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NFT: Overall, have smartphones made your life better or worse....

Britt in VA : 1/10/2018 3:20 pm
not just personally, but relationships, work, etc...

Simple question, you can answer as simply or as detailed as you like.
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Better and worse, depending.  
Beezer : 1/10/2018 3:59 pm : link
But I'll say this. If I am in a situation where I am able to turn my phone completely off and leave it away from me (rare, because I don't usually want to be disconnected like that from my wife and/or the kids, most days), boy does that feel good! (And strange.) So I guess that would fit into a negative category.
Better for me but I have teenage kids  
giant24 : 1/10/2018 3:59 pm : link
and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.
It’s a mixed bag  
Dave in PA : 1/10/2018 4:01 pm : link
Easier and more convenient, but modern cellphones (personal computers) are extremely addictive and no doubt fuel the insatiable social media beast that doesn’t really make anyone happy. I’ve had to delete Facebook several times because I can feel myself getting sucked in, wasting my time and getting preoccupied living my life through a tiny fucking screen. I’ve taken to reading actual books on my train commute and am much happier than when I’m swiping through social media nonsense.
RE: I'd call it a push  
Dankbeerman : 1/10/2018 4:14 pm : link
In comment 13781866 haper said:
Quote:
On one hand I enjoy having one and it makes my life better.

But others having one makes my life worse. Just yesterday I go to dinner and my niece is on hers the entire time i'm there. And its not a surprise bc her parents get on their phones in the middle of conversations. It drives me crazy.

Then you have the morons trying to use their phones and drive at the same time. The best is when I notice the driver in front of me w their head down at a stop light, it turns green and the guy behind me beeps, guy in front raises his head and then gives me the finger. . . nice.

Now get off my lawn.


Exactly. For me its great the way others use it drives me nuts.
I wish  
BigBlueDownTheShore : 1/10/2018 4:17 pm : link
they didn't exist. My last job absolutely took advantage of it. I was on-call every hour of every day. If businesses didn't use it to abuse their power, maybe I would feel differently, but that's just how I feel.
Neither  
JerseyCityJoe : 1/10/2018 4:22 pm : link
I think I'm the only person I know that owns one and doesn't carry it around very often. Days go by and I never touch it or look to see if I missed any calls or messages. When I'm traveling I use it the most but other than that meh.
I agree it's mixed...  
Dan in the Springs : 1/10/2018 4:28 pm : link
One thing that sucks is that anonymity is pretty much gone now. That doesn't hurt me directly as much as I'm older and don't need a whole lot of privacy, but I feel bad for my grandchildren who are going to have their every move (for better or worse) documented forever online. I'm glad my worst moves weren't all being recorded all the time and posted everywhere.

I live now in a smaller town, but it's amazing how much I see get posted that is just terribly depressing. People airing out grievances with neighbors, former lovers, friends, etc. divides the community and creates negative opinions all around me.

I imagine in a large city you might still feel a good sense of anonymity but that's a false sense. In the city you're being recorded all the time and you never know by whom. I can't imagine the trouble this could cause for someone who acts poorly in a bar, for example.

There's a ton of utility that I absolutely love, but it's not all roses.
better  
Les in TO : 1/10/2018 4:43 pm : link
in every conceivable way - I am more organized, entertained, productive, educated and efficient because of all the applications available on such devices.

I'm also grateful that I have some time to prepare for how to manage my kids' use of smartphones, as I have read the horror stories and see the issues with mental health, addiction and depression.
...  
Route 9 : 1/10/2018 4:45 pm : link
How can you say worse? It is truly amazing what these phones can do sometimes.

Anyone who doesn't like using a GPS on their phone and would rather stick to using a map is just being an old stubborn fool.

Old people that bitch about them but then want me to use it for their expense are the worst lol Being able to check the 10 day forecast, BBI, pay my credit card bill with barely doing anything, gathering savings from the Walmart savings catcher and watching YouTube videos is all you need in life.

The Walmart savings catcher is one of the best inventions ever. I just walk up to the self check out Sign-in on my phone and scan. No receipt. No worries with credit card chip reading errors. Send receipt on phone and 23 cents back on Mountain Dew.
RE: ...  
Les in TO : 1/10/2018 5:00 pm : link
In comment 13782026 Route 9 said:
Quote:
How can you say worse? It is truly amazing what these phones can do sometimes.

Anyone who doesn't like using a GPS on their phone and would rather stick to using a map is just being an old stubborn fool.

