Jack,

The question for me about the Smart Phone has been how to make it work as easily in my routine as my dumb clam phone?

On my trip across country last month, I entirely dumped the smart phone except for outgoing calls when and where the Blue Tooth Connection in the Kia Van was working.

I have a Samsung, Galaxy S model with Windows 8.0 which I bought in March to upgrade my main cell number.

It sounded good on paper.
But when its not in a car with Bluetooth, its a hazard to make a call unless you are parked. I won't debate the wisdom of calling and driving here. Obviously its stupid. But the rest of the herd is doing it, so how can I resist?

With my old clam set on speaker for hands free use, I just flip it open and say: dial XXX-XXX-XXXX, or a name, and it goes to work.

To get to the same place with the Samsung, I have to punch in a four digit pass code. (For the time being the thing is too pricey not to have a pass code set.) Then try to get the phone to accept my voice input and make the call. Once its dialing I can punch in the speaker option. All this just to make the same call the dumb phone does almostmagically. And, when I'm done with a call if I don't use it for five minutes it shuts itself off to save the battery from its immense appetite.

My dumb phone lasted two weeks on a single charge, taking and making calls. Just flip, talk and you were there.

For the trip, I limited my communications to my back up cell which was still a dumb one.

On a positive note, you do have access to the net. And it will serve as a hotspot for other computers, like my Ipad or laptop which have screens and keyboards more in keeping with my sized fingers.

So have I abandoned the smart phone?
Two days ago, I bought another, this for my brother who is on my cell plan as an agent. But forget the Samsung. I went to Iphone5S. It cost $100.00 more to put on the plan than the Samsung.

Why the Iphone?
Fingerprint pass code and Siri.

These allow the user to get past the security hurdles to the function of the phone, doing the ID and call with just one button press, the rest is talking to it.

My plans for the Samsung?
I'm dumping my photos and videos to my computer, you will be able to buy it for $199.99 with free shipping on Ebay starting this week.
It's Verizon. Pristine, used only infrequently because I didn't want to die in a car accident, or spend my dwindling days on the side of the road making calls.

When it sells, if the Iphone 5S holds up to its performance so far, I'll convert to it. Otherwise, my cell phones will just have to stay phones.

As for the content aspect of a phone as a reading source or TV, maybe if I found myself in a half submerged compartment in an upside down ship for three days, I would find it worthwhile while a diver came to get me out.

The website looks good.

Thanks for the idea,

Bill