyhay (Jan 18, 2013)

[sup]I have an iPhone and I love the notetaking apps like Evernote. Instead of keeping up with hundreds of business cards, I just photograph them and store them in my evernote. That way they don't take up space on my truck's dashboard filing system! [/sup]


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## AgDawg30830 (Jan 19, 2013)

I have had a Palm Treo, Blackberry, Droid X and now use a Samsung Galaxy S3. As I've aged, I find my eyes need a bigger screen. I always use an Otterbox, but keep my phone in the side tool pouch of my Carhart Pants.

As a High School Ag teacher and part time farm hand on the family farm, I use my smartphone for a number of things. Biggest help to me is a calendar app called Remember the Milk. I can set tasks with repeating due dates for years. When things are crazy and I've got too much to do, the phone remembers it's time to medicate the bee hives, order seasonal supplies, or send off this or that paperwork.

Evernote is my new little notebook. Photos of projects that I see, new toys I want, parts/model numbers off of equipment, websites, wishlists, or anything else I see and want to be able to find later on.

We use them in most of my Ag Classes. Kids now know more about them than I could ever want to know. If I tell them what I want to do, they can come up with "an app for that."


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

I have had two droid x's and now have a I phone. I must have a dozen ag related apps as well as haytalk. I have Igrow, mapping lockbox, fertilizer usage, fertilizer sampling..... I always wear a western shirt so that I can have it snapped safely in my pocket. Mel


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

mlappin said:


> Anybody have a opinion on how durable the smart phones are? I'm rough on phones, even broke the screen on a flip phone while it was in my pocket. I've never owned a touch screen smart phone before but have used other peoples on occasion.
> 
> Verizon is horrible where I'm at for reception so at first I thought about going with Sprint, according to an employee at the AT&T store that used to work for Sprint, Verizon and Sprint use the same towers so going with Sprint won't gain me much. Supposedly before the super bowl in Indy, AT&T will have the entire region from South Bend to Indy upgraded to 4G.
> 
> I was looking at the HTC Inspire as I have a real beef with Apple about how proprietary they are with all their 'stuff', also won't own a Dell anymore for pretty much the same reasons. I'd prolly spring for an Otter Box for it as well.


Mike I have had Otter Box for about a year and wouldn't own a phone without it. Its a natural for mechanical/farming/construction work.


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## ladyhay (Jan 18, 2013)

I have an otterbox on my iPhone. I didn't like it at first because it makes the phone a little bulky but I've gotten used to it. A friend of mine uses a Lifeproof case. Very nice but pricy.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Ditto, Otterbox for my new iPhone 5. Couldn't use my Square card reader though with the Otterbox on the phone. Jack is too short on the card reader to plug in. Amazon to the rescue, again.

http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Headphone-Adapter-iPhone-Recessed/dp/B000WKQ8LS/ref=pd_bxgy_cps_img_z


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Otterbox here also....Marty, let me know what jack you find to remedy the "box" problem for the card reader.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

This one works, but I have this one coming as well so it's easier to handle. Kind of hard to hang on to the phone and hang on the phone with a short little adapter cord. Easiest to lay the phone down then hold the card reader and slide the card.

I'm waiting on this one to show up as I think it will work better.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

mlappin said:


> This one works, but I have this one coming as well so it's easier to handle. Kind of hard to hang on to the phone and hang on the phone with a short little adapter cord. Easiest to lay the phone down then hold the card reader and slide the card.
> 
> I'm waiting on this one to show up as I think it will work better.


Okay, neither work. I'm thinking even each show four channels on the male end it's really only two. My earbuds work with either extender but the volume control doesn't.

The one will allow the reader to show as connected in the app, but won't swipe and the other won't connect at all.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Official email reply from Square.

