[TheSword]

There is no question that a mobile phone in itself is an absolute must, essential in emergencies for if your car breaks down or anything like that to find out where someone is or to call a rescue service.

BUT, really further than that it's just an affordable luxury that eats up your precious me time.

Do you remember the days where you could go on a train journey and forget about doing any work and have a nice relaxing few hours, but now you'll be calling people, checking your email, updating Facebook and other totally unnecessary tasks.

Do you remember the days when you went to the pub and there weren't any anti social people tapping away madly at their damn phones, and now you've even got people with their Laptops, aaarggghhh - public WiFi should be banned.

I think for the sake of humanity sanity mobile phones should be used for essential and emergency calls only.

[jabbamk1]

Originally Posted by TheSword

There is no question that a mobile phone in itself is an absolute must, essential in emergencies for if your car breaks down or anything like that to find out where someone is or to call a rescue service.

BUT, really further than that it's just an affordable luxury that eats up your precious me time.

Do you remember the days where you could go on a train journey and forget about doing any work and have a nice relaxing few hours, but now you'll be calling people, checking your email, updating Facebook and other totally unnecessary tasks.

Do you remember the days when you went to the pub and there weren't any anti social people tapping away madly at their damn phones, and now you've even got people with their Laptops, aaarggghhh - public WiFi should be banned.

I think for the sake of humanity sanity mobile phones should be used for essential and emergency calls only.

Smartphones are very useful and it's great that they're around because it allows you to do so many things on one device

What you're talking about is how people use the device. Obviously if someone is engrossed in their phone all the time then it's their fault for doing it and not the smartphones. You can apply this to anything.

Another example i've read about is teenagers using their phones at the dinner table rather than talking to their family. It's the parents/teens fault for allowing them to do it, not the smartphones fault. But i do see where you're coming from. But like i said, people can get addicted to anything. It's up to them to stop.

I only use mine when i need to. Thats how it should be used by an average user.

[Biffo the Bear]

I use mine for reading and playing games when on the move; it saves a lot of space.

Just because I receive a text or email doesn't mean I answer it immediately either. Some people are slaves to their alert tones for some reason.

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by TheSword

Do you remember the days where you could go on a train journey and forget about doing any work and have a nice relaxing few hours, but now you'll be calling people, checking your email, updating Facebook and other totally unnecessary tasks.

What you do on a train is up to you - just because you have a Smartphone you don't have to use it when on a train - it is your choice.

[Don_Carran]

Essentially all we need is fresh air, a roof over our heads, food and water and thats it... and maybe some company to maintain mental health! if you can get them every day then you are all sorted.

But as things have evolved, without a smartphone it is easy to be left behind. Smart phones mean you can be upto date with the latest news, offers, deals, shopping tools etc. check train times, cinema dates, see nearest ATM, navigate to new places with ease. Not only this but see the latest emails, texts and see who is calling.

It means you no longer need to work from home but can be out and about, see whats going on when they go on. You can walk out of your house and do things without planning lots and organising and carrying sheets of maps, train times, cinema times. See all your statements in one place, and share your world around you with friends who are far away.

Darwin said its those who are most adaptable to change have the best chances of survival and as our world changes, we need to adapt.

Im a yuppie by the way so thats my view :-)

[Step666]

Is there not a certain irony about complaining about modern technology on the internet?

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by Step666

Is there not a certain irony about complaining about modern technology on the internet?

No I don't think there is, modern technology is absolutely great, GPS, Online banking, email, digital TV, Digital cameras, the list goes on but it gets to a point where you have technology for technology's sake.

I think people just don't take enough time out, walking out into the great open air, and disconnecting yourself and just appreciating the beauty of nature and the circle of life.

[jabbamk1]

Originally Posted by TheSword

No I don't think there is, modern technology is absolutely great, GPS, Online banking, email, digital TV, Digital cameras, the list goes on but it gets to a point where you have technology for technology's sake.

I think people just don't take enough time out, walking out into the great open air, and disconnecting yourself and just appreciating the beauty of nature and the circle of life.

Your title doesn't match this post. What you're saying is people need to get out more and stop playing on their smartphone. Your title implies we don't need smartphones at all.

Smartphones are just an evolution of technology which has made a lot of things easier to do right from the palm of your hand. I have a smartphone and still enjoy life and am not engrossed in it every second of the day. Some people are but that is there problem, not the smartphone. Same apples to addicted gamers, computer uses etc...

[ray.ray.returns]

I use mine for

facebook
odd game of angry birds
tune in radio - can listen to any radio station via wifi while in shower
texts
phone calls

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by jabbamk1

Your title doesn't match this post. What you're saying is people need to get out more and stop playing on their smartphone. Your title implies we don't need smartphones at all.

Does it have to match?

