I lost my iPhone at a bar a few weeks ago. Stop me if this story sounds eerily familiar.
Unfortunately, and quite obviously, no one wrote about finding my missing first generation iPhone…otherwise I wouldn’t feel so powerless.
My replacement phone is quite simply not a smart phone. I would call it a dumb phone but it’s much, much worse. The replacement flip phone only holds 30 text messages at a time, the ‘end call’ button doesn’t work (this can cause some fairly embarrassing moments) and the phone’s screen malfunctions. While I’m grateful to have a phone at all, my heart breaks just a little bit every time I look at it.
I know it’s wrong to reminisce about a past life, but I really miss my iPhone—I’m learning day by day how truly and utterly dependent I was on it.
The iPhone was like a close friend that would drop off every now and again but would always come in handy when I needed it. In fact, my iPhone held everything I needed: my subway map, my music (subway rides are considerably quieter now), all past text message communication and maps with directions. Need to find a new restaurant? Don’t mind if I do! Thanks, iPhone App!
It’s a wonder I manage to get around this relatively new city of mine.
Beyond missing the capabilities of having a smart phone, the worst feeling in the world was being in limbo with no phone at all. It’s funny to think about how I didn’t own a cellphone at all until 2004. How did I meet people once I got to a venue? Was everyone on-time at all times? Also, remember home answering machines? I feel like they’re becoming relics of the past.
In fact, as outlined in a recent InformationWeek article, according to a recent US Center for Disease Control and Prevention report, almost 25% US households only have cell phones. Another 15% homes with landlines receive most calls on cell phones. This seems to be a fairly natural transition as mobile phone plans become more affordable, flexible and personalized for use. Furthermore, phones like my old iPhone, are not just phones, but also mobile internet portals – which makes it a lucrative choice that supersedes a shared landline.
I’m now in the market to buy a brand new phone and am thinking of moving away from my iPhone obsession and picking up a Droid. Just maybe this new buddy of mine will never drop off (I can dream, right?). Plus, I think it’s time to try something new. Until then, I’ll stop thinking about the good old days when subway rides had music, when I never got lost in this huge city and could Wikipedia anything at the drop of a hat.
Ah, memories.