The problem with smartphones

Ahhh, smartphones. The web in your pocket. The phone that does it all! Making our lives better apparently. Or maybe not…

It’s probably worth mentioning that I have had a smartphone (in some form or other) since 2006. So this is coming from a user.

Although it’s handy to have the internet with you wherever you go, I don’t like how smartphones (iPhones and Blackberries in particular it seems) are taking over our lives. When we are out with our friends they are now competing for our attention with our phone. We try, but only partially succeed, to split our focus between the people we are with and our beloved mobile device.

It’s as thought we are afraid that we’re missing out on something somewhere. That there is something better going on that where we are now. People are constantly checking their emails on their Blackberry, seeing who’s just tweeted what, playing with the new app on their iPhone, all instead of enjoying where they are and who they are with, and giving them our undivided attention (and I think we’ve all done this). I just think it’s sad.

I don’t want to do this anymore. Our time with those we love is precious and should not be infringed upon by a small machine.

Of course I’m not about to throw out my smartphone (I’m far too reliant on it!), but I am going to try to use it sparingly, and not in company