But I do imply that at most very few people need a smartphone, it's technology gone too far, if you dumped your smartphone, it would improve your life, it would set you free!

[Step666]

Originally Posted by TheSword

No I don't think there is, modern technology is absolutely great, GPS, Online banking, email, digital TV, Digital cameras, the list goes on but it gets to a point where you have technology for technology's sake.

You're right, that's not irony that's closer to hypocrisy - modern technology's great apart from the stuff you don't like.

Originally Posted by TheSword

I think people just don't take enough time out, walking out into the great open air, and disconnecting yourself and just appreciating the beauty of nature and the circle of life.

That's got nothing to do with what you were talking about in your original post.

Take the example of the train, it's not that people choose to sit on a train so they can play on their phones in place of going out for a walk, those train journeys will be necessary (commuting and the like) and having a smartphone merely allows people to entertain themselves during the journey.

Or going down to the pub, again despite what you seem to think, people don't do that so they have time to play on their smartphones - if they didn't have smartphones, they'd still be down the pub, not outdoors walking.

Originally Posted by TheSword

...if you dumped your smartphone, it would improve your life, it would set you free!

That's ridiculously presumptuous and condescending.
You don't know anything about anyone else's lives to be able to try and make such claims.



Like every other 'Do we really need [x piece of technology]?' rant, this is a load of crap.

[Anika Hanson]

I use mine for:

Web browsing
Online purchases
Receiving and sending emails
Playing games
Watching videos
Playing music
Banking on the go
Organiser
Reading (although
I use my kindle mostly)

Obviously I could survive without it but im heavily reliant on it.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by TheSword

There is no question that a mobile phone in itself is an absolute must, essential in emergencies for if your car breaks down or anything like that to find out where someone is or to call a rescue service.

BUT, really further than that it's just an affordable luxury that eats up your precious me time.

Do you remember the days where you could go on a train journey and forget about doing any work and have a nice relaxing few hours, but now you'll be calling people, checking your email, updating Facebook and other totally unnecessary tasks.

Do you remember the days when you went to the pub and there weren't any anti social people tapping away madly at their damn phones, and now you've even got people with their Laptops, aaarggghhh - public WiFi should be banned.

I think for the sake of humanity sanity mobile phones should be used for essential and emergency calls only.

It's up to the individual. Many people find having one extremely useful. Many don't. Some even think that any phone is the spawn of Satan. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a smartphone.

You might want to have a read of a previous thread on this topic. You may find it of interest. http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1660333

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by Step666

You're right, that's not irony that's closer to hypocrisy - modern technology's great apart from the stuff you don't like.


That's got nothing to do with what you were talking about in your original post.

Take the example of the train, it's not that people choose to sit on a train so they can play on their phones in place of going out for a walk, those train journeys will be necessary (commuting and the like) and having a smartphone merely allows people to entertain themselves during the journey.

Or going down to the pub, again despite what you seem to think, people don't do that so they have time to play on their smartphones - if they didn't have smartphones, they'd still be down the pub, not outdoors walking.


That's ridiculously presumptuous and condescending.
You don't know anything about anyone else's lives to be able to try and make such claims.



Like every other 'Do we really need [x piece of technology]?' rant, this is a load of crap.

Oh you do take yourself far to seriously, it's not a rant, and if you look at the other postings, they basically agree, but say I like my smartphone, and I use it, and I'm going to have one, nothing wrong with that, but they don't claim to 'need' one.

Also reading between the lines, a lot of these smarthpone fans, take offence to people over using them in inappropriate places.

And I obviously know a heck of a lot more about life than you do, for one thing it's quite obvious from your posting that you are female

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by psionic

It's up to the individual. Many people find having one extremely useful. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a smartphone. Many don't. Some even think that any phone is the spawn of Satan.

You might want to have a read of a previous thread on this topic. You may find it of interest. http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1660333

Ah yes interesting thread, now there is a proper Luddite.

I do get mobiles, I see the convenience etc etc, but I think two things come across quite clear here, as my original question - We don't 'need' a mobile, that's quite accepted, and as a number of posters have said/implied, it's not the actual mobile, it's the the that some people use them.

The main issue that there is with them is things like, when you are having a chat with someone, and they bring out their mobile and start texting or something at the same time and disengage from the conversation is terribly annoying.

But on the whole, I think there really is an issue with a large number of the population being 'addicted' to technology.

[Stuart_h]

What do we really need ? Food , water , warmth and companionship ? Everything else is just fluff and luxuries.

You've drawn your line of luxuries at smartphones. Others choose TV , internet , cars , and diamonds.

We are a very lucky society where we can afford to buy luxuries on a whim ...... many people are just happy to get food .....

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

What do we really need ? Food , water , warmth and companionship ? Everything else is just fluff and luxuries.

