Day 3: Digital Dread

 

Upgrading technology fills me with dread.

The idea of getting a new laptop or phone triggers much more anxiety than anticipation. Don’t get me wrong, I love access to more storage and the improved camera technology that seems standard for my every two- or three-year upgrade cycle. But inevitably, there seem to be challenges that come along a new device.

Am I making the right product choice?

Am I paying the right price, or should I wait a week, a month, a year?

But, above all else, I mostly fret about the data transfer.

The sad reality is that I do not remember most of my application passwords and therefore must resign myself to a week-long transition between old laptop/phone and new laptop/phone while I reset all my passwords. It’s mostly a hassle but I worry that I may lose photos or contacts or something else that I didn’t even realize I depended on.

This year I upgraded my phone.

The whole process was a bit of a fiasco, having ordered the phone I wanted and then having that ordered cancelled by Samsung for reasons still unknown to me and to my carrier. I went into a Verizon retailer to find out why but there was no information. Since I wanted the expense to fall into 2022, and Verizon couldn’t make that happen (they bill you when it comes in), I ended up purchasing an unlocked phone through Best Buy on 12/30.  Rather than attempt the dreaded transfer myself, I brought it into a local Verizon store after the new year and patiently waited in the post-holiday craziness for someone to help me initiate the transfer. M was the same woman who had tried to help me before. Again, she was cheerful, kind, helpful and got me started on a transfer - explaining that, once the data transfer was complete, I could change the SIM card and I’d be good to go. After nearly three hours, all 16K+ photos transferred, and my old phone and new phone deemed the transfer ‘successful’.

With some level of eagerness, I collected my new phone, changed the SIM card, and made my first call. It worked. Then I went to make my first text…

And my breath caught in the center of my chest.

I had no texts. Not one.

My old texts didn’t transfer.

My texts. My years long message history with friends and family.

My “Random Wednesday Love” and “Digital Deep Breath” exchanges didn’t port over to my schmantzy new Samsung. My texts with my kids who are off and away exploring their 20s and not available for a conventional quick hug weren’t there.

And completely absent were my last exchanges with friends who are no longer ‘on planet’.

I felt myself beginning to cry.

Okay, I did cry – it’s been an emotional damn week.

Then I looked at my old phone. Still there. I could still see my last exchanges with Chino, with the Beths, with Ellen, with Angela, with the Loris, with Sandi, with Silke and with so many, many others. While I was grateful to know the messages had not disappeared into ether space, I was still more than a little upset I would have to carry two phones if I wanted to carry those messages with me.

And I DO want to carry those messages with me. I’m sure there is some diagnosable condition for that level of connection to characters on a tiny screen and, whatever it is, I’ve got it.

I downloaded a separate app that would ostensibly allow me to transfer phone to phone items and managed to bring over my call logs but not the texts so the next morning, I braved the elements (it has been rather dramatic here weather wise) and went back to Verizon. M was there and I could barely articulate my issue, getting stuck on the emotion as opposed to the tactical need. She understood anyway, clicked a few things, and started another transfer. As I left the store she said, “I don’t mean this in the rude way, but I hope I don’t see you again.” I felt like hugging her. “Same,” I replied and smiled pensively.

By the time I returned home, all my apps and messages were on my new phone! This time the transfer was truly successful. I was on the verge of tears again but these were tears of relief.

As expected, I can no longer log into over half of my mobile apps (so expect some additional lags with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Strava, etc.) but after the more gripping concerns over my text history, I’m more than comfortable just knowing my digital hugs are back in my pocket – safe and sound.