I don't try to keep up with trends and therefore have little concern about the latest fashion or newest technologies. If it still fit or worked and was in fine condition, I kept it. I'm proud of being frugal. So the embarrassment I felt every time I pulled my flip phone out in public surprised me.
I had resisted the switch to a "smartphone" for so long because I didn't want to pay for a data plan on top of the monthly charge for the phone plan. I'm just too cheap for that, especially when my flip phone was costing me $10 a month because my line is an add-on to my husband and brother-in-law's family plan.
What finally made me break down and buy a smartphone (aside from the embarrassment I mentioned earlier) is that I accepted that our world is now designed around smartphones. It is assumed that you can access information anywhere, and when you can't, you're out of the loop. At least that's how I felt. How long was I going to hold out out of principle? And let's be honest, smartphones are convenient. Being able to look up directions, find out when the next bus is coming or translate a word during my Chinese class have been some of the basic ways I've used mine. I'm traveling next month by myself with the kids and having a phone that can check into our flights, find directions to everywhere we need to go and look up whatever information we need as the day's plans evolve honestly make me feel less stressed about the trip.
I ended up with an iPhone 5s despite my friend's warning that if I buy an Apple product, the company will have me under their spell and I'll never be able to "quit Apple." Maybe so, but since my husband is my main tech support and he has an iPhone, an iPhone is what I got. Even with his help and daily tutorials from a tech-savvy co-worker, I'm still intimidated by my own phone. But as the expression goes, "If you can't beat them, join them."
I had an iPhone 4 for three years, but Stevie and I just switched to the iPhone 6. I love the iPhone for the map feature alone. I love maps and I love that I never have to worry about feeling lost because I have an instant map in my pocket. All the other stuff is just a bonus to me.
ReplyDeleteI've also had a MacBook Pro for four years now, and just got an iPad through school, so I know a fair bit about Macs, but I still feel overwhelmed. The pictures I've taken so far on my personal iPhone have already showed up on my school iPad, which I had no idea would happen. Now I have to see if I can create separate Apple ID's for both devices so there's no crossover.