Yes I've been thinking about this, it's always going to be a grey line, but practically you need a car, otherwise you find it really hard to go and earn the necessaries for your necessaries

Do you need the internet? Strictly I suppose not, but again I'd argue that we do need it, ebay is great for cheap clothes and also to get bits for stuff that you just cant get in shops, like for instance a bar for an electric fire that we just couldn't get elsewhere, also we publicise our holiday accommodation on it, so I'd argue that it's definitely needed.

But when it comes to smartphones, I expect that there are people that do actually need one, they might have a mobile business and the only way for that to function is with mobile technology, but for most people a smartphone is an unnecessary luxury, and I think it's worth considering being without.

I used to have a GPRS mobile and a PDA, before the days of smartphone, I did find it useful from time to time, when I was on holiday I could use it to find places to visit, but now I do without, I do a little more preparation beforehand, and go and actually ask people with local knowledge, I find it more enjoyable, and that's the kind of reason why I said, consider being without, it could set you free.

It's like you can now get an app to tell you where your nearest cashpoint is, why not just ask someone on the street?

[Stuart_h]

Well then your more valid argument would be "are many apps pointless" and then you would get many agreeing

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

Well then your more valid argument would be "are many apps pointless" and then you would get many agreeing

Are many apps pointless?

[Esot-eric]

The only reason i got a smartphone was for easy contact/calendar syncing. I've got it set up so the Wifi comes on and it automatically syncs with Google when it's plugged in to charge (about once a week).

I barely even use it for calls (last call i received on it was 10 days ago) and never for texting (since i'd get charged for them).

One feature from Google I/O that i thought would be nifty was the offline maps, since i have no data allowance on my tariff, but after downloading some i found that they didn't show public footpaths so wouldn't be useful for me.

[call100]

Funny thread....Some people are really stuffing there heads well and truly up their own backsides over the issue...
Of course we don't need them! Those who are so socially inept that they can't leave them alone would only transfer their ineptitude to something else if smart phones were not around. So it's not the tech that's at fault, but, the owners.............

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by Esot-eric

The only reason i got a smartphone was for easy contact/calendar syncing. I've got it set up so the Wifi comes on and it automatically syncs with Google when it's plugged in to charge (about once a week).

I barely even use it for calls (last call i received on it was 10 days ago) and never for texting (since i'd get charged for them).

One feature from Google I/O that i thought would be nifty was the offline maps, since i have no data allowance on my tariff, but after downloading some i found that they didn't show public footpaths so wouldn't be useful for me.

Ahh yes, I do remember my PDA being handy for diary stuff when I used to have a number of different appointments in different places in a day.

Footpaths, yes, I live in an area where we have footpaths all over the place, but a distinct lack of maps for them, you see a sign at the side of the field pointing to a footpath, but no idea where it leads to, now a GPS/footpath app would be really handy.

Originally Posted by call100

Funny thread....Some people are really stuffing there heads well and truly up their own backsides over the issue...
Of course we don't need them! Those who are so socially inept that they can't leave them alone would only transfer their ineptitude to something else if smart phones were not around. So it's not the tech that's at fault, but, the owners.............

Hah yes, give them smartphones, so that they can get fixated in their own little world and leave the rest of us alone

[Quackers]

Well, yes i do need a smartphone as much as you need a computer connected to the internet.

-Cannot install grinder on a non smartphone, so makes cruising for sex a bit harder

- Barclays pingit, i need this for giving money to friends when out for say a meal and i need to pay my share, i hate carrying cash, all that change just jingles.

- How would i read the news? I do not buy 'papers' and i would rather read it when i have a spare few mins not sat at a computer screen.

-Then you have the times where you are waiting, like at the dentist and you can kill time playing a game.

-My smart phone is also my torch

-Camera? I do not have a dedicated digital camera, and i do not want to carry one everywhere i go, and the one built into the phone is ok.

-Apps such as whats app allow me to send messages via the internet instead of the mobile networks so i do not eat into allowances allowing a cheaper price plan.

-Apps like Shazam are also great for identifying songs you like but do not know.

Couple all that with being able to get information on the go, like opening times or browse for products, no i do not NEED a smartphone, but i do not NEED a TV or Computer its just my life is easier and more enjoyable with one.

[TheSword]

Originally Posted by Quackers

its just my life is easier and more enjoyable with one.

Good points, and your final comment puts it quite well, no you don't need it, but your life is better with one, but I suspect for some people it isn't they are just hooked on it and don't know any better, but they probably wouldn't know any better.

TBH I'd loved to be convinced that I would be better off with one, but it's unlikely, since I work from home and don't travel that much, so at best it wouldn't get much use.

I have a PAYG phone, and I top it up with a tenner every 3 or 4 months!

[tealady]

Originally Posted by TheSword

if you dumped your smartphone, it would improve your life, it would set you free!

Free from what?
Or free to do what?