Technology is really awesome, it progresses at a break neck speed, faster than most of us can catch up with.
By the time we manage to assimilate a new piece of gadget into our lives, something newer, shinier, faster, equipped with better processing speed would have already been innovated, hot on the market.
That was the case with me, all these appearances of smartphones. Catching me off guard while I toyed with jokingly ancient models of candy bar phones while serving the nation.
Smartphone; defined loosely as a mobile phone offering more advanced computing abilities and connectivity than your usual mobile phone. It can be regarded as a personal hand held computer integrated with a mobile phone, running on an operating system.
Applications spring up by the hundreds daily available for usage, aimed at different purposes and different target groups. Some aim to entertain, to kill time. Others aim to simplify otherwise hassle procedures, like GPS systems, apps that allow mobile banking. Of course others target people who wanted information on the go, like financial news, stock prices, etc.
All these apps seem to be great, marvellous in fact, brilliant really. Except for a minor drawback.
It makes people anti social. Or what I feel is becoming of people with these smart phones.
*Gasp* No. No way. Havent apps that allow almost instantaneous interaction been developed with the idea of encouraging social interaction? Like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, BBmessenger etc etc apps.
You see, that is the exact problem with smartphone applications. It eliminates the need for human interaction.
Ever been neglected by a friend because he/she needed to "farm strawberries" or "check his plot of land"? Or he/she simply must update his/her's whereabouts on FB/Twitter or similar apps?
Or met with a topic that doesnt arouse interest, he/she whips out a smartphone and prodes/swipes at the screen furiously.
Or addicted to it, so much so that they fiddle with it at home, checking FB updates, maybe they missed a comment, or liked something, stalking Twitters (seriously, I dont get Twitter. Its lame), concerned about the progress of virtual plants/animals/money etc.
So many times have I seen people with heads bowed and fingers swiping when they could have been engaged in real conversations, interacting in flesh. Not that everyone is susceptible to this weird and strangely disturbing phenomenon. But most smartphone users suffer the symptoms.
Then again, it could be a passing phase. Could be the novelty of it all, like how kids get all excited and wouldnt let a new toy out their sight. Eventually, it'll pass.
So the smartphone IS smart. It achieved what many product developers envy - the time consumers devote; some to a religiously level, to its product.
So are we dumb? To have been duped, conned, bamboozled, hoodwinked into giving smartphones more time than it deserves, time that may have been used for a better purpose?
Hmmm. I dont know. All I know is that my trusty ancient relic is still functioning and in use, satisfying me, at least for now. On the other hand, Iphone 4 looks awfully tempting...