What did we do before smartphones?

[garymacd]

I was just reading a thread in the Theme Parks section about the Disney Experience app and the usefulness of WiFi in the parks and resorts. People were saying they were having difficulty uploading their photos and videos to Facebook because of slow connections, overuse and low bandwidth, and it got me thinking (always a bad thing): What did we ever do before smartphones and Facebook?

Does anyone remember your parents taking lots and lots of photos on the family vacations, waiting to get the slides developed, borrowing a carousel slide projector and screen from someone or from the church, loading the slides backwards, upside down, or both, and then inviting the aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, neighbours and friends over for a slide show?

I still remember the Click, Bzz, Click as and slide was ejected, the carousel turned and the next slide dropped into the projector.

Those were the days. Deep interaction with everyone; not instantaneous of course, but certainly you could see how bad Uncle Herb's sleep apnea was.

And a great excuse to see your cousins again, have a barbecue and party.

[Arielfan98]

Perhaps I am a little too young for the projector, but am certainly old enough to say when I was younger people used portable kodak cameras and digital cameras became new when I was older and they were for the privileged only. I remember walking to the local Sam's Club with my dad to have the film put onto pictures from our kodak camera.

[Scar]

What did we ever do before smartphones and Facebook?

I suppose the same thing I do now, as I do not have a smartphone, nor am I on Facebook.

[Zippy 1]

I remember those days too! I still take lots of pictures with my camera. Print them and scrapbook them!

[1DisneyNut]

I do like the convenience of my smartphone and being able to check wait times.

As for uploading photos, not a problem for me; like scar I don't do facebook. It is none of anyone's business where I am at any given moment and I sure don't want the world to know I am far away from my house in WDW. Besides that, nobody really wants to see your vacation pictures and I sure don't care to see theirs. I can live without seeing little Johnny posing in front of every single gate, ride, show and restaurant in WDW.

[DisneyDog]

I am a librarian, and information is my whole professional life. I remember the very first time I sent an email -in grad school in 1993; and the first time I used an Internet browser - at my first real library job in 1994. I didn't even have MS Windows on my desk computer at the time. Just a DOS connection that I could dial up to use a single database! Sometimes I have to stop and think how unbelievable it is that I have the entire universe of information available to me in my pocket at any time. I use my iphone for pretty much everything. I honestly don't think I could function without it.

[princessgirls]

We had less distraction and less information at our fingertips. I had forgotten what that was like...LOL!

I'm addicted to my phone!!!

Julie

[DVC2004]

I love it for many things but I really sometimes wish we didn't have to be constantly connected, say, to work for example. My phone is a personal phone, I sometimes use it for business but I am careful of who I give my number to. I was on vacation a few months ago and a client called my work line, knew I was on vacation, and proceeded to still phone me on my cell on a Saturday night at 8 pm. I was at Disney, too. I didn't take the call and asked my co worker who was covering to just return the call on Monday. It was nothing urgent at all. It just amazes me that people can't respect your personal time or time off. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!

[Kenny1113]

We had less distraction and less information at our fingertips. I had forgotten what that was like...LOL!

I'm addicted to my phone!!!

Julie

Yep! This is why I LOVE going to the mountains or on cruises. It forces me to put the phone away (no signal) and we get to completely disconnect from the nonsense and connect with whats important-family!

[MNNHFLTX]

Besides that, nobody really wants to see your vacation pictures and I sure don't care to see theirs. I can live without seeing little Johnny posing in front of every single gate, ride, show and restaurant in WDW.

I have a totally different point of view on this; I love seeing other people's vacation pictures and pictures in general on Facebook! I've lived far away from my family for years, as well as various friends from our moves around the country. Interacting on FB and seeing their pictures makes me feel closer to them. Of course, nothing beats a good old phone call here and there! Just as long as you don't do it during an attraction or on a ride. That is my pet peeve.

It is amazing to think of the resources we have at our fingertips nowadays. I love it!