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Question for smartphone owners

kenny

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Apr 30, 2005
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34,658
I don't have a smartphone, hence this question about ...
1. What smartphones can do
2. How people usually set the settings, and use them

I would never dream of calling someone at 3 AM because I'd probably wake them up.
Rude!
Same with texting.
Calling and texting causes a phone to make a noise ... of course unless they've set their phone to silent.

But what about sending an email?
Does every smartphone 'ring' when someone receives an email?
Or does it depend on the settings of each recipient's phone?
If the latter, how do most people set their settings?

IOW if I want to send an email then they are probably asleep should I wait till they are probably awake?

... and if people can set their phones to ring, or not ring, for an incoming email, do people ask others when it is okay to send an email?
 
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kenny said:
But what about sending an email?
Does every smartphone 'ring' when someone receives an email?
Or does it depend on the settings of each recipient's phone?
If the latter, how do most people set their settings?
Click to expand...

Everything depends on the settings the user has chosen. I have my phone set so that new emails only show when I open my email account. They do not make any noise or otherwise notify me when they arrive.

I would send your emails whenever suits you and not worry about disturbing the recipient as it's their responsibility to have their phone set how they want it. Same with calls and texts. It's up to the recipient to put their phone on 'silent', 'do not disturb', or 'aeroplane' mode (which blocks all incoming signal) if they do not wish to be disturbed.
 
Their alerts are completely up to them to set up, you can't control it. If they set up for full alerts on every single thing and then get annoyed... it's on them. :lol:

My email only updates when I open it. My texts and other messaging apps will have different sounds so I know who is messaging me. If my phone rings at night, I will panic because nobody ever calls it. I never call anyone socially. Even with my own mother, who is in her mid 60s, we text or at the very most, video. I can't remember the last time I called anyone that's not work or doctor appointment related.

Whether I message someone at night depends on the person. With closer friends who I know are on the same messed up schedule as me, I'll message and they'll respond when they're up, there are no rules. Otherwise, I try not to message anyone else during their night time if possible, so I am mindful of their timezone/schedule.

I would say emailing anyone at any time is 100% okay. Text, depends on the person. Calls... I'd only call if absolutely necessary, I hate speaking on the phone. My skin crawls when it rings.
 
Thank you.
More responses please.

UGH! Back in my day the latest high-tech was so simple.
Just now I've finally nailed that new-fangled dial tone.

This seems like only yesterday ...

 
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kenny said:
In my day things were so simple.
Click to expand...

Simple, but it sucked! I remember how it was, so much wasted time waiting around. Having the world at your fingertips is way better than being tethered to a cord, or worse, waiting for snail mail! Waiting to watch a tv show at a certain time sucked. Waiting for phone calls by a landline sucked! We are now able to connect with people around the world at any time, so you can find friends you actually like. You're not limited to people in your vicinity. Life is infinitely easier now than when I was growing up. What I wouldn't give to have streaming back then. Or Lyft when I was in college. Well, my liver is probably better off. :lol: Technology is great.
 
What sucks, to me, is not knowing whether I can email someone when I want to, at 3 AM.

The current tsunami of too much new technology too fast sucks.
I'm like gramps in that video above.
 
kenny said:
What sucks, to me, is not knowing whether I can email someone when I want to, at 3 AM.
Click to expand...

If in doubt (and you have a friendly relationship with that person) I would ask.

Unless I know the person's schedule and phone settings I won't email them in the middle of their night. However, I know which friends keep their phone settings on re email and text and which ones don't so I know who I can text or email at any time of day. And I know who I cannot. If I don't know I err on the side of not emailing/texting at late hours.

Personally I keep my email notifications off and my phone on silent (so I don't hear texts) most of the time. It is on vibrate however so if I am near my phone I generally know when a text arrives. No one calls me on my mobile with few exceptions. I use it just for text and email and internet and rarely chat on the phone. I use my landline for chatting.


And I never keep my mobile in the bedroom. Never.
 
kenny said:
What sucks, to me, is not knowing whether I can email someone when I want to, at 3 AM.

The current tsunami of too much new technology too fast sucks.
I'm like gramps in that video above.
Click to expand...

You could always email someone at any time, wasn't that the whole point of emails? Nobody is forcing them to read it the second it comes in. Same with information consumption. You consume only as much as you allow yourself. If someone is irresponsible and can't handle it, that's on them.
 
ForteKitty said:
You could always email someone at any time, wasn't that the whole point of emails? Nobody is forcing them to read it the second it comes in. Same with information consumption. You consume only as much as you allow yourself. If someone is irresponsible and can't handle it, that's on them.
Click to expand...

Well for decades we've been able to phone folks at 3 AM but, "nobody is forcing them to answer their phone" ... still, I'd call that a comparison fail because it's pretty widely agreed that phoning someone at 3 AM for a non-emergency is rude.
 
