Source
r/AskTechnology•
KnowsAboutMath

Honest Question: Why Should I Own a Smart Phone?

Honestly not trolling, and there is a question at the end of this.

I'm 42 years old and I've never owned a smart phone. I've never sent or received a text. I've never had accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. I'm not against these things. I don't think they're "immoral". I'm sure people get a lot of enjoyment and use out of all them, and that's fine. I'm not "anti-tech" either. I'm a computational physicist. I write code for a living. It's just that I've never seen any utility in these things for me.

I've had the same flip phone for years, and as far as I can tell it's a miracle. I can both make and receive telephone calls on a small object in my pocket! What more could I possibly need? Truly, we are living in a futuristic Utopia.

My life consists largely of waking up, driving to work for an hour, working in an office, and driving home for an hour. At home I am surrounded by computers and laptops, because I've been accumulating them for years and I enjoy fiddling with hardware. At work, I am surrounded by computers because it's my job. I just don't see what utility there is for me in spending $900 or whatever for a device that I would only "need" during those slim intervals of commuting, intervals during which I couldn't use it anyway because I'm driving.

And I don't think it's simply that I don't perceive the utility of smart phones because I've never had one and don't use them. My wife and daughter both have them, and so I'm around them all the time. I know the things you can do with a smart phone. I've even on occasion carried one of their phones with me for whatever reason, and I found myself not using it for anything besides maybe making a phone call. The technology just doesn't... call to me.

I like to listen to audio books while commuting. For this purpose I have a very ancient iPod. This morning I discovered that someone stole my iPod out of my car last night. I looked online to find a new one, only to be confronted by an internet packed with articles informing me that apparently I'm some kind of freak (or 90 years old). Evidently no one uses an ipod (or any kind of mp3 player) anymore. Furthermore, article after article tells me that the reason for this is that everyone has a smart phone. (The same articles then go on to note that 75% of Americans own smart phones, which doesn't sound like "everyone" to me, but never mind...)

So... convince me. I can go on the way I have been, and buy some sort of mp3 player and be happy in my ignorance. Or, I can spend ten times as much and get myself a smart phone. Given all of the above background, would I really benefit from de-freakifying myself and getting a smart phone? My mind is open.

Why should I own a smart phone?

Posted Jan 7, 2019, 4:20 PM UTC

512
gummibear049•

You're not alone, I do have a old android "smartphone" but all I use it for is talk and text, and taking the occasional pic.

Anyways, many people still use dedicated MP3 players like iPods for their vehicles. You can upgrade them to SSD storage too.

Check out this [iPod Video 5th 5.5 Gen White Classic 64GB SSD Upgrade] (https://www.ebay.com/itm/iPod-Video-5th-5-5-Gen-White-Classic-64GB-SSD-Upgrade-Wolfson-DAC-30GB-60GB-80GB/181977185441?hash=item2a5eaf7ca1:g:2lIAAOSwjkZcIoCT:rk:12:pf:0)

3
scientific_railroads•

Personally I think it is totally fine to use simple tools if they do the job. There are at least two reasons to buy simple mp3 player instead. Battery life. You have to charge your smartphone every day. And durability. Smartphones are big rectangles of glass, they are not durable. And you don't need to spend 900$ to buy smartphone. If you don't need super good photos you will not see difference between 300$ and 900$ phone.

I think if you don't struggle you should at least try and own one. You shouldn't be looking at smartphones as "smart" version of you phone but as a "dumber" version of your pc. "Pc" that always with you and have connection to the internet and can do 80%. of tasks.

Few practical examples:

Media consumption. It is quite nice to always have with me my music/audiobooks/podcast.

Maps. It is quite nice to always know where to go or how to avoid traffic jams.

Google. It is quite nice to always have ability to check something

Photo\video. It is quite nice to always have ability to make photos. It can be some moment that you want to remember or more simple stuff. For example to make photo of car part number so you don't forget or to show your wife something instead of describing.

Cloud. It is quite nice to always have access to all your files.

Email\Messages\Social media. It is quite nice to always have ability to talk to somebody. Ask or answer question from your coworkers. Chat with your wife.

Productivity. Task managers are great.

It is hard to describe but having "pc" with you all the time and be always online have definitely changed me and how I do things. But I had smartphone before first iphone was released so I definitely biased.

3
TheMidlander•

In addition to what others have said already I would add that having the near entirety of human knowledge at my fingertips is truly amazing. It's like my own Hitchhiker's Guide in my pocket at all times.

2
KnowsAboutMathOP•

But that's the thing: I feel like I have that anyway. Except for my commuting, I almost always have some computer within arms reach, even without a smart phone.

1
TheMidlander•

It sounds like it. I think perhaps part your resistance stems from the cost. You dont really have to have the newest top of the line smartphone to have something incredibly useful. You can usually get last year's top of the line for half the price and any older than that, dirt cheap to free.

And to comment on your latest point, you probably won't need it daily for other than phone things. I would argue that it's better to have one for that rare circumstance where it becomes a lifesaving tool. Mine has saved my butt many times. Take my current minor emergency. My debit card chip is failing and magnetic strip is too worn for most readers. While I wait for my replacement, I pay with my phone. Just tap it on the reader and enter my pin. Or the numerous times I have had to navigate an unfamiliar town. There are very good reasons why refugees with almost nothing still have a smartphone.

Get one super cheap and try it out. That is really what is going to answer your question. I think the Samsung Note 4 is going for about $50 these days or a Note 3 for less than half that. You can always switch back your old phone with just a phone call to your carrier.

3
JimboyXL•

I work as well among computers and such. Having a smartphone is mostly a lazy move from me because I can use this technology easily in the bed as it replaces my tv 📺 and radio and also books. So go ahead if you feel lazy because this is the main reason why I use a smartphone. I don’t want to be sitting too much after work (don’t start me with standing desks) so smartphones are great to use in awkward positions.

1
KnowsAboutMathOP•

I bought one two weeks ago.

1
JimboyXL•

Good for you. Forgot to say, the photo / video capabilities of nowadays smartphones are insane. I’m almost not using my DSLR rig since 2 years...share your usage, that could be fun! :)

1
ThePhoneCompany•

For me, the "killer app" was online maps while walking around.

I mean, obviously, we've had GPS-assisted mapping in our cars for two decades. But having it on your phone means you can land in a city you've never visited before, enter a landmark or address, and get subway, commuter rail, and pedestrian directions, corrected in realtime every time you miss your station or make a wrong turn.

This may not be useful to you if you don't travel much (or if you have an absolutely fantastic memory and sense of direction, I suppose.) But it really helps me get around and feel more adventurous when I'm somewhere unfamiliar. Good luck figuring out the London Underground or NYC Subway without it.

2
KnowsAboutMathOP•

I mean, obviously, we've had GPS-assisted mapping in our cars for two decades.

Amusingly, I had an ancient Tom-Tom in my car that I occasionally used... and which the thief also stole.

2
IanArcad•

Pretty much everything millennials are doing on their smartphones right now, Gen-X did on on their computers long ago, so I definitely understand what you're saying. However now is actually a really good time to get into smartphones since costs for hardware and service are pretty low and theres lots of free software. I buy Google Fi compatible phones off of Ebay for under $200 for myself and my daughter and then pay Google $55/mo for both lines with 2GB data total and unlimited calls and messaging.

The "killer apps" are messaging, navigation, photo taking & sharing, and services like Uber, Instacart, etc. The multimedia stuff is honestly not that impressive - I mean we had mp3 players in 2000 and it's better to watch a video on a small laptop than a phone of course. Having stuff like Wikipedia or an e-reader can also be handy. But of course the more you are next to a PC all day, and the less you commute or travel, the less you need a smartphone.

2
RudySPG•

Idk smart phones in the hands of a programmer are truly mini PCs, the things you do are limitless

Maybe off topic but ever seen the game watch dogs, really opened what I thought smart phones could do

2