Don’t do it!  I got a smartphone last May, thinking it would be a lesser temptation for me than the iphone.  I gave up my old flip phone for a stylish smartphone and totally regret it.  I have become that mom who checks FB and e-mails while at the park.  Instead of hanging with my kids while we wait for another child to have speech therapy, I am bent over my smartphone surfing the web.  I already spent too much time online at home, now its portable.  As soon as my contract is up I’m going back to chisel & stone.

I wouldn’t do it.  I think the current trend of “always being connected” is overrated, and in many cases the people that we get connected to aren’t our families and close friends, just other people with the same technology.  It won’t be long before we’re all part of the Borg Collective, unless some of us resist.  My husband had to replace his cell phone, and noticed that they were pushing the fancy IPhones, but you had to upgrade your service (more expensive). He opted for what he calls a ‘grandpa phone.”  Just a phone, thank you.

No opinion on whether or not you should get a fancy phone or not but when you wrote about “My Precious” - I got a SERIOUS case of giggles.

Buy the phone if you really want it, but put a screen lock on so that each time you pull it out, you have a second to think about whether or not you really want to be using it at the moment. Also, it will keep the kids from inadvertantly breaking it/buying things on it/making prank calls to the police.

Okay, I have an iphone and admit that Augustine’s “abstinence is easier than perfect moderation” quote has run through my head a time or two. Set up rules for yourself on iphone. When you will and won’t use it, how you are willing to use it and if you are going to let the kids ever use it. I began by allowing my kids to use mine on occasion and have since stopped. It takes discipline, but I’ve gotten better mostly because I started to resent how much other people were able to interrupt me. My phone is on silent now more often than not!

I just got an iPhone—my first ever smartphone—two weeks ago. I was holding off for all the same reasons you mentioned. I don’t want my son tugging on my arm as I’m checking my email and I don’t want to be constantly connected.

But so far I’ve struck a balance. The phone has been * tremendously* handy in catching up on email, moderating comments, and reading article during times I would have normally wasted. For instance, when I’m in the doctor’s waiting room or waiting for a train to pass by, I can take 10 minutes to knock out a bunch of stuff and clear my mind.

The apps have also been huge for me. I contemplate the daily readings throughout the day with the Magnificat app, the Logos apps brings me 2,000 years of Catholic tradition to my pocket, and hooking up a lapel mic to my phone and running the FiRe app lets me record high-quality talks wherever I’m speaking.

If you can use it prudently, it has huge benefits. That’s a challenging “if” but the “if” is difficult for every tool and area of life.

I got one in January. I was on it a lot at first. Then the novelty wore off. I still play a few games, and I did use it a lot while watching Game 7 of the World Series at a restaurant. I text more now than I used to, but I think that is a good thing, as it has helped me stay more connected to a few close friends and family. I just put limits on myself about use, as you have set out, and that works for me. Just because you have access to email doesn’t mean you have to read it or respond to it right away. Same with text messages and voice mail. If you do start responding immediately THEN you create the expectation of quick response every time. I love having my phone. My pet peeve is people who use it at Mass for the readings, when we have missals right there. My phone stays hidden in my car during Mass or at home. And my kids don’t get to play on it whenever they want.

After trying to tempt me into willingly choosing to upgrade, my husband finally had to take my SIM card and put it in his old Android phone himself before I would convert. (He wanted me to have the GPS mapping ability, too, for safety.) I was a little worried too about it taking over my life, but luckily or not the limited battery life put an end to that fear. It might sound strange, but a part of me feels guilty for keeping the Android. It’s just so shiny…  And although I’m still tempted to go back to my trusty old phone (that could *only* text), I doubt I actually will. 
Be careful what you wish for!

“My precious” had me LOLing!
As a former luddite turned iphone addict, I agree with the previous comments from Christina and Babs, moderation and discipline will help because the iphone is to an information junkie, pure undiluted instant information on the go. WITH the ability to play games, take photos etc.

I make rules for myself to leave the phone down when I get home and not pick it up again till the kids go to bed. It’s like saying grace before a meal, it makes that meal taste that much better while you are waiting for everyone else (hurry up and sit down!) to get ready. A little self sacrifice will do us all well! :P

On the other hand, having an iphone is SO much fun for tweeting about things you find along the way. Check out #seenonmyrun for examples :)
http://storify.com/jose_galvan/theaseenonmyrunastory
Have fun!

