[dwaynewilliams#WN]

Is it just me, or is the world getting a tad bit out of control with smartphones. I love my BB and Iphone, but I'm starting to think I am falling into that "zombie state" that I see others in so often. I went to the mall (Christmas shopping, fun!) and I saw endless waves of shoppers with eyes glued to their smartphone screens. No one was watching where they were walking because they were texting, emailing, surfing, etc. It reminds me of how frustrated I got when cellphones became popular and everyone on the street was talking on the phone. What shook me is that I found myself doing the same. I was in Walmart, and I was using the barcode scanner on my phone to price check. I looked up, and saw another woman doing the same thing on her phone. I thought she looked ridiculous. But, then again, so did I. This is just a rant. I couldn't give up my smartphone, but it is eye-opening how much things have changed.

[fabuloso]

iPhone is the new Sidekick. Why do people consider it a smart phone? Wait...is it because it can use a compass? Or use Google Maps? and has email? lol. Wow.

I find myself looking at people who have these devices and not know how to use them. ...

[chunter222]

funny rant but you are true about the "zombie state"

[Snazy]

lol I know what you mean. I drift down the street, buried in my screen til I bump into someone, look up in annoyance, see their Berry in their hands, and smile....

I jest, but thats what its coming to.

I would not say its out of control, but something we are going to have to grow to live with for sure. The world is a rapidly changing place. And as people start to realise how much devices like Blackberry's can actually do, so we will spend more time on them.

Im sure its a transitional stage, and the facination of being "plugged in" will drop off, but while the change happens, there are gonna be a lot of people walking under buses, and into drains. lol

Just to touch on #2.... I agree that the phrase "smart phone" is becoming over used, and seems to be applied to anything that can do more than make calls or text. Or just has a touch screen.
They all have their own merits, but I still think there is only a small part of the market that makes true "smart" phones.

[Blkbear]

iPhone is the new Sidekick....

You know you may be right. When the Sidekick first came out, a lot of folks wanted one.

I find myself looking at people who have these devices and not know how to use them. ...

Is there an app for that?

[Blkbear]

When I spend time in the malls or grocery stores, I do see people using their phones, texting and whatnot. But I personally see more people standing still or sitting while doing so, that I do walking and bumping into people and things.

I guess the ones that are aware of their surroundings are the people that are able to pat their heads and rub their tummies at the same time while burping their ABCs.

I'm from the old school of reading a paperback while taking a walk in the park. Of course now I can listen to an audio book and watch out for muggers!

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

When I spend time in the malls or grocery stores, I do see people using their phones, texting and whatnot. But I personally see more people standing still or sitting while doing so, that I do walking and bumping into people and things.

I guess the ones that are aware of their surroundings are the people that are able to pat their heads and rub their tummies at the same time while burping their ABCs.

I'm from the old school of reading a paperback while taking a walk in the park. Of course now I can listen to an audio book and watch out for muggers!

It would be easier to phone the police too. Lol.

[Username00089]

Unfortunately the OP is right. This is really a society issue though. People don't
have face to face talks anymore. In the office, when you want to tell someone
something, you e-mail them eventhough they're two doors down the hall. It's
ridiculous and people do look like zombies everywhere I go now. It's a shame really.

And how adult of certain people to turn this into an iPhone issue

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

Unfortunately the OP is right. This is really a society issue though. People don't
have face to face talks anymore. In the office, when you want to tell someone
something, you e-mail them eventhough they're two doors down the hall. It's
ridiculous and people do look like zombies everywhere I go now. It's a shame really.

And how adult of certain people to turn this into an iPhone issue

it is really bad when I go to conferences. Everyone at the table checks their emails on their Berrys instead of talking to each other. I can't judge because I do the same thing. But the first step is to identify you have a problem. So I am good there. Lol.

[Username00089]

it is really bad when I go to conferences. Everyone at the table checks their emails on their Berrys instead of talking to each other. I can't judge because I do the same thing. But the first step is to identify you have a problem. So I am good there. Lol.

I caught myself in virtually the same situation once when I went to go eat
with a couple of friends. We were all in a BBM chat with about 4 other people.
But there we were like morons sitting at the empty table waiting for our food
with our heads tilted down, typing away in the same chat. We weren't saying
a word to eachother. I remember realizing at a certain moment right there and
then of how utterly stupid that was.

My cell phone habits have decreased a lot since then.

[mnmnmn]

I've noticed everyone sitting at the bar with their phones in front of them. I am now making it a point to keep mine in my pocket. It really does look strange when you think about it.

[Laura Knotek]

I've noticed everyone sitting at the bar with their phones in front of them. I am now making it a point to keep mine in my pocket. It really does look strange when you think about it.

I purposely use my BB at a bar when I arrive before my friends and wish to avoid talking to obnoxious people I don't know. The BB goes in the holster as soon as my friends arrive.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Snazy]

Again the social aspect is a catch 22 situation.

Society as a whole communicates a lot more than it did 5 years ago, faster, and clearer.
For some, this leads then to face to face meetings, and is a positive thing. For those who have never really been communicators, it has given them a voice. However they dont follow through with the physical interaction (which some never would have anyway)

Im personally undecided. On one hand I will send a text rather than making a call or popping to see someone to confirm an appointment, date etc.

