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

Another way to save money

[Anonymous Coward]

You can not own a television.

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!

Re:Another way to save money

[BoberFett]

I have an LG Optimus V on Virgin. The phones are $150ish, $25/mo (think it's $35 now for new subscribers) gets 300 min, unlimited text and data. It's not the flashiest phone around but I'm just too cheap to pay $80/mo or more for a phone. I had a dumb phone until April 2011, and now that I've gone to a smartphone I'd hate to go back.

Re:Another way to save money

[arekq]

obligatory: If you stopped hanging out with friends and etc., you'd have even more time to code.

Re:Another way to save money

[Chysn]

You should stop coding, too, which would free up more time to do nothing. You'll soon get bored of doing nothing, but that's what TV is for, amiright?

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.

[tepples]

Which carrier offers such a plan in the United States?

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.

[DrgnDancer]

That's fine, though I'd definitely nit pick on what you say you pay. I pay $115 a month for unlimited text and data, plus generous voice minutes on two phone lines. So if you were being frugal about minutes, text, and data you use you could doubtless pay more like $40-45 a month (maybe even as little as $35 if you shop around) for your plan. That said, in response to you and the original poster, the answer is clearly "no, I don't need a smartphone." I also don't need a dumb phone. Or cable. Or a TV. Or a computer. I could clearly exist and probably even be happy without any of these things. All of them are nice to have however, and in my opinion worth what I spend on them.

I get a *lot* of use out of my smartphone. Of major purchases, I'd rate it below only my workstation computer and my car on the "things I use a lot" list. I play with it, keep in touch with people on it, use it to get around a my new home city, keep notes on it... I don't *need* it, but if you told me I could only keep one electronic device... I'd probably pick the phone. It *can* do everything my computer can (though often not as nicely), does lots of extra stuff like GPS, and is very portable. I wouldn't be thrilled to do away with my desktop or my TV, but I'd probably get rid of them before my phone.

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.

Re:Shocked.

[realityimpaired]

Which carrier offers such a plan in the United States?

Any carrier who offers a tablet plan. Just buy the SIM and put it in your cell phone, the carrier won't know the difference.

That said, you can also get a super-low minutes plan, which is useful if you're roaming in an area that doesn't have data coverage. I'm guessing that grub is using something like an iPhone, as there's an IM app that's very similar to SMS messaging on it. Personally, I have been known to break 500 texts/day, and wouldn't be able to do what he's doing. But you can still get a low minutes plan, and add data on top of it fairly cheaply, though, without sacrificing the added functionality... my plan (admittedly it's in Canada, but there are carriers in the US that offer similar plans) is 150 anytime minutes, 5pm evenings/weekends, unlimited domestic LD. That's $25/mo (they have one that's $15/mo for 50 anytime minutes, still has unlimited long distance). I have a $10/mo addon that gives call display, call waiting, call forwarding, and unlimited global texting. I'm on a flex data plan on top of that, which goes from $5/mo for 25MB to $30/mo for 3GB, tethering included, and has an overage charge of $0.02/MB. They're available, you just need to shop around and look at what are called MVNO's in the US (and usually called Fight Brands everywhere else in the world)

Re:Shocked.

[517714]

My smart phone replaced my cellphone, my GPS, and my PDA. My PDA replaced my calculator, acted as my MP3 player and schedule (sync'd with Exchange/Outlook) replaced a shit load of reference books (now in PDAs, spreadsheets, RTFs, and text files and fully searchable!), provided a secure place for all my passwords and gave me pocket CAS. I also use it for some basic network tasks, SMTP, ping, tracert, etc., and remote desktop access. Internet access eliminated the yellow pages directory and lots of other reference materials. My biggest concern was in putting all my eggs in one basket would I be SOL when my battery died, the phone died or was misplaced? Well it hasn't happened yet and I like being able to ask my phone to find a drugstore when I'm traveling and get an up-to-date listing as well as from the navigation program's built-in POIs. For me having all this in my shirt pocket is very convenient. The downside is that the OS is no longer available and I will have switch phones someday and do without a few of the conveniences to which I have grown accustomed, and pay for new apps to replace existing ones. Do I need a smartphone? No, but it simplifies my life greatly.

Re:Shocked.

