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I don't have a smartphone...

But I suspect I will be forced to adopt.  Here are just two reasons why. Imagine the scene.

I sit down at my computer just before bed, just in case there is an email from Lucas' school about something I should know about.
Look - a note about school conferences, emailed from Lucas' teacher 1:23 pm : "Early spots available", that is, more convenient spots available.
Look - a note about school conferences, emailed from Lucas' teacher 1:35 pm: "All early spots filled."

I know these parents are NOT sitting around waiting to get school communications, and suddenly I am confronted by the thought that perhaps not having a smartphone has become a liability.  Do the ones with the most advanced technology have an advantage over me (at least of choice)?

The fact that my phone is really just a phone is a problem, although I do have the ability to send and receive texts.  However, this texting comes at an exorbitant rate since my phone is not designed to send texts, so I get charged a premium. Here's the situation:

I start to compose my text
C-a---a--oops--n  y--o--u- g-e-t --t-h-e--m-a-i-l--":$#---?
and 4 minutes later it's done

3 seconds later (response by a smartphone user, my husband):
Did you want me to stop by the grocery also? Did we need milk? Anything else? Love you!

2 minutes later:
y----Y--e--s--s--t-o-p, m-i-l-k--o-n-l-y

You get the idea. My phone is only good for single word conversations, but my smartphone-wielding friends and family don't understand the limits within which I exist.

When my contract is up, I will probably go with a smartphone (and an exorbitant data plan), so I too could move with the speed of others in the smartphone world.

For a picture of my much-maligned but very functional phone, see below.
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Comments

G said…
Go crazy - your contract was up last Christmas!
28 March 2011 at 09:22
Austin Trini said…
Well considering the contract is up and I haven't quite figured out all the features of my existing phone, it does not bode well for any fancy new gadget..but it is tempting!

I am envious of those ubiquitous messages..

...sent from my wireless device
...sent from my Blackberry/iPad/iPhone
29 March 2011 at 21:00
Unknown said…
Miriam doesn't have a smart phone; but she gets by that because she spends a significant portion of her time behind her computer. On the other hand, while I acknowledge that data plans are expensive, AT&T's data package is $15 or $25. I wouldn't call that expensive to be honest. I have a $15 plan. I get all my emails to my phone, but like Miriam, I spend a lot of time in front of a computer anyway, so even though I have internet capability on my phone, I have no need for it. But you'll see when you get a smartphone that it will only benefit you. It's like any other piece of luxury in life- you think you don't need air conditioning, but once upon a time, you didn't have it. You think you need cable TV, but once upon a time you didn't. Get with the program! :-)
17 April 2011 at 10:55
Unknown said…
And I meant to say that is is rather convenient to get all my emails to my phone, with the ability to reply at any time. Especially when I'm not in front of a computer, and an email response is needed. Text messaging was sooo mid-2000s!
17 April 2011 at 10:57
Austin Trini said…
Thanks for dating me so well Esa! But I agree, now that I have my smartphone, I can't do without it!
14 April 2013 at 11:18
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