To combine, or not to combine, that is the question. Is it better to have a PDA and cell phone separate or is a smartphone the way to go? Both sides have valid arguments. Let's look at the viewpoint of PDAs and cell phones separately being better.
If you buy a smartphone through one company, and let's say you get fed up with their service, you might not be able to switch to another phone company without having to purchase a new mobile device (either a PDA or another smartphone). A smartphone has twice as much value as either a cell phone or a PDA by themselves. Not just monetarily, but also with respect to work and social life. Many people are somewhat abusive with their cellphones, taking them everywhere they go. PDAs are usually reserved for work and work-related issues. Having a smartphone would mean that you would have to take it with you everywhere, increasing the likelihood of damaging or losing the more esteemed mobile device. Smartphones are bigger and clumsier than regular cell phones. Smartphones could be more hazardous for drivers too.
On the other hand, smartphones do have their advantages over the separate PDA and cell phone. The most obvious advantage is the fact that you only have to carry around one device with you instead of two. The convenience of being able to talk and retrieve information from the same device is great. Some businesspeople just need a cell phone that has contact storage and email capability instead of all the other riff-raff that PDAs can offer. One sleek smartphone is also more stylish than carrying around two mobile devices.
Overall, both of these viewpoints have their advantages. I myself would probably go with the separate scenario because of the cost and the fear of losing a smartphone versus just the PDA or my cell phone by themselves. Also, I would like the flexibility of being able to switch plans without having to purchase another mobile device in order to be compatible with the new company.
2 comments:
Although I agree with the conclusion drawn here, I would prefer to have a single device with both aspects included rather than a separate cell phone and PDA. The ability to carry around just one device and use if for multiple purposes is the whole point of technology, and we ought to take advantage of it. I would not want to lose or damage my smartphone either, but I feel that this can be avoided by being smart about where you take it with you and how careful you are with the smartphone. It is always more convenient to carry around one device that does everything than multiple devices that do their own thing. It is very important, though, to understand the plan you are signing up for before you get the smartphone because most contracts are for 2 years.
I am still on the fence between smartphones and the seperate devices. I like the idea of an "all in one" and you never know when you are going to need its uses, but I drop my cell phone quite a bit and I like to keep it in my pocket. Smartphones may be sleek but as for fitting in a front pocket, that's another story. Some pharmacies don't allow cell phones in the pharmacy because of professionalism and with smart phones looking up information and sending a text message look exactly the same.
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