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| There she is, Miss America... |
My husband upgraded our cell phones and I am now the owner of an iPhone 4S. In some ways, it's great. And in some ways, I hate it. I am very ambivalent about this whole device. My friends all have them, of course, but I was definitely a hold out and likely would not have gotten this if it was not gifted to me by my husband as an early Christmas gift. But, alas, it's now here, and I admit that I do like some features (and I love my Otterbox case -- only $25 on Amazon.com!). But I resist conformity in many ways, and this is just one of them.
So here are a pros and cons list of why I love/hate my iPhone.
Why it's great:
Convenience. I like being able to look up something when I'm not on my laptop or not at home;
Texting. It's definitely easier on this device than my old phone, not that I do it much. But it is good to get an answer quickly when necessary.
The camera! Frankly this is my favorite thing about it. It really takes pretty good photos and I love that part of it.
The games. I'll admit it. I'm a big fan of Spider Solitaire and I like having it on my phone.
The Nook app. I can read my book if I have time. That's awesome.
Being up-to-date. In a few years, Big Girl will likely have a cell phone and be texting and I need to keep current to communicate with her.
Why it's not great:
Being connected 24/7. Is it REALLY necessary to be so connected to the world all the time? I can't stand being out socializing and watching people with their phones in their hands, or staring at their phones, or checking their phones. Or watching people in the mall walking and looking at their phones. Put the phone down, people!
Texting. Don't do it much. Yes, it's convenient, but again, I don't feel the need to be so connected to everyone at every moment.
It's a crutch. It's such a crutch. When you don't want to talk, you look at your phone. When you feel left out of something, you look at your phone. I will not to be the person who is always looking at their phone because that is not the person I want to be.
Tracking. I don't need people to know where I am 24/7. I don't check in, or put my location on things.
The expense. It costs money to have a smart phone. And is it necessary? Absolutely not. A cell phone might be good for safety reasons, but all the extras of a smart phone are just a "want," not a "need."
I'm in the race now. Eventually this thing will need to be upgraded. And that means I'm on the hamster wheel.
Do you have a smart phone? Can you live without it?
I got the Galaxy 3S a couple of months ago after getting super lost and I didn't have a web package on my old phone so no google maps to get me home. I plead my case for the GPS/direction app alone. I have to say I love my phone. Being able to look stuff up on the road is very helpful and like you, the camera feature is a big plus as well. I'm sure there are a million bells and whistles I don't take advantage of but for the basics that I do use, it's great :0)
ReplyDeleteThat phone is awesome too, Laurie Anne! I heard on the radio today that Samsung is going to make a screen on it that doesn't crack -- if that's the case, it will likely overtake the iPhone since everyone I know has a cracked screen!!!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean, Kellie! My smartphone is turned on 24/7. But an automatic push mail isn’t necessary, so I had to reset it to ‘manually push mail’ setting. I also learned that, if it remains in automatic mode, it will drain my phone’s battery. I also turn off my Wi-Fi when not in use, and recently adjusted the screen brightness for longer battery life.
ReplyDeleteLakendra Wiltse
I really find smart phones really convenient. It’s awesome because you can do almost anything you can do with a laptop and/or PC. It’s so handy in a way that I don’t have to bring my laptop whenever I want to go somewhere. Before, I used to carry it wherever I go. Now, I am rest assured that I’ll be able to do my tasks and that’s all thanks to my smart phone! :)
ReplyDeleteDarryl Housand