According to Amanda…The Unexpected Benefits of Being an iPhone User
3 min readI have unintentionally become one of those people: an iPhone person.
It all started when my old phone broke the mutual agreement that we had. My phone would turn off, I would be patient and eventually it would come around and turn back on. I was patient because, hey, we all get a little fussy sometimes.
One day, though, my phone apparently had it. It turned off and never turned back on. Not only did I feel betrayed, but I also felt cut off. My first reaction was to call my parents to let them know what happened. Without my phone, though, that wasn’t going to happen.
So, through a series of e-mails, my dad talked me into getting an iPhone. When he first suggested it, I thought he was kidding. I have serious butter fingers when it comes to cell phones. It’s why I was so patient with my old phone – I figured it deserved a little space since I dropped it more than I should have.
Getting an expensive phone seemed silly, if not for my butter fingers, then for the fact that I’m not really into fancy phone technology. As long as it could make phone calls and send text messages, I would be happy. The iPhone seemed excessive.
Nonetheless, after multiple e-mails from both my dad and brother (both proud owners of iPhones), I took the plunge and bought an iPhone. In the end, what convinced me was my brother’s angle that the iPhone was an investment. What can I say? He swayed me.
When my iPhone finally came in the mail, I was so worried about dropping it, that I kept it in small zipper pouch filled with bubble wrap. Not exactly functional. Two days of constantly rewrapping the phone in bubble wrap convinced me that I needed a case.
I trolled around online and found a thick, textured rubber case that promised me it would provide good grip, and bounce in the event of a spill. I figured the case and the thought of seeing my last summer paycheck bounce on the pavement would be enough to keep me firmly holding onto the phone.
Next came the installation of “apps.” For a few weeks, I resisted downloading any applications. It seemed silly. I didn’t need them. Then it occurred to me that it was, perhaps, sillier that I wasn’t actually using the phone I had just spent a substantial amount of money on.
But the problem with me is that I’m a person of extremes. I went from having only the standard apps to having upwards of twenty. I was amazed by how many free applications were available to download.
I also linked all of my e-mail accounts to the mail application. Now, I can check my e-mail anytime, anywhere, provided there’s wireless internet to pick up. Now, when I wake up at 3 a.m. to get a drink of water, I check my e-mail, just because I can.
Even though I’m now using my iPhone to its full potential, I have to wonder if it’s really that good for me. Especially considering I almost walked into a lamppost the other day while feeding my virtual fish.
