Let me start by saying this: it really wasn't his idea.
Dan Zielske, my partner in crime since 1989, has never been one to warm to the latest and greatest technologies. He was perfectly happy using rabbit ears on a television, and it took a lot of arm twisting back in the day to convince him why a young, unmarried couple like us would ever possibly find a use for a Nintendo system. He also has a vintage shirt and sweater collection that would rival that of any 90-year-old man, but that's a story for another day.
In keeping with his Luddite ways, he was a little late to the cell phone game. He has owned two cell phones in his entire life. One had an antenna you pulled out for better reception. The other one? This gem he's been using for roughly 8 years.
Enter his tech obsessed wifey, me.
I think everyone knows my love of all things technological, and specifically, my love of all things iPhone. I've documented my yearnings quite ably over the years on this blog. (You can read some of it here and here and even this one time when someone got all mad at me for whining about not having one here.) Heck, I even did a scrapbook page about placating my desires with the purchase of an iPod Touch, as seen here:
The irony, of course, is that I do not own an iPhone myself, mostly because it's a hard one to justify when my cell phone usages averages to roughly 22 minutes per month.
But with Father's Day looming and a $100 instant rebate being offered to replace Dan's aging phone, I decided to roll the dice on Dan's behalf and I ordered the iPhone 4.
Ahhhh. Now isn't that better?
Other than when he first took it out of the box and just started yelling at it to try and activate the phone, he's taken quite a shine to it. Initially incredulous that he wasn't going to be on a 4G network (What? This is only 3G? Are you KIDDING me? That's just GREAT!), he has settled in nicely, even finding time during the day to play a few rounds of Words with Friends with yours truly.
He swears he won't get all into apps and for now, the only other app I made him buy was Scrabble. But I say, let him find his sea legs and then he might just realize how fun Plants vs. Zombies can truly be.
And even if he never goes app crazy, with a view like this, he'll never be able to doubt the value of an upgrade.
April W says
Too funny. 😉 I loooooooooooove mine!
– April
Cameron says
You are so stinkin’ awesome. Loooooove that last photo. 🙂 Have a great weekend, Cath!!!
Leslie @ {Tiny Wings} says
Get outa town!! Nicely played, Techie Wife!! (Sometimes we’ve just got to drag them in, even if it is kicking & screaming!) Thankfully, most people take to having an iphone like a crow attracted to sparkly things! 🙂
Mary Cody says
He and my husband need to go bowling. His sister bought him an iPad for Christmas and all he does is play solitaire on it.
Mel says
I soooo want an iPhone – hoping I’ll be getting one in the autumn…. But I hadn’t realised Plants v Zombies was available as an app, I got totally addicted to that on my computer and had to uninstal it in the end when Things Were Not Getting Done (you know, like: answering the phone, feeding the kids, going to bed, little things like that 😉 )
cathy says
Well, Ive barely even touched it myself. Im still sort of holding out for the day I will find a nice shiny one in my own possession. Ive very, very tempted!
Wendy Inman says
I just sent this blog to my husband… who has almost that EXACT same phone still. Dan sounds just like my DH 🙂
Amy says
My hubby and I had Android phones prior to getting our iPhones. My phone use has increased tremendously since getting my iPhone. It has been fabulous! Even my non-Apple product hubby agreed that the iPhone is fantastic!! Now if only I could get him to play Words With Friends with me (I LOVE that game!!) — maybe I shouldn’t let him play, he knows a lot of BIG words!! 🙂
Lisa says
Awww, I hope he loves it! You should be able to share your apps with in home sharing in the App store or within iTunes. I’m not sure of the details as we only have one Apple account, but I’m sure Googling it will help. Then he doesn’t have to buy any apps you’ve already bought. Same with music.
Heather B says
I tried to buy a phone for Christmas for my husband one year – it went back! He’d love an iPhone NOW…. but 6 yrs ago he wanted to keep the phone he had…. which was a hand-me-down from me. 😉 I’ve slowly converted him into a bit more of a techie guy…. haven’t succeeded in all things, but HAVE in all things Apple… if Apple makes it he wants it now!
Delisa says
Go Dan. I’m always late to the game on new stuff. I just got a new cell phone and really got daring by adding a text plan. I’m only running about 5 years behind, right?
Colleen says
A common scenes at our ‘blended’ household (husband = PC; me = Mac) is me with my MacBook Pro on my lap and my iPhone in my hands, doing two different things at once (what? obsessive? me? nah. Let’s say multi-tasker). My husband finds it comical, but only until I catch him lying on the couch in the evening playing with my iPhone. I don’t care which PC-focused, high-tech company he works for. No one can resist the power of the iPhone (insert evil laugh here).