(P.S.—I got all excited about a Magnificat app (since Brandon mentioned one), but my search for it in the Android market is turning up empty… must be just an iPhone thing.
I would be interested to see a column on which Catholic apps Android users love!)

I have a grandma phone…it is just a phone for emergencies ( no one but my daughter has the number) It is never, ever turned on unless I am traveling. It is just one more way to impress our grands,like I make my own ice cubes. You remember? Just pour water into the plastic trays and place in the freezer. They think I rock! though perhaps in a strange way. Besides when would I ever get my daily rosary in if not while waiting somewhere for an appt or while riding the subway/bus/train, etc. You need to repeat to yourself several times a day…I do not need it! I think so many people are tuned out, tuning in, they will miss the Lord when He comes again in all His Glory. I sure don’t want to do that!!! Brandon, I lol’d reading your comment on how you do not want to be constantly connected but with those “huge apps” how can you not be and make use?There are still only 24 hrs a day! Besides, you buy one today…and within a few months it is outdated by a newer model.  I love to think and ponder, not point and click! Call me old-fashioned and at peace in the world.

I’ve been an iPhone user for 4 years now. My family includes 6 smartphone users. And I don’t think we’ve really had any of these problems. All gadgets are put away and on “silent mode” during family times and at meals. They’re also silenced when we’re out. Not just at restaurants, but also in bookstores or the mall (and obviously at church). I’ve always found it obnoxious when someone is talking on their phone at Barnes & Noble while others are trying to browse.

People do expect immediate replies to emails and text messages, but I don’t know that that’s because of my phone. I think that’s just the modern world. I feel no guilt in letting their expectations down.

Obviously, you should never text or read phone stuff while driving. Sadly, a lot of people actually do this, and it causes accidents. The maps feature is helpful, but just treat it like you would a paper map. Pull over somewhere to read it.

If you think it’ll be a problem not being fully disconnected from the internet, it might be a good idea to have times of day that the phone is turned off. Although this wouldn’t work for me, because I do a lot of reading in “iBooks.” Lots of great classics for free or cheap. Recently found the complete works of G.K. Chesterton for 99 cents. :)

Another reason not to get one: those tremendously fun conversations at bars or restaurants when a group of friends playfully argues about which actress appeared in that movie, or which team won the 1964 World Series, or who was Kennedy’s Secretary of Defense?  A thing of the past, because now, some smarty pants with an iPhone just looks up the definitive answer online.

I had a smart phone for a year. Exactly two benefits: easier texting (for my friends who seem to only communicate by text) and having a calendar that syncs with my computer. No more forgetting to copy names, dates, etc. onto my computer when I got home.

Beyond that, I didn’t see any features I wouldn’t rather have done without. I’m very happy now that I’m back to a flip phone.

Um, aren’t these things really expensive?  I don’t mean the initial cost of the hunk of plastic (I could deal with that), but isn’t it like $100/month or more for the data/internet/whatever plans?

I just can’t justify having a monthly bill that big for something so unnecessary. There are so many more important places to put our money. (Emergency fund, paying off debt, retirement, college fund for kids, charity, mortgage, etc)

I guess I like to keep things simple. I hate that people now think smartphones are a NEED.  Especially when they complain about never having any money. (And yes, we have basic cell phones and internet, but no cable, no home phone, no car note, etc. And my husband makes well into 6 figures.)

I got an Android smartphone this past summer.  I have to admit that I love it.  In fact, I find myself using my laptop much less frequently because I can do all the mundane things like check email from my phone now.  Also, it’s nice because I can’t check my personal email through my computer at work.

My favorite Catholic apps for Andriod are Catholic One and Lectio Divina.  Catholic One has Daily Readings, the new Roman Missal changes, the mysteries of the rosary, Station of the Cross, Prayers, iCatholic Radio and a few different versions of the Bible.  It used to have the Daily Office, but it was taken off for copyright issues.  However, I can use Lectio Divina for the Daily Office.

I love the fact that it gives me something to do in the doctor’s office, but they can be addictive!  You definitely have to set limits on your usage.  A plan capped data plan might help you with that!