_Hello Marty,
Thanks for writing in.
At this time, Square produces one type of card reader, which is only compatible with devices that have a 3.5 mm headset jack.
While we don't officially support audio jack adaptors or extension cables, some customers have had success with the following:
- http://bit.ly/NmpxvE
- http://bit.ly/UaAaVH
Note that while Square may work with some extension cables, they are not officially supported and we cannot guarantee compatibility with any specific device.
There are no current plans for additional types of card readers or supported adaptors, but we'll be sure to announce any updates.
Let me know if you have any more questions. I'm happy to help.

Norm P.
Square Support _
squareup.com/help

I may try one of the other's, I've also thought about going to Intuit's service as it will integrate with Quickbooks.


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## askinner (Nov 15, 2010)

Hmmm, was looking into card readers myself. I think I may take the leap, certainly a big advantage to the horsey folk that never seem to have folding stuff!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> Official email reply from Square.
> 
> _Hello Marty,
> Thanks for writing in.
> ...


Looks like the UNI-Mag would be the ticket....a bit more but if it works as stated, that would be all that really mattered. The longer cable would be nice about laying the phone prone and using 2 hands for the cardreader and card. Thanks.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

This is the one I ended up buying, as it will work with my Otterbox. Started up the Square app, plugged the reader into the cord and the cord into the phone and it recognized the reader instantly.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

Quick questions for you all that use these card readers/swipes with CC. Do you received a tax document from what every processing company you use, or is it on you to File the appropriate taxes/claim this income? I just order one of the card readers from Intuit services for my Tile Install Business, but after the fact i thought about now i will have to defently claim all my side jobs that are pay with CC. I never really had a need for this put just thought it would be neat to offer it, and also if i start selling some of my hay it pay actually open up the door to the horse people that don't have the Cash.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Mine is set up to deposit directly to my farm account so claiming it as income would definitely be a good ideal.


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## gearhartfarms82 (May 10, 2015)

Just about eveeything u could imagine.


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## gearhartfarms82 (May 10, 2015)

We use quickbooks mobile. Started with pay pal. Both work awesome of course quickbooks mobile puts it all in my book keeping system.


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

Trac Phone just sent me a new phone to upgrade me for 2-G to 3-G so I go from ancient to merely old almost outdated lmao


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Thorim said:


> Trac Phone just sent me a new phone to upgrade me for 2-G to 3-G so I go from ancient to merely old almost outdated lmao


Ummmmm... You said upgraded to 3g, not from?

Still ancient. Reminiscent of "land lines" people used to have.


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

deadmoose said:


> Ummmmm... You said upgraded to 3g, not from?
> 
> Still ancient. Reminiscent of "land lines" people used to have.


 Used to have????? I still have one and use it more then the cell phone lol If you haven't figured it out I am not a fan of cell phones and only carry one for emergencies. Never figured out this fascination people have for sticking some thing in their ear constantly or the need to talk to everyone and their uncle about everything and any thing jmho


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Thorim said:


> Trac Phone just sent me a new phone to upgrade me for 2-G to 3-G so I go from ancient to merely old almost outdated lmao


Thor, they must have started North replacing/updating the phones and working South, Trac Phone hasn't updated my flip phone YET. Glad to see I'm not the only Michigander, that is thrifty (Notice; I did not say cheap!). :lol:

I had a teenager wanting to see my phone last spring in Florida, she said she had never seen a flip phone in her life and wanted to know if it really worked. I told her it did and it works for what I need it for, why should I spend more money on something I didn't need? Probably went over her head with that question/answer however (she was the hostess at a restaurant, playing on her phone most of the time it appeared).

I do replace my phone periodically (within a decade is my track record), usual right after I damage it to the point it doesn't seem to work anymore. If only one or two keys, stop working, I just don't call those people anymore, that I need those keys for, until they get a new number, anyhow.