[Miamicanes]

$2/day isn't very cheap if you're actually using it daily. For about $20/month more, you could get a full blown Android plan with subsidized phone and more or less unlimited everything besides daytime voice minutes (450 peak minutes), with 3G speeds and 4G where available. Factor the $20/month extra into the roughly $200-400 discount on a best of breed Android phone like the SGS2/Evo3D/Photon, and at worst you're breaking even and getting way more for your money.

Before you say "I wouldn't be using it daily"... yes, once you get a best of breed Android phone, you will, because you'll discover all kinds of things that were dysfunctional internet-wise on older phones that suddenly work well, and you'll find yourself using them anytime you're stuck in a line somewhere, waiting for something, or just bored. Plus, it's EXTREMELY difficult to make an Android phone not sip (if not inhale) data 24/7. It can be done, but it's something you have to actively work to make happen. Any data plan where your billing unit is "minute where at least one byte of data gets transferred" will positively bankrupt you with an Android phone if you forget to disable data, because so many apps endlessly sip data nonstop in the background. Not enough data to really make a difference with a normal plan, even one that's capped at 2 gigs... but plenty to run up a gigantic bill if you're getting metered by the "data-minute" rather than by the megabyte.

Re:Shocked.

[hazem]

> Ever go to a restaurant and look around at what people are doing? Sadly, a large % of them have their smart phones out

Different people have different expectations when they go to do dinner, I suppose.

But here's a recent example from my life. I was just out to dinner but one of my friends couldn't make it because she was sick. During the course of dinner we were talking about a movie and none of us could remember the actor we were thinking of. One of us pulled out our phone and looked it up. That was handy and added to the conversation. As dinner was wrapping up, I was able to text my sick friend to ask what she wanted us to bring to her from the restaurant. Maybe if you had looked at me at those times, you might have thought I was engrossed in my phone instead of the dinner and companionship at the table - but that wouldn't have been the case.

But like you say, different strokes for different folks. Much better they're texting away quietly than talking loudly. I was just in a place that had a sign, "no cell phones, there's a phone booth in the back if you want to talk on your cell phone". Odd way for that "technology" to come back.

Slashdot...

[tacarat]

News for luddites?

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.

Re:For some, yes

[TheSpoom]

Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!

I dont have a phone

[gmuslera]

My N900 portable computer have phone functionality.

my iphone saved me money

[alen]

forgot the details but having email on the go allowed me to get some deals before others. like buying a condo/coop in NYC and getting a lot of the bidding done over email on the go

overall i don't use it that much but i'm part of a family plan, it's only $30 a month and the device is free after i sell my old iphone/smartphone after 18-24 months

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.

Re:Me too.

[Fnord666]

my phone told me where to go.

My phone tells me where to go too, at least when I'm talking to my wife on it.

Necessities often create themselves

[allcoolnameswheretak]

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

Many smartphone alternatives

[Mean Variance]

There are many alternatives besides the premium plans and phones (iPhone, high end Android).

T-Mobile via WalMart: Android phone for less than $200. 100 mins talk, unlimited data and text for $30/mo.

Pageplus: Bring your own CDMA phone. My kid has a Palm Pixi. If you don't abuse data or use wifi for data, it's cheap.

iPod Touch: That's the way I went. I have a cheap prepaid phone that costs less than $10/mo for my light usage of calls and texts. My iPod is in a wifi zone much of the time where I can leverage apps including free texting.

I'm on the waiting list for Republic Wireless who is trying an iteresting business model for $20/mo. The phone has to have a home zone of wifi. When wifi is available, it uses it. Otherwise data will be used. The phone is a basic Android.

It just takes a little effort and research.

I'm amazed at what people will pay for iPhone plans. Some use the value, but I know plenty who still just use it to call and text mostly paying almost $100/mo.

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. :-)

Water? Pshaw.

[Moridineas]

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 two-year-old dropped my iPhone 3gs in the dog's water bowl. From the time I heard the *ploink*, realized what I had heard, and ran to the kitchen and pulled out the phone out, it was completely submerged in disgusting dog water for at least 15-20 seconds.

The touch screen was so wet that I couldn't swipe to unlock in order to power down. The phone was on at least another 1-2 minutes. I finally turned it off (obviously can't pull the battery with an iPhone) and let it dry out for a couple days. On day 2, I put it in a ziploc baggie with some silica gel packets. During the drying process it would occasionally--randomly!--turn itself on with no interaction from me.

After 2 days of drying, it was good as new. Fully functional, no visible damage, screen fine, touch response fine, etc.

I was very impressed.

Re:Water? Pshaw.