Bottom line for those of us watching our budget—it’s the data plans that add up.  Old iphones are really cheap. Teenagers’ data plans along with yours are not!  And even if you don’t get your kid a smart phone when he gets to the sixth grade, consider that your son/daughter will inevitably know people who have them.  They will show your kid things that will blow their minds.  When I was a sixth grader in Catholic school, a very sweet friend of mine read us racy stuff from novels, on the top of the jungle gym.  Now middle schoolers are showing each other far worse things on their smart phones or itouch.  A kid in my daughter’s science class, played illicit materials on his phone, for the kids in back of him to see.  When she confronted this and other awful offenses,he humiliated her on facebook etc.  It is a whole new world.  Many years ago my brother-in-law said that the tree of knowledge of good and evil is the internet and it is now planted everywhere…I think he’s right!

Oh, Anna Lisa.  I’m so very sorry to hear about your daughter.  What those other kids did was just savagery.  No other way to describe it.  I will pray for all of them.

Somewhat related…. I decided over 2 months ago that I was spending too much time on the Internet, obsessed with the latest tweet or Facebook post.  So I deleted my Facebook (actually *deleted*, not just “deactivated”).  A friend of mine asked me a couple of days ago if I deleted my FB… see how much you’re really missed?  My wife still hasn’t realized it.  At first it was hard not to have the constant input, but I now LOVE the disconnection from “The Timeline.”

I’m not a celebrity; I don’t want or need everyone to follow my every move. Facebook has turned into a digital paparazzi.

A couple of days ago I deleted my Twitter account, too.  The first 24 hours was hard, but now I don’t even think about it.

But I have spent more time drawing and coloring with my daughter which she enjoys immensely.

Looking forward to your future reflections on having a smartphone once you’ve owned one for awhile.  I resisted for a long time too.  Yes, there’s a temptation to become overly distracted by one, but you’re a mom and have your priorities sorted out (I doubt you’ll ever be one of those parents that passes their kids their iPhone in mass, for instance), so I wouldn’t worry.  The benefits outweigh the risks and detriments by far.  It’s like anything, the internet, computers etc…you are the one who decides how much these things dominate your life.

I had a smartphone for a bit, and a blackberry back before iphones were invented for work and it was TERRIBLE.  Every time you hear that beep, you feel obligated to answer RIGHT NOW.  Work emails during dinner and all that evil stuff that you tell yourself you won’t do, and then it sneaks in.  Now I’m just workin’ a cheapo free flip phone and I think it’s better this way.  Cheaper too!

If you get an iPhone (or other smartphone, but why??) you will probably overdo it for a while. Because it will be novel and amazing and OH MY GOSH LOOK AT ALL THESE COOL AMAZING APPS I CAN EVEN START MY CAR WITH MY PHONE!!!1!

But then the novelty will wear off, and if you have a smidgen of self-discipline, it will be worth having. The most wonderful thing about my iPhone is that I can take pictures of my son at a moments notice…and will all the cool photo editing apps available, they are GOOD pictures. That alone has made the iPhone more than worth it. I had to enforce a Sabbath from the phone on Sundays, and I try to put it down in the company of my family. Otherwise, I just enjoy its usefulness and super coolness. I say, if you can afford one, go ahead and get one. :0)

I think I’d rather an ipad with 3G than a smartphone.

@Brandon As the author of Catholics and the New Media you should not have admitted that you just got your first smartphone. How can we possibly respect you anymore? You should at least have gone through three by now.

As to the original worry about email, I started with it on my Blackberry and took it off. I also have turned off most of the notifications on the phone so I only get phone call notices.

Never had any problems in discerning when and when not to use mobile devices. Still don’t. I still take notes with pen/pencil. Am not distracted during family/friend time. Distractions while driving can come screaming kids in the backseat, or numerous other non-electronic sources. I use a Bluetooth headset. I purchased a top-of-the line refurb at significantly less than 1/2 the cost of a new model, and still have the unlimited data plan. ;-) They can be tools and toys. Some consider such devices as electronic balls and chains.

Today I could not find my address book; the old paper version. Ever since I separated my wallet from the address book, I’ve only known where my wallet is. Certainly, a smartphone would be a very expensive loss.  No way for me until I no longer have children under the age of 5; its going to be awhile.

My problem with cell phones in general is a variation on your first point. People expect me to answer their calls immediately whenever they call, or at least respond to their voice mail right away. Same with texts. A friend shared an interesting piece of information with me about, oh, ten years ago: “A ringing phone does NOT have to be answered.” No, it doesn’t. Same thing with texts and emails: you are not obligated to respond to them at anyone’s convenience but your own.