Larry


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Its just not the farming, but I also do construction, so I look for something that is rugged; I have a tendency to be hard on phones.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

We use iphones. Don't like Apple but went with iphone for their ease to dial with the dimpled (real) button to voice call and also how it shows you have messages. Oh it worked with a contact program we used in business (ACT!). Have moved to google contacts so next phone probably will not be Apple.

Do like the ability at least in iphone to track or find another iphone. Don't call my wife as often to see where she is on way home and such. Yes my daughter turned that on for us.

Now what I am using most on my smart phone is my 16 year old grandson. He first learned to steer on my lap with my oldest tractor as room and hyd steering was 2 year old easy. Now years later he refinding his love for tractor. However what amazes me he runs tractor with hand and has phone in the other hand. Nope not viewing how to videos...new social disatancing girl friend. lol Amazing how courting has changed.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm not going to be too critical here, but wow this is an old thread....I would never allow any of my children or workers to operate Eq with their phone in their hands. It's a deal breaker for me. It will spill over into other aspects of their life, like driving their vehicle and more. It really bothers me that the current generation cannot put their phones down, they've become addicted to their phones in the worst way....I think we all are in some respects, but when it goes unchecked, ie. not reprimanded for it, it becomes commonplace and acceptable. I call out my workers and my children (and grandchildren when the time comes  ) about phone usage/distraction. I have to because my job is to be a parent and leader to my workers....I try to lead by example. If I get a call I usually don't answer it....I will wait until an appropriate time to check and return call, fully aware that we may play "phone tag" but that's ok....my guys will kinda "look at me funny" when my phone rings...wondering why I'm not answering it. Newbies will even tell me it's ringing (as if I don't hear it) I just give them a "look" and tell them my hearing is perfectly fine, despite what my wife may have told them 
I can be a real ass about it sometimes but I find it absurd how younger folks can't put down their phones to eat a meal, drive a car, study, do chores, really anything....I tell em to cut that umbilical cord and leave the phone in their pocket until it's appropriate to access and use it....
But I've always told my kids it's not my duty to be their "friend" it's my duty to be their "parent"....it may conflict at times but don't confuse it with my love for them, being a "friend" is not a pre-requisite to being a mentor/father. I'd like to know what others think...not that I would change, but I would be interested to know how you handle these distractions. I can be rather forceful at times enforcing this...but I try to lead by example and call em on it when I see it....


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I was at a meeting in a restaurant at 7:00 am one morning. There was about 8 of us and we were opinionating one at a time going around the table. When it came my turn to voice, the guy across the table answered his phone and started talking. I did not say a word just burned a dang hole through him with my stare. It was total silence around the table except him....and soon he got the message. Everyone else was staring at him too. He put his phone up and that was that. Not only is it ignorant to place others aside while you converse, it is just plain rude.

I never could tolerate rude behavior......Woodrow F. Call.

Regards, Mike


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Vol said:


> I never could tolerate rude behavior......Woodrow F. Call.
> 
> Regards, Mike


And dawdling Service!!! - Augustus McCrae


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

I never wanted a smart phone. I figured why do i need internet when I wouldn't have time during the day to look at it anyway. Well 2 or 3 years ago I got tired of my flip phone. It seemed if someone would send me a picture of a nice buck or something, alot of times it wouldn't load on my phone so I figured it was time to upgrade. I wanted a tough phone that I wouldn't need a case for. Checked around online and decided to try a Cat phone as its drop proof, water proof, dust proof, and just tough. It might not have the latest and greatest features, camera isn't as good as newer more expensive phones, but it works just fine for me. Its tough, I've dropped it in cow shit, rinsed it off with water and still works, I've lost it on a gravel road twice by setting it on the edge of my pickup box, telling myself not to forget it, then forgetting it and driving away. First time it happened I drove down the road till I found it, second time a neighbor found it after he drove over it, then called my Dads phone to find out whose it was. He couldn't believe and neither could I that he run over it and it still works with hardly a scratch on it. I joke you could drive a staple with it, its that tough. Cat also has another model that has an infared camera on it, I was to cheap to buy that one but now I wish I had. I figure that infared camera might be handy to check bearings.

