Should I Really Join Facebook?(3)

Stella Tse & Others

29 June 2013

Peter Wu: I can tell you one benefit of carrying a smart phone – probably for the wrong reason.

IN case anything were to happen to you, the law enforcement agencies can track you down pretty quickly because of the GPS software embedded in the phone.

Last week, a rapist-murderer was sent away for 35 years because of this technology. He raped and murdered a young lady in Melbourne in the early hours of the morning.

Shortly after, the police simply asked for a trace of all mobile phone number which were present in that locality and he happened to be the only one, along with the victim. They had him in their bag barely three days later, or earlier if they wanted to.

Many people are aware of this and I know of at least one who refuses to carry his mob, as he thinks his wife is trying to track his movements!

Rod: Pony, I felt the same as you do back then. Now I do my company personal email, as well as checking the market with one click . Once awhile afterward I finished my checking, I, by habit, head to my computer then realize there wouldn't be any update.

Dumb user of me.

Stella Tse: I don't really resist and fear of technology; but I prefer using the regular computer / laptop with the full size keyboard and screen, it's much better for my eyes and clumsy fingers.  One of these days, I will inherit a hand me down smart phone from our sons, just like what Kelvin did a few months ago.

Ebe: Yes...better than just reading conversations/news from you all. Post your pictures so can see your faces and feel even closer instead of having to wait till 2014 reunion to meet face to face ;))

Bob Choi: I got my smart phone only a few months ago. I had resisted all this time because I thought I was too smart for smart phones. I finally switched for several reasons:

I can store an updated list of phone numbers on the PC so if I lose my phone (which happens every now and then), I don't have to rebuild from scratch. I have several hundreds of active client numbers.

There are many apps that I can access to that will make my life easier such as google map/navigator, voice messaging, mortgage calculator, calendar, appointment book and many more.

Last but not least, I realized I am not that smart... not too smart for smart phone anyway.

When I finally retire, I will ditch my smart phone. In fact I might just switch back to a landline and stay home all day, ha!

Peter Wu: As Pony said earlier, we live in an age of ‘communication’ but are we really communicating with each other in the sense that we are brought up with?

These days it’s all about faceless emails, texts, Tweets, Facebook postings and other internet-based means. Email is the best tool for relaying bad or unpleasant news, or making awkward requests by sly and spineless people who cannot bring themselves to asking about it face to face. Texts are by far the worst time-waster in that you could get them at any time of the day and night and you feel obliged to have a look at it because curiosity gets the better of us. At times I had to tell people to switch off their effing mobiles as the incoming texts kept waking me up.

What annoys me the most is this new abbreviations called ‘language’ developed around texting. To me it’s a total cop-out for people who are simply too lazy to compose, or who cannot think, spell and write properly. I dread the day when this text language goes mainstream, like being allowed to use during exams.

Facebook? Don’t bring this up or I will take an axe to the servers located in Facebook’s headquarters. Don’t forget I am a self-confessed ‘axe-maniac’.

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