Did you know answering machines are obsolete?
By estherlou
@estherlou (5015)
United States
August 20, 2011 3:07pm CST
Our old answering machine sometimes decides to just start announcing for no reason. It talks to itself all of the time. It has gotten quite irritating, so I've asked hubby to buy us a new one. He had an unused gift certificate for Best Buy so he thought he'd start there. He couldn't find one anywhere in the store. When he asked someone, he was told answering machines are obsolete. What? Many families don't even have land lines anymore and use the voice mail on their cell phones. Wow. I haven't even learned how to set up my voice mail yet. I've just recently started using my cell phone to actually talk to some people instead of just for texting out-of-town. Who knew? Obsolete? Amazing. I guess 61 is getting a little old. LOL...by the way...Walmart still carries them.
2 people like this
8 responses
@petersum (4522)
• United States
20 Aug 11
Land lines are going to be around for some time yet since that is how the Internet comes to most people! And answering machines are still available. What HAS disappeared is the fax machine, as that is replaced by the computer - but who uses fax anymore?
Interesting that the computer isn't used as an answering machine! Probably because the Internet and phoneline is split by that ADSL box. In the old days of dial-up modems, computers could answer the phone. We seem to have taken a step backwards!
2 people like this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
20 Aug 11
I remember discovering email before I ever knew what a fax machine was. The land lines are still available for the computers, but I know of two people that come to mind who don't have phone service hooked into those land lines. They only use cell phones.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169449)
• United States
20 Aug 11
I still have an answering machine, maybe I better buy a spare. I figured Wal Mart might still have them, or I would have looked online. I do not have voicemail set up on my cell phone. I use a pay as you go type phone, and I do not text either. I am obsolete, and I am not sixty one.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Aug 11
At least you know how to use a cell phone. I don't even know what "flash" is for on a regular phone.
1 person likes this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
21 Aug 11
Hmmm...you got me on that one also! I don't know either!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Aug 11
I do come up with the head-scratchers, don't I?
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
21 Aug 11
Land line phone system won't be going out as soon as some people might think. Most of the businesses are still relying on land line service. Also, most of the manufacturer's customer services are still land line based. I know some places are moving over to VoiP but it's still considered. That being said, I don't think answering machines are obsolete. Go to your local Radio Shack & they should have them. Choices may not be like they used to be but still should have them. Most of the phones should have answering machines built in now a days.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (84760)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Aug 11
There are phones out there that still have answering machines. It's just they aren't as obvious, and are designed so you can use your phone company's voice mail too as an option. Though some landline owners claim voicemail through a land line company isn't as effective as a cell phone, mostly because it's more or less a bit more complicated. Cell phones it's easy, get a notification dail into voicemail pure and simple. No numbers to remember, no codes just streight in and out.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
21 Aug 11
We got a phone with a corded handset and 3 cordless receivers that also includes an answering machine.
I'm thinking we might need 4 cordless receivers, but still need the corded handset because the roommate needs it for her job.
I may get another pair of cordless receivers because the other roommate has pretty much killed one of the 3 - have we mentioned she's not bright?
@pepperpopper (376)
• Philippines
21 Aug 11
I think so too. Only few people uses answering machine. Businessman and busy people.Voice mail is the one that is trending. I haven't tried that because I don;t know how to use it. I guess, that's how the technology goes nowadays. You'll buy a new gadget today, after a year, before you knew it, it is already obsolete.
