I have refused to get a smartphone, although 98.3 percent of people I know have one (I’m in my early 30s). A smartphone might make my life marginally easier, but there have literally been 0 occasions over the past few years when I have needed one. My reason? I’m taking a “stand” against any type of tech upgrade that would require more daily glances at a screen. Call this stupid, but I do find some satisfaction in not keeping up with the Joneses. I’m not a luddite, but I fundamentally believe that the quality of our thinking is being limited and blunted by our fixation with devices. Social relationships and the nature of communication and conversation are obviously impacted by our use of mobile technology…and not in a good way. I’m guilty too, I’ve been an internet addict for years, but I believe mobile device induced distraction is a multi-faceted social problem with many consequences.
So, I guess my larger question is: Would you ever decide that enough is enough? Have you decided you won’t upgrade (whatever technology)? Have you ever downgraded?
I just recently (February) got my first smart phone. I haven’t noticed any great changes to my life except that now I have more to do during lunch breaks, waiting at the oil change joint and while on the toilet.
On the other hand, if it fell down a hole tomorrow, I’d continue to exist just fine I suppose.
I have not upgraded because my “stupidphone” does everything I need a phone to do (and then some) and I don’t want to spend my limited funds on a smartphone.
This has been an issue with people just can NOT believe that, no, really, I can NOT receive text messages. And no, I don’t check my e-mail every 5 minutes (every 5 days more like it, unless I’m expecting something). I suppose that I will, eventually, have to get one just as it’s now more or less required to have a cell phone.
With respect, A smart phone does not have magical powers that will force you to look at it every five seconds.
The only time I pull mine out is when I’m by myself and bored. Like say when I’m in the waiting room at my doctors office or something.
I disagree with you supposition that smart phones have blunted our thinking. Quite the contrary, you’ve got a whole world of knoweledge at your finger tips!
As far as the social thing goes? Well that’s entirely up to you. Myself, I prefer conversations with real people. Which is why I’ve never felt the urge to pull my phone out at a party, restaurant, etc…
I have an old school cell phone paid for by work that I have to keep with me 24/7/365. It takes and receives phone calls and will receive text messages but I can’t send them back. There is no reason for me to pay to have and carry two phones. However, I have had some people get really pissy about it. They get my phone number and then start sending me text messages and then don’t get any back from me. I tell them what the deal is but it doesn’t seem to matter to them. I am just not thoughtful especially if I insist on a real phone call for anything important.
I have another Android media player though but it is wi-fi only. It is way cool but much bigger than a phone. I would combine the two if I had too but call me old school. Phones are for making and receiving phone calls. Other devices have their place as well but there is no need to compromise on one really expensive (over time) super-device that does a half-assed job of tons of things.
I keep putting it off. I promised myself that I’d do it when I got a reasonably-paying job. I got one, but it had a two-and-a-half-month layoff before the next season, so I didn’t get it. I found a crappy job that paid almost as well for the off season, but it was only almost as well, so I didn’t get one. Then the real season started up again, but I wasn’t quite full time, so I didn’t get one. Now I’m working overtime, and I have lots of spare time between the moments in which I actually work, and yet, I still don’t have one. I’m forced to confront the real problem here: I’m a cheap son of a bitch. An extra $25 a month that I would normally spend on five beers in a bar or a single video game is, somehow, too much to spend on a phone. Weird, ain’t it?
I’m taking about thinking as an intentional and deductive process that takes some effort. Easy access to “knowledge” does not improve our thinking, quite the opposite. Nicholas Carr writes about this in The Shallows:What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains. Our minds may have become better at digesting short tidbids of info and perhaps making immediate connections to other data and knowledge we have stored, but our ability to retain information and to critically interpret it is compromised…
I felt that way for a long time. My boss made me buy one…
Within two weeks, it made itself very welcome in my life! My car stalled on the freeway, in a heavy rain, and I was able to call for a tow without getting drenched. For that alone, I will always be grateful (yes, even to my stinking old boss!)
Also, the camera feature, in the phone, is very nice, and I use it all the time.
As soon as my current phone contract is up for renewal, I’m definitely getting a smart phone with a (limited) internet download plan. (Gonna download the whole internet! What a phone!)
I oppose smartphones for similar reasons. And I’m simply curious to find out to what extent it is possible for individuals to rebel against such aggressively pushed new technologies. I see nothing appealing about owning one, so I might as well see how long I can last.
I technically do have a cell phone now, because my family insisted, but I didn’t buy it and it sits at home, turned off, about 99% of the time (and when the preloaded minutes eventually run out, I have no interest in adding more).
I get along just fine without a smartphone. I do have an iPod Touch in addition to my dumbphone, and I do find it handy, but it’s still far from essential. If I didn’t have it, I’d just go back to carrying a calculator instead, and just wouldn’t have access to books and games and such while I was out and about.
Yes, I got an Android for my birthday so I switched my number over from my old flip phone. I thought it would be really nice to know when the bus is coming in the winter, but we had a very mild winter so I never rode the bus, and I’m almost never any place other than my office computer or my home computer. So I switched back to save the $30 per month.
I absolutely disagree with this. I learned far more about critical thought from the internet then I ever did in high school and college, and I went to school for a science degree. In fact, I credit the dope for a significant amount of my intellectual development in high school.
To those that refuse to get a smart phone due to the costs.
It’s entirely possible to get a smart phone plan for 30$/month, this is especially true if you rarely make phone calls. (100 minutes, unlimted text and internet(you can even use the internet for phone calls, so really it can be unlimited everything for 30$/month)).
I only just got my first cell phone reluctantly this past February. It’s a prepaid phone and came with 80 minutes. I still have nearly 60 minutes left and my mother wants me to add air time before it expires in July. It spends most of it’s time in a draw turned off. I have no plans to get a smart phone, but it does seem like I may have little choice in about ten years.
It’s not a requirement, certainly. But I’ve never met or read about anybody who regretted the upgrade. I’ve been using a dumbphone all my life, and am going to upgrade to a smartphone within the next 2 months. I bought the phone already, I just need to wait for my dumbphone contract to expire before I activate the smartphone. Anyway, it’s freaking amazing (I can still use the data/web features over wifi). And once I switch to using it full-time, I’m sure I’ll wonder how I ever got by without it.
Depending on the type of phone and plan you would most benefit from, a smartphone could actually save you money. I got my smartphone used off of eBay for $75 (including tax & shipping), and my monthly pay-as-you-go plan will only be $30 for unlimited data, unlimited texts, and 100 minutes a month (vs my current plan with 300 minutes, 500 texts, and no data for $35 a month). And no contract, either; it’s the bee’s knees!
FWIW, you may be a Reform Luddite. Not as bad as a regular Luddite (aka Neo-Luddite, per Wikipedia). Rejecting technology for its own sake is just as foolish as embracing it for its own sake, but your view doesn’t seem nearly that extreme. Once you feel the need for a smartphone, go ahead and get one. Until then, it’s really not a big deal.
I’m on my second iPhone in three years. I upgraded from a 3G with 16 Gb storage to a 3GS with 32 Gb. I upgraded mainly for the increased storage capacity, and as soon as the iPhone 5 comes out, I plan to get an iPhone 4S with 64 Gb if I can get one for about $200.
