The "Smartphone Abuse Test" : try it !

[Barbara]

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=32498622&nid=10 ... id=queue-9

10 signs you might be addicted to your smartphone | KSL.com

"ATLANTA (CNN) — If you asked me whether I'm addicted to my smartphone or whether I overuse it, I would say absolutely not. I pride myself on not keeping my devices (I have two of them!) in my bedroom while I sleep, and keeping them out of reach on the kitchen counter when I'm home with my kids. But, every time I walk into the kitchen, I find myself checking my email and Twitter feed.

There's almost a gravitational pull toward my BlackBerry and iPhone even when I know the chance that there is anything I need to see at that moment is next to zero. I feel that same pull the minute I wake up and make checking my devices one of the first things I do once I get out of bed.

Those behaviors alone probably put me in the "you have a problem" camp, but I'm sorry to say there's now even more evidence."

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[StephenS]

I bought one of these perishing things and after trying it for a couple of days returned it and got my money back. A simple mobile or cell phone I found more than adequate. Why anyone wants a smartphone certainly beats me.

[Barbara]

Yes ! Thank you for such a smart statement about so-called 'smart' phones.
I don't like looking at them, myself. Everything is so small ; I don't understand how people can use the internet from them !
How to type on what must be tiny buttons ?

And why ARE they so popular ? Can anyone explain this ? Thanks.
The only advantage for me would be to find directions to a place, for example, since I am sure there is a GPS type of
program that comes with the iphones ?
I even hate the names of some of them. There were advertisements for an "Android" showing up on my screen, to my aggravation. That name makes me shudder, it sounds so mechanistic and even like a monster movie !

[Handmaiden50]

I have a low end smartphone. . . mostly use it to call. I rarely send/receive texts. I like the GPS feature (needed to use that the other day while driving) and that if I needed to get on the internet to look up something (sometimes a recipe if I'm shopping and I forgot to write down what I needed to buy). It is also nice when I do travel and can take photos and then post them on my Facebook page right away.

[Barbara]

Thanks for relating your experience with them, Handmaiden.
Somehow I HATE the idea of "texts". Even I don't like to write the word, and avoid it at all costs.
I am glad to hear that someone else doesn't require that feature !

I did get lost the other day, spending an hour driving around the wrong ways. I was remembering that I had
casually mentioned this advantage, but didn't expect to need it in reality !

But, I stopped in gas stations and asked locals, as the former way to find out where to go. But a girl with braces
at the counter gave me completely wrong directions, resulting in much aggravation.
I had had a feeling right away that she wouldn't be much help. But it was such a simple question that I didn't imagine
she would give a very wrong answer !
This experience may show that the average younger person today is not that alert ! In a few cases like driving directions, I would almost depend on a phone rather than a human at this point !

I wouldn't want to carry a computer around. But I suppose that would work just as well to get maps.

Does everyone now use mapquest still ? Or is it not any longer the main search site for finding locations ? I haven't
gone anywhere for so long that I am way behind the times !

[Maria]

Whenever we have a significant solar flare (M- or X-class flares) it can cause interference with the GPS devices.

Thus, do not rely entirely on your GPS as people have ended up in rivers and the ocean.

[Barbara]

Yes, I remember you mentioned that, Maria, but this adds quite a new dimenssion to that interference with GPS !
That would be terrible.

In fact, I dislike relying too much on any device. One never knows when it could fail, the electricity could go out, a sudden surge knock it out temporarily or worse.
What's wrong with good old-fashioned maps ?! I still use them.