On Sun, Jan 15, 2023 at 7:27 AM Udhay Shankar N via Silklist < [email protected]> wrote:
> > We've all probably seen lists like this [1]: "50 Things Your Smartphone > Replaced" that talk about all the tools that the smartphone has made > obsolete. > > However, I recently realised that there is a small set of things that (for > me, at least) are moving in the opposite direction. The typical use case is > that my smartphone is "good enough" for casual use, but serious or focused > activity in this area needs a specialised tool. > > Some examples: > > - Cameras, the obvious one. Smartphone cameras keep getting better but the > laws of physics mean that they can't have the kind of lenses that > single-purpose cameras do. > - Music. I mostly listen to music through either my phone or my computer. > For serious listening, I still use my phone but I will connect a DAC and a > good pair of headphones. > - Reading. For focused reading, either a Kindle or a large monitor on my > desktop. > > Any others you can think of? > >From the other side, as one of those people who have never used a smartphone, I am severely tempted by one thing: the GPS for getting around in places I don’t know. The travel writing phase of my working life preceded the smart phone era, and the habit I developed then of looking up maps and downloading and printing them out to make notes on (plus photocopies from Lonely Planet guides) is something I still do, except for the printing out part. I am also tempted by the ability to make decent photographs with great ease — photography gives me great joy — since sometimes carrying around my camera is cumbersome. To be honest, the always-on connectivity is tempting too, with all the convenience of useful apps, but I have had my struggles with severe Internet addiction, so I have decided to hold out. In emergencies, thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones, there is usually someone around who I can ask for help. ~ peter
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