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Smart phones can do just about anything these days.
I like taking photos / videos and these are then easy to share/ send/show.
I like the GPS feature, even if you’re walking and need directions somewhere, no problem.
You can turn it to silent and or vibrate instead of ring. You can choose to get notifications of messages or emails by a sound or not.
I have some apps that help me pass time if I’m waiting somewhere, I have my music on my phone as well.
My Apple phone has Siri, Siri answers your questions, sometimes useful, not a fan of using Siri so it’s “turned off”.
I have an Apple Watch as well. I can answer my phone using my watch. It links to my phone and i can have various notifications on or off (so I don’t have to try and find my phone in my bag).
I think it’s just amazing how far and fast technology advances.
 
kenny said:
Well for decades we've been able to phone folks at 3 AM and ... uhm ... "nobody is forcing them to answer their phone" ... still, I'd call that a comparison fail because it's pretty widely agreed that phoning someone at 3 AM for a non-emergency is rude.
Click to expand...

Uh, huge difference. A landline is loud as hell and wakes up the whole house. Email is silent and sits in your digital mailbox. If a person CHOOSES to be alerted, that is their choice. They do NOT need to have that alert turned on. I do not have mine turned on. To me, a phone ringing at 3am is like someone coming into my house banging on a giant pan. Getting an email is like someone slipping a note under my door and quietly leaving. Huge difference. Eta, it's not even like someone slipping a note because no dogs would be barking. The two are not comparable.

FIY, I do receive work emails all day and all night. Contractors and vendors will respond to my requests at all hours of the day. I only check it during my working hours though. And sometimes late at night when I'm bored, like right now. But I do not let them think I'm working at 2am, so I'll just draft the emails and send during the day. I don't want them to think I'm reachable at all hours of the day, or else they get entitled when they don't hear a response immediately.
 
And my Apple Watch has a heart monitor function.
When my dog escaped out the side gate and was running on the road and I was running frantically and hysterically after her, my watch was vibrating to tell me my pulse was way too high and I needed to “slow down”.
 
missy said:
Regarding email.
Click to expand...

Sorry but what is, 'Regarding email'.
I'm not messing with you, I honestly have no clue.
I've never heard the term.
 
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kenny said:
Sorry but what is, 'Regarding email'.
I'm not messing with you, I honestly have no clue.
I've never heard the term.
Click to expand...

Sorry. It’s probably my fault. I slept only three hours last night. I just mean with regards to email and text I keep my notifications off for the most part.
 
missy said:
Sorry. It’s probably my fault. I slept only three hours last night. I just mean with regards to email and text I keep my notifications off for the most part.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks.
Whenever talking about technology I just assume it's yet another thing I'm ignorant of and oblivious to.
 
It is the recepient's reponsibility to set the mobile to "sleep mode" which stops the mobile from ringing / notification until morning. I always set mine on silent and vibrate because I don't like loud noises.
 
I have my phone set to sleep mode. This means that at the time I have set it to 'turn off', I receive no notifications or noises of any kind, until time it to 'turn back on'. I use quotes because my phone does not physically turn off power-wise; it turns off notifications and noises. I also turn off the setting for vibration during incoming calls/texts/emails when I do not wish to be disturbed at all. Anyone can call/text/email during this time and I will not be disturbed.

During the day I use the little button on the side of my phone to silence it when I do not wish to be disturbed by calls/texts/emails. Otherwise I have it set to give me different noises depending upon the incoming function. I can tell by the sound what is coming in - a call (and from whom as I have assigned different ring tones to different people), a text, or an email and decide to look at or not depending upon my availability and desire to at the moment.

I sometimes leave vibration on when I silence my phone. This is for situations where I may be expecting an important call/text/email and want to be alerted that something came in, but am not in a position to have my phone emit a loud, full sound. A good example is while shopping. Other times I will silence my phone by the quick button, including vibration. A good example of this is during a doctor's appointment.

I send texts and emails at any time knowing that the recipient can also customize their notifications in the same way. If it is 3am and they do not wish to be disturbed, they do not have to be. (They can also just turn off their phone altogether.) I like this because I can send a communication when I think of it and have the time, and they can retrieve it when they are available to and wish to.

PS - smartphones are customizable to a wide degree with regard to notifications (noises). You usually have the option of customizing notifications for phone calls, texts, and emails independently of each other. You can receive incoming phone calls and texts live, and have emails wait until you specifically check for them. So, a person can have calls and texts come through at night, but not receive a notification for incoming emails.
 
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It is very easy to stop smartphone notifications (emails, texts etc) overnight or for set durations when you don't want to be disturbed.

However, bear in mind that some people may need to keep these on for various other reasons - such as vulnerable family members getting hold of them, on-call working patterns (I fall into this category). Yes, there are ways around this (letting selective messages through) but it's a bit more involved than just putting on sleep mode.

If in doubt, just ask them. You can always draft an email and send the next morning.
 
@MillieLou brings up a good point... if I want to text or email a person whom I know must leave their phone 'on' for whatever reason, I hold off until a appropriate time to send an email or text. In that case I may wait until 8-9am (reasonable waking hours) or send before 9pm.
 