Old people that bitch about them but then want me to use it for their expense are the worst lol Being able to check the 10 day forecast, BBI, pay my credit card bill with barely doing anything, gathering savings from the Walmart savings catcher and watching YouTube videos is all you need in life.

The Walmart savings catcher is one of the best inventions ever. I just walk up to the self check out Sign-in on my phone and scan. No receipt. No worries with credit card chip reading errors. Send receipt on phone and 23 cents back on Mountain Dew.
i think there are legitimate downsides to how some people use phones - particularly addiction and diminished real social interaction. then there is FOMO on social media and not being able to sleep because people leave on their sound notifications. I'm sure marriages have been ruined by what one spouse discovered on their other spouse's phone, whether a cheating text, something they left open on their web browser that they shouldn't. and jobs have been lost based on drunken posts to social media apps.
definitely  
jestersdead : 1/10/2018 5:04 pm : link
a positive. Working in sales and being on the road it helps with directions, finding places eat, hotels, etc.

My biggest negative is my wife is on it a good amount at home. Gets annoying to have to rewind shows or repeat what I said b/c shes too busy scrolling through instagram.

We have a 1 year old and its amazing how he has gravitated to it.
...  
Route 9 : 1/10/2018 5:07 pm : link
True about the marriages and well, getting laid is easier than ever.

One cool thing about social media is how it can be a benefit to locate a missing child. Of course there will be a negative impact (there is with anything) but as arc stated, we are a part of that young age group who is yet old enough To live in a world without smart phones and remember it very well.

I'll take the phone era. I remember in 2004 or so I'd always be dying to know the Giants stats for the games. Now I could just whip my phone out instead of waiting until I got home or listening to info on the radio.
I think it has made the world worse  
Vanzetti : 1/10/2018 5:17 pm : link
Theoretically, it should make the world better by allowing us to communicate. But the opposite seems to have happened.

It has made celebrity culture much bigger. Half the “news’ items are about what celebrities said or did. De Niro goes on Trump rant!! Meanwhile most Americans are woefully ignorant about other countries and foreign policy, even though as citizens our votes have a huge impact on global politics because of Americas position in the world.

Again, theoretically smart phones give you more access to info about the world but people seem more uninformed than ever.

I like the convenience. So I would not want to give it up. But I can’t say it has made people better or the world a better place. I think it is actually an addictive time waster
RE: I agree it's mixed...  
Route 9 : 1/10/2018 5:42 pm : link
In comment 13781992 Dan in the Springs said:
Quote:
One thing that sucks is that anonymity is pretty much gone now. That doesn't hurt me directly as much as I'm older and don't need a whole lot of privacy, but I feel bad for my grandchildren who are going to have their every move (for better or worse) documented forever online. I'm glad my worst moves weren't all being recorded all the time and posted everywhere.

I live now in a smaller town, but it's amazing how much I see get posted that is just terribly depressing. People airing out grievances with neighbors, former lovers, friends, etc. divides the community and creates negative opinions all around me.

I imagine in a large city you might still feel a good sense of anonymity but that's a false sense. In the city you're being recorded all the time and you never know by whom. I can't imagine the trouble this could cause for someone who acts poorly in a bar, for example.

There's a ton of utility that I absolutely love, but it's not all roses.


In a weird way, I agree with you and disagree at the same time.

My senior year of high school (2004-2005) was at the very beginning of this social media boom we live in. I remember working at my job (grocery store) and some unknown girl about my age does a double take the second she spotted me. She looks over at me, smiles and points and tells me that I am her myspace friend. I never experienced more a creepy feeling in my life up until that point. It didn't help much that she wasn't attractive but you get the point.

I do think it sucks that the kids from day one of birth have been born into social media but I guess the positive thing is - you get to share that sort of thing ( along with photos of birthdays, sporting events, graduation new pets etc) to people who aren't there. There is no need to mail the pictures anymore, no need to get them developed in the first place and no need to call anyone on the phone, lol.

As I'm getting older, one of the concepts that I do appreciate about social media is those kids who went through high school during the Facebook years -that are younger than me - have a lot of their memories still posted on social media by way of the school's Facebook page. Or even if the kid was in a sport - that page's photos are still uploaded and are there just in case they want to revisit their youth. I'm a sucker for nostalgia sometimes but it kind of sucks because a lot of it from that time was me who did the heavy lifting. I always had to bring a throw away camera or a digital one just in case. If it wasn't for me, there would be nothing.

Crazy how 15 years go by and everyone else is a sucker too for old school pictures.

