Why a smart phone?

[chachadiva]

I'm deep in the matrix and don't understand the resistance to technology.

Thanks Scribe. I consider myself fairly tech savvy and I keep up with the latest technology. I just prefer to use only what's necessary in my life and I honestly can't see where having apps and all of those things will enhance what I already do. I don't facebook or tweet or use gps, so my phone would really still only be used for occasional internet, talking and texting.

I don't have a smartphone either. It's not resistance to technology. I'm like Twix. I'm not the type of user to play around with a bunch of apps and things. I'm a minimal user. Plus, I'm very mindful about privacy and how everything we do online is being tracked for commercial purposes. If I don't need a bunch of stuff on my phone, then I'm not going to get a bunch of stuff. Just me.

[Scribetastic]

I like that is a one stop shop. Instead of carting around multiple books*, an mp3 player, an address book, a planner/appt. book and my phone, I have that all in one device. Additionally, I don't have to wait until I get to a "real" computer to get online. I can check the weather, news, my email, post on NP, and play my favorite games while I'm waiting in the doctor's office. I love it!

Recently, I went into one of my favorite stores and pulled up their app and immediately found coupons that I could use when I checked out. That was a nice touch because I never remember to bring along the ones they send through the mail. Saved $15 that day. <insert dancing smiley right here>

*I do still end up carrying a couple of books around with me. Sometimes I just like to feel and/or markup a physical book. Plus, I also have a tablet, so I only read on my phone for short time frames.

Yeah, it just depends. I still feel like people who shun smart phones really don't get it. Like today I was out and heard a song. It was a very good song and I would have had to get up, go to a worker, have them go in the back (if they could), and find out what was playing (if that was even possible). Instead, I fired up SoundHound and it gave me the name of the song in seconds. I don't ever *need* that. Ever. The convenience of little things like that is just great.

I agree with the bold too. I'll admit that most books I keep on my iPad, but I have the Kindle app on my phone too. I just get motion sick easy, so reading is something I do more when I'm waiting somewhere and not moving. I used to be the person with the heavy backpack full of books or whatever. Now when I use my back pack it's got maybe cold weather stuff (San Francisco is almost always cold at night) but no heavy a$$ books because they're all on my Kindle app.

Communication-wise, it's just easier. I like being wherever and being able to fire off a quick reply to a client or friend via email or text. Breaking news? The same thing. It's pretty much common knowledge that Twitter usually catches stuff first and that moves fast to Facebook and email. I don't even bother watching the news regularly anymore.

To each their own, but, for me, the benefit of carrying a smart phone far outweighs not carrying one.

[Napia Mia]

This may seem like a crazy question but thoughts are appreciated. I do not have a smart phone (gasp!) and honestly don't see the point.

***GASP*** Shut the front door. I thought I was the last hold out on earth, lol!

I cosign everything Lbell said. I got my first smart phone, a pitful lil thang about two years ago. When I accidently water damaged it, I had to get a real cheapie phone for a minute just so I could have SOMETHING. OMG!!! It was aweful. I couldn't WAIT till I could finally get a new, more upgraded smart phone. Once you get one, you'll never go back.

[LBellatrix]

I'm deep in the matrix and don't understand the resistance to technology. (Not a criticism but just me wondering what's up with that. )

I worked in tech for many years and actually this side gig (that's now my only paying gig) is tech-based but for some reason people take that to mean I have the latest gadgets and am up on the latest apps, etc. Often I am compared to them but I'm nowhere near as deep in the tech matrix as I used to be. In fact I'm increasingly finding it exhausting...I'm already an information/Internet junkie as it is and I really have to manage how much data I get and when I get it. Although having a Morpheus-like red pill/blue pill moment sounds great, it's soon getting to the point where everyone will be incorporated whether they like it or not. Actually on a system/database level everyone's already there...cue Twilight Zone music...

However, my parents taught me how to read maps and find directions to places using AAA maps for them. Not everyone is just blindly following their GPS. I overrule mine a lot because I realize the technology still isn't as good as I am if I'm familiar with the area. When GPS is most helpful is when you're heading to a new spot. I still plot a route online before I fire up GPS because it can also just be wrong sometimes.

Co-sign all of this...I read an article recently that said that GPS can be anywhere from 15 to 50 percent inaccurate depending on where you are (e.g. an open field vs. a dense city block). Being able to read a map is just as important a skill as being able to tell time from an analog clock (I wish I was kidding but I have met kids who don't know how to do this).[/QUOTE]

Like today I was out and heard a song. It was a very good song and I would have had to get up, go to a worker, have them go in the back (if they could), and find out what was playing (if that was even possible). Instead, I fired up SoundHound and it gave me the name of the song in seconds. I don't ever *need* that. Ever. The convenience of little things like that is just great.

This ties to a conversation I had recently about what I call "smartphone etiquette in group discussions." I'm not talking about being on your phone when you're supposed to be in a conversation...I'm talking about when someone asks a question like, "How old is Toni Morrison anyway?" and everybody's throwing out opinions and then you pull out your phone and say, "We can just answer this right now--" pull up Wikipedia, enter her name, and pow...she just turned 82. Now in this particular group (of which I'm one of the youngest) I always ask if they mind if I look it up...and I only do it after a few minutes when no one's come up with the answer but they're still interested in knowing the answer. I suspect it may sound weird to younger people who are used to having almost the entire sum of human knowledge accessible from their smartphone (and how cool is that??) but lots of people (especially elderly) prefer good old-fashioned, face-to-face, completely smartphone-free conversations.

Sorry for the derail but, um, twix? How about "having almost the entire sum of human knowledge in your purse" as a motivator for getting a smartphone?

