People want ‘dumbphones’. Will companies make them?| BBC News

May 22, 2024May 21, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Self-labelled neo-Luddites and the tech-stressed are searching for phones with fewer features. Industry experts cite precarious profit margins and a wobbly market around this niche need.

The iPhone turns 17 this year. The launch of the touchscreen-controlled device signalled a moment that has defined our expectations of smartphones ever since. Almost an entire generation has grown up never knowing life without a smartphone. Enough time has passed that people have learnt about the good and bad of these devices in their lives, whether from myriad scientific studies, or simply their own experiences.

Many people are now acutely aware of the costs of having the world at their fingertips. And they’re rejecting the ways these phones can sap concentration, impact sleep and exacerbate mental health concerns.

Turn Off Your Push Notifications. All of Them | WIRED

July 24, 2017July 24, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

PUSH NOTIFICATIONS ARE ruining my life. Yours too, I bet. Download more than a few apps and the notifications become a non-stop, cacophonous waterfall of nonsense. Here’s just part of an afternoon on my phone:

“Hi David! We found new Crown jewels and Bottle caps Pins for you!”

“Everyone’s talking about Bill Nye’s new book, Everything All at Once. Read a free sample.”

“Alex just posted for the first time in a while.”

Why You Can’t (and Shouldn’t) Avoid Mobile Optimization Anymore | HigherVisibility

June 13, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

For quite some time now, we’ve looked at the optimization and experience of mobile as an option rather than a necessity-the added boost to really keep your site and campaign efforts kicking and competitive. But less than being an added boost has mobile optimization become an absolute must, as user and device research indicates an irrefutable shift away from the traditional desktop and towards smart phones.

As you may or may not have already heard, recent reports show that more Google searches were completed on mobile devices than desktops. Even more interestingly, data revealed that mobile searches result in a considerably high number of purchases and foot traffic into local businesses-much more so than desktop searches. If these observations represent the latest of search habits, then mobile optimization is unavoidable on a monetary basis alone. But money isn’t the only reason it’s time to invest in mobile optimization.

Who The Smartphone Revolution Left Behind | TechCrunch

May 8, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

How many of us have been tempted to chuck our smartphones into the ocean while on vacation to stop the incessant buzzing of incoming emails and texts from interrupting what is supposed to be down time?

While many of us have become increasingly desperate to unplug – there’s even a growing industry of “digital detox” vacation spots – in our love-hate relationship with our smartphones, love ultimately conquers all.

We wouldn’t dream of cutting the cord for more than a day or two max. After all, mobile connectedness has become so critical to modern life that according to research by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, even people living on less than $2 a day reported owning a mobile phone – cutting back on food purchases if necessary.

IS TECHNOLOGY SLOWING US DOWN? | BusinessTips.com

April 22, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

Ways That Technology Might Be Inhibiting Our Efficiency and Solutions to Maximizing its Benefits

Welcome to the Digital Age. Gone are the days of typewriters, Polaroid cameras and rotary phones. Computers, digital cameras and smart phones have not only replaced their prehistoric counterparts in our ever-advancing technological world, but they are seemingly as much a necessity to one’s survival as food and clothing. Why? Simply put, they are the normal means of communication, productivity and solutions in both the corporate world and our personal lives. As technology continues to advance, however so must our understanding of how it all works and how to use it correctly. Failure to utilise technology correctly can negatively impact communication and efficiency. Here are three signs that the technology you are using may actually be slowing you down, and solutions for improvement and maximizing its benefits.

1. Despite the use of technology, your tasks are taking you the same amount of time or sometimes longer to complete.

My Samsung Phone Made Me Cool — Daily Intelligencer

July 22, 2013 ~ CBPS ~ Leave a comment

But what reviewers tend to miss is that a feature doesn’t have to be particularly useful or functional to inspire curiosity and intrigue. If they brighten up the humdrum experience of using a phone, even superficially and occasionally, that might be enough.

Read Article.