Instead of buying a yearbook at the end of the year, just upload everything online. Why pay for that? When I watched the senior video for my cousin when he graduated high school, we just went on YouTube and watched it. I remember saying to myself "back in my day" we had to buy the shitty school produced one if we wanted to see it. I got to thinking that's brilliant, why the fuck would I pay for that when you can just upload it to the internet for free?

Oh yeah, YouTube was barely 2 months old when I graduated high school in June of 2005.

I just like having stuff there and ready for me. I know what it is like to take a photo and not see it right away, and instead having to wait for photos to develop. Or I don't have to sift through a pile of 20-25 minidiscs recorded with a Sony Minicam to find what I want when I can just quickly find it on my phone, recorded in a better quality as well. (I cant believe those awful things were once worth $900).

On the flip side to what you said, you could also say social media is used for good, such as: someone helping a Facebook friend locate their neighbors dog?
RE: RE: I agree it's mixed...  
Dan in the Springs : 1/10/2018 6:55 pm : link
In comment 13782095 Route 9 said:
Quote:


In a weird way, I agree with you and disagree at the same time.

My senior year of high school (2004-2005) was at the very beginning of this social media boom we live in. I remember working at my job (grocery store) and some unknown girl about my age does a double take the second she spotted me. She looks over at me, smiles and points and tells me that I am her myspace friend. I never experienced more a creepy feeling in my life up until that point. It didn't help much that she wasn't attractive but you get the point.

I do think it sucks that the kids from day one of birth have been born into social media but I guess the positive thing is - you get to share that sort of thing ( along with photos of birthdays, sporting events, graduation new pets etc) to people who aren't there. There is no need to mail the pictures anymore, no need to get them developed in the first place and no need to call anyone on the phone, lol.

As I'm getting older, one of the concepts that I do appreciate about social media is those kids who went through high school during the Facebook years -that are younger than me - have a lot of their memories still posted on social media by way of the school's Facebook page. Or even if the kid was in a sport - that page's photos are still uploaded and are there just in case they want to revisit their youth. I'm a sucker for nostalgia sometimes but it kind of sucks because a lot of it from that time was me who did the heavy lifting. I always had to bring a throw away camera or a digital one just in case. If it wasn't for me, there would be nothing.

Crazy how 15 years go by and everyone else is a sucker too for old school pictures.

Instead of buying a yearbook at the end of the year, just upload everything online. Why pay for that? When I watched the senior video for my cousin when he graduated high school, we just went on YouTube and watched it. I remember saying to myself "back in my day" we had to buy the shitty school produced one if we wanted to see it. I got to thinking that's brilliant, why the fuck would I pay for that when you can just upload it to the internet for free?

Oh yeah, YouTube was barely 2 months old when I graduated high school in June of 2005.

I just like having stuff there and ready for me. I know what it is like to take a photo and not see it right away, and instead having to wait for photos to develop. Or I don't have to sift through a pile of 20-25 minidiscs recorded with a Sony Minicam to find what I want when I can just quickly find it on my phone, recorded in a better quality as well. (I cant believe those awful things were once worth $900).

On the flip side to what you said, you could also say social media is used for good, such as: someone helping a Facebook friend locate their neighbors dog?


Yep - there's tons to like.

Here's something that initially was a concern for many but has since been forgotten by most. Eavesdropping.

Smartphones have both cameras and microphones which can (and do) listen in on every action, generally only with permission. There are however ways to get those cameras and mikes to listen and record without revealing to the user that it is happening. They aren't widespread and there hasn't been much discussion about it yet, but eventually I think we will hear about how much more of this is going on than we currently acknowledge.

Privacy and anonymity may not be a major concern at this point, but they are definitely a drawback of smartphones imo.
No difference.  
Ryan in Albany : 1/10/2018 7:02 pm : link
.
Better  
DennyInDenville : 1/10/2018 7:38 pm : link
Particularly for travel.

Googling reviews, maps, buying tickets, companionship etc.

Smartphone = ultimate travel companion

In everyday life it's also better overall, but not by a whole lot imo.

Only real pros are speed and connectivity which are key.

Cons are bad for the brain and basically a drug that should be used in moderation like any other drug / substance / habit
Much better  
trueblueinpw : 1/10/2018 7:47 pm : link
This thing does everything. Music, video, internet, GPS, phone. I mean, come on. Much better.
I've never owned one.  
BlackLight : 1/10/2018 7:54 pm : link
I probably don't know what I'm missing, and I suspect I'll eventually get one, and when I do, I'll find it amazing.