All that being said, I ordered an iPhone 4s for myself and it’s on its way to my house from Hong Kong (!) as we speak. (Er, type.) I decided to get it because it’s an upgrade on almost every technological device that I own, not just my phone. I’m upgrading my camera and photo-editing capabilities, as well as making blogging and etsying and ebaying easier. It’s not a necessity, but it will make my online interactions (social and financial) a little easier. Plus I was eligible for an upgrade through my Sprint contract :-)

awesome. I do not own one! but can easily give way to caving in for several reasons related to “need”, “business” and “better organizatin”. But I figure it can have serious bad attachments, and for those sev reasons I am keeping away for now!!!!

Bad Idea Jeans.

Like most gadgets, I became totally entranced by mine, at first. After a while, though, it lost it’s initial flashy-interconnectedness-thingy attraction and became much more utilitarian. I find that I view it as a very useful tool—something I use often but can put down. I went through the same cycle with my first PC , the Internet, my first laptop, email, Facebook, etc. Eventually, the coolness wears off. Even while typing this. I put down my phone to watch my son’s turn at karate class.

I was “gifted” an Android.  It has allowed me to respond faster to job postings via Facebook where speed matters, which is the main reason for my having one.  I never thought I would want to be able to do so many things with a phone, but they are useful devices.  My only sadness is that I will probably never take full advantage of all its capabilities.
I don’t worry about loss or damage because the plan I have will replace it.  I find after having one for about half a year, it is more durable and harder to break than it looks; I would probably have to have it fully submerged in water.  It’s not even in a case.  Now, it’s true that some people are more prone to breaking things than others… :)
People don’t expect immediate responses from me any more than they did.  I am naturally stubborn and private and rebel against being pinned down by such expectations, and that hasn’t changed.  If it does make noise at an inopportune time, I look the person in the eye and say “Whoever that is can just wait.”
I’m glad I’m using it to replace some of the billion odd little scraps of paper I used to take notes on, although I haven’t completely switched over.  For one thing, they’re easier to lose.  For another, I’m not writing the great American novel on it; my grocery list doesn’t need to be committed to such permanence.
Like so many things, you can own the technology or let it own you.  It could easily be a life-enhancing change.

Also, most people don’t need the Cadillac of data consumption plans.  You’d almost have to be playing full-featured video games or watching full-length movies regularly to surpass the usual 5GB or whatever the heck the standard is, am I right?  I’m not saying it is cheap, but the $100-a-month plans are at the high end if not *the* most expensive.

If “Santa” is your husband, and he’s the one pulling you away from the computer, this whole thing might be a moot point?

My wife, five of six our children (ages 17 - 29), and I all have iPhones. Like any tool, they are just tools and, like any tool, can be an asset or a liability. In our rather high-energy teen & young adult filled household, they are an asset. In fact, they keep me sane. We share calendars to co-ordinate car use, appointments, etc. We use them to have face-to-face conversations with daughter in college (FUS, 1,500 miles away). We use them to track each other, to ensure we are all safe (one daughter is out of state on a car trip with friends). Youngest daughter is in high school, useful in keeping tabs there, need I say more. We use this feature to also pick up stranded sheep. My wife and I use them to co-ordinate groceries, errands, etc, and, I help her with her post graduate math homework.  When either of us runs a specialized errand for the other, we can show each other the part/item to make sure it is the right one.

On my iPhone, I have: my complete prayer book (handy for daily Mass), podcasts of well known Catholic Apologists, the writings of the Church Fathers, the Bible, Pope B 16’s Jesus of Nazareth, the Breviary & Mass (both Ordinary and Extraordinary forms). Movies, such as Into Great Silence.  I also can connect from anywhere to my home server or to any computer in my House. Useful for fixing computer glitches and helping with homework and checking up on things. I use it to pay bills, transfer money to children’s bank accounts who are out and about and suddenly find themselves with an empty checking account, wallet and gas tank while I am in an important meeting.

As an engineer, I also use it to solve equations and check on my office e-mail & schedule. I have a database app to track my far too many accounts (computer, on-line, credit card, etc, both personal and work), complete with user ids, passwords and answers to stupid questions that never really apply to me (FYI: yes, it is encrypted)  We use it to navigate to places we have never been before. And yes, I have a few games there to unwind from time to time and lots of music, mostly Gregorian Chant.

