Do You Really Need a Smart Phone?

Roblimo writes "My phone is as stupid as a phone can be, but you can drop it or get it wet and it will still work. My cellular cost per month is about $4, on average. I've had a cellular phone longer than most people, and I assure you that a smart phone would not improve my life one bit. You, too, might find that you are just as happy with a stupid phone as with a smart one. If nothing else, you'll save money by dumbing down your phone." I stuck with a dumb phone for a long time, but I admit to loving the versatility of my Android phone, for all its imperfections.

Comments

Shocked.

[AuralityKev]

Man who does not need bells and whistles says bells and whistles not needed. Story at 11.

Re:Shocked.

[PT_1]

Agreed. For many people, perhaps a dumbed-down phone would save them money. However, for me, for example, the amount of time I save in being able to access email, corporate systems etc., whilst on the move means that the cost and added complexity of a smartphone is more than worth the it.

Re:Shocked.

[ackthpt]

Man who does not need bells and whistles says bells and whistles not needed. Story at 11.

Some of us not wanting the bells and whistles aren't doing it out of lack of desire for the bells and whistles, but because the costs of plans are, to our way of thinking, a sudden and large monthly expense.

I've been observing people who make a fraction of the pay I do and they go about with these things, sucking $80/mo on up. Good for them. They don't have all the expenses or it's simply their choice to hand over that kind of money each month. Very few of these people have any genuine need for these things, i.e. not an EMT or Doctor, it's their little luxury.

I was an early adopter of mobile phones, having one back in the 1980's (where a mobile phone had range, though wasn't tiny. After a few phones and plans I grew to despise the 2 year leech-like plans and gave up mobile phones. After a cycling injury I decided to get one again, pay as you go, no contract. It works and keeps me in touch when I want to be. Other times it's turned off to save battery. Maybe some day I'll get a smart one, but for now I'm content and watching things develop in technology and businesses.

Re:Shocked.

[Idbar]

I'm wondering if there would be a similar story some 20+ years ago:
Do you really need a cellphone? And all the advantages of the POTS and wired phone lines. As someone said... 640k ought to be enough for anyone. No idea why people keep upgrading their stuff.

Re:Shocked.

[grub]

Bingo.

To add, I rarely use the actual phone part of my iPhone and my Android set has a data-only plan for VoIP. It's more accurate to say I have a portable computer which has a seldom used telephone app.

Re:Shocked.

[Trepidity]

To me it's sort of the opposite for the same reason: the amount of personal time I save in not being able to access email, corporate systems, etc. whilst on the move means that I'd pay extra for a non-smart phone...

Re:Shocked.

[raygundan]

Every time I hear a person say this, I wonder why the person feels like they have to access all of those things against their will.

It's your phone. Don't want calls? Don't pick up. Don't want corporate email? Don't even set it up. Don't like to ever be bothered? Only turn it on when you want to use it. I can see situations where a person has no need for the features of a smartphone, or doesn't want the expense... but I don't understand this particular philosophy-- especially if you could use and appreciate the smartphone features for yourself, but don't because you would feel compelled to answer every call from your office.

Re:Shocked.

[PopeRatzo]

Every time I hear a person say this, I wonder why the person feels like they have to access all of those things against their will.

It's not about "their will". When you put a leash on a dog, it's so someone can hold the other end. When you put an electronic leash on a person, it's so someone can tug the leash on the other end.

You can say "just don't pick up" or "just don't set up the corporate email" but when you have the capability there is a natural tendency to use it. More important, there is a natural tendency for other people (business or personal) to develop expectations based upon your capability. The boss sees you with a smartphone, he assumes you're always on duty. Because he can. Because YOU can.

I don't have any problem with people whose lives are enhanced by being plugged in 24/7. But I have a big problem with people who develop expectations for other people based upon decisions they have made for themselves.

Re:Shocked.

[strength_of_10_men]

Luddite here. But it's not because I don't think they'll be useful. It's quite the opposite.

Ever go to a restaurant and look around at what people are doing? Sadly, a large % of them have their smart phones out, either laying on the table or in use. During dinner. With other people.

I certainly can identify with the need for being "connected" all the time, but really, how much is enough?

I'm at work all day surrounded by 3 computers. I answer calls, email, and skype with clients almost all day. The last thing I want to do when I'm out and about on my own time is be "connected". I just need a break. And for those who'll say "just don't use it then", well, I know how I am. If I have it, I'll use it.

So personally, I've drawn my line. A dumb phone is plenty for me. For others that like their smart phones, power to 'em.

Pointless

[Anonymous Coward]

This is the most pointless post ever to appear on the /. front page.

Avoided for this reason

[rbowen]

I avoided getting a smart phone for a long time, even though I'm surrounded by people with smart phones, because I knew that as soon as I had one it would become indispensable, just like my Visor did, and my Palm, and my iPod, and ... so on.

Now, I have an iPhone, and it's indispensable. Sure, I could manage without it, but I use it all day, every day, and I feel I would be lost without it. And while I know that's an illusion, I also know how my brain works. ... which is why I don't have an iPad yet ...