But honestly, I like being one of the 30 or 40 remaining people under 60 who doesn't spend his life staring at his phone.
No mention of a literal fully stocked library at your fingertips  
Cam in MO : 1/10/2018 8:00 pm : link
or the equivalent of thousands of years of free porn to include any and every fucked up fetish imaginable?

Definite net positive.

Although it absolutely has changed the way my company operates- it makes it so much easier to micromanage every aspect of the operation. So there's a trade off.


Better  
UConn4523 : 1/10/2018 8:30 pm : link
but I really only use it for the necessities these days (email, web browsing, GOS). I generally don’t use apps and I’m not on Facebook anymore.
GPS  
UConn4523 : 1/10/2018 8:31 pm : link
*
Better, sure  
ChathamMark : 1/10/2018 8:46 pm : link
You have a device which replaced many singular things you had in the past. GPS, camera, music, camcorder, calculator, TV, printed event tickets, etc. As an older guy, 59, I find the smartphone to be a truly amazing device. On the other hand, I find it a bit sad to see groups of kids walking to school, all looking down at their phones and not talking to each other.
me - better  
UESBLUE : 1/10/2018 9:08 pm : link
the world - far worse
I have been better off  
chopperhatch : 1/10/2018 9:19 pm : link
for it for virtually every single reason posted here already. However, I can also do without it. Like if I am running late for work and forget to take my phone, I can get through the shift quite easily.

Then there is the vast VAST majority of the people that I work with who literally on the verge of having a breakdown because their phone isn't with them. Both male and females have a similar reaction, although, not to be sexist, the girls tend to be much worse off if it isn't with them. There was one girl who literally almost got fired because she started lashing out at people for being on their phones during down time when, coincidentally, she was waiting for a replacement the next day. Another one had to leave the floor for about 45 mins because she was so distraught about not having her phone with her...sobbing in a stairwell because she thought her boyfriend would get mad at her because she wasnt responding to her messages. Except that I usually saw her on Instagram and Snapchat more than anything else. Me? I am usually here. Lol.
....  
est1986 : 1/10/2018 9:42 pm : link
RE: Better for me but I have teenage kids  
gmenatlarge : 1/11/2018 8:37 am : link
In comment 13781923 giant24 said:
Quote:
and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.


That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.
It's been interesting reading the responses.....  
Britt in VA : 1/11/2018 8:41 am : link
I think the revelations of the past few months, that the designers of applications like Facebook, etc.... are deliberately writing algorithms designed to make the application addicting should raise eyebrows. Is that all that different from the tobacco industry?

Also, two of Apple's biggest investors have asked out of concern to study the effects on children and adolescents, should also raise eyebrows.
Only reason I got one was to  
section125 : 1/11/2018 8:50 am : link
text the kids. They will not answer a call and will not return one even if a message is left. But they respond almost immediately when you text. I had worn out the keys on my flip phone, so needed a new phone.

Now I enjoy the fact I can look up a product I'm looking to buy when I'm at the store; look up weather and radar immediately; pass time while sitting in a waiting room; answer the boss when she calls; almost always can get directions while traveling, etc.

Have they improved my life, probably no. Do they make decision making easier, yes. I really enjoy the ability to text. Better than calling as you can leave a message at anytime and the other person can answer when they have the time.
As an IT consultant, it makes it much more difficult to avoid stress  
JonC : 1/11/2018 8:51 am : link
and being pulled into problems I'm not responsible for consistently, which gets super old and draining. Otherwise, a net positive for productivity across the board.
RE: RE: Better for me but I have teenage kids  
section125 : 1/11/2018 8:52 am : link
In comment 13782492 gmenatlarge said:
Quote:
In comment 13781923 giant24 said:


Quote:


and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.



That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.


Could we not say the same thing about TV and before that, radio?
I think my thoughts pretty much fall like this....  
Britt in VA : 1/11/2018 8:52 am : link
As a personal aide to make my life easier? Better

Socially? Far, far worse.
RE: RE: RE: Better for me but I have teenage kids  
Britt in VA : 1/11/2018 8:53 am : link
In comment 13782515 section125 said:
Quote:
In comment 13782492 gmenatlarge said:


Quote:


In comment 13781923 giant24 said:


Quote:


and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.



That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.



Could we not say the same thing about TV and before that, radio?


I think that could be said. Although I think the scale is infinitely greater.

Radio and TV were tethered. The phone is with you at all times.
Better, but I'm not constantly plugged in  
Scyber : 1/11/2018 9:20 am : link
As I tell people, I got my smartphone for my convenience not yours. So if you text/email and I don't get back right away...too bad.

