My First Smartphone (Blog #1)

           I checked the time. The clock read ten a.m. I could not believe that the day was here. I waited by the window like a dog waiting for their owner to return home. Suddenly, I saw a big white van pull up with the bright purple and orange Fed Ex letters on the side. My anxiety turned into excitement and I ran to the front door. I stood on the threshold staring at the tall man who held my future in his hands.

            “Corey Lacey,” he asks.

            “That’s me,” I respond.

            He hands over the box and I hastily signed my name. I waved good-bye to the generous sir. As I walked to the living room, thoughts rushed through my head. Is it broken? Are all the pieces intact? How long will it take before I can start using it? I ripped open the box and saw the silver Apple logo on a white box. Slowly, I pulled the case up and took out my brand new iPhone. It was finally in my hands. However, I started to wonder if my mind was ready to tackle a phone that was capable of doing anything and everything.

Having an iPhone has made life so much easier. My biggest issue with my old phone was that I was limited. I could only do so much with the “apps” that were a part of the phone. The phone was breaking down from wear and tear over the last year. I felt that I was behind the times and I could not partake in technology fully. With my new iPhone, I love how fast I can get access to everything. But it’s not only my iPhone that allows me to enjoy this luxury. Whether it is with my laptop or my iPod Touch, I love how reliable technology has become far removed from the times of the telegraph. Yet, I know the issues that arise with having so much power in my hands.

            On the first day of having my iPhone, I literally spent most of my time downloading apps, uploading music, texting, and taking pictures. I was heading back to Juniata in a couple of weeks so this smartphone was sure to become more of a distraction. I’m sure professors share my thoughts on technology’s effect on the ability of students to focus.

"I would ban that too if I knew the students were using it in class," Summers said of the iPhone, once a description of the device had been provided to him. "What we want to encourage in these students is active intellectual experience, in which they develop all the wide range of complex reasoning abilities,” (Glater, NYT).

            I would not want my iPhone to be banned from a classroom but I can understand the reasoning behind it. Students would not get in trouble for trying to sneak texts and could focus more in class. Learning self-control is important. Also learning how to rely on our own intellect as opposed to the convenience of Google is equally as important.  

            My experience with my iPhone has taught me to push myself away to focus on work. Technology has such a grasp on a person’s social life that it is a daily effort to try to even hold a conversation with someone without checking their phone every five minutes. I am proud owner of a trademark piece of the digital revolution. However, I do not want to become a heavy reliant and end up failing because I am too busy checking my Facebook or tweeting. 

Works Citied:

Glater, Jonathan. “IPhone and iPod: Learning tool or distraction?” New York Times 27 Aug. 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/business/worldbusiness/20iht-phone.4.15475636.html?_r=2

Corey Lacey