Colleen says
Oops. “Common scene.” Meh!
Becky H says
I got my first iPhone in March and I loooove it. I don’t know why I used a Blackberry for so long. Texting is a breeze on the iPhone and my daughter (10) loves it for games. I love it for everything but especially for instant play of podcasts. Cathy go for it!!!
P.S. My husband is just like yours. He is the only one in the family yet to upgrade to a Smartphone.
heidig says
Dan and I would get along quite well – sorry Cathy!
Megan Stiles says
How the HELL did I miss that whole post about Stephanie? Who the hell does she think she IS??
Overpriced trendy phone? (How do you type that sound you make between a grunt and a sigh when you are just completely. blown. away by someone’s idiocy? Type it here:____)
I once tried to go without mine for 2 whole hours. I do NOT want to talk about it.
Megan Stiles says
…and ps…I’m sure Stephanie is a very nice person. Misled, but nice.
Gaye says
My husband is definitely Dan’s California counter-part. Only difference is mine hands me the phone because he says it is easier if I “just do it” than for him to learn how to do anything but make a call. I am happy to oblige! 🙂 Oh, and we should never have them meet unless we want the shirt collections to expand exponentially.
Susanna Boyd says
If my own Luddite ever comes around, I’ll copy your post word for word. It could have been written for us!!! Ron wouldn’t even get online until last year and I own a web business!
Tell Dan for all of us, “welcome to the iclub!”
D says
My very Luddite husband owned one of the first iPads due to his company ordering them as bonuses for the entire company [it was either about $500 to everyone or an iPad, management decided upon the iPad]. He had to find someone who had an iPhone to figure out how to do anything on it – now he loves his iPad. Though he’ll be stickin’ with his clam shell cell phone. 🙂
laurie eller says
i’m glad he finally got one, and hopefully you will too. i finally gave in and bought the iPhone3 because it was 50 bucks and thought, what the heck? give it a try! at the end of this year i’ll give it to my son, who hopefully won’t lose it like he has his last three phones. ::sigh::
here’s to hoping you’ll get one soon!
cathy says
I dont even have texting on my phone. : ) I feel you!
cathy says
oh, that was back in the OLDEN days, and normally, i dont give attention to negative posts. But i thought it made for some good writing, no?
cathy says
The shirts are out of hand. Seriously. : )
cathy says
He really is loving the phone. And you know what? i bet it makes him feel just a tiny bit more hip!
cathy says
mwhahahahahaaaaaa.
deb says
Cathy, I am DYING. We are living parallel lives, you see. I’ve been dying for the iPhone myself, but husband wouldn’t dream of switching carriers. And then Verizon got the iPhone, but we were locked into contract. And then husband got a new job, and said job provided him with what was supposed to be a Blackberry, but instead turned out to be, yup, you guessed it…freakin’ iPhone 4. The best part is he hasn’t even set it up yet. I have to beg to do it for him.
I can’t complain much, though, he did get me the iPad. But I will now be waiting until November, when we have no choice but to switch carriers because of his new employee discount. Then I will be joining the masses. Can you say, FaceTime?
Melissa says
Fruit Ninja and Skeeball for the iPhone. He may never put it down again. We are still waiting until November for our Verizon contract to enable us to purchase our iPhones. Until then, I have to wait until Sundays when my SIL lets me play with hers over coffee after church. I already know I’m in big trouble when I finally get my hands on one. Oh, and does he have any skydiving t-shirts? I can hook you up for sure!
gypsy chaos says
Wait. The techie wife does not have texting capability. The Luddite husband has an iPhone 4. There is something seriously wrong with this picture!!
When I was laid off, I lost my company phone. {Imagine that!} Without thinking, I got a new Verizon phone; it was line #6 on my account. DRATS! That meant another whole monthly fee.
A few months later, one of the kids was upgrading his/her phone. Looking at my account, the salesman noted the minimal use of one number. Umm that would be my husband’s. He.never.takes.it.with.him. 95% of the time he’s at work or one of us is with him.
In the end, we cancelled his line, moved mine over as the fifth line on the family plan, and now save $$$.
And my husband hasn’t noticed the difference at all.
Now if only I could convince him to use a cell to call his mother or sister out of state….. we’d eliminate long distance charges. He hasn’t done it yet.
Melissa Mc says
‘Had my 3G since the day it was released (7/17/09 if you must know). When it died, I broke down & got the 4 in April. NEVER A REGRET (so long as you don’t count being raped w/o a kiss by AT&T each month).
