After all these years, it finally did happen to me. Last month my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, which was about 10 months old, started acting up. Before this I had a Flip3 that worked perfectly for over four years, but the Flip5 began having issues with parts of the screen. Sometimes when I tapped at the top, it worked fine; other times, I had to tap multiple times to get a response. I figured it was probably just me, so I kept using it.
Then one day, the main screen went almost completely dark, which was really disheartening. After that, nothing worked on the main screen. I could check the weather and the time on the small external screen, but that was it. I never really used that small screen before, so it was pretty much useless for me.
I was frustrated, so I quickly reached out to my phone provider. However, I will not name them since they have tons of lawyers and I do not. At first, they told me I did not have insurance on my phone, so I was out of luck, even though the thing was practically unusable. After talking to a number of reps and their bosses, they finally came around and realized it was under warrantee. They said they would send me a replacement, and I would get it by Thursday.
While I was waiting, I discovered I could connect my phone to my computer using Microsoft’s “Phone Link” app via Bluetooth. It works really well, but I will not get into too much detail right now, but I might write more about it later. This way, I could use my phone almost as if it was in my hand as long as I was at my computer.
Being without a reliable phone taught me a few things. I felt pretty isolated, even though my replacement was only four days away. It was weird how suddenly disconnected I felt from everything. Without easy access to texting and calls, I worried about missing important communication from friends and family, or not being reachable in case of an emergency.
My whole routine got thrown off. My phone was my alarm, calendar, reminder, email tool, and contact device. Without it, I struggled to keep track of my appointments, meetings, dates with my wife, and all my daily tasks. I just felt disorganized.
I have relied on a cell phone since the late eighties, always having quick access to info online, so losing that capability was a shock. When you are used to solving problems or getting answers on your phone, it is frustrating when that is suddenly taken away. Yes, Google is my brain.
I also started to feel something called “Phantom Phone Syndrome.” I would often reach for my phone and then realize it was not there. It is strange, but apparently it can cause feelings of loss or anxiety, kind of like phantom limb syndrome. Overall, I just felt sluggish.
I really depend on my phone’s GPS for getting around. Since I moved to a new area of the country, I pretty much live by Google Maps or Waze. If I travel more than 20 or 30 miles from home, I could get pretty lost.
I do have a watch, so keeping track of time was not too hard. But I know many people feel lost or unsure about managing their day without their phones to check the time regularly.
I also came across a term recently that really hits home: “FOMO,” or “Fear of Missing Out.” I found myself getting anxious about events, conversations, or info I might be missing while I was offline.
The replacement phone finally arrived on Saturday morning (yes, they missed that original estimate). Ahh… finally, I felt good, safe, and secure again! If you have gone through something like this, I would love to hear your story.
And just to be clear, I was not as bonkers as it might sound; I just had a few really rough days. But if that is the worst times I have, life is good!
