Wednesday night I came home and planned to spend a half our prepping one of my old cell phones for a donation. Rummaging through a shoebox of phones, I put my hands on a newer smartphone that would be perfect. At midnight I realized I had spent four hours sifting through years of old data on a decade’s worth of phones.
Pictures of my kids, text messages to and from crazy ex’s, music I hadn’t listened to in years. I’m amazed at the stuff I haven’t thought about but has been dormant in an old Adidas box. Aside from every phone I vowed to never own again for one reason or another, each has its own memories.
Ten years ago I purchased my first phone on my own. That is, without being tied to anyone else. It was a Samsung flip phone that dialed phone numbers and sent text messages. Since then I’ve owned a bunch of phones that are all able to dial phone numbers and send text messages.
With each new phone comes new features without which I’m not sure how I could have survived. The first big advancement for me was a sliding keyboard. Actually, the sliding keyboard made typing the alphabet easier. Other than that the keyboard didn’t improve my dialability (if that’s even a word).
Cameras added to phones confused a lot of people for a while, especially during the short period when the camera was separate from the phone. I could take pictures but couldn’t do anything with them. Then came the integrated camera-phone with the ability to attach pictures to text messages. Shortly thereafter came a new set of laws based around possible text scandals.
Internet access on phones came around the time smartphones were introduced. Prior to smartphones, dedicated apps addressed websites like Facebook and YouTube. Smartphones let us add our own apps and entertainment. This week, for example, I added a poker game and a cool utility that maps constellations.
Phones have moved from purely utilitarian appliances to entertainment centers. I reach for my phone before my computer most of the time and it’s become a huge time killer for me. Not only can I make calls, but I can send pictures to my kids, blow up blocks of candy, and console my friend from miles away.
I hear the same story from customers day after day. Many of those I deal with tell me their phone was once a tool they used for basic functions and have now adopted for everyday common tasks. Ironically, most of the customers who visit my store have phones with better technical specifications than their computers.
Phones have evolved over the years but I’m not sure if the features are worth the investment. The only reason I upgrade annually is due to the massive 5,000 or so minutes of abuse my phone takes monthly. Had it not been for mechanical parts wearing I’d still be using my original flip phone.
Apple is one of the few that updates operating systems. Last week Apple released iOS 7 which breathed new life into my old phone. My iPhone 5 survived the update, but some iPhone 4 owners have complained about speed and battery life. After witnessing the difference between the two I now believe Apple makes the updates to force obsolescence.
New phones tout slow motion video, huge megapixels, and too many other features to list. Phone technology has come a million miles since my first. Filtering the box made me think I would have been just as happy with the old as I am the newest. Between the cost of upgrades and plan add-ons I’ve spent over the years I would be able to afford something really nice. Like the iPhone 5s.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can text him directly at (978) 413-2840 or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)