When you do get one, be sure to check out the iPieta app.

Personally, and being a CS major I hope to make apps myself someday (maybe some cool games).  I can’t see my life without it.  Odd, because until 2 years ago I didn’t even use cell phones that much.  The phone I got was a hand me down, then I began to love it’s photo ability (meager, but the best camera is the one you have on hand IMHO).  When it was time to upgrade, I decided to go the smartphone route.

I sometimes resent being connected all the time, but it has proven a boon to keep my schedule and I look forward to doing creative things with it.

It’s a tool like anything else…it’s what you do with it that matters.

God Bless

I have a smartphone, and as a very busy person who’s always on the go, I find that it helps me be productive in weird little blocks of time.  It helps me very much to have access to (among other things) Google Calendar, Evernote, and both my email addresses on the go, so that I have less housekeeping/details/planning stuff to deal with at night when the kids go to bed. If I can knock out some emails and stuff while waiting for other things to happen—oil change, pickup line at school, waiting at the dentist, and so on—it means I have more time to spend as I choose later.
Google Maps is enormously helpful, as is the ability to quickly and easily look up phone numbers and addresses (I keep a phone book in the car but they’re not always up to date).

I think you already have more than enough self-control to handle it.  You already police yourself with other distractions (laptop, TV, etc) so why would you think you wouldn’t be able to police yourself with a smartphone?  It’s easy enough to turn off, or turn on silent, or ignore.

One other thought—I currently own a piano, which my whole family loves—only because I have a smartphone and was able to be the first to reply to the Freecycle email offering it.  If I’d seen it hours later at home, it would have been too late.  Just a thought : )

You are one of my favorite authors. Personal note is Pl do not do it as you would be more occupied with it and be less concentrated on task at hand as it would be a big temptation to be totally submerged in it.

If you don’t want one for the reasons you listed above, for what do you want one.  You’ve talked me out of it.  I’m staying with my old text-n-talk model.

We got our iPhones nearly 2 years ago and both of us - hubby and me - love them.  They help keep our lives organized, we synch our individual personal calendars to one mutual one so we always know what’s going on and how to avoid conflicts ahead of time.  I love that I can keep up to date with my friends on FB and thru e-mail and yeah, Angry Birds and Bejeweled Blitz are great time-wasters. I also play the Pandora app at my desk at work and we use it quite often with our docking station at home. That said - most adults should be able to exercise their own self-control when out with family & friends or even at home. Smartphones and iPhones - just like all cell phones - can be used to an annoying degree when out in public or when driving.  This isn’t a new phenomenon with the advent of Smartphones/iPhones. As long as there have been cell phones - there have been rude drivers.

I agree with your listing of the annoyances you’ve listed, such as the expectation of immediate e-mail response, the inability to separate from the internet, & certainly the family time interruptions. I am also a carrier of pen¬ebook; for listing and writing. However… we all determine where our attention goes, be it the TV, the Mac, or the IPhone beckoning. There are times when I’ve made it clear (and times when friends have made it clear to me) that their response to my e-mail, or text, for that matter, required more time than they currently had, and that they’d get back to me first chance. You can have a quick text for just the subject-line, “Read this: WOW-will reply as soon as schedule allows!<end>” or something like.
OTOH, if I’m stuck away from calls and Mac (or PC) and a loved one needs to emote, give me detailed instructions, etc, I’ll welcome that ability.
Perhaps most critically, the security measures on cells make their use progressively more difficult, and I’ve had a phone stolen. A friend had his IPhone stolen, and he could remotely turn its access off. At that moment, I wished I had an IPhone (yes, in spite of the 3x cost of the insurance on it).
I was born in the 60’s—if we’re to tell our younger generations to control their internet use/addictions, there’s no better model than doing it ourselves.

I advise you to go ahead and get a smartphone. Here are a few tips that might help you keep it under control. First, buy a cheap Android phone rather than a Droid or iPhone. The cheaper phones have 99% of the functionality but the screen is smaller, they are slower and it is harder to type on them. This makes it possible for you to get productive use out of them without having them become a constant temptation. Second, get some great Catholic apps like AMR Radio, Bible, Catholic One and Divine Office. One of my favorite apps is Fulton Sheen Pro that streams over 300 mp3 of Abp Sheen’s lectures and sermons. I also recommend the Kindle app and all the great free classics of literature that are available. Also, I have found texting and photo sharing through Facebook to be a real blessing for keeping in touch with my adult children. As other posters have mentioned, when I first got my phone I played a lot of games but quickly got bored with them. The “fun” app I use now is called SkEye and it is like a planetarium. When pointed at the night sky it identifies the stars and planets. I use it when I walk the dog at bedtime and I am fulfilling a lifelong dream to learn to identify the heavenly bodies. I hope you get as much use and pleasure from your smartphone as I have.