In other news – ‘found a link that may interest you re: skorts & running. I think I’m about to be faster!! LOL
http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Girls-track-team-turns-to-skirts-to-improve-resu?urn=highschool-wp3098
cathy says
Love it, Deb! : )
cathy says
Skydiving? : ) That is one he doesnt have! LOL!
cathy says
I know, it doesnt seem right, does it? Im thinking upgrade!
MarionW says
One thing about 4G – just because you have a 4G phone doesn’t mean that you have 4G coverage in your area (check the coverage maps) or that you have decent coverage. I live in a borderline coverage area for both 4G and 3G, so when I am at home, I put my 4G phone on Wifi, which works just fine. And oh, btw, I debated for awhile whether to get the older technology Verizon iPhone4 or the latest and greatest Thunderbolt, and chose the Android phone – I love it and have no regrets whatsoever!
borcherding says
Cathy, this was a funny post because I too just jumped on the iphone bandwagon ($49 for a 3GS? HELLO!) Now, after only a week I am thinking: how in the heck did I live without this thing?? JUST KIDDING!! I will have to check out your old posts because I have no idea what are the MUST HAVE apps….so, if you wanna toss some ideas my way that would be great. I’ve downloaded some that people tell me I NEED but I have no idea what they do??!! For instance, ANGRY BIRDS is on my phone but haven’t opened the darn thing. LOL!!
AmyT says
I don’t know what I would do without my iPhone! From banking, paying bills, finding my car, games, weather, news, facebook ah the list! We actually have 5 of them in our house right now. I bit obsessed…maybe…want me to send ya one 😀
Maureen says
Ah Cathy, you are leading Dan down a slippery path. Good for you! How can he be a coffee meister and not have an iPhone! Glad you have him up to speed. Now get him an iTunes card so he can get apps on the sly. hehehe
Leslie @ {Tiny Wings} says
The hubs and I caved 2 months ago. I admit, I am completely hooked. (Do eeeeet. Do eeeeeeeet!!!)
cathy says
Well I like Words with Friends, but… theres a great free app called GroceryIQ, that lets you customize your shopping lists. I use it on my iPad, then print out my lists to take to the store. Its very cool! : )
cathy says
You know i love that kind of obsession!
Mark says
omg, FaceTime, with DAN!
cathy says
I know, RIGHT?
cathy says
I just realized there was a type in this post. Why dont you catch those things before I publish, Mark?
Barb says
awesome! I love love LOVE my iPhone and can’t really remember how I survived without it. (Meanwhile, I have iPad2 envy when I see you post about your apps, etc.)
Janet says
Cathy, speaking of very cool technology, have you seen this video
Melissa says
My hubby’s sport of choice! (Some call it “Sport Parachuting” but most people call it Skydiving). He’s got over 1500 jumps! When skydivers get together for longer than a day, it’s called a “Boogie” (the way scrapbookers have crops or quilters have bees). He must have at least one hundred Boogie T-shirts! Crazy!
JoLynn says
Congrats, Dan! I was right there with you on the gaming system, man! But we love our iPhone4s.
sev says
My company gave me an iphone4 instead of a cell phone, it’s great. I matched it with my car radio and I can listen to my favorite zumba songs without CD. I rarely take pics with it, quality is awful to my taste (Love my Dreb!)
Dan, enjoy it !
Anna says
Love this post! Sounds like my hubby. I still remember his ‘brick’ cell. :). My I phone goes to bed with me :). ( for the apps and games of course). His… Well it’s laying downstairs somewhere and without a cover! Gasp! I must say that mine is super cute in all it’s glory of white and gem stones of flowers. Thank-you!
Jane says
I just gone an iPhone 4 today!! I am in love!!!
cathy says
I hadnt seen that! thanks for sharing the link!
cathy says
wow. that is one thing that scares the bejeezus out of me!
cathy says
FUN!
Sharon F. in CA says
Congratulations to Dan and the entire Zielske clan!! Welcome to the digital age. I resisted for a long time and got one a year ago…dont know what took me so long. Texting is a convenience up there with the microwave. Does it help Dan to know that Angry Birds app is considered one of the “best all time educational tools for physics?”
I have not played it myself, but at work we have been researching educational gaming and discovered that gem! Enjoy!!
jill_in_AL says
I’m about to cross over to the dark side and upgrade to an iPhone myself and am getting one for my middle school son and another for hubs so….buy Verison and Apple stock now as later this summer I’m diving in X3! Can’t wait to be an Apps Girl!
