Unknown telephone bestowed to me
Mar 17, 2024, 11:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chicago, IL., U.S.A.
Programs: Global Entry · WN, UA, AS, DL, NH; IHG, Wyndham, Hilton, Best Value Inn, Marriott, Starwood, Ramada
Posts: 513
Unknown telephone bestowed to me
{sigh} I do not honestly know where to post this. I have just had a distinct episode while riding the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line “L”. No, I was not assaulted. The so-called “news” channels loving to dump on Chicago are not going to inform you of this.
A while back, the title to my introductory World-Wide Web page was "I am a minor piece in somebody's cosmic chess game." Mr. Spock (from Star Trek) would be baffled by these incidences, for which there is no logical explanation.
I was returning from an evening of drinking beer at the Twisted Spoke tavern. The train consist was the new 7000-series cars, which are gradually being integrated into the Blue Line fleet. I boarded car #3 of the 8-car consist. I sat in one of the single-transverse seats.
Persons in the longitudinal seats towards the rear of the car were talking about phones. I spoke up {!} mentioning I was not enthused about mobile phones (which you would know if you delve into my W-WW pages).
The man across the aisle pulls this phone out of a pocket and gives it to me.
This is the extent of the strangeness. Contemplate: How did I select this train, this specific car, and the indicated seat, in order to get this? I now have this mobile phone. I have no idea what it is. (I just looked up “Schok”. I do not glimpse this phone on its 'products' page. It does not seem to be a large phone manufacturer.) I did get information from this man that it was subscribed at some point to Sprint.
Can any of you illuminate what I have? How do I use it without a telephony provider?
A while back, the title to my introductory World-Wide Web page was "I am a minor piece in somebody's cosmic chess game." Mr. Spock (from Star Trek) would be baffled by these incidences, for which there is no logical explanation.
I was returning from an evening of drinking beer at the Twisted Spoke tavern. The train consist was the new 7000-series cars, which are gradually being integrated into the Blue Line fleet. I boarded car #3 of the 8-car consist. I sat in one of the single-transverse seats.
Persons in the longitudinal seats towards the rear of the car were talking about phones. I spoke up {!} mentioning I was not enthused about mobile phones (which you would know if you delve into my W-WW pages).
The man across the aisle pulls this phone out of a pocket and gives it to me.
This is the extent of the strangeness. Contemplate: How did I select this train, this specific car, and the indicated seat, in order to get this? I now have this mobile phone. I have no idea what it is. (I just looked up “Schok”. I do not glimpse this phone on its 'products' page. It does not seem to be a large phone manufacturer.) I did get information from this man that it was subscribed at some point to Sprint.
Can any of you illuminate what I have? How do I use it without a telephony provider?
Last edited by pudgym29; Mar 21, 2024 at 10:21 pm Reason: reuploaded to a more resilient host.
Mar 17, 2024, 5:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,918
Looks like a smaller manufacturer. That said, I would send it to an e-waste centre. As bad as it sounds, you don't know where that phone has been. You don't know what has been done to it. You don't want to plug it into any of your computers. It's nice to get free things, but the saying "if it's too good to be true, it probably is." applies. The phone could be loaded with malware. It could be used to track your location or set to do something else not nice. Best to dispose of it.
Mar 18, 2024, 12:16 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,077
Call me cynical, mean-spirited or whatever. But if ANYONE tried to give me ANYTHING on ANY form of mass transit ANYWHERE ANYTIME I'd reject their offer, be prepared to move as far as physically possible away from that person or use other means to prevent them for being near me, and definitely not accept what they're offering me.
The Google machine says a phone with that brand name/logo appears to be sold through Boost Mobile / Walmart. Reviews seem middling to poor.
The Google machine says a phone with that brand name/logo appears to be sold through Boost Mobile / Walmart. Reviews seem middling to poor.
Last edited by Moderator2; Mar 18, 2024 at 2:52 pm Reason: Moderator handled request
Mar 18, 2024, 6:36 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Somewhere in Florida
Posts: 2,622
I don't know your background, but with the work I do I'm leery of gifts, especially electronic ones. When you see what a tiny $2 ESP32 board can do, you give most objects a second glance. Is there a reason you might be a target? I've inadvertently come across foreign agents and even US agents in my travels.
Mar 21, 2024, 10:29 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chicago, IL., U.S.A.
Programs: Global Entry · WN, UA, AS, DL, NH; IHG, Wyndham, Hilton, Best Value Inn, Marriott, Starwood, Ramada
Posts: 513
Thank you for the information. I have re-uploaded the image to a more resilient webhost. I am quite sorry about that.
No, I am not plugging it into any USB port on my computer.
When was it manufactured?
Why did I accept it? Well, it seemed this was the reason these riders were discussing mobile phones. I was not pixilated.
I'll put it in the e-waste bin here at the abode.
No, I am not plugging it into any USB port on my computer.
When was it manufactured?
Why did I accept it? Well, it seemed this was the reason these riders were discussing mobile phones. I was not pixilated.
I'll put it in the e-waste bin here at the abode.
Mar 22, 2024, 11:14 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,077