Would an iPod Touch be the right moderation.  Then you only have to take the organization and distractions with you when you WANT to.  It still has many (certainly not all) features with perhaps a few less opportunities for interruptions?  I’ve done both the iPhone AND the iPod Touch and I prefer the Touch simply because I can leave it behind without leaving behind phone capabilities.  Just my 2 cents!

Cell phones in all forms are the mark of the beast. Toss your flip phone and go back to a land line.

As a programer I’m a big fan of technology, but no iPhone for me. I don’t want to become one of the zombie masses - shuffling about semi-hypnotized, staring blank-faced at tiny screens. I check my current phone - set to “no ring” - several times a day to see who might need my attention. I don’t let beeps or buzzes interrupt conversations with precious friends or loved ones.  They deserve my full attention.
How can we hear the voice of God if are minds are never still?

I think it’s funny how they call it a “smartphone”, for I think it’s a “dumbphone”—Dumbing people down with emmediate gratification, and people always looking at their phone with anticipation of getting texts. 

I cannot stand when I go somewhere with someone, like out to dinner, and they are texting or taking a call.  I think it is rude.  It’s like you are face to face with someone and at the dinner table, yet you are communicating with others? It’s even worst when I see parents out with their kids i cars, shopping or at a restaurant—and their talking on their phones instead of giving their attention to their own kids!

I may use my cell phone not even maybe once a week if that.  It’s the number I give out that has voicemail to poeple I don’t want bothing me at home on my landline. 

Isn’t having a home computer enough?  I do have a Tablet that uses Android apps, but I primarily use it to read books, listen to audio books, old radio shows, listen to radio stations around the world, store photos, and listen to the police scanner. 

The internet is a fantastic tool to learn from—Anything I want to know about is at my fingertips, yet, with many things, poeple abuse this great technology to waste time on frivious gibber jabber, to send inappropriate photos and other idiotic uses.

I don’t want a “smart phone” it’s a waste of time and think it’s nuts when I hear people say they pay like over $200.00 per month for such an undeeded item….

I couldn’t handle the temptation. I wanted some of the advantages, though, so I bought an ipod touch and a gps. If I really need my email, I go somewhere there is wifi available, which is more and more common. The GPS is just enough if I’m completely lost and desperate for help. No monthly fees, no constant texting and emails. My hubby has a crackberry for work and, while he is very good about keeping it put away, I do occasionally catch him checking his email when we’re talking. If he does it, after vowing not to, anyone can.

Have some self-discipline and get an iPhone!  I’ve had one and I don’t let it interrupt my interaction with people or the world.  It’s all about prioritizing your actions appropriately.

I didn’t want to get an iPhone because of the monthly costs. And not to contradict, but $100 seems to be about the going rate for data, text, and phone plans.  I never thought the rates would come down to something reasonable, but Virgin Mobile offered $25 a month for 300 phone minutes and unlimited text and data, and eventually I got an Android phone (the plans have since increased in price, BTW). I was paying $25.99 already for a dumb phone, so the price was finally right. I couldn’t face paying $100 a month for what is essentially a luxury.

I use the GPS all the time to find my way around.  I read on it when I’m bored in line.  But I don’t have any children tugging at my sleeve who need my attention.

That reminds me of a bigger issue. How can mothers of large families find the time to text and play games and read online books and post at Facebook and write blogs? I only had two children, and there was way too much to do at every moment to feed, clothe and care for everybody and keep the house running.  Don’t you need those times after the kids go to bed to fold the clothes or do the dinner dishes or pay bills? Tell me how you do it.

Hello, as I write this, I am having lunch. I use an iPhone because I’m an Apple user. At work, we use imacs, at home my macbook. Yes I hace had to learn to text and email from my phone. With moderation, you can learn to live with an iPhone. Just stay away from Twitter and Facebook, and you’ll be fine!