[Anonymous Coward]

On day 2, I put it in a ziploc baggie with some silica gel packets. During the drying process it would occasionally--randomly!--turn itself on with no interaction from me.

After 2 days of drying, it was good as new. Fully functional, no visible damage, screen fine, touch response fine, etc.

I was very impressed.

Since most people don't keep silica gel packets around (I won't judge you based the contents of your kitchen cabinet), it's worth pointing out that the same result is possible with rice.

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.

Do you really need a Freudian slip ?

[billcopc]

Replace "phone" with "vagina" in the summary, and bask in my glorious wisdom.

Hey, I don't need expensive hoppy microbrews in my beer fridge, but that doesn't mean I'm going to replace my premium beer with cheap megaswill. If luddites are happy being luddites, good for THEM. Also, get the fuck off my internets.

Re:Do you really need a Freudian slip ?

[smellsofbikes]

OK, I did that. So what is a 'smart vagina' as opposed to just a 'vagina'?

It only accepts incoming connections from trusted sources?

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

Sometimes it saves money and frustration

[DMUTPeregrine]

I had a choice: Buy a $200 bagpipe tuner (the cheap chromatic tuners are all equal tempered, and thus don't work for just-tempered instruments like the great highland bagpipe), and a ~$100 GPS and a $100 ipod and a $20 metronome... or buy one android phone, install gStrings, mobile metronome and PowerAmp (under $10 total) and get more total functionality for the same overall price. That's ignoring the phone aspect, obviously. And the camera. And the e-mail. And the text messaging with a full dvorak keyboard. And the mobile web browser...

Needs differ. Duh.

[Dr. Manhattan]

I ride the bus to and from work every day. I could carry a dumb phone, plus an mp3 player, plus a netbook, I suppose... but instead I have an original Droid, and it gets all that done in a much smaller and more convenient package, along with GPS navigation, flash drive file transport, encrypted password wallet, and a cheap camera.

Re:Needs differ. Duh.

[Dr. Manhattan]

You can try to read a book. A real book. A fiction book.

Holy crap! I have never in my life done that before! I had no idea such a thing was even possible!

(Or, just maybe I load them onto my phone. And save the dead-tree stuff for bedside at home.)

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:No Smart or Dumb Phone

[Rockoon]

I have a dumb cell phone because its cheaper than a land line.
.

Re:Rob's been reading my posts...

[danomac]

Who says this has anything to do with employment?

I make a reasonably decent wage. I do have problems with needlessly spending money on stuff that has no perceived value to me.

Several years ago I turned off my land line telephone. I had a cell phone and saw no need to pay for two telephones. (About $550 a year savings.)

About a year and a half ago I turned off all cable TV services. I put up an OTA antenna, and wouldn't you know it, the six channels (even in HD) I get are more than enough for me, as I don't watch a whole lot of broadcast TV to begin with. ($1200/year savings.)

I do have a smart phone now, but work subsidizes half the bill per month. (It's my phone, but they pay for me to use it to get email/calendaring and to keep in contact with vendors/trades/etc.) I can tell you two things: 1. Having email on my phone is convenient, I'll admit that. 2. The convenience is NOT worth $100/month! I'll just go to my computer. I can say if work wasn't subsidizing it, I wouldn't have a smart phone. If it was only a couple dollars more a month, I'd consider it. But where I am right now, smart phones are 2-3x the monthly cost of a dumb phone.

Everyone's values are different. However, the price of these current services are insane.

TV/Phone/Internet: $150+/month: $1800+/year.
Cell Phone: $100+/month (with taxes etc...): $1200+/year.

I can live without TV, and I could live without a phone if I had to. Internet? Probably not...

If the cost of smart phones was about the same as a land line with long distance (around $25-$30 a month) I wouldn't have a problem with it. Heck even $35 a month with a data plan. Most carriers are charging $30+ for 500MB of data! Never mind the voice part of the phone. It's just batshit crazy.

Re:Hmmm

[ottothecow]

Finding a livestock dealer can be the hardest bit here.

A smartphone would probably help with that ...

Sometimes it can be a job-saver.

[Local ID10T]

Ancedote:

My smart phone paid for itself the afternoon I accidentally misconfigured the firewall on the company's ecommerce server (which is in a colo several hours drive from me). Misconfigured as in blocked my own IP address instead of whitelisting it. I was able to download a SSH client, open a terminal session and revert the firewall settings from my phone.