The iPhone.

About a week ago I decided to finally take the plunge and get myself an iPhone. I had several reservations when considering moving to iPhone.

First off, I could not justify the cost of a home phone line and a contracted cell phone. Secondly I had the perception that the smart phones were a way to make regular people feel self important. Third, I'm not sure I want to update my phone number with all of my personal and business contacts. Fourth, I have never been without a landline and last but not least, what if I loose the damned thing?

I sat down with the calculator and realized that dropping my land line and pay as you go cell (ie. $10.00 per month) would pay for a contracted cell phone. Obstacle one was far too easily overcome! Now to my fears of becoming a self important S.O.B.

Have you ever seen tellers and customers wait on people who talk on the phone and complete transactions with one free hand? Fuck, I hate these people! I'll never do this. Perhaps my reservation on this point was irrational? Some folks may think I'm self important just because I have a smart phone. I can have the iPhone and not hold others up, or use the damned thing while driving. Reservation number two down the toilet, now how to get all of my contacts updated?

Personal contacts were completed with a quick and dirty email for now. The business contacts are a bit tougher. Fortunately for me most of my banking and insurance is under one roof. Most of the other businesses that I have dealt with in the last few years have been provided the cell phone number. Those items that may be missed would have my snail mail address so will iron themselves out. Editing my life has never been a hard thing to do, but I would never believed that in my life I would not have a home telephone.

No home telephone!? I still remember the telephone number that we had at the farm. The farm phone was a party line where three bored neighbors routinely listened in on our conversations. This reservation is a psychological barrier that will take time for me to breach. I notice young people in my condo building who have a cell phone but have never and will never have a landline. Looking over the last line of text still shocks me! A hard wired land line telephone is no longer a necessity for surviving in the world as we know it! Computer technology that I have seen growing prevalent from my teenage years is poised to completely replace the telephone.

After having the iPhone for a mere week I can honestly say the smartphone is here to stay. I believe that these devices will change society as we know it. Funny how such a small thing could be such a powerful impetus for change.

I am using the phone for a lot of useful things. In the morning my iPhone serves as my alarm clock, I check facebook and my e-mail on the iPhone. Ran out of peanut butter? Add it to my grocery list (yep iPhone), text my buddies to line up a coffee meeting. Now off to the gym, you guessed it -- my tunes are on my iPhone now too!

How have I been living without this damned iPhone?