Smartphones: People addicted to them

      I don't have one, but I want one. No, its not a tattoo, or a nose piercing. In fact, only about one in five Americans have one. I am talking about a smart phone. Recently, there was an article on CNN.com titled, Smart phones: Our National Obsession. This caught my eye and I was curious. Is America hooked on the smart phone? Addicted is a strong word, so i want to say no, but after doing some more reading, observation, and a little self analysis; I have come to the conclusion that yes, people cannot be without their cell phones.

      Like I said, I do not have a smart phone, but i do own a cell phone. It has limited features, however, it does what I need it to do; keep me connected, or in touch with my friends. I do have texting and that is how I do most of my communicating. Communication is important, who can disagree with this, but have we become too dependent on technology? Technology too, is a good thing. People use on line and smart phones to extend friendships they've made in school, sports, and other activities. For me personally, technology has created new opportunities for me to build new social norms, explore my interest and express myself more freely.

      Are people really lost without their phone? 200 students at Stanford University were asked to rank their dependence on their iPhone on a scale of 1 to 5, (5 being addicted and 1 not at all). 10% of the students admitted full addiction, 34% ranked themselves as a 4, and only 6% said they weren't addicted at all. I am not sure the word "addicted" is really correct. After all, there are things on a phone that really help people out and change their lives. Smart phones like everything, do have pros and cons.

     The good thing about Smart phones is that they can make you more organized. If you are more organized, you can get a lot of things accomplished. Smart phones can play music, videos, and games. They let you send email, and log on to AIM. The main benefit to a Smart phone is that it lets you work from anywhere. They also have great accessories like GPS navigation, so you'll never get lost. The bad things about the Smart phone is that they are small and the screen is hard to read. Nationwide the coverage is limited. Experts are also questioning what a smart phone is doing to our brains. Some say that too much multitasking will lessen a person's ability to focus deeply, think creatively, and become more easily distracted.

      I think, like most people, I have a love-hate relationship with my phone. I'll admit, I'm lost without my phone. Last year I took a trip with my family to Florida. One of the rules was, "no cell phones while on the trip". It was strange; the family had to actually talk to each other a lot. I was okay about this, I felt close to my family, but at the same time, I was sure happy to get back to my phone and feel connected again!

     However you feel about Smart phones, it looks like they're here to stay. Marketing people have said that smart phones will double their market share to a 20% annual increase over the next five years. I do believe that mobile life is the way to the future. So, like they say, "if you can't beat em, join em". I will wait for a specific reason that I need a Smart phone, but I know that someday I will get one. Probably won't be until I start working with a full time job. But when I do, I'm going to make sure I don't get consumed by it.