Do you like smart phones?

[Bob Michaels]

I had an Android phone for 2+ years, now have an iPhone.

99.9% of my use is talking on it.

Text messages seem like returning to the telegraph after Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

I have a real camera, a watch, music player, a magnetic compass, and a paper map. I use a $3.99 WalMart kitchen timer in the darkroom. I already know that Tri-X in HC110 Dil. H is 10 minutes.

Even my 4G smartphone is too slow and the keyboard too small for any real use as an internet connectivity device.

If I happen to get a actual important e-mail on my phone, I will respond by calling their phone. 99% of the e-mail can wait until I get home to respond.

So why do I even have a smartphone? Cell phone coverage is very weak at our house so I connect my cell phone through the wireless router. Life was easier / cheaper back in the old days when people understood to use the landline and not to try to call me on my cell phone when I was at home.

One of the things I like about Cuba is there is no smartphone functionality (no WiFi) and voice cell phone calls cost about $1 per minute. So people communicate by meeting each other face-to-face. What an old fashioned idea but it sure works for me.

[willie_901]

Navigation, traffic, weather, airline arrivals, light meter, stock quotes, timer/alarm clock, DSLR remote, music and syncing all my contacts, calendars, to do lists, passwords (encrypted of course), remotely controlling my home thermostat, reading email away from home and showing portfolios of my photographs to frends and clients are why I like my Smart Phone.

[swoop]

Love mine. I used to carry around a Palm IIIx, then a PocketPC with a wifi SD card. Then I upgraded to a PocketPC with a cellphone. I would connect the Pocket PC to the phone using bluetooth, the phone had a built in modem, I would have the phone call a dialup ISP and I'd have an instant internet connection wherever I was. The whole setup took about 30 seconds to get online and was limited to 56kbps.

Smartphones have made the whole process easier. And my phone can pretty much replace my laptop if I really needed it to. It's amazing to think my first computer had a 90Mhz CPU with 8MB of RAM, a 500MB HD with a 1024x768 monitor and connected to the internet via an external 14.4kbps modem.

[Griffin]

It's a fantastic tool. Emails, agendas, contacts, maps/navigation, where to find the cheapest gas, paying for parking, banking on the fly, random notes about whatever, docs/music in my online storage. If it would have a stereo mic input I could even record my band rehearsals properly.

Before my Android I had a Windows Mobile 6.1. Gad what a hassle that was. The greatest thing about that phone was pulling out that little pen thing, at which point the phone would create a new notepad and I could just start jotting stuff down. I miss that functionality a lot sometimes.

[ruby.monkey]

I don't mind smart phones, although I have no desire to own one myself; I just find the sight of so many people walking around with their heads down, pecking and poking incessantly and obsessively at that little screen, somewhat depressing.

On the other hand there's not much funnier than the sight of someone trying to take photos with a iPad.

[Addy101]

Originally Posted by dave lackey

Oh, wait a minute, I think my son is having connectivity problems...he can't find us! Hope he doesn't have a stroke and instead just gets in the car and visits us at home for a change as we only live a mile away.

he lives a mile away and he has to get in his CAR and DRIVE to you? Wy not walk or ride a bicycle? Better for the environment and an instant workout

It seems a lot of people who say they don't want a smartphone never used them. I was the same, until I used one, I'm converted. And you know? Even my 77 year old father has a smartphone. It is great!

[paulfish4570]

well, i certainly don't walk and text at the same time. or drive and text. gotta be still to do that ...

[Murchu]

Internet in your pocket - what's not to like

[kanzlr]

I have used almost every smartphone type on earth.
The early Handspring TREOs, Windows Mobile phones, Windows 7 phones, Palms (webOS), various Androids, iPhones from 3G to 4 to 4s and I love my 4s.

It is my exposure meter, my map, my quick grab camera, it provides QR codes for my film rolls, it hosts MassiveDevChart, etc.

Also, it has my Evernote data on it, where I store oodles of info, also photo related. It is a remote for my squeezebox radio, it has my encrypted password store, I can play a soccer game on it if I want and I do 50% of my eMail communication with it.

superb tool for everything in my life.

[richardhkirkando]

I was a somewhat early adopter with the original Palm Treo. I'm happy that now, after almost 10 years, they actually work right and do what they're supposed to do.

Also, "my phone makes phone calls" is today's version of "I don't even own a television."

[Godfrey]

Originally Posted by jett

Iphone, Android, Blackberry, whatever..

The question is implicitly prejudiced, imo. Asking "do you like smart phones?" is like asking "do you like high-end cameras?"

I don't "like" smart phones. I have a "smart phone" and I use its features.. It's a communications and computing tool: that's what I wanted and that's what I use it for. I have communications needs and the smart phone is a tool designed to service those needs.

Yes, there are costs associated with using this kind of tool's functionality. If I felt the costs were a threat or overly high relative to the value I gain from using the device, I'd stop using it. As it is right now, however, it has proven a plus for all of the things I bought it to enable me to do, and I've found a few additional things that I benefit from that I hadn't expected.

---
What makes more sense is to ask whether you like a particular implementation of a smart phone.

I have an iPhone 4S. From an aesthetic point of view, I like the iPhone 4S: it's a good balance of functionality and design, I find it easy to use, and it is sufficiently powerful to do what I had in mind. It integrates well with my other computing devices and functional needs.

