I officially no longer have phone service. My phone is a 2G Samsung slider phone which drops jaws whenever I show it to anyone. The strong reaction is an indication of how complete and thorough the homogenization of the cell phone landscape has become.

You can pull out a CD Walkman or even a cassette player and maybe get a surprised or impressed reaction; you know, whatever floats your boat. But if you're not using a so-called "smart" phone, people flip out like you lifted your shirt and showed the still-attached fetus of your stillborn twin that you had actually murdered in the womb.

It's probably a matter of time before kids are wondering "what's a slider phone"? What's a "dial tone"? Why do you "roll down" a car window? Why do you "trip" on acid? Duh, because when you're on drugs you lose equilibrium and stumble and fall a lot.

2G service ended in Taiwan at the end of June, but I read conflicting reports about a grace period of continued service to let people upgrade. One report said that there would be a six month grace period until the end of the year and it was all excuse for me to do nothing.

I got my usual $9 (NT$288) phone bill in July. Then in August I got one that was a little over a dollar. Then in September none at all. Then I met up with someone on Monday and had him try to call and text my phone and confirmed there was no service. There was no grace period.

There's still no point for me to upgrade to a 4G phone and service which will certainly be an "upgrade" of more than $9 a month. Nine dollars per month on the same service as when I first got to Taiwan was more than I needed. My sparse and irregular annual phone usage certainly doesn't justify upgrading. Good riddance to those people.

Furthermore, I know absolutely nothing about 4G phones or services provided. I'm not about to buy something I know nothing about and I don't know anyone to give me a primer. And being so far behind the learning curve as it is, I would only accept learning from someone from whom it wouldn't be a complete embarrassment. No one, that is.

I'm hopelessly behind on all technologies, I shouldn't wonder. I browse technology news sites and I have no idea what most of the headlines mean. At most I'll recognize a prominent company or product name. That's it.

I've heard opinions that people are moving towards not having a physical music collection, where files on a computer are considered "physical". My main workhorse listening to music is the iPod Shuffle and it has just recently been discontinued.

Coincidentally, I bought a new one the last time I was in the U.S., and apparently it's the last one I'll buy. I have three working iPod Shuffles, none of which have impressive battery life, even the new one. The very way I listen to music has a finite lifespan!

Being left behind by the relentless march of technology. Being disconnected and isolated. Indicative of a good time to check out.

Ooh, that's almost haiku!

Here:
Being left behind
Technology disconnect
Good time to check out