Sunday, January 15, 2012

Why I Don't Need the iPhone

My dilemma.
Well, honestly who does need the iPhone? Technology is great, but how many years has society functioned without it? Too many to count. In modern society it is rare to meet an individual who does not have a cell phone. People are beginning to view them as a NEED. Are cell phones very useful in
emergencies? Yes. Have they been used to save lives? Probably. Are they necessary for human survival? No. After being on the same cell phone plan as my parents since I was 13, I decided to be a grown up and purchase my own phone and service. Which phone did I want? Why, the iPhone of course. I NEEDED the iPhone. Why? Because everyone else had it. I idolized the iPhone, but since I was going to have to pay for my own phone and service, I had to really consider whether or not it would be a good purchase. What I really wanted in a phone was an interned connection so I could check e-mail or look something up if I wanted to.
My conclusion...at least for now.
When I did the math, I realized that going it alone with the iPhone would end up costing me more per year than my car insurance. I was not okay with that. My parents were kind enough to offer me the option of staying on their plan and paying only the $30.00 a month it would cost for the data package. Since I wanted to take the responsibility of paying my own bills on myself, I decided that the iPhone was not for me. I don't have anything against Apple or the iPhone for that matter (remember, it was my 1st choice). But since I do not share a plan with anyone, the cost of owning an iPhone was not worth it for me. I currently have the Motorola Triumph, which I was able to purchase for $50.00 less than the manufacturer's price on Amazon. My total per month was initially $37.71 including tax, but I will now be paying for my service through Walmart.com and it will be $34.52 per month. No, I don't have instagram, but I have read that it is coming to Android operating systems. I am still able to use apps like fx Camera and Retro Camera (two of my favorites). One of the bonuses of my phone is that I didn't have to sign any contracts as my service is pre-paid. This means that at any time I am able to choose a different phone or service. The phone provides what I was looking for at the cost that best suits my needs and when I was confused regarding payments, the Customer Service I received was over the top! If I ever get married and am able to share the cost of the iPhone with a spouse, I might consider it. I sometimes still struggle with idolatry when I see the iPad because it looks like so much fun. But reality is once you buy the external keyboard and all the accessories, you've spent nearly $1,000.00. My laptop can do many of the things the iPad can and it was only $350.00. Maybe one day I'll convert to Apple, for now though, I am content with what I have as I have realized that what I have is more than I'll ever need (I'm not talking about just the phone here).
Love,
Lolo