My new Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen can be used as a phone, this being the 21st Century. Of course, to make use of that capability, you first have to have a phone with Bluetooth (whatever the hell that is). Well, I bought one today so I can maximize the capabilities of the new car. Besides, it might be helpful at some point to have a phone in the car if I forget the new smart phone. (My head swims thinking about this stuff!)
After I finally got the car to recognize the phone, I had to try it out. “Call Chris,” I thought. The last time he called me, I was on the way to dialysis, or should have been. (The clock I was watching failed to update when Daylight Savings Time came around. I guess it isn’t new enough to pick up the signal or the old place that sent the signal no longer does it. At any rate, I was one hour late for dialysis, not a good place to be!)
So I pulled up his number after a struggle to figure out how to bring up the “page” of icons that lead me to a Wonderful World of 21st Century Telephony, where phones do everything, maybe even work as “voice communicator tools”, that is “telephones“. Hey! I found it! I even found it after a struggle on the screen in my car. Wow! Choices! Do I call him using the phone or do I call him using the car?
Seemed good that I try the car first. That was the exotic way to call, and, frankly, I was starting to get a techno-guy rush!
Chris answers. “Hello? Hello?” I heard him, but nothing I did would let him hear my end of the conversation. I fumbled with both phone and car. Chris knew it was me – caller ID – but clearly was more and more frustrated that it was dead on his end. (“What the heck is he doing up there?!” I heard his thoughts!) I gave up after a few attempts to connect and be heard on the car, then tried the phone. He heard me finally…for a short while! New phone, minimal charge? I hadn’t been home to get a proper charge on it yet. You know, I wanted to get my car to make friends with the phone so I could use my car to phone people. (Gad, we westerners are spoiled! There are people starving as I type, and I’m fussing about turning a car into a mobile phone…!)
Finally, I came in, unpacked the charging cord, plugged in the phone, and sent Chris a quick e-mail:
Just to end your concerns I’ve been abducted by aliens or finally cracked under the intense, merciless Nebraska sun, I was trying to connect my new smart phone to my car.
I got everything right (finally), but don’t know what is wrong with the audio. I heard you loud and clear. It may be that the phone doesn’t have a full charge on it yet or that I have to do something simple to get the car to accept my voice back to you (ball peen hammer, maybe?).
Anyway, I have the capability to use my car as a phone now, short of that one glitch. I will read up on the phone and car manuals to see where I went wrong.
Before long, I hope, I will have a nice car-to-car talk with you! (Andy’s on my computer giving me that “I doubt you’ll figure it out, fool!” look I sometimes get from him. That cat is too damn smart! LOL!
Doug. (HELP!)
Hey! I also took my first photo with my new phone. It was Andy. Of course, now I have to figure out how to send it to my computer! I guess that is possible. I just don’t know how. I guess I’ll have to upload an old photo so you get a cat dose today.
Stop laughing at me, Andy!
Now Dougy’s dissing me…!
Dougy might have the answer after all!
Sorry about the lack of defined paragraphs at the top. WordPress is giving me hell today. There are, in fact, TWO spaces between paragraphs! Then, inexplicityly, indicated spacing returns later in the post.
The new cars are interesting with all the gadgets! I can still work on my old Subaru, so I will hold onto it for as long as I can.
The newer safety features are a good deal, though. I particularly like the backup video feature on my new buggy!
Bravo!!!
Stay calm
and
Read the instructions.
I took it to the vendor’s shop and explained my problem, It turned out to be simple to solve – as these things always seem to be!
The icons for “mute” and “end call” on my car infotainment center screen suggested the opposite of what they meant. Instead of “this is the current status of this function”, they actually meant “hit this to get to the status indicated by the icon”. Gad!
At any rate, now I can use my car as a telephone!
They do seem to be laughing at you. New technology is great, once you get it all figured out which I never seem to be able to do.
Exactly!
Sometimes when you get new gadgets, you end up frustrated trying to figure out how to operate it. Andy and Dougy laughing is priceless. 🙂
I know, from many encounters in past with new technology and updates on current technology, that my best bet is to set it aside after I start to get frustrated, and return to the dang thing the next day. Most times it works out! (I still hate new technology!LOL!)
I still don’t understand all the new buttons in my new car
I haven’t read the book yet
I made some progress today. Turns out I mistook the icons for “mute” and “end call” for the opposite. Makes no sense to me why they made them that way, but it was sufficient to throw me off. Now I can make calls through my car. That, however, is about all!!
LOL! “Technology” making your life easier – one sledge hammer at a time! Woof!
It can be frustrating. I just about got used to my cell phone when my daughter gave me a smart phone. That was in February. I can make calls and text. I’m getting better and they do say it keeps your mind sharp to do things that are different.
LOL! I hope so!
Hi, I REALLY understand what you mean with this post. We have here in Finland a new TV system coming, and yesterday after reading the list what we must buy, what to put here and there and on the roof and so on, I decided to listen to the radio. Do you remenber times when a phone was for calling, watching TV ment to sit on the sofa and TV, one, was in the corner?
Yes, exactly! When this country switched to high definition television in a new screen ratio, we had to update out televisions (I was ready for a new television, no problem) and add on a converter box (pain in the butt!) Now i have one of those universal remotes that does wonderful stuff, and, with some hassles, even works on the television! I recall one time fumbling around, getting frustrated, then throwing the remote. I am basically a mild, happy person, but God help you if I become pissed! Anyway, my brother showed me how to use it. I eventually learned to manage to turn on the television, change channels, and use the program listings by channel feature, but I hate the damn thing. I t used to be simple to punch one key to turn on the television. Now you need a manual to figure it out! This is where people clever with technology (children!) are handy to have around!
Wow! You’re my hero! For some reason, I get on great with small furry things and my macbook air is a pal, but in general, I’m not very comfortable with technology. My husband, on the other hand has every bell and whistle in his vehicle.
I basically got the radio station I like to work and and half way onto telephony on the drive. I still don’t know what I need to do to get my voice to transmit. The icon indicating mic on or off shows mic on. Geez!
Good luck with that! I get shivers thinking about such stuff, but my husband actually loves that sort of thing.
After I work it out, I’m find, but that is not something I enjoy.
I often suspect my husband enjoys a technological challenge.
…! I am wordless!
I’m serious – he LOVES fixing things.
Whew! I guess that makes it good for you, at any rate. I am very unhandy.
They say opposites attract & we are certainly opposites!
I think that is true , too!
You know I always sympathize with your tech troubles, having so many myself but with the distances you drive having backup communivation is probably a good safety feature. Lovee Dougy’s poster.
I also have the VW remote emergency service. There’s a button to push that activates a telephone call to the service, but I now question whether the person on the other end will hear me. Of course, the system also locates me by GPS, so some day, if I accidentally activate it, I’ll have an ambulance chasing me to see what’s wrong! lol!
Better one when you don’t need it than needing one and they don’t come
How true!
l am doing this on my phone. Pray for me. LOL! You can create those easily on the website at the bottom. It’s fun! OH, and thanks…!