I tell work, if you expect me to respond immediately to texts/emails/notifications on my smartphone, then you better subsidize my plan or my phone. So far it hasn't been an issue, of course I'm typically fairly responsive off hours for work.

I also don't always carry my phone with me. Especially on weekends. If I'm doing chores or other things around the house I will often leave my phone on a counter somewhere charging. So sometimes I really don't get texts/emails till hours later.

Of course if the kids or wife are out of the house, I try to keep the phone closer just in case.

I'm 39, but tend to skew a bit younger then my demo in my tech usage (due to working in technology with a lot of younger people).

This is even a question?  
LatHarv83 : 1/11/2018 9:34 am : link
This reminds me of college when a professor of mine forced me to were a paper arguing that the invention of cars was a bad thing for civilization. I dropped that class

It’s basically all positive, and just about any negatives are within your power to control
I find that the negative part of smartphones is  
gidiefor : Mod : 1/11/2018 1:26 pm : link
tied to people that have no sense of propriety or boundaries -- but other than having a few of those sorts stuck in my face more regularly than I would like -- they are incredible -- what they give you at your fingertips anywhere you go is absolutely amazing.

When I grew up if you wanted to look something up -- you had to take a trip to the public library -- now -- I basically carry an entire public library -- and a vastly superior one -- in my frikken pocket. You want weather, directions -- at your fingertips. You want to keep notes, time things, follow scores --- bam at your fingertips.

I need to reach my kids or my grandkids -- bam -- I can see them and talk to them. Camera -- not just any camera -- a multipurpose, outrageously good still and video camera -- as good as my SLR in many ways. Flashlight so I can see what I'm doing in the dark -- it's right there.

I have filmed the entire BBI video blog on my smartphone -- hooking micks into it for Sy and the guest. Bam I load it down into my laptop and can edit on location and upload there as well -- saving me hours of driving home to do it before I can begin the process. Soup to nuts I can do a full video interview at one and download, edit and upload it in roughly 2-3hours and it would be quicker if I had a faster computer (my laptop is a 2012 model).

Music -- I can plug in hop onto my mower and listen to my favs during the two-hour mow (I mow approx 3 acres twice a week in season)

Buy movie tickets, reserve restaurant seatings, do comparison shopping in the aisle just by scanning the barcode on the item -- communicate problems by photographing it and sending a text or email with the photo. Phot the wiring scheme of something I' trying to repair so I can reassemble it and have a photo-reference for it -- share photos, videos with someone I'm talking to

video conference -- taping calls -- I can watch John Schmelk on Giants live during his broadcast on it

You guys -- I started working on computers in 1968 -- the first one I worked on took up a whole classroom in highschool, needed special airconditioning and it took me hours to do a basic sort. 15 years later the Winchester, 1-megabyte drive, was the cat's meow -- my phone has gigabytes and spins circles around the idea of a Winchester -- I can do a spreadsheet on my phone now and email it to someone or print it right from my phone.

I don't play video games -- don't care for them at all

I'm all for them -- and think they are terrific. I think the ills of them are about the ills of society and people -- those things won't go away if you didn't have a smartphone
I forgot banking  
gidiefor : Mod : 1/11/2018 1:29 pm : link
I can do my banking on my smart phone including deposit checks - transfer money, I can take charge cards on it and charge customers and have the money immediately in my account.
gidie..  
FatMan in Charlotte : 1/11/2018 1:34 pm : link
good points. I'm surprised at the number of people who FaceTime in public and without using headphones as if the rest of the World needs to be in on their conversation, or when the person at a school event is recording with their iPad and holds it up blocking everyone's view.

The technology is fine. The way people obtrusively use it in public is terrible.
Just having  
mrvax : 1/11/2018 1:40 pm : link
a phone, camera & video on 1 device is amazing. Then all the apps, GPS, etc. make smart phones great. This is coming from a 57 year old who hardly ever uses social media.
Britt  
Homersimpson : 1/11/2018 1:48 pm : link
as a teacher, I'm sure you can agree that smartphones have made our jobs one thousand percent harder. 99% of the discipline problems I deal with are related to students inappropriate use of them. I could literally write a dissertation on the subject, but I'll leave it there for now...
The common thread seems to be  
ray in arlington : 1/11/2018 2:01 pm : link
If you use them as personal assistants, but your social life doesn't depend on them and you are not a teacher, they are great.
one  
Les in TO : 1/11/2018 3:42 pm : link
area where smartphones have especially been a god send is avoiding lines and not getting stressed out when you are waiting in line - the mobile app on the starbucks phone is brilliant - order my coffee walking to work, pick it up cutting the line and earn points. and if I am stuck in a government office waiting for something, I can read articles or my book, or answer work emails. or if I'm out for dinner or drinks with someone and they go to the bathroom, no more looking around awkwardly at the room.
Does it concern anybody that people smarter than most of us....  
Britt in VA : 1/11/2018 3:45 pm : link
are designing these things to be highly addictive to us?
Worth a read....  
Britt in VA : 1/11/2018 3:47 pm : link
.
Link - ( New Window )
If it made my life worse,  
WideRight : 1/11/2018 3:51 pm : link
I would get rid of it
If it made my life worse,  
WideRight : 1/11/2018 3:51 pm : link
I would get rid of it
Another....  
Britt in VA : 1/11/2018 3:58 pm : link
.
Link - ( New Window )
RE: Does it concern anybody that people smarter than most of us....  
ray in arlington : 1/11/2018 4:09 pm : link
In comment 13783388 Britt in VA said:
Quote:
are designing these things to be highly addictive to us?


Yes. But your OP asked whether it improved my life (which by extension, led me to assess usage in my family as well). Whether it has a negative or addictive effect on a large number of people, especially young people, is a different question.




RE: I find that the negative part of smartphones is  
Cam in MO : 1/11/2018 6:45 pm : link
In comment 13783108 gidiefor said:
Quote:
tied to people that have no sense of propriety or boundaries -- but other than having a few of those sorts stuck in my face more regularly than I would like -- they are incredible -- what they give you at your fingertips anywhere you go is absolutely amazing.

When I grew up if you wanted to look something up -- you had to take a trip to the public library -- now -- I basically carry an entire public library -- and a vastly superior one -- in my frikken pocket. You want weather, directions -- at your fingertips. You want to keep notes, time things, follow scores --- bam at your fingertips.

I need to reach my kids or my grandkids -- bam -- I can see them and talk to them. Camera -- not just any camera -- a multipurpose, outrageously good still and video camera -- as good as my SLR in many ways. Flashlight so I can see what I'm doing in the dark -- it's right there.

I have filmed the entire BBI video blog on my smartphone -- hooking micks into it for Sy and the guest. Bam I load it down into my laptop and can edit on location and upload there as well -- saving me hours of driving home to do it before I can begin the process. Soup to nuts I can do a full video interview at one and download, edit and upload it in roughly 2-3hours and it would be quicker if I had a faster computer (my laptop is a 2012 model).

Music -- I can plug in hop onto my mower and listen to my favs during the two-hour mow (I mow approx 3 acres twice a week in season)

Buy movie tickets, reserve restaurant seatings, do comparison shopping in the aisle just by scanning the barcode on the item -- communicate problems by photographing it and sending a text or email with the photo. Phot the wiring scheme of something I' trying to repair so I can reassemble it and have a photo-reference for it -- share photos, videos with someone I'm talking to

video conference -- taping calls -- I can watch John Schmelk on Giants live during his broadcast on it

You guys -- I started working on computers in 1968 -- the first one I worked on took up a whole classroom in highschool, needed special airconditioning and it took me hours to do a basic sort. 15 years later the Winchester, 1-megabyte drive, was the cat's meow -- my phone has gigabytes and spins circles around the idea of a Winchester -- I can do a spreadsheet on my phone now and email it to someone or print it right from my phone.

I don't play video games -- don't care for them at all

I'm all for them -- and think they are terrific. I think the ills of them are about the ills of society and people -- those things won't go away if you didn't have a smartphone


This! Add in unlimited porn and we are completely on the same page. Fantastic, well thought out response that I agree with (which of course is what makes it so fantastic.)
And Britt- this is the same argument about tv and radio and their  
Cam in MO : 1/11/2018 6:54 pm : link
addictive properties as well. Sure, tv was tethered- but before that, radio didn't have pictures. Growing up how much did you read and hear about how damaging too much tv was for kids? There were plenty of studies showing the adverse effects.

Just as with tv, there are certainly negatives associated with smartphones- or any new technology for that matter. The key- as with just about everything else in life is to find balance and moderation. There will always be a percentage of folks that can't find either with one thing or another (tv, video games, food, drink, drugs, smart phones). While we certainly want to educate and help those that develop addictions or otherwise adversely affect their lives, we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bath water.


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