Abandon does not mean the same thing. In the example you provided, "refuse" means that someone will not use the computer or cell phone, and implies that someone else is asking them to, or suggesting that they do. Person 1: You should use a cell phone. They are so convenient. Person 2: I don't like technology. I refuse to use a cell phone. My home phone is all I need. If you want to use a synonym for "refuse", you can use "decline", which is a less forceful word. It still means close to the same thing, but "refuse" is a bit more aggressive and can sometimes be accompanied by hostility. "I hate all this new technology! It's ruining our society. I refuse to use a cell phone or computer, and I think we should get rid of them all!" Decline can also be a one-time choice. Someone who refuses to use a cell phone probably never wants to use it. But if someone is declining to use it, they may still want to use it in the future. Decline is also most often used to describe someone's action. "She declined to use my laptop when I offered it." It would be unnatural to say, "I decline the use of your laptop." However, you can use "refuse" in either way. "I refuse to use a cell phone." And also, "He refused to use the computer for his lessons." I hope this helps. :)

"refuse to" is really the best way of saying it. I suppose you could say "be resistant to using the phone"/ "be reluctant to" but 'refuse" is the best. "abandon" sounds really weird in this case. Hope this helps! =)

Thanks for help, gentlemen.

You could simply say: "I will not use the computer or cell phone." The emphasis would be on "will not" to stress that you are refusing to do something in particular. If you are talking in general terms you would say: "I will not use computers or cell phones."

I don't see this scenario in the same way that the respondents do. This sounds like someone is "giving up" using a certain device for some period of time (unlikely to be forever) in the way that people "give up" coffee or chocolate or watching TV. It sounds like a lifestyle choice, something healthy. So "refuse to" is wrong, and so is "abandon" (although that is closer, but still not right). Look for synonyms around the examples I gave. I would suggest, off the top of my head, expressions of the form "I'm giving up using my smartphone from now on (or for a month)" "I"m not going to use my phone any more" "I'm giving up using my computer; I'm going to use paper and pen instead" "I'm quitting using my iPad from now on" "I'm gonna stop using my phone; I'm addicted to it."