On a strangely old fashioned radio program, Desert Island Discs, Hugh Laurie is quoted as saying “People photograph everything and nothing – no interaction is deemed to have actually happened unless somebody has a picture of it.”
“I think that is odd and I think it’s so odd I think it might actually be starting to alter the way we think about each other and the way we think about general day-to-day social interaction.”
With the invention of Smartphones, we have our own tiny computer in our hot little hands most of the day. Facebook is the third most popular App behind email and web browser and we visit this site on average 14 times day for at least half an hour in total. The rest of the time we are obviously busy using its camera to record our life.
We know what Laurie’s talking about. Some people do think they have to tell you the minute and often boring detail of their lives. Smartphones make it so easy. We’re not complaining, they’re a great gadget and we wouldn’t be without ours!
Every Waking Moment
Most Smartphone owners check their Smartphone 15 minutes after waking up or sooner – don’t want to have missed anything while they slept.
We are sure that to some people updating their status continually and posting the latest photo does make them feel as though their life is the most interesting, the most fun. We’re certainly not sure how we coped before Smartphones came along.
Sure the original mobile phones we’re great as security for keeping in contact with everyone. Text messaging then began to take over. Now there are so many ways of communicating digitally, that is has to be a Smartphone.
Object of Desire
Smartphones first grabbed our attention with their good looks. Now it is more than that although of course that is still important. It also stands to reason that if you love the look, probably someone else will too. That’s why we’re not surprised to learn that they are also a temptation to thieves. In London 300 are stolen every day (Daily Mail 20/07/13)!
Get Covered
Our best advice to you is to get some mobile insurance and also make it harder for thieves to grab your phone.
Simple things like never leaving you phone lying around on a café table even if you are there. In the time you’re distracted – chatting to a friend (face to face, which I know is unusual), reading the paper – is all that’s needed for a professional snatcher to grab it.
Never take a phone call or start texting while you are walking along. Basically you can’t see who’s coming up behind you. Not only could your phone be snatched but you could be hurt in the process.
Never loan your phone to someone else. Even if you know them, they probably won’t take the same care as you.
In the end whether your Smartphone is lost or stolen, you’ll be lost without it. Good mobile insurance will ensure that’s it’s replaced quickly. Phew just in time for an overdue status update!
By Rob Rudd
Rob Rudd is guilty of photographing most things his children to and uploading it to Facebook and Twitter. He has not yet photographed a meal and uploaded it.