The step to owning a mobile phone is not as great as the step to owning a smartphone such as an iPhone. Smartphones are quite life changing and very addictive, but they are not always the best phones for making calls and their battery life is extremely short, mainly because they can be used in so many ways.
It is probably easier to make a list of
what I use mine for on a regular basis:
Phoning
Texting
Email
Internet browsing
Listening to music or stories on audiobook
Taking photos. The latest craze is the ‘Selfie’ or photo of
yourself which is usually shared instantly on Facebook
Looking at photos stored on the phone
Showing photos to others and sharing via
email, facebook etc
Making movies
Checking my diary and important dates on
the calendar
Getting the phone to remind me of important
dates or events with a tone
Setting the alarm on the phone to wake me
up,
Using the timer function in the kitchen
Using the calculator
Looking up a phone number or address in
Contacts (Address book)
Writing a note or reminder
Navigating using Google Maps when I am lost
Using the compass app to know which
direction I am travelling
Buying a new song on iTunes
Checking Facebook and commenting on
Facebook, sharing stories and messaging
Checking BBC News and Weather App
Deciding which star I am looking at with
Star Walk App
Facetime and Skype- free calls and
messaging
Reading on the Kindle App
Recording my run or walk to see how far I
have been and how fast I went
Online Banking
Using the phone as a torch
Checking my passwords in the Password App
when I have forgotten them
Games (not very often)
Using the phone as a radio with Radio
Player
Catching up on Podcasts- especially the
Archers
Using Shazam App to find out what song is
playing on the radio
Discovering which bird I am looking at with
my Bird identifying App
Learning a new language
Recording a voice memo, concert and playing
it back
It’s no wonder that people rarely have them
out of their hands and are constantly looking at them!
There are of course a whole host of other
things that you can do on a phone using different Apps available. I have used various ones such as currency
converters and translation and local travel guides, shopping Apps and newspaper
ones, Apps to test your hearing or your reflexes, QR readers to scan barcodes
and get information, the list is endless.
None of this is difficult, there is a whole
new world out there waiting for you if you have yet to take the plunge.
There are however many other things that
smartphones can be used for with added accessories. I had some time to spare in the Apple store
the other day and decided to do some research.
I discovered that I could buy colour changing bulbs, turn my iPhone into
a controller and experience multicoloured mood lighting at home! I could also use my phone in conjunction with
other equipment such as wristbands which record the calories that you use in a
day, or the exercise that you do and encourage you to be fit and healthy. There are ones to monitor your heart rate,
sleep, baby, pet, house and much more.
A little research shows that you can turn
your iPhone into a satellite phone, Wi-Fi hub, microscope, night vision camera,
Gameboy, amplifier, 3 D camera. It is
really quite remarkable.
I
find it intriguing that all this is possible.
It isn’t that long ago that mobile phones were huge and expensive
luxuries- how quickly things change! Even
if you choose not to own one, it’s still interesting to know what you can do
using one! If you do have one already, you
might now be tempted to get more out of it and use yours in a different way. A smartphone can change your life!
