Why Do People Like Phones and Tablets?

Danny said:
I guess it's the "touch" aspect on the iphones/ipads that we subconsciously find appealing. Plus more immersion is experienced when the device is up-close. :wink2:
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The touch interface is a big part of it. If I'm reclined, I can have it comfortably standing on my chest and tap at it.
 
SCCutler said:
iPhone, only if I am away from iPad and computer.

iPad for lots of uses, unless I need keyboard and/or larger screen.

Laptop if I need larger screen and keyboard, away from home/office.

Desktop with big screen at home.

Desktop with multiple monitors at office.
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Ditto except for the multi screen at the office.
 
iPhone & iPad: I use them for most things during the day

Desktop: Only when I want to play a game or need to type up a report for work.

I will use my iPhone to actively ignore people when I don't feel like socializing. Sometimes I'll keep my earbuds just for the I'm busy look.

I keep the iPhone next to my bed since it is my alarm. My parents think I'm crazy for sleeping with my cell phone. They keep theirs on the other side of the house. The only devices in their bedroom is a clock and a house phone. They said if someone wants them bad enough they can call the house.
 
ARFlyer said:
iPhone & iPad: I use them for most things during the day

Desktop: Only when I want to play a game or need to type up a report for work.

I will use my iPhone to actively ignore people when I don't feel like socializing. Sometimes I'll keep my earbuds just for the I'm busy look.
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I respect your honesty. I think a lot of people do the same but would never think of admitting it. I'm not sure why, though. There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be bothered. The more telling thing is that you live in a generational and societal context in which you need to pretend to be busy simply to enjoy something like unstructured solitude, which I think is a perfectly normal and healthy thing to want -- and need -- from time to time.

If I wanted to play two-bit shrink, I suppose I could look for conflicts arising from growing up in a context characterized by both a strong focus on self and compulsory collectivism. Burying one's nose in a phone might represent a socially-acceptable way to remove oneself from that for a while. I know that my younger brothers' adolescent children are not allowed to simply go outside