There are many people who are not happy with the current popularity of smartphones. They believe that it hurts young people. They also believe that many are guilty of inappropriate use of smartphones, such as texting while driving and using it during dinnertime (Archer 1).
Although users need to learn how to appropriately use smartphones, it can be argued that smartphones have created a positive impact on society. Some people are guilty of the inappropriate use of smartphones. However, smartphones make it easier to conduct business, prepare travel plans, communicate with important people, gather important information, and locate a particular address.
According to one commentary, “Anything can be abused, even the smartphone” (Archer 1). It means that people use smartphones in an appropriate manner. Nevertheless, one of the most important contributions of smartphones is the convenience of communicating with important people (Turkle 53). In the past, one has to use pay phones to make a call. Most of the time it is difficult to access pay phones.
Sometimes the user does not have enough money to use a pay phone. In other instances, pay phones are defective; therefore, it is impossible to make a call. A smartphone, on the other hand, allows the user to make calls to important people anytime he or she wants to contact them. It is very convenient to make a call using a smartphone because it is a portable device.
The user can carry a smartphone in public places and other locations where there are no pay phones. Smartphones also allow them to send instant messages, and it is a cheap way to communicate with others. Smartphones also allow people to organize the messages that they receive, and it helps them become more productive.
Consider the following quote, “According to another poll by SecurEnvoy, 70 percent of women have phone separation anxiety as opposed to 61 percent of men” (Archer 1). It means that a significant number of people must learn how to live without a smartphone. However, it is also true that the second most important contribution of smartphones can be seen in how it helps people conduct business with each other. In the past, business people need to meet.
They need a face-to-face interaction to close a deal. In the present time, the smartphone enables business people to talk to each other using a camera. The camera enables them to talk as if they are interacting face-to-face. Aside from the convenience of using the phone’s camera to see the other person’s facial reaction, the smartphone also allows them to send business documents with ease. They can also carry the electronic copy of the business documents with them using their smartphone.
They can edit the business documents even if they are on a taxi or in a public place. As a result, they can perform necessary tasks, even when they do not have a personal computer with them. In the past, businesspeople are stressed out if they discover an error in their PowerPoint presentation or Excel spreadsheets.
In the past, they have to go back to their office, or they need to carry a laptop with them. It is oftentimes difficult to make the correction in cramped places like inside the car or inside an airplane. However, it is easier to manipulate a handheld device like a smartphone.
The third most important contribution of the smartphone is the convenience it provides when it comes to gathering important information. Students are able to perform research while they are waiting for their parents to pick them up. They are able to complete their research requirements at a faster rate because they can do research even if the do not have access to a personal computer.
Aside from students, adults benefit from the smartphone’s wireless capability to access information. If they need specific information in order to finish a certain task, there is no need to go to the library or access a personal computer. It is therefore convenient to gather information using a handheld device.
Due to inappropriate use of smartphones, observers were quoted as saying, “As our culture becomes ever more tech savvy and tech hungry, phone-free zones will become more and more common” (Archer 1). It means that policymakers will have to create laws to ban the use of smartphones in some areas. However, it is also true that the fourth most important contribution of smartphones is in the convenience it provides when it comes to travel plans (Timmerman & Rasouli 29).
Those who missed their flights or encountered an emergency may have to stay overnight in a particular location. If they were not able to make reservations ahead of time they will have a hard time finding a hotel that will suit their needs. It is also difficult to make decisions while still in the airport. However, a smartphone can help them locate the hotel that they can afford. Even if there is no emergency, a smartphone can help travelers experience a hassle-free vacation.
They can use their smartphones to discover cheap hotels or cheap restaurants that provide quality service to their customers. In the past, people need to use the telephone book. They also need establishments in order to find out about their products and services. In the present time, users can download a specific computer application in order to help them select the best hotel in a given area.
In other words, there is no need to physically go to a hotel straight from the airport. There is no need to enter a hotel establishment and ask the receptionist about available rooms. There is no need to ask them about room rates because the information is displayed on the smartphone.
The fifth most important contribution of smartphones is the convenience it provides when it comes to locating a particular address. In the past, locating an establishment or an office building requires walking long distances. In most cases, the one looking for the establishment has only the address and nothing more. However, a smartphone that is equipped with the necessary computer application can provide a map that the user can utilize to search for the said address.
Using the said computer application, the user can figure out how far he is from the establishment that he needs to locate. In other words, it is easier to look for something if there is a reference point that can be used to determine the distance from one building to the next. Aside from the maps, it is easier to locate an address using a smartphone, because in most cases one can access the image or picture of the said building or establishment.
Conclusion
The inappropriate use of smartphones is the reason why it has a bad reputation. It is easy to understand the criticism about the use of smartphones while driving. It is also inappropriate to use smartphones while eating dinner. However, smartphones provide a convenient way to communicate with people, conduct business with people, arrange travel plans, gather important information, and locate a specific address.
In the past, it is expensive to make calls. In the past, it is not convenient to make calls using payphones. In the past, it is difficult to solve problems regarding business documents, and it is difficult to solve problems related to travel needs. These problems are resolved by having access to a smartphone. Using the correct computer applications, users can locate the best hotel that will suit their needs. A smartphone can also help them locate a specific address without the need to walk long distances.
Works Cited
Archer, Dale. Smartphone Addiction. Psychology Today. 2013. Web.
Timmersman, Harry & Soora Rasouli. Mobile Technologies for Activity-Travel Data Collection and Analysis. PA: IGI Global, 2014. Print.
Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York: Basic Books, 2011. Print.