Would you imagine not having a smartphone in 2018? What would you hardly miss if you had a ten years old phone instead of your actual smartphone?

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I love this question! It definitely relates to a post I recently made on how the Internet has changed my life, I'll link that below. 

I Received My First Smart Phone in 2008

I'm 30 years old and didn't get a smart phone until I was 21; it was an Android but I don't remember the exact model. I didn't really *need* a smart phone back then, I was in college and the first iPhone released. It was neat seeing people play games and download programs (now people say applications/apps, lol) from a marketplace where Indie developers could share their products. That's what sucked me in. I'm not a developer in anyway, but I definitely support platforms that publish Indie works (like Steam for games, for example.)

Could I Ditch My Smartphone in 2018?

Well, I certainly want to... 

I don't like the number of streams on the number of devices I own in which people and programs can contact me. Being open and digitally connected is great, but I release a heavy sigh when I'm hanging out with a group of friends and everyone prefers their screens to reality. 

I also don't like the amount of privacy I give up to various companies and individuals (via the phone itself and all its apps,) especially since I work in the computer security field and have seen first hand how easy it is for regular people to break into your phone. (Ever been to Defcon? https://www.defcon.org/)

Not to mention, or go into details, about the Edward Snowden revelations regarding smart devices & privacy from governments.

What Do I Use It For Now?

Whenever I seriously try to audit my smart phone use and see if I could go back to a simpler device, here's what's hard to let go of...

1. Uber - I live in the city and don't really need nor want a car. I walk most everywhere I go. If I ditch the smart phone, I'd have to ditch my transportation.
2. Google Authenticator - I work remotely/from home and have the freedom to travel. In order to login to my work systems however, I also need a smart device to authenticate. In other words, I need my phone to do my job. This also applies to anything related to 2FA like E-Mail, Crypto, etc.
3. Podcasts - I listen to a lot of podcasts while I walk, jog, or move about the city. For this, I need an app to receive the data - cannot be done on an iPod or non-smart phone (to my knowledge.)
4. Banking - If there's a problem, I can sometimes solve it with an app, rather than making a phone call.
5. Social status - yeah, it's a real thing. Even if you're well off financially, people assume you're either weird or have no $ w/o a smart phone. Sad but true.

The Verdict

Nah, I'm not ditching the smart phone. I can only limit its usage (keep it on airplane mode most of the time) the apps I download, and know how to manage my privacy settings. If I was wealthy, maybe I'd be able to get rid of it without it adding complexity to my life. And I try very hard to keep my life as simple as possible.

What About You?

I'm curious :)

Oh, and here's that article:

How Has The Internet Changed My Life?https://steemit.com/internet/@stevecronin/f3hakhcg5