I don't have a smartphone simply because I've got no use for one, so rather than being a fully paid-up member of the Derek and Nev School of Luddites, I'm running a kind of trial subscription.

I've got a cheap PAYG mobile which I use occasionally for emergencies or letting someone know where I am (provided they need to know where I am), but I resolutely refuse to take it to the supermarket precisely to avoid Mrs Pete ringing me up to tell me to get something we don't really need.

I write a list on a bit of paper before setting off.

I've seen enough people standing with their trolley in the middle of the dairy isle, getting in the way and oblivious to everything round them while having a ludicrously loud exchange with some unseen and equally loud person about semi-skimmed milk to know that I have no wish to appear a bigger chump than I already appear to be.

There are a couple of ways in which they affect people's behaviour that I find baffling and a bit depressing, though.

One is that they kill normal conversation in situations where people used to talk to each other. Face to face. Listening to what the other person has to say, watching their expressions and responding accordingly.

You know, the kind of communication which had served we human beans pretty well for thousands and thousands of years.

Walk into the local, and at least half of the punters aren't talking to their fellow pub-goers at all. They're all too busy swiping and scrolling. If you're already in the pub, enjoying your first pint of Old Dirigible, you can't help but notice that the first thing new arrivals do (mostly instead of saying hello to the landlord or anyone else) is take out their smartphones and look to see what all their chums are doing. Or are about to do. Or are about to eat.

What's all that about? Why this absurd preoccupation with taking pictures of a plateful of grub and posting it on Facebook?

While on the subject of pictures, other thing I find baffling is the overwhelming obsession with taking photos or videos of everything.

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't that people do this in the kind of situation where they really ought to be offering assistance rather than recording someone else's calamity, pain or misfortune with the sole intent (presumably) of getting something good to post on YouTube or show their mates.

The kind of situation where, before the advent of smartphones, their first reaction would have been to offer help.

There's something sad and faintly disturbing about that. Priorities well skewed, I reckon.

And one other thing. When your companion is busy swiping and scrolling and catching up with the day's meaningless trivia, they unplug themselves from the rest of the world and don't ruddy well listen to what you're saying any more.

Drives me nuts, so it does.

Apart from all that, I think they're marvellous.

No, really.

.

Totally agree with Pepe, particularly the bit about them killing normal conversation, not only face to face but also normal phone conversations.

A phone that can easily fit into your pocket is fine. I've no problem with that. I just thank the Lord that they weren't around in this handy size when I was in industry. I couldn't get away from the phone as it was. For people to have been able to get in touch with me when I was "out of the office" would have truly killed me off.

As for the smart bit, what's that all about. A phone should be used to phone people or accept phone calls from people. It is a handy tool. You just push several buttons and your brother, your son or your Great Uncle are there to speak with.

All our kids, and some of our kid's kids have phones but can we get in touch with them? Not on your nelly. You're always asked to leave a message. However, you are always available when they need to talk to you or worse, to text you.

Only this week (and it's not the first time it's happened) we have tried to phone one of the family to discuss something we are worried about that involves them. They text us back to say they are not able to speak so can we text them. This we do but, unlike a normal conversation where views can be instantly exchanged, we put our point and are then worried when the reply looks as though they've taken offence at something.

At our age we have not learned the art of texting which is to send brief messages to one another and eventually after about 3 or 4 hours get to the crux of the matter. Also It takes me about 30 minutes to compose and send a text that a 5 minute telephone call could have sorted.

Because Mrs R has a fancy phone (not a smart phone) with loads of buttons, and because our kids prefer to exchange messages with her, she now automatically texts the kids rather than phone them,which drives me up the wall as she'll spend the next few hours wondering whether they've got the message. She hasn't explored the millions of other things that are available on her phone.

As for me, my phone is about 6 years old and is only switched on when I want it to be. I have a monthly contract on it that dates back to the late 90's when, to encourage more people to join them, Orange offered monthly contracts at no cost and only pay a reduced rate for phone call and text usage. They contact me almost every month to try and get me to upgrade. What are they like? My monthly phone bill? About 50p.

Randa