Smartphone Dilemma
I’ve had my phone for 3-4 years, and it’s been a good phone. The battery still lasts 3 days, the 7 key doesn’t work very well (try texting “spider” in T9…not good!), but I can still text.
At the same time, I’m ready to up my contract and dive thumbs-first into the 21st century.
I look at the iPhone, and the new Motorola Droid, and think: “wow…5 megapixel cameras, 3G, music, facebook, 3D games.” The list goes on.
But on these phones, you HAVE to get data. which is $30 bucks a month. and I’m thinking…$30 a month could literally clothe and educate a kid in Antigua, Guatemala. This isn’t a guilt trip, I’m just torn. I want the awesome phone, but do I NEED email at my fingertips? Turn by turn directions are hawt, but I can print out Google Maps. I can get an iPod for like $80. and Facebook can wait.
This is where I’m at. I want to be generous and love people. I want to be have cool stuff. I’m torn. What do you think?
Since I am "old" and really don't need or want facebook on my phone, 3D games, music… I would say, feed and educate the child. Or you could save that $30 every month and have enough money to buy yourself a new car some day or something else that may come in very handy in your future. I know new technology is cool though and I already admitted that I am in a generation that doesn't really need all that on my phone (or at least I don't) so I am guessing that some of your friends will disagree.
You've asked a great question. There is nothing inherently wrong about having a data plan or having a gadget or new phone. You can base your decision on what you will use it for, but you will always struggle with whether or not to buy it. If it is simply for games and goofing off, then I might pass on it. But if you will use it for staying connected and ministering to others, then I would probably go for it. But there have been times where I have saved up and bought something for my enjoyment.
Either way, you have to make sure that it is in within your budget. We can justify almost anything, so make sure you spend some time in prayer before making any hasty decisions.
Absolutely your right. I agree that there isn't anything inherently wrong w/ $30 data plans.
I personally hope to have a sleek phone some day, maybe I'll wait till after college for one…
Ya know, I got a Palm Pre thinking that I was gonna use the @#$% out of it. Turns out it wasn't much more useful to me than my old "dumb-phone," on which I could still check my e-mail, tweet, look up stuff on Wikipedia, etc. I'm actually downgrading from my Palm Pre to an old LG Rumor I grabbed off eBay because I can't justify the extra $60 a month that it's costing my parents.
Smartphones are crazy sexy, but like Mike said, unless it contributes to your productivity somehow, they're really just expensive toys with expensive monthly plans.
yea, I'm down with expensive toys (macbooks anyone?)
but when the expensiveness constantly recurs…makes me nervous I suppose.
Yeah. If you're paying for a data plan, there's that pressure to actually use it or else it just feels like a waste. That's the case for me, anyway.
haha I can imagine myself pecking away at a tiny 3" screen right next to my computer because "i'm payin for it"
I'll say this… I use my expensive MacBook and my $30 data plan like no other. It was/is well worth the investment for me. But that's me…
Coincidentally I've been paying $10/mo for my gym membership that I haven't been to since March! whoa…
good to hear. yea I love my macbook, but she's paid for…
Yeah, to be straight, the $30 data plan is totally worth it for me. I use it like crazy. At the same time, I can see your dilemma, and I've wrestled with that several times on my own. I wrote a blog post on that a while back, and it helped me to realize some of the ways in which I rationalize my purchases (like by saying that I will use it to help people or some other lame thing that will never happen). It's tough to think about that kind of stuff.
Another thought…could you do both?
haha right now I couldn't do either. but soon I'll probably be able to do just one I think. haha rationalization, my favorite.
You know my answer…
and think about what else you would be spending that $30 a month on (realistically).
I mean…a lot of things I think. $360 a year…hmm….we'll see.
I use my blackberry for work. However, the phone is really the only thing that I would absolutely have to have. I'm never that far from my email. Now, I just use the twitter app for most of my wasted time. My eye is beginning to look at the droid though.