[unixrevolution]

Objecting to a smart phone over a regular phone is like objecting to a swiss army knife over a standard folding pocket knife.

They are different tools for different purposes. One's a multitasker, one's a singletasker. The single-blade folder is lighter and does its one job very well. The Swiss Army knife does a lot of things well enough.

I had 2 iPhones, and now have an Android-based Samsung Galaxy. I love my smart phone. Internet everywhere is a good thing.

With regard to spying: Your desktop computer can be every bit the accomplished espionage agent too.

With regard to photography: The 8MP digital camera on my S3 is better than most compacts. Also, my iPhone (still carry it) has a great lightmeter app.

[kanzlr]

Originally Posted by richardhkirkando

I was a somewhat early adopter with the original Palm Treo. I'm happy that now, after almost 10 years, they actually work right and do what they're supposed to do.

Also, "my phone makes phone calls" is today's version of "I don't even own a television."

I don't own a television

[Adanac]

Pendant alert. 36 responses were contributed before someone ^^^ decided the question was "implicitly prejudiced" and worded not to their taste, yet somehow among the 36 prior responses interesting observations and discussions emerged.

To the OP, yes, I like smartphones. For my business and our household we're using Android based devices. Strictly speaking my wife, who rides a desk at work, doesn't really need one but they've proved so useful for travel and keeping family connected that I can't see us doing without them now.

My children's phones do not have data plans. There's ample free WiFi for them, and I have a good deal of control over our home WiFi and therefore their ability to do things on-line, not that I exercise that control overly much.

Looking at usage logs I've discovered a trend - fewer voice calls, more data driven interactions (text, email). I like it.

[Godfrey]

Originally Posted by Adanac

Pendant alert. 36 responses were contributed before someone ^^^ decided the question was "implicitly prejudiced" and worded not to their taste, yet somehow among the 36 prior responses interesting observations and discussions emerged.
...

Smarmy weasel alert.

Was making an ad hominem attack entirely necessary? Only smarmy weasels engage discussions by trying to discredit other persons' comments, without responding to the comments.

[stompyq]

Originally Posted by btgc

Ask different way - do you like devices spying on you ?

Your tin hat is not on straight

[NickTrop]

I resisted until this year - ***'h, ***'d them as another unnecessary recurring expense. Now, it's a must have. It's not just "a phone". In fact, I rarely speak on it. Texting is much better. It's a GPS, a calorie tracker, a workout a pedometer, game system, a text reader, an MP3 player, a pocket computerized chess companion, a black jack player, a digital pinball player, a browser, can stream Netflix, listen to Pandora stations, and take reasonably okay pics but I now always have a camera on me.

Yeah, color me sold on the damned things.

[stompyq]

Originally Posted by NickTrop

I resisted until this year - ***'h, ***'d them as another unnecessary recurring expense. Now, it's a must have. It's not just "a phone". In fact, I rarely speak on it. Texting is much better. It's a GPS, a calorie tracker, a workout a pedometer, game system, a text reader, an MP3 player, a pocket computerized chess companion, a black jack player, a digital pinball player, a browser, can stream Netflix, listen to Pandora stations, and take reasonably okay pics but I now always have a camera on me.

Yeah, color me sold on the damned things.

Haha. Sounds just like me. I resisted until earlier this year when my old phone finally died. I'am still resisting the urge to take photographs with it

[jett]

I'm sorry if this sounded prejudice. I just wanted to ask a simple question. I didn't want to ask "do you like gps integration, internet capability, face-to-face, etc.?" when I can pretty much summarize it by asking "do you like smart phones?". I didn't mean to offend.

[Joosep]

Gosh, some people have to turn every question into a witch hunt.

Dont mind smartphones, heck they are smarter than me. May the smartphone users have joy !

[Addy101]

Originally Posted by jett

I'm sorry if this sounded prejudice. I just wanted to ask a simple question. I didn't want to ask "do you like gps integration, internet capability, face-to-face, etc.?" when I can pretty much summarize it by asking "do you like smart phones?". I didn't mean to offend.

If anybody was offended, it is their problem, not yours. But I don't think anybody was offended, just several people wording their responses lousy

[Roger Hicks]

Dunno. Never tried one. Why would I?

One of the reasons I've never tried one is that I've seen other people using them...

Oh: and I don't have a television either.

Cheers,

R.

[Godfrey]

Originally Posted by jett

I'm sorry if this sounded prejudice. I just wanted to ask a simple question. I didn't want to ask "do you like gps integration, internet capability, face-to-face, etc.?" when I can pretty much summarize it by asking "do you like smart phones?". I didn't mean to offend.

I wasn't offended. I just find a poll asking me if I like smart phones with a yes or no answer isn't something I can answer properly and feel comfortable with. I neither like nor dislike smart phones: it's whether I find having a smart phone desirable or useful that's important.

I did not vote in the poll as a result.

[Godfrey]

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

Dunno. Never tried one. Why would I?

One of the reasons I've never tried one is that I've seen other people using them...

Oh: and I don't have a television either.

Cheers,

R.

Technically, I don't own a television either. My partner does. We do use it together, but neither of us watch television ... we watch the local news (and turn off the sound during commercials, they give me a headache) or watch movies and educational/science/etc videos that are streamed from Netflix or on DVD. National and international news is better obtained via the 'net.

G

[mdx]

Originally Posted by btgc

Ask different way - do you like devices spying on you ?

Hit the jackpot