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I'm surprised no one has mentioned using their smartphone to store/stream music, which eliminates carrying an iPod as well.
Oh, there are a ton of uses that haven't been mentioned.
Eliminating the 50 million "loyalty cards" that every store gives you
Tracking exercise (with a fitness band of some sort) and keeping a food journal if controlling your diet
Creating grocery shopping lists with the up to date information on current sales and specials at the store, and even placing orders that can be picked up at curbside
Avoiding allergens when grocery shopping (I have an app that will scan a barcode and let you know if it has any of your indicated allergens)
Looking up and scanning store coupons (always helpful when I find myself at Michaels and I don't have the 40% coupon!)
Online banking with the ability to deposit checks without leaving your chair
Controlling "smart" devices in your home (I can adjust my thermostat from my office so that my house is comfortable as soon as I walk in the door)
Live traffic conditions and weather radar. Also location-specific severe weather alerts and Amber alerts
"geo enabled" reminders (i.e. receive a reminder to do something as soon as you pull into your driveway or reach any predetermined location)
That's really just scratching the surface, to be honest. The efficiency that smartphones provide just can't be beat. Sure, these things can be done an "old fashioned" way, and if someone chooses to do so, that's their prerogative. That life isn't for me though.
The link that KittenSparkles posted in post 14 is really poignant. It's because nobody in the exhibit is alone and playing with their phone, they are with other people. That's just incredibly sad when your phone is more important than people.
Maybe with any luck, people will get sick of phones and start talking to real people again. Use your phone for appointments, weather, shopping lists, ect, but don't forget about the people in your life.
Seriously? If your doctor tells you that he wants to see you again in 3 months, and his secretary says they have an opening on Oct. 11th at 2:15 pm, you know whether you're free at that time? Or do you go home, look at your calendar, and call back? That's a huge waste of time.
And yes, I do know a lot of numbers. However, my landscaper's is not one of them, and I need to call him this morning about the **** job his guys did mowing my lawn yesterday. Having his number in my phone means I don't have to look it up in a phone book or online, which is another waste of time. ETA: I also took a photo of said **** job using the phone so I can text it to him and he can see what I'm complaining about.
And yes, if you depend on a smartphone/PDA, you have to keep it backed up regularly, whether it's to your computer, cloud, or other device, and you should have the ability to wipe it remotely so other people don't have access to everything in it if you lose it.
Of course, a "connection addiction" is going to waste more of your time than you save by using the PDA functions of the phone.
Smartphones can be a very effective tool for busy people who need to stay organized. The "dumb people" remark was uncalled for.
Yes, I would. Most people aren't booked up that far in advance unless they knew they were going on a trip that week in October or might have to check with their job.
Reliance on technology for instant information IS making people dumb. They're not likely to retain the information that they're taking in because they don't have to. They can just go back to their phone again if they forget something. Studies are showing a link between smart phone usage and the lowering of IQ (The ability to retain information).
Not to mention that smart phones are creating a dissociative society.
I killed the IPhone by accident and bought a 60$ flip phone. Folks - you can make and receive calls. Sometimes it is with me, sometimes I forget it. So what - the office will not go away and neither will house work. The world will continue rotating.
My first phone (five years ago) was a flip phone and I still have it. I get teased about it, but I do not care ... Like you said, I can still make/receive calls and text. For $27 a month, it's worth it to me.
I recently have been leaving my cell phone home on weekends. I have been seeking a disconnect on weekends and focusing on enjoying the time with my wife and the nice Summer weather. I was in a forest today, and took some moments to not only experience but feel the environment. I went to a friend's later right from there and one was shocked at me choosing to disconnect. I keep it on me at work 5 days a week only for emergencies and to maintain contact with my wife. I feel mentally more clear and do not miss the phone at all. This came very suddenly for me as a decision. I get few calls or texts over the last few years.
My friend says he could never leave the phone behind as he would feel naked without it. He had it in his hand through a whole pay per view sporting event! I do not judge, but am curious- Anyone else partially disconnect with the smartphone? We are so conditioned now to seek or post info moment to moment as a society. It's like the whole world is broadcast live, everyone can be a DJ. People argue a lot on social platforms as well. I may have a different view growing up in the age of payphones and beepers, which was the it thing to have many moons ago.
I still play a little Xbox on weekends, as I am a long term gamer but prefer the outdoors by far.
I've recently started leaving my phone in my car while at work because it was becoming a distraction. If there's an emergency, my wife and family know where I work.
I have a work phone and a personal smart phone. The few who have my personal phone number know to text me as I can’t answer a phone that is rarely in my possession. It’s either in my locker at work or the glove compartment of my truck. I even charge it in the truck. I do check the weather, keep track of appointments and occasionally use the camera. That’s it. I rarely access the internet with it as I prefer my larger pc for that.
Yep, I am one of the few who can live without it. My phone is dead half the time or I leave it at home. I always keep it on silent. And I still like talking on the phone to actual people. Do not understand why people text conversations. Text to me is a quick note like "on the way" or "in a meeting."
It is not just for the younger generation anymore. There are women I work with who are like 47 and 52, who cannot sit through a 10 minute quick meeting without checking their phone(not work related), texting, checking fb, etc.
I can't. I need it at my main job for quick communication with the teacher. My side job, no I do not at all, but I need it due to carpooling with my mother. Then again on weekends I'm typically with my girlfriend. The fact is, you need phones today. If you are out and you run into an emergency, are there pay phones? If there are, do you carry change? If not, is there someone with you to call someone? You can't always rely on others. Luckily if one of my parents forget the phone (both do but more so my father,) either the other has theirs or I have mine.
Now when I say you "need phones today" you don't need a smartphone with ESPN coverage, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. at all. Don't get confused between me saying you need a phone and A PHONE. My father could be better off without a smartphone, but he loves the ESPN on it...
I actually find technology makes it easier to recall and know things. I happen to be a sponge on details. It also eliminates things that are maybe not effective for me to remember so I can concentrate on other things. IE, Thanksgiving meal prep and waiting for the corn cassarole to finish while you are prepping the turkey fryer... I use technology for basically a pokayoke, like it was intended. Instead people use it for ineffective reasons.
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I use technology for basically a pokayoke, like it was intended. Instead people use it for ineffective reasons.
