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its about finding your own values. These are based on three no-winner threads that I have been posting too.
Value is in the eye of the beholder.
Paying a premium for a mac is worth it if you PERSONALLY find value in it.
Paying a premium to live by the ocean is worth it if you PERSONALLY find value in it.
Paying a premium for a smart phone is worth it if you PERSONALLY find value in it.
Thats what I meant. I'm sorry if you did not "get it".
I've owned and used many PCs: I see no PERSONAL value in them.
I've lived in the Midwest: I see no PERSONAL value in it.
And just so I don't come across as an elitist:
I own a basic cell phone with a basic plan. I'm upgrading because my I see PERSONAL value in a Smart Phone -Just hoping Sprint will offer an iPhone before my contract runs out.
I also drive a stripped-down ford ranger because I personally do not find value in a higher end cars)
Or are they? Looking for someone to poke holes in my figures:
Current:
2 (dumb) cell phone family plan for $50/mo ($25 per phone)
Don't use even half the minutes or included texts. No data or extras.
DSL 1Mbps down, 400kbps up, $20/mo.
Usually pull down AT LEAST 10GB per month. Probably more like 20.
Total Telecommunications cost: $70/mo
...
The cheapest smartphone plan I can find is at least $75/phone. Even then, the data limit is around 2GB. Add tethering (assuming I'm not sneaky enough to get around it) and that's an extra $20, plus some plans which charge extra for android (+$10/mo).
With even a single phone, I'm breaking $100 per month. With 2 smart phones, it's more like $200 per month.
There's no way that the convenience of a smartphone justifies a 150% increase in my communications bill.
...
Even if I get a very limited data plan, the family cost still breaks at least $100, plus an extra $20 to keep the home internet. That's still a 80-110% increase in my total bill.
I could live with a 30-40% increase--since that's what I expect to gain in productivity/convenience from a smartphone--but I can't find numbers that work out. Anybody got any ideas? See anything I'm missing?
No, smart phones are not worth the money unless you NEED one for business. Otherwise don't give the cell phone company one more damn dime than you have to.
No, smart phones are not worth the money unless you NEED one for business. Otherwise don't give the cell phone company one more damn dime than you have to.
Why? What if you would enjoy the additional features for personal use? Or for increased productivity?
I have unlimited data, texting and phone minutes plus unlimited GPS, Android 2.2 OS on a Huawei m860, for $55 a month with Metro PCS. It is the only phone I own....I use it a LOT and I consider myself a very basic user.
If the power goes out at home, if I am on the road, wherever...I have full web access, I can check my email, receive, read, modify and create Word documents, make videos, watch movies (not that I ever have), listen to music, have a calendar, planner, alarm clock, get shopping coupons or check sales, take good photos or videos, text, email and talk 24/7 if I want.....there are thousands of additional apps and functions I don't use or understand. I never understood smart phones until I got one; now I can't imagine being without one and I have not had a land line in almost ten years.
$55 a month. I have a friend on my plan with everything I have except GPS so I get $10 off per month; my bill for both smart phones is $90 monthly.
I'm old enough that I distinctly remember thinking new-fangled devices like answering machines, microwave ovens, power steering, email and remote-control TVs were stupid inventions and would never take off. LOL. I have learned to embrace technology when I find it useful and you'd pretty much have to pry my smart phone out of my cold dead hands to make me go back to land-lines and dumb phones!
Smart phones are great and can be useful
However I have found I spend an incredible amount of time
vs. just using the old fashioned ink and paper system
sometimes technology just makes the task harder
that is my feeling still love the gadgets but at times they really complicate things
Wrapping up a few different threads here: Some people are content to live frugally in the Midwest with a cheap Walmart Computer, a land line and a basic servie cell phone. And are very happy with it.
Others find value and enjoyment (and will pay a premium) to live in coastal areas, with an apple computer and full smart phone service. its worth it to them, and they are very happy with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna
its about finding your own values. These are based on three no-winner threads that I have been posting too.
Value is in the eye of the beholder.
Paying a premium for a mac is worth it if you PERSONALLY find value in it.
Paying a premium to live by the ocean is worth it if you PERSONALLY find value in it.
Paying a premium for a smart phone is worth it if you PERSONALLY find value in it.
Thats what I meant. I'm sorry if you did not "get it".
I've owned and used many PCs: I see no PERSONAL value in them.
I've lived in the Midwest: I see no PERSONAL value in it.
And just so I don't come across as an elitist:
I own a basic cell phone with a basic plan. I'm upgrading because my I see PERSONAL value in a Smart Phone -Just hoping Sprint will offer an iPhone before my contract runs out.
I also drive a stripped-down ford ranger because I personally do not find value in a higher end cars)
Oh, I got it. Midwestern hicks are good to go with a Walmart Special and a land line with dial up. Coastal Ins are a far better breed so require a higher quality computer, phone, Internet connection, etc.
I did notice those differences were blithely skipped in your follow up post.
With employee discounts I am paying $115/month after taxes for mine and my wifes phone on Sprint. Unlimited data, 900 minutes shared if I remember correctly, and unlimited text. We both have blackberries and couldn't be happier. For us it's worth it but if you are not someone that needs web and email than a smartphone might not be right for you. The only thing I don't like is this current blackberry (8500 series curve). The previous Curve we had with the trackball was much better than this trackpad version. We love the blackberry OS though.
When thinking about the value of a smartphone, it is helpful to think of it as what it really is, which is a pocket/microcomputer that can make phone calls, rather than as an enhanced phone. (Everyone who already has a smartphone is probably saying "no duh", but I think people without smartphones don't conceptually think of smartphones as microcomputers.)
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like answering machines, microwave ovens, power steering, email and remote-control TVs were stupid inventions and would never take off. LOL. I have learned to embrace technology when I find it useful and you'd pretty much have to pry my smart phone out of my cold dead hands to make me go back to land-lines and dumb phones! 
