Monday, November 22, 2010

Life Without My Smartphone

So it happened - the moment I had never really prepared for, but still dreaded nonetheless. I was happily swiping away at my first generation Motorola Droid when suddenly the touchscreen refused to respond. Thinking it was a glitch, I turned the phone off, then back on again to no avail. I removed the battery, waited a few minutes, then tried again. Nothing. Eventually, I went to desperate measures and performed a factory reset. Still nothing. Finally, I had to face the truth - my beloved Droid was dead; the very device I have used for everything, from sending email and editing documents to identifying songs on the radio was dead. Luckily, I had a replacement, LG enV3 so I was able to make phone calls and text (Google Voice saved me during the time I was without a phone.). But as many of you who have had a smartphone know - once you get one, you can't go back.

Undeniably, not having a smartphone made me question how I was ever able to manage my life before. I couldn't send email, I couldn't browse Facebook, I couldn't check my calendar, read the news, perform Google searches, or anything else but text and call. I couldn't read my voicemail using the Google Voice app, scan barcodes, get directions, navigate, identify music, listen to Pandora, listen to my music, or play Angry Birds.

This experience has also led me to question my need for a smartphone. Honestly, I can say that I am addicted to the device - when it was working, it never left my side. But I am addicted to it because it makes my life easier and it makes communication seamless. I don't need a smartphone because someone tagged me in a photo on Facebook; I need a smartphone because it allows me to access my contacts from anywhere, send a last-minute email, stay on time with my schedule, and navigate to a new place.

UPDATE: Thanks to Verizon, I now have activated my replacement Droid and everything seems to be working.

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