Comments on: Do You Really Need a Smart Phone? I Mean… Really?

By: Juuso

Juuso — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:51:18 +0000

Ive so changed my mind on this during one year :)

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:22:39 +0000

I remember life before smart phones, It was alright. From what I remember society functioned better, before smart phones.

By: Nathan Hurde

Nathan Hurde — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:44:50 +0000

This is extremely true. The only thing I use my phone’s internet for is to check bus route info and ebuddy so I can use msn(since phone only has aim/yim). My phone is a pay as you go phone as well. Also, I randomly use camera.

By: Russell

Russell — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:52:39 +0000

@Jake: Yeah, sometimes I do wonder if filling up my “wasted” time with tasks is good for me overall. I try to let some time just be for thinking. I guess there’s just a balance that has to be achieved.

By: Jake Birkett

Jake Birkett — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:46:57 +0000

Sometimes during wasted time I don’t check my iphone and listen to music, I just think, or sometimes I don’t even do that!

By: PoV

PoV — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:35:58 +0000

To contrast what I’ve said though, I love my iPod touch. I use a different player for music, but it’s the ultimate little PDA’ish device. Surfing, e-mail, and tweeting from… um… that place. No downtime! :D

Having an iPhone instead of iPod would be a convenience, but not one I desperately need. Like Juuso, no real traffic problems here, and I know my city well enough I can usually work from a google maps printout.

By: mikeful

mikeful — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:18:56 +0000

I have had two laptops and I noticed I didn’t use them too much. I have access to desktop computer almost everywhere I go and most of things I did with laptop (web surfing, email, IM/IRC, social media) could be done with smartphone.

I sold laptops and I’m currently waiting for info about availability of Google Nexus One in Finland. I think it’s perfect laptop alternative for me.

By: Russell

Russell — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:26:08 +0000

Oh, but I didn’t answer the question, did I? Nope, you don’t “need” a smart phone to be productive. :)

By: Russell

Russell — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:12:41 +0000

Well, I can make much better use of wasted time, like clearing out personal emails, checking virtually any online news source, checking bank and credit card statements, checking blog stats, tracking UPS/FedEx shipments, checking flight information, checking the weather for the day, shopping on Amazon, watching a bid on Ebay, staying up to date on Twitter feeds (or Facebook if you’re into that)… the list goes on and on.

This is all the kind of stuff I usually have to fit into my day sitting at my computer, but now I can do it waiting at the pharmacy, in line at the grocery store, on my way to the car in the parking lot, at the deli having lunch, etc.

Plus, the convenience of having to remember less information is great. I’ve got an app to remind me when to service my car, one to allow me to add movies to NetFlix when they come up in conversation, one for identifying music and storing for later. And of course lists and spreadsheets at your fingertips. I’ve always been a list guy… I’ve been carrying spiral notebooks in my back pocket for 13 years, and I still do. And I still use them when they are a better solution than I phone.

I’m really trying to avoid sounding smug when I say this, but everyone told me I wouldn’t understand until I got a smart phone. I hesitated for years (yes, holding on to my crusty N-Gage). But now I’m very much an advocate.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:43:37 +0000

As a Creative Director / Producer type, i.e. not a coder or contributing artist, I find myself wondering what I need my laptop for anymore. The iPhone is great for surfing, email, blogs, etc. I don’t care much for phones of any type, but as a personal electronics device, I’m sold. I’ve been trying to find a good tool like this since the Newton and Palm Pilot days.