For those of you who turn your phones to sleep mode, will the alarm still wake you up in the am? I rely on my phone for that!
I set up my notifications depending on what I am waiting on. If I am waiting for a bling IG or email vendor to reply, as a true PSer, I always turn those notifications on!! :lol:
 
My personal phone is always on vibrate during the day or night because I loathe the sound of the ringtone. I have my notification settings on in such a way that my phone buzzes when I get a call, WhatsApp or certain social media notifications (my different messenger apps), but I don’t get notified when an email is received. The only thing that updates is the number of unread emails in my email client (so the icon on my phone shows +1 unread notification on the email icon visible when I unlock my phone and look at the home screen) but no buzz/notification on the lock screen of my phone). My alarm functions without any problems but I don’t really notice any notifications coming in (even calls or texts) when I’m sleeping. Most people except for close friends and family wouldn’t text or call me in the middle of the night unless it was urgent.

When I know that I need to be responsible for something (eg overnight babysitting, flight the next day etc). I set my phone ringer on and the phone to do not disturb mode, which allows calls through only if it’s a specific set of people, or if someone calls me twice in a row.

All of this is for my personal cell. For my work phone, I keep the ringer on (low) unless I’m in a meeting. Messages and emails are on vibrate. I switch the phone off at around 10pm everyday and turn it back on at 8am. I figure no one should be needing me between 10pm-8am, and I don’t want them to get habituated to instant replies from me even if I’m awake and able. Of course, anyone from work who really needs me has my personal number, and if I have a call or something scheduled at night, I leave it on.

To summarise - totally ok with me if someone emails me at any time of the day or night, urgent or otherwise. For a call - please only call me if my house is on fire (I despise phone calls) unless you’ve messaged me and received a confirmation from me so I’m adequately warned and prepared). For texts - it depends. I’m pretty ok to receive texts from someone I know reasonably well (personal or professional) at any hour as long as they don’t expect a response immediately. If it’s the first time you’re reaching out to me, then it’s weird.
 
I'm on sleep mode at night. Mail away @kenny !:)

My clock alarms do override sleep mode @Slick1 . Not sure if that's something I set or default or what? I always have to run test to make sure I'm not screwing myself when I change a setting!

I remember seeing a setting where you dont get phone calls in sleep mode unless someone
calls multiple times (like its an emergency). I think they also had settings for no phone rings
unless it was someone on your favorites list...like if you only wanted calls from your Mother
in the middle of the night when she might need help. So many useful options...its just trying to make sure you get them all set the way you want them (that's the hard part)!
 
Slick1 said:
For those of you who turn your phones to sleep mode, will the alarm still wake you up in the am? I rely on my phone for that!
I set up my notifications depending on what I am waiting on. If I am waiting for a bling IG or email vendor to reply, as a true PSer, I always turn those notifications on!! :lol:
Click to expand...

Yes, @Slick1 My mobile still wakes me up at the appropriate time even though I have it set in sleep mode every night.
 
My phone is set to ping me when I get a text and ring when a call comes in. I can set these to silent at any time with a single button but I don't ever use silent or sleep mode at night. Anyone who knows me would only call very late for emergency reasons and I would definitely want to hear that. I do not allow email or other app notifications so friends are free to email away.

I prefer no phones or television at mealtimes but I've noticed that many people love a blaring distraction. It drives me nuts but that's just me.

I also choose to get notifications for specific reminders that I've set in my calendar. Doctor's appointments, birthdays, etc... very convenient. Other favorite features are internet radio, podcasts, maps, and the general ability to look up information on the fly.
 
I have my phone on silent at all times. It will only ring when select people call me, my child's school, my husband, or my mother. Then I know it's important. All other calls actually go to my watch silently and I can choose to answer or ignore. I have all app notifications completely off. I only see anything when I choose to check. My phone does not disturb my life at all, even though I use it for work.
 
Hardly anyone ever calls me but I make a point to only send a text or email during normal waking hours. Simply because someone may have forgotten to put their phone on silent or do not disturb.

I prefer the ringer to be off because I loathe hearing a phone ring but have to have it on since our youngest is in school during the day. Seriously though, a ringing phone is a serious annoyance, when we had a house phone I was known to “forget” to put the phones back on the bases for charging.
 
I have very minimal notifications on for my phone - texts and phone calls mainly. I have no notifications for WhatsApp or emails. I generally keep my phone on "vibrate" to minimize noises. I do not turn my phone on "sleep" mode because I take backup call a couple times a month and I would hate to miss a call. My life is so unexciting that I don't really bother to keep close track of when I'm on backup call.
 
I always assume if a person does not want to be bothered then they will put their phone on silent/do not disturb. I never think twice about sending anyone anything whether it be a text or an email at any time of day or night. My SO, my daughter and my parents are on "emergency bypass" for phone calls only so it will override any do not disturb setting and the call will get through in an emergency.
 
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