Sarah says
I must be one of the only losers on the planet that does NOT use any apps on my phone. When purchasing my cell phone upgrade, I said that I wanted to use it minimally for phone calls and wanted an alarm clock feature. PERIOD. That’s it! I didn’t want all kinds of bells and whistles. For being in my 30’s, I somehow missed the boat on all of these advancements in technology, as I struggle to change my ring tone. (Sadly, my grandmother owned a cell phone before I ever did.) A camera feature is cool and all, but I have NO IDEA what to do after taking a picture… so, I send it via phone to my twin brother and he emails it to me from his fancy iPhone. (What would I do without him?)
amy says
AWESOME!!! my husband has also been slow to embrace new technology. (he remembers things that happened in the 1930’s even though he is only in his 40’s) i remember when he would not do pay at the pump. surprisingly he embraced the iphone and hates it as a phone. maybe we can get your husband’s old one. he’d really like his old flip phone back and get an ipad because it is bigger. i too have the iphone and LOVE it. and i would say that on average i use it for about 9 minutes of calls a month. i’m on it all the time otherwise. you should get one.
cathy says
I may have to tell him that! LOL! : ) Im HORRIBLE at that game. Come to think of it, I didnt do so hot in physics either. ; )
cathy says
Congrats! : ) Im green with envy!
scrapper al says
I had to give up my non-flip analog phone when we changed carriers. Then I had to give up my beloved flip phone when the screen went bad. Since I keep my cell phones an average of five years, I’m not due for another upgrade for another three years, lol. Although I must say that I’ve coveted every i gadget that has been released. The day I get one, I’m pretty sure the sky will be filled with flying pigs (since hell already froze over).
Jenny B. says
That is too funny! I don’t have an iPhone either, and I was just contemplating getting an iPod Touch to try to satisfy my craving. Now that the iPhone 3’s are only $50 (with a new contract, of course), I’ve been thinking about taking the plunge, but I really can’t justify the expense for the data plan. Oh, well… I guess I can live vicariously though just about everyone else. 🙂
Ikuko says
At first, it was kinda hard for me to believe that you don’t own iPhone.
But your reason made me like you even more!!
It’s very smart of you not buying things you don’t need.
Me? I have both…and wonder why I need two very similar devices.
cathy says
Ikuko, I am getting really antsy to get one though. But Ill hold off. I want to see how much our monthly phone bill goes up after getting Dans phone. That might seal the deal for me to NOT get one. LOL!
Linda says
I almost wet my pants today reading this! My hubby only has a phoen cuz everyone else has one–his is never with him, or if it is it is not on–BUT he says he wants an iphone–I think the part about being hip has something to do with it–but it is hard being hip when you are a Boeing Engineer with a shirt collection that I bet even beats Dan’s (My guy is older so he has had longer to collect.)
Pilbara Pink says
Hi Cathy I was interested in you printing from your iPad – do you have a wireless printer? I need to replace my printer but want one compatible with iPad but most that I have seen reviewed are not that great yet.
Pilbara Pink says
I bought my husband an iPad2 for his birthday a week ago. This man didn’t have an email address even when it arrived and was overheard telling our daughter that he didn’t see why I thought he needed it. Last night he was complaining that he hadn’t had any replies to the emails he had sent during the weekend! It didn’t take long for him to be converted to the joys of iPad 🙂
cathy says
I dont have a wireless printer. Hoping to get one though, so i can print from my iPad!
Tina says
Our husbands are cut from the same cloth. Mine might just be on his third cell phone now, but he only got one because I made him. The pager was just not cutting it anymore. Congrats, Dan, and welcome to Life With an iPhone. It’s an extension of your self now, the thing you can’t put down, the things whose absence you feel the instant you do. I swear iPhones are worse than crack.
And the Scrabble app is awesome. But whatever you do, do NOT get Angry Birds. You’ll never get another second of work done. Ever.
cathy says
Tina, I have to admit: i am HORRIBLE at Angry Birds. I dont get it. I try, Lord knows I try. Maybe Dan would fare better! LOL!
Laney says
Life is not the same without Angry Birds!!
Kelli says
Too funny! My hubby just got his first cell phone this year. I got a blackberry and he got a basic little samsung. I feel guilt.
Carrie S. says
That’s awesome! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who forced my husband to get an iPhone. I love mine, so I decided that he should get one, too. Cut the rope is a really fun game. You and Dan should try it out.
Sharon Lovoy says
Dear Cathy, could you please, please, please write me a note as to why I deserve an iPad? I figured that you did so well with the iPhone, you can go one better. I still haven’t figured out how to justify that purchase, although I am truly a “gadget hound.”
I appreciate you!
cathy says
Sharon, thats a hard one. Where tech stuff is concerned, Im so weak. I just keep wanting and wanting. However, I will say that if you looked inside my closet and saw how tiny and silly my wardrobe is, youd understand. We all have our priorities. I put mine on tech gadgets. Sigh. Not sure if thats good or bad. It just is. : )
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