Smartphone: On Hold
Posted by Petrice Gaskin at Jun. 11, 2008
Ever since I started spying business commuters typing anxiously into their Blackberries, I’ve been fantasizing about owning a smartphone--a compact and smartly designed little device that would allow me to quickly look up bus timetables, find directions, send out emails, and organize my calendar at anytime and anyplace I desired. But, as of yet, this thought remains a distant fantasy.
Two weeks ago Scott bought the iPhone 2G (yes, we know that the iPhone 3G’s release is imminent—but he just couldn’t wait). He was as happy as an eight-year-old the day after Christmas, and began talking excitedly about how I too should buy an iPhone.
“I don’t want an iPhone," I told him.
Scott paused for a moment, completely incredulous. “Why don’t you want an iPhone?�
I didn’t know I needed a reason to not want one. “Why would I want one?� I asked.
Scott sputtered for a moment and began quickly listing off the iPhone’s numerous selling points.
Now, when I told Scott I didn’t want an iPhone, I wasn’t being completely truthful. A part of me does want an iPhone. They’re shiny and pretty, with a host of capabilities that would be convenient to have at my fingertips, but thus far I’ve been turned off by the price (though at $200, the 3G is starting to look tempting), being joined contractually with At&T, and the thought of being inducted into the cloistered world of Applephilia is just plain irritating. Apparently my rationale for hesitating to hop into the smartphone pool is (or was) shared by many other women. Yesterday, the New York Times published an article detailing the surge of women purchasing and using smartphones as the prices have dropped and the design and functionality have improved.
The truth is, I’m a conscientious late adaptor. The men in my family (my father and my brother) are very eager early adaptors. As soon as a new device emerges they simply must have it, to explore and play with. I admire their deep love and fascination with technology and I think it’s fantastic that I can get exposed to the new devices through them. But, although I read about the technology and take the opportunities to play with the products, the prices such devices command usually make me gun-shy. So, I have to be patient, but it finally looks like the smartphone price range is beginning to enter my ballpark.
Two weeks ago Scott bought the iPhone 2G (yes, we know that the iPhone 3G’s release is imminent—but he just couldn’t wait). He was as happy as an eight-year-old the day after Christmas, and began talking excitedly about how I too should buy an iPhone.
“I don’t want an iPhone," I told him.
Scott paused for a moment, completely incredulous. “Why don’t you want an iPhone?�
I didn’t know I needed a reason to not want one. “Why would I want one?� I asked.
Scott sputtered for a moment and began quickly listing off the iPhone’s numerous selling points.
Now, when I told Scott I didn’t want an iPhone, I wasn’t being completely truthful. A part of me does want an iPhone. They’re shiny and pretty, with a host of capabilities that would be convenient to have at my fingertips, but thus far I’ve been turned off by the price (though at $200, the 3G is starting to look tempting), being joined contractually with At&T, and the thought of being inducted into the cloistered world of Applephilia is just plain irritating. Apparently my rationale for hesitating to hop into the smartphone pool is (or was) shared by many other women. Yesterday, the New York Times published an article detailing the surge of women purchasing and using smartphones as the prices have dropped and the design and functionality have improved.
The truth is, I’m a conscientious late adaptor. The men in my family (my father and my brother) are very eager early adaptors. As soon as a new device emerges they simply must have it, to explore and play with. I admire their deep love and fascination with technology and I think it’s fantastic that I can get exposed to the new devices through them. But, although I read about the technology and take the opportunities to play with the products, the prices such devices command usually make me gun-shy. So, I have to be patient, but it finally looks like the smartphone price range is beginning to enter my ballpark.