I never thought I'd need much more on a phone than a calculator, notepad, and sometimes a camera. Well since getting a smart phone I use the internet quite a bit throughout the day to check weather, markets, and love youtube to trouble shoot things if I'm stumped, look up parts and lots of other information. One of the first apps I downloaded was a bubble level. I was installing a solar powered well and needed to mount the panels at a certain degree angle. I was in the middle of nowhere and didn't have anything with so got to checking and found a level app to download. downloaded it out in the middle of a pasture and used that to set my angle. My Dad gives me crap all the time how often I look things up or use my smart phone as I always said I didn't need one. I tell him he needs one because he is always asking me to look things up for him.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Dawg, I think you hit most of the points not using/answering pretty good (along with rising of an old thread).

Mike, too bad you didn't have a video, to upload to U-tube, oh wait you could have possibly been doing the same thing.  That's alright, I painted my own mental picture, like in the 'olden' days. 

There is one thing that find my 'smart' phone better for than the old flip phone. It works better as a paperweight in the wind. Between the weight of the phone and not as slippery seems to the ticket. 

Larry


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

My wife's daughter and friends unknowingly caught while out for breakfast one morning.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I always buy a phone that meets military specs. I found the map function comes in handy when traveling.


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## veriest1 (Apr 19, 2020)

I'm on my second Samsung in their "Active" line and it seems pretty tough. I had an S4 Active and now and S8 Active that I've had since they were introduced.

For practical purposes I use the internet to trouble shoot problems without having to go back to the house, the calculator and notepad get used a lot for their respective functions, and I keep ballistic software on it. I use a hunting app that lets me mark game trails and rubs when out and about in the woods as well. I like being able to stream podcasts and audio books while driving. Be it in the truck, van, or one of the tractors whatever I'm listening to is always available.

I don't use the maps much but when they're needed they're really handy.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I watch my sons games on it live on the NEC network. 
I used the Lightning app with warning function when coaching.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Okay, how old is toooooo old to answer...lol what apple had maybe one or two upgrades..?


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## KurtS1 (Jun 8, 2020)

Like many of the folks here, I didn't want a smart phone, but was forced to get one after my number was hacked (I had to switch to 4G). I also am was very hard on phones. I broke/ruined many of the military grade flip phones. I ended up with a Kyocera Duraforce Pro 2, on the Verizon network (Verizon has the best service in this area). I have had it over 2 years and have not been able to scratch the screen yet. I keep it on a belt clip. There are things that I don't like about it (small icons/buttons on the touch screen, and I have fat fingers) but it is durable and water resistant. Also, not many other people have them so the learning curve is a little steep at first.

The longer that I have it the more apps that I use (that I am smart enough to use (still can't get Google field area's maps to work right)). But weather maps are a BIG plus. As well as my local news feeds, notes, compass, speedometer, calculator, appointment calendar and it has a decent camera that I use a lot to ID parts and use as a reference dis-assembling and re-assembling. I am still adding apps.

The best thing, so far is I got a set of wireless ear buds last year, so now I can hear the phone when running equipment or I can work and listen to my wife complain at the same time. Better yet, I can stream news or music or listen to my XM radio, all while working, driving etc.. All hands free. For me this is very handy!


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

I have a smart phone for a dumb person! I've only got it (iPhone) because it can sync with my other Mac products so I have the calendar contacts etc. I absolutely do not use it for app, too small a screen and for those I use an iPad. I had a clam-shell one that worked fine, but could not sync with my other Mac units, if it could have I'd still have it.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

One feature I just used was deleting my Twitter account 

Never really used it, but following Trump yielded a few chuckles.

Man I will miss him. Showed those life long politicians what chumps they are.


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## GraniteStateFarm (7 mo ago)

My Radar app is excellent


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