I’d be lost without my computer, camera and cell phone. But having recently splurged for a Blackberry Bold 9000, I can see that life is changing.
I’ve finally found a quad-band world phone that works in more than 200 countries for phone calls and more than 150 countries for data. I’m no longer unreachable in South Korea and Japan.
The camera actually functions and I can zap photos to my Facebook page. The phone also supports instant messaging services such as AIM and functions wherever there’s Wi-Fi. If only I’d had it during my last trip to Laos, I would have been a happy camper.
I’m able to surf the Internet, conduct online transactions, download documents and listen to music.
Being a technical neophyte, I must admit I spent many many hours on a support line with an employee of Blackberry’s manufacturer, Research in Motion. He was based in Singapore, was from Manila and had a Spanish last name and the patience of Job. It’s a whole new world of communications.
I’ve found my electronic soul mate even though I was lobbying Santa for an iPhone. The iPhone has so many applications and reading the New York Times online was a pleasure. But when push came to shove, I had trouble with the keyboard when it came to typing. Perhaps its because I’m a member of the older generation.
So many people I know are converts and wouldn’t live without theirs. They love the functionality and being able to download iTunes and the stability of the Unix-based operating system no matter where they are.
The iPhone’s travel kit allows people to charge their phones anywhere in the world and you can share your phone photos on Flickr and, naturally, Facebook. This is the world of social networking and all of this new and improved technology enables people to have instant gratification.
Again, I am so far from being an electronics expert that I suspect there are still people performing inside my television screen. Please enlighten me and tell me which mobile technology you’re opting for and why?
Who knows – I may spring for another cell phone in the next decade?
Karen Fawcett is president of <a href=”http://www.bonjourparis.com”>BonjourParis</a>.
Karen Fawcett loves to travel anywhere. Karen was a founder & president BonjourParis.com while living in Paris for more than 25 years. She has traveled across Europe and the rest of the world. She is now based in Washington, DC.