[Scribetastic]

I worked in tech for many years and actually this side gig (that's now my only paying gig) is tech-based but for some reason people take that to mean I have the latest gadgets and am up on the latest apps, etc. Often I am compared to them but I'm nowhere near as deep in the tech matrix as I used to be. In fact I'm increasingly finding it exhausting...I'm already an information/Internet junkie as it is and I really have to manage how much data I get and when I get it. Although having a Morpheus-like red pill/blue pill moment sounds great, it's soon getting to the point where everyone will be incorporated whether they like it or not. Actually on a system/database level everyone's already there...cue Twilight Zone music...

...

This ties to a conversation I had recently about what I call "smartphone etiquette in group discussions." I'm not talking about being on your phone when you're supposed to be in a conversation...I'm talking about when someone asks a question like, "How old is Toni Morrison anyway?" and everybody's throwing out opinions and then you pull out your phone and say, "We can just answer this right now--" pull up Wikipedia, enter her name, and pow...she just turned 82. Now in this particular group (of which I'm one of the youngest) I always ask if they mind if I look it up...and I only do it after a few minutes when no one's come up with the answer but they're still interested in knowing the answer. I suspect it may sound weird to younger people who are used to having almost the entire sum of human knowledge accessible from their smartphone (and how cool is that??) but lots of people (especially elderly) prefer good old-fashioned, face-to-face, completely smartphone-free conversations.

Sorry for the derail but, um, twix? How about "having almost the entire sum of human knowledge in your purse" as a motivator for getting a smartphone?

Commenting on the bolded. I actually shut things down. Like I have an Android smartphone. I've no interest in an iPhone. I've got the iOS on my iPad. I've got the iPad2 and have no desire to upgrade it. It's working just fine and I hope it will last me for a couple more years. I just got a fancy MacBook Air a few months ago and with that, I also don't plan on upgrading my laptop anytime soon. I just eventually folded because I kept getting PCs and they'd break. Macs cost a little more but they're solid devices and my laptop is literally my office and comes with me everywhere during the work day.

When it comes to tech I don't jump and buy the first thing. I bought my first iPad used off of someone who got one as a gift. I started with Android because, at the time, the iPhone was still AT&T only and I was like "no one tells me which carrier to go to, period." I think I balance it. I know the latest tech but I'm the kid that was raised by parents who'd wait when new tech came out. I remember when video recorders came out (yep, I'm that old) and my parents said they'd get one after a year or so because the new versions always have upgrades and things that need to be improved. Basically, you're never going to see me in a long iWhatever Device line at at Mac store to be the first to buy the new thing. That's okay. I'll wait until they're worked out the bugs and it's on sale.

I also think just for having access to almost everything smart phones are great. If you want to know if that restaurant is still open, you can pull it up on Yelp and give them a call. You can also jump onto OpenTable.com and make a reservation (easier than calling actually). If you want to know the exact day an historical event occurred you can look it up. If you're in Best Buy and want to see if you can get a lower price on a big ticket item you can see if someone else is selling it for less and get them to match the price.

It's a win-win.

[skittles04]

I'm talking about when someone asks a question like, "How old is Toni Morrison anyway?" and everybody's throwing out opinions and then you pull out your phone and say, "We can just answer this right now--" pull up Wikipedia, enter her name, and pow...she just turned 82.

This is me all the way. I outsource basic trivia to my phone all the time. It's especially frustrating to me when I see folks having insanely intense arguments over stuff that can easily answered in a matter of minutes. Maybe they were just trying to blow off some steam, but the yelling and screaming was wrecking my nerves. I had to pop somebody's bubble, lol. Even then, they still weren't convinced...sigh.

[Napia Mia]

I've done that before. One time when I was at work, one of my incredibly over-the-top ghetto coworkers was spouting off at the mouth about the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. Part of me REALLY didn't want to get into the conversation, but she just kept saying that Memorial Day was to go to "put flowers on your loved one's grave(s)."

Now personally, that is NOT what I thought Memorial Day was for. I always thought it was to honor all those who died in the service of their country. Veteran's Day (which I believe was called Armistice Day (signing of the WWI armistice) honors all veterans. Since I don't have anyone in my family who fits in the category of dying in the service of their country, I've never had a personal reason to go to the cemetary on Memorial Day. With regards to Veteran's Day, I have on occasion attended some activities dedicated to that day.

That said, it wasn't until my sister married her husband that I started paying any attention to folks going to the cemetary on Memorial Day. Now her husband did have a brother who was a veteran who died. However, he died in a car accident in the states while on leave. So TECHNICALLY, memorial day is not really designated for a veteran who died under those circumstances but hey, who would begrudge a family wanting to honor their loved one on that day no matter how he died. Right?

Well problem is, her husband's family is HUGE, HUGE, HUGE. So they would end up spending half the damn day in the cemetary visiting various graves. It took my sister years to stop that madness.

But I digress. Over the years, many people/families have just taken Memorial day as a holiday to visit their loved ones' graves whether they were veterans who died in service or just plain citizens. So the original intent of the day is being lost amongst the general population — dispite the annual news coverage. I finally couldn't take that conversation anymore, googled it on my smart phone, read the answer out loud. Shut everyone up and went back to work.

[afroluvangel]

Hello, I did get my initial smartphone through a no contract company (Cricket) thinking it would be a good but inexpensive. BAD IDEA....I couldn't use mobile data; I could use the internet when I was near a router or some place with free wi-fi. The network was always down, etc. The phone was a samsung w/a touch screen and a slide-out keyboard which is what I loved about the phone. I couldn't transfer the phone to a better mobile company....so I got the samsung galaxy s3 on discount thru verizon and now I'm happy lol. But having a smartphone is truly like having a smally computer on the go and that's a SMART idea : )