Why smartphones are important but they aren't for me
Those that follow this blog know that I'm a lover of technology. I'm quick to adopt the latest gadgets whether it's a new notebook, xbox, or camera when they're released. There's one area that I've been neglecting while I notice everyone else 'catching up' - the smartphone. Although I totally understand the utility and amazing features that come with owning a fancy smartphone, I haven't really bitten the bait. I can honestly say that I have been tempted though.
So why the hesitation you might ask? As with most of my purchasing decisions I make them based on two main factors: price, and utility.
Cost:
The truth of the matter is, in Canada our cell phone and data rates are atrocious. We pay the third highest rates in the world and the mobile competition is a giant oligopoly. The fact that our regular bills are higher means that those that opt for smart phones will end up paying close to $100 a month on the data and phone services alone. This is ridiculous when I consider that I can have high-speed Internet, landline, and cable television for a similar cost. It's silly isn't it?
Utility
Okay so the price may be a bit out of wack, but $100 a month isn't that big a of a deal. Heck I know people that lease cars for 400-500 a month that they only drive on weekends but that's for another blog post in the future. So suppose that I pay the $100 for a smart phone plan - do I need it? What sort of value does it bring?
We're living in an age where connectedness seems to be important - so important that being connected all the time to the Internet is now starting to trump other areas of our lives. But the question I have for you is - do you really need to be connected all the time?
Given the penetration of wifi throughout the downtown core, it's not unrealistic to have most of the functions of the iPhone at a fraction of the price with the iPod touch. You'll have access to all the games and data that you would otherwise have on the iPhone. The only caveat is that you can't make traditional phone calls with it and there's no GPS built-in. For the latter I've found that tools that use wifi triangulation to be pretty decent if you don't need a precise location.
This post is not to criticize the iPhone or the Blackberry or the Droid but rather to put perspective on things. It's only a matter of time that everyone in the developed world will be using a smartphone. Which features you deem essential are the key things. Even if you are connected all the time, make time to turn it off periodically and spend more time with your friends and family. They'll appreciate that and so will you
So why the hesitation you might ask? As with most of my purchasing decisions I make them based on two main factors: price, and utility.
Cost:
The truth of the matter is, in Canada our cell phone and data rates are atrocious. We pay the third highest rates in the world and the mobile competition is a giant oligopoly. The fact that our regular bills are higher means that those that opt for smart phones will end up paying close to $100 a month on the data and phone services alone. This is ridiculous when I consider that I can have high-speed Internet, landline, and cable television for a similar cost. It's silly isn't it?
Utility
Okay so the price may be a bit out of wack, but $100 a month isn't that big a of a deal. Heck I know people that lease cars for 400-500 a month that they only drive on weekends but that's for another blog post in the future. So suppose that I pay the $100 for a smart phone plan - do I need it? What sort of value does it bring?
We're living in an age where connectedness seems to be important - so important that being connected all the time to the Internet is now starting to trump other areas of our lives. But the question I have for you is - do you really need to be connected all the time?
Given the penetration of wifi throughout the downtown core, it's not unrealistic to have most of the functions of the iPhone at a fraction of the price with the iPod touch. You'll have access to all the games and data that you would otherwise have on the iPhone. The only caveat is that you can't make traditional phone calls with it and there's no GPS built-in. For the latter I've found that tools that use wifi triangulation to be pretty decent if you don't need a precise location.
This post is not to criticize the iPhone or the Blackberry or the Droid but rather to put perspective on things. It's only a matter of time that everyone in the developed world will be using a smartphone. Which features you deem essential are the key things. Even if you are connected all the time, make time to turn it off periodically and spend more time with your friends and family. They'll appreciate that and so will you
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