small object, BIG SUBJECT

Ben Ferry

2/11/10

Dr. Lay

WSC 002-Section 11

Apple iPhone; the Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread

Do you need to find the closest toilet no matter where you are in the world? There’s an app for that. What if you want to find a French bistro to eat it? There’s an app for that. Do you need decode what your baby’s cry is trying to tell you? There’s even an app for that. The iPhone not only changed the way we look at cellular phones, but it has simultaneously created a new market of software applications. It’s such a small device that has created so much buzz.

When I first heard about the cry decoder application, I was stunned. Hasn’t this whole new app “craze” gone far enough? No longer do we need parenting skills, for the iPhone can tell us exactly what a baby’s cry means (its right roughly 96% of the time). instead of tending to the baby’s needs by rocking him or her in their arms, parents can just hold their iPhone up to the baby’s mouth for ten seconds and the cry decoder will tell you just what the baby needs, which is wrong. Some feel like this app is a perfect example about how the iPhone is making our society lazy. We look for the quick fix to any problem and rely on technology too much. It’s sad that these types of apps are exactly what our society wants. Anything that makes our lives easier and more convenient is king, even at the cost of proper parenting.

Not only does the iPhone come with a countless number of applications, it comes with many accoutrements. There’s a navigation system, iPod, weather updates, texting, alarm clock, Internet access, a camera and many other devices built into this one small piece of technology. The iPhone has basically taken all our needs and put them into one device. There’s no need to have a separate navigation system in your car, the iPhone can replace this device. It’s amazing how much such a small device can hold. At this rate, the iPhone could even grow to replace computers. Every wants instant access to information and the iPhone makes this information accessible without Wi-Fi.

I am an owner of the Apple iPhone and, as useful as it is, there are many flaws that come with the phone. The first being that the only provider is AT&T. I have to say, the Verizon commercials that show AT&T coverage maps are 100% accurate. Before I made the switch to AT&T, my provider was Verizon. With them there was no problem trying to find a good signal and my calls were never dropped. However, with AT&T, it’s quite the opposite. My calls are constantly dropped; there are dead zones everywhere I go. What I don’t understand is that, as great as the iPhone is, it fails to meet the one basic need it’s supposed to; providing a reliable cell phone. I believe this says a lot about our society. We don’t care how good it works as long as it’s the most modern and up-to-date piece of technology. As long as the device is well polished and looks nice, people are willing to drop any amount of money to own it.

I feel like this attitude we have as a society goes much deeper then just technology. When the iPhone first came out, it was around 600 dollars. Everyone rushed to get their hands on the device, not caring about any problems that might come with the massive price tag. People didn’t necessarily want the iPhone for its main purpose of a cell phone. Rather, people rushed to get the phone because it made a statement about the owner. Everyone knew how expensive the device was, so showing off the iPhone with its touch screen and cool applications was a way to say “I have lots of money because I own an iPhone”. It’s how our society functions. Apple has just recently announced the new “iPad”. This device is basically just a super sized iPod touch, and really doesn’t have any purpose. However, the iPad is the newest and coolest piece of technology that Apple is going to release so of course people will buy it, no matter what the price tag is.