In the wake of Apple's iPhone battery scandal, I scheduled an appointment to get my discounted battery. On the day of my appointment, I arrived at the Apple Store with half of Louisville it seemed and everyone was seeking a new battery. After the technician ran diagnostics, which indicated that my battery was indeed bad, I surrendered my phone to him and was told that it would be ready in two hours.
Two hours.
Not wanting to drive the 13 miles to my house, only to have to drive the 13 miles back to the mall in rush hour traffic, and then drive back to my house again, I decided to kill some time while my battery was being replaced.
Kill some time. Without a phone.
As much as I hate to admit, that was easier said than done. Those two hours without my phone were two of the strangest hours I've had in a long time. The strangeness began immediately after I left the Apple Store and reached for my phone to check the time (so I'd know what time to return), only to realize that I was sans phone and had no timepiece because I had given up wearing a watch a couple years ago.
Deciding to make the most of that mall visit, I then made a few returns. Realizing that I needed to text my husband to let him know that I'd be late, I unzipped my purse to get my phone only to come up empty handed. That's when it hit me that I had no phone and therefore no way to contact him.
I thought, "No sweat... I'll just find a pay phone and call him."
Bahahahahahahaha! A PAY PHONE! What in the world is that?
After looking in all the places where pay phones used to be located in malls, I discovered not a single pay phone. None. Zip. Zilch. Zero. Pay phones really have gone the way of the do-do bird.
For the next half hour or so, I loafed around that mall, something I don't do often because I don't like shopping. Back in the day, I would've killed time in the bookstore, but Waldenbooks had disappeared from that mall several years ago. Given that I had no way to listen to my audiobook, no way of checking email, no access to Words with Friends or Dice with Buddies, my entertainment options were limited. I seriously felt like I had been thrown back into the technology dark ages of the early 2000s.
About halfway into my two hour wait, after I exhausted things to do there, I drove to another nearby shopping center. Within a block of my destination, traffic came to a complete stop as a gaggle of Canada geese began crossing the street at an intersection. Noticing that they were actually crossing in a crosswalk, I reached for my phone to take a picture. I had no phone, therefore I had no camera. What a great picture that would've made!
After exhausting all my window shopping options, or at least the ones I was willing to endure, and gave up and headed back to the Apple Store. There I waited on one of the sofas in the concourse with several old men who were waiting on their wives. Thankfully, as my pickup time drew near, one was ever so kind enough to tell me what time it was.
I cannot tell you how glad I was to get my phone back. But, on the other hand, I cannot express how weird those two hours were and how cut off and impaired I felt. I was a smart phone holdout for several years. I was perfectly content to wear a watch, have a separate camera, to have all my music on an iPod, to use an actual alarm clock, and to have a basic cell phone that allowed me to call and text. Little did I know when I bought my first smartphone, that I would become so dependent on it. I'm not sure how I feel about this either.
Have you ever been in a similar situation where you were without your smartphone for period of time? How did it affect you, if at all?
Worrying that there were no pay phones although I guess in an emergency someone would call 911 for you or even let you make a call to a loved one. When I upgraded my Fitbit recently I made sure it had a time feature so I always had access to a clock.
ReplyDeleteI actually forget to take my phone out with me all the time! Usually I have a specific goal though so I'm doing whatever I set out to do and don't actually need my phone. I can't remember the last time I was without a phone AND had nothing to do. I still use my actual camera to take photos - the camera on my phone isn't great.
ReplyDeleteI actually forget my iPhone more than is probably considered normal. Haha. I do get a little anxious when I realize I've left it behind, though. (Mostly because I'm terrified that I'll get in an accident or something and have no way to contact anyone.) I consider it to be useful and I like the comfort of having it with me, but I can definitely entertain myself without it (I always carry a book in my purse!) and I doubt I check it as often as most people do.
ReplyDeleteI still wear a watch to work every day but definitely rely on my phone when I'm out. I think it's just knowing that you can't tell anyone where you are and you can't be reached that is slightly terrifying. Which is ridiculous but not so ridiculous in today's world.
ReplyDeleteI still rely on my watch, alarm clock, and iPod but I'm realizing how odd that probably sounds! I just saw a pay phone recently and almost snapped a picture of it because they're so obsolete nowadays. I had a similar experience a few weeks ago when my phone refused to charge. Luckily I was home when it happened, so I was able to use my computer to communicate with the world, but it was still a weird and uncomfortable feeling! But thanks for the reminder! I need to make an iPhone replacement battery appointment as well.
ReplyDeleteI wear a watch and always have a book or kindle with me, but I don't usually carry a separate camera anymore and since I use my phone mostly to take photos, that is weird not to have it!
ReplyDeleteWe are so reliant on our phones now. Even in ways we don't even think of until they're gone!
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth