Looking at Zack Arias’ Project #de_VICE, it’s amazing how prevalent smart device’s really are. Then I ask myself, what did we do 10-15 years ago? Has the smart device replaced the book? If you’re on a train/bus now, all you see are smart phones. 15 years ago, there would have been a lot more books. Has this led to the decline of book reading? I’m a reader (although I’ve been on a long draught now, not due to my phone) and if I still took the train/bus on a daily basis, would I have stopped reading in deference to my smart phone? And moreover, is the prevalence of these device’s causing a decrease in our attention span? Causing us to be bored if we don’t have one? Has it increased our need for (constant) stimulation? Don’t get me wrong, I love my phone. I’m very much a ‘plugged’ in person, having been actively using the web/blogging since 2000. I love how social media allows you to connect with so many more people than you ever would have in ‘real’ life. And it’s a marvel to know, that once you have that 4″x2.5″ device in your hand, you’re effectively connected to the world – where ever you go. But that begs the question, when do we disconnect and are we disconnecting enough?
Ardean Peters: Toronto Photographer | People & Light 
A “necessary evil”….Most likely evil and definitely not necessary though I’m out there, guilty as charged. In fact, I just posted a blog just to test out how easy it would be blog a post with just using a phone…! Well..sorta easy, but I definitely would prefer the traditional way. I’m mostly hooked on it because I’m a nerd and really enjoy the brain and word games I can acquire =)
You definitely get the connection ~ but my quandry is the quality of the connection. Fleeting greetings and left-off conversations..
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Ya, can’t see myself blogging a full post from my phone – with all the actual typing involved/post editing/url’s I’d inevitably want to link to. That’d be a nuisance on a 2 inch touch screen keypad – lol! But it is great for quick photo only uploads.
“but my quandry is the quality of the connection. Fleeting greetings and left-off conversations..”
So true… emails and back & forths, but they do tend to dwindle off… hmm…. you do acquire a lot more ‘acquaintances’ and don’t or aren’t always able to take those connections/friendships to the ‘next’ level. There are definitely on-line friends that I’d love to be able to be ‘irl’ friends with (yourself included), but distance just doesn’t make it possible.
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