I just got a smart phone, my husband gets 18% off the initial coxt, and NOT havin,the ‘walkie talkie’ type is sad, ;0( but having a camera, and having FB and yahoo, and get EWTN, and even a flashlite….it is wonderful. I recently had a ‘hammertoe’ surgery, and was going to ‘bond with it’, but3. and learn all its features, but then we lost eletricity, and had to leave, and was so very glad my phone was small and could even use my Kindle books on it!.... I got the Baltimore Catechism on it, I have an Original one and don’t want to overuse the pages.  Also, UNPLANNED by Abby Johnson I got Immediately after it was published….when she left PLANNED PARENTHOOD…and found out through Life News on my I phone she is pregnant again….DISIPLINE…..I even found a place to visit, as I cannot get out of the house a lot with injury…stayingcyber.org….for recovering alocholics…and YES 24/7 I can get/or give my ideas on situations and ask for help or at times actually gratefully I can give some. Mother Mary, and SAINTS…holylove.org rosaryfotheunborn.com…WONDERFUL WONDERFUL SHARES!!! adoration novenas are in my ‘bookmarks’.

As a smartphone owner I can see the concern but as a mom I know when to put it away! Don’t underestimate yourself! If people expect immediate replies remind them that you aren’t attached to your phone, you are to your children.  Get insurance on it, it is relatively cheap and ours covers everything except water damage. Sometimes it is okay to be distracted from your children if they are safe and able to entertain themselves, Mom needs a break too. You won’t be distracted while driving because you know better. And if you like old fashioned notes, keep it up!  I don’t use my phone for note taking either.  I do use it for a million other things, GPS, etc..

I’m with you - friends know I am a neo-Luddite.  Honestly, I think these electronic devices are one of the reasons we have become so rude and disconnected.  Perhaps not with adults, who learned about being polite from their parents but too many teens are being led to believe that who they are with is never as important as the technology in their hands.

I go nuts seeing people out and about who ignore those around them w/ phone calls, texting and more.  I keep shaking my head.  Are they awaiting news on a new baby?  A call for emergency surgery?  Zombie apocalypse?

Sure, there are those who have them, balance their lives and all is good (as these comments state) and I know I would also balance my time well if I had one BUT…..I also know I don’t NEED one.  It is not necessary to my life and I also have a very limited family budget.  I’m sticking with my cheap flip-phone.

I just wonder what future Christmas cards will look like - no more Currier and Ives woodcuts of sledding and trimming the Christmas tree….just pictures of families on their couches with their eyes and fingers glued to electronics.

In September, it was a year that we have been without phones.  It has actually been quite wonderful.  Now, I don’t get a call at the house immediately followed by my cellphone (since I didn’t answer the house phone due to changing a diaper, cooking or whatever).  I also have more time to pray on my drives, instead of chatting on the phone.  The other thing is I can actually pay attention to the road more…very important as people texting on their phones regularly pull into my lane.  The biggest lesson I gained from not have a phone this year is how rude people have become.  They constantly check their email or answer their phone—even when immersed in a conversation with me.  I do not miss the phone and I hope more people will jump on board and leave their gadgets behind.  None of us are really that important to need an email or call right this moment.  ;-)

I have an iTouch & do really like the iPieta app, iRosary, & found it to be a good way to avoid monthly charges. I am a little envious of MammaKelly with no phones. We have 4 phones on our plan & spend way too much each month for what feels like a safety net.

I have gotten into trouble more than once because I use Lecto Divina, a free breviary/daily reading ap, which is free for my phone. See… it uses the same translation that St. Thomas Moore uses for mass, which is not the same translation used in the missal.  So… am I being a hypocrite by covering up my phone useage in church to avoid making a false impression (say, like blowing a trumpet before giving alms), or doing my church community a good turn by getting lost in the missal during the readings?  I hate spending more time trying to keep up than thinking about God during mass.  I would never play games or read anything but the readings during mass.

Please buy one! Specifically an iPhone.  I have one and I don’t stare into the screen, or text all the time, but it saves me at least $50 dollars a week in shopping!  I’m not kidding.  It’s an app called Red Laser and it’s developed by eBay.  You scan a barcode (any) and it will show you all the prices of your item in all the stores around you.  It works as fast as any self checkout scanner and it will pay for your iPhone monthly service charges.  It’s the most used app on my iPhone.  I use it for both business and pleasure.