On the other hand, im speaking to complete strangers around the world that I would never have met (thanks BBM), conversing with people from 20 years ago at school (thanks Facebook) and learning and understanding my Blackberry more and more daily, with a bunch of strangers (thanks Crackberry)

I guess what I am saying is, its not all negative. But society needs to maintain its physical people skills too.

Being able to do all the above on the move with a Berry... not a bad thing. Now I dont spend my evenings catching up with the day on the net lol

[elezdi]

we are all a slave to trends

[Username00089]

we are all a slave to trends

Actually we're all slaves to the entire system whether we want to admit it
or not.

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

Again the social aspect is a catch 22 situation.

Society as a whole communicates a lot more than it did 5 years ago, faster, and clearer.
For some, this leads then to face to face meetings, and is a positive thing. For those who have never really been communicators, it has given them a voice. However they dont follow through with the physical interaction (which some never would have anyway)

Im personally undecided. On one hand I will send a text rather than making a call or popping to see someone to confirm an appointment, date etc.

On the other hand, im speaking to complete strangers around the world that I would never have met (thanks BBM), conversing with people from 20 years ago at school (thanks Facebook) and learning and understanding my Blackberry more and more daily, with a bunch of strangers (thanks Crackberry)

I guess what I am saying is, its not all negative. But society needs to maintain its physical people skills too.

Being able to do all the above on the move with a Berry... not a bad thing. Now I dont spend my evenings catching up with the day on the net lol

Smartphones certainly have their uses. But I think that we can look a little ridiculous at times like a group of anti-socials. I don't want to be one of those, but I see myself joining the herd. I think that there are some adverse effects that have already been seen in society. I truly believe that our social awareness and social interactions have been compromised. We don't know how to talk to people anymore. People have begun using their BBs to date. What happened to meeting someone and having a conversation. Just read some of the posts on CB. I would conjecture that most people wouldn't be as harsh if face-to-face with some of targets of their flames. I see myself walking around in a bubble sometimes. And when I become aware of what I'm doing, I stay focused just long enough to spot someone else near me who is also operating in a bubble. It's all surreal to me.

[rippedvanwinkle]

I was at Denney's the other night, and there were 4 teens at a booth laughing and carrying on. Then I noticed that none of them were saying a word, they were texting each other! How surreal is that?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Laura Knotek]

[xxxxpradaxxxx]

iPhone is the new Sidekick. Why do people consider it a smart phone? Wait...is it because it can use a compass? Or use Google Maps? and has email? lol. Wow.

I find myself looking at people who have these devices and not know how to use them. ...

And what makes a blackberry anymore of a smartphone than an iPhone?

It's ability to think so hard it needs a battery pull?

Either way, I disagree with you.

BlackBerry's are the new Sidekick.

Every hoodrat and their mother has one, and they're on prepaid.

Remember, there are more BlackBerry's in the wild than iPhone's.

And that's just because all the kidlets flocked to them once Paris Hilton and Jay-Z started sporting one.

[elezdi]

Actually we're all slaves to the entire system whether we want to admit it
or not.

*praise*

10
char

[Snazy]

lol jeeez there is some tension in here.
Who cares who has which device, each to their own and all that eh!
If we all had the same then we truly WOULD be slaves to the system.

We do all indeed conform to social conditioning which dictates we should have cyber social interaction over face to face interaction.

Which makes us technology reliant, and which build barriers, while at the same time building bridges between us all.

I personally think there is more positive than negative with the whole mobile device revolution. Seems like the real barriers being drawn up surround brand rather than class these days.

[fabuloso]

And what makes a blackberry anymore of a smartphone than an iPhone?

It's ability to think so hard it needs a battery pull?

Either way, I disagree with you.

BlackBerry's are the new Sidekick.

Every hoodrat and their mother has one, and they're on prepaid.

Remember, there are more BlackBerry's in the wild than iPhone's.

And that's just because all the kidlets flocked to them once Paris Hilton and Jay-Z started sporting one.

Hoodrats? Mothers? Jay-Z? Pretty racists and bold are we? By generalizing a specific race there? ...

You disagree because you know the iPhone is a kids toy. Hence the Sidekick reference. People who want a smart phone should have a reason to get one, not because hoodrats, mothers and Jay-Z have them.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Blkbear]

BlackBerry's are the new Sidekick.

Every hoodrat and their mother has one, and they're on prepaid.

Remember, there are more BlackBerry's in the wild than iPhone's.

Good Gravy Mavis, I'm a Hoodrat!

[atomicdog21]

iPhone is the new Sidekick. Why do people consider it a smart phone? Wait...is it because it can use a compass? Or use Google Maps? and has email? lol. Wow.

I find myself looking at people who have these devices and not know how to use them. ...

Smartphone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

your location for the one true definition of smartphone. As we all know, if it's in Wikipedia then it must be true!

[Raven71]

The problem comes when they do it in the car while driving. I never thought I would say this but I'm glad NY passed a harsher law if caught talking or you text while driving. The only problem is they are trying to use it if you are drinking soda or water and eating while driving. In a way I guess they are right.
When I was in Germany on the Audubon all you do is drive. Cars didn't even have cup holders because you didn't do anything but drive the car. Don't know if it is still like that.

There is a company that has made a device that when you get in your car and moving the cell phone is cut off. I hope it becomes standard equipment in all cars.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com