Re:Avoided for this reason

[Anonymous Coward]

FYI, your "wifi-only smartphone" is called an iPod touch. App store, wifi, and you can make calls & text using Google Voice and an app.

For some, yes

[elrous0]

For others, no.

I dont have a phone

[gmuslera]

My N900 portable computer have phone functionality.

Me too.

[Animats]

I agree. I have a dumb 2G phone, and a subnotebook if I want to look at the Web or do email. I'm not interested in trying to do input on a dinky screen. If I want to watch a movie, I have a 42" screen at home for that.

Amusingly, the phone I have has a web browser, but if I try to use it for anything, either Sprint's 2G network times out or the browser crashes.

Necessities often create themselves

[allcoolnameswheretak]

As with most things, you only need a smartphone once you have it.

Opposite

[MBGMorden]

I'm not actually sure if I actually need a phone at all. I spend several orders of magnitude more time on my phone doing other stuff (email, listening to podcasts, general web browsing, GPS navigation, etc) then I do actually using it as a phone.

As such, I'd lose the "phone" long before I lost the "smart".

no need for a cell phone

[bcrowell]

I don't feel any need to own a cell phone, smart or dumb. I have a landline at home. I have a landline at work. I don't need to talk to people on the phone when I'm in my car (and I don't want to endanger myself or others by doing it when I'm driving). I don't need to talk to people on the phone when I'm walking down the street, or shopping, or hiking or riding my bike.

Need, No. Want? Yes.

[Firethorn]

I'm one for distinguishing between 'needs' and 'wants'. The thing to realize is that if you can afford it, fulfilling your 'wants' is a valid exercise, it's what drives like 90% of our economy today.

I had a simple cell phone for years - now I more want a Pad type device that can also act as a phone via bluetooth. Is it a need? Heck, I technically don't need a cell phone in the first place, though a basic plan today is cheaper than the landlines, especially when you figure all my family are long distance at the moment.

Stupid claim

[SuperKendall]

"I assure you a smart phone would not improve my life one bit".

Sorry, but that statement is frankly idiotic. You have NEVER needed a map? Yeah right.

There are a thousand other little ways in which a smartphone improves your life, that's just the most obvious...

Also, most smart phones can be dropped or even accidentally put in water with the same survival rate as your dumb phone.

I can totally understand someone simply not wanting much of a monthly bill, but lets not get absurd about there being no tradeoff for going dumb.

Re:Stupid claim

[fahrbot-bot]

Sorry, but that statement is frankly idiotic. You have NEVER needed a map? Yeah right.

Well, ya, but I have a map for that... No seriously, an actual map. :-)

Things I don't need: continued

[spacepimp]

A car. I could quit my job, or bike to work and arrive a sweaty mess, or move to a city, or take mass transit for an hour vs 25 minutes of commute. A radio. Music is a luxury nothing more. A home phone. People can write letters like we used to did in my days as a kid. A TV. News is only entertainment and the entertainment isn't even entertaining. Electric lights. Candles work, and who needs to be up after dark falls? Plumbing. There's an outhouse down the block. None of these are necessities, unless you want to have a career. Personally my Job mandates I have a smartphone. (IT). So I need one, as without one, I wouldn't be able to afford food, shelter and clothing right now. Past that there is no place for a Smart Phone on Maslow's hierarchy of needs unless it helps to achieve one or more of them. A cell phone is not very useful when what you need is clean drinking water, but then again not much is.

Some need a phone, some a PDA, some (me) both

[bradgoodman]

I've been using PDAs probably longer than I've been carrying around a mobile phone. For me, my phone is a PDA first, and a phone second. (Far second). I'd even catagorize it as a "communications device" far above a "telephone" - after all, I use email, web, SMS and even Facebook more than I use the voice-telephone.

So if you want to argue that "people don't need smartphones" - I find it kind of nonsensical. If I had to give-up one major feature of my "smartphone", it would probably be the "telephone" piece. If I were to rate in order of importance what I use my iPhone for, I'd have to say:

- Calendar (Shared and synced)

- Notes (Everything from gift ideas, to what kind of light bulbs I have in my house. Some of my notes I've been maintaining and using for YEARS).

- Email

- SMS

- GPS

- Camera

- Games & Entertainment (Yeah - hate to say it - but I kill a LOT of spare time with my iPhone!)

- Facebook

- Mobile Web (Hate to admit it, but the "experience" is still lousy on a small screen)

- Misc. productivity apps

Oh yea...and..

- Telephone

I don't have a smartphone

[Chang]

I've got a blackberry :-(

Makes parenting much easier, and better

[Pausanias]

I can't tell you the number of times my iPhone has allowed me to take the kids to the playground while tending to work stuff. The kids can play, and I can spend 90% of the time playing with them, and 10% answering emails.

The alternative would have been the kids stay home and don't get a workout.

Do I *need* a smartphone? No. But has it saved time enough for everyone in my family to make it worthwhile, and improved family life? Yes. absolutely.

Re:Another way to save money

[Rinisari]

Cutting cable was one of the best things I ever did! So much more time to code, game, hang out with friends, watch movies, etc.

Re:Another way to save money

[lexman098]

And now if you just stopped gaming and watching movies, you'd have so much more time to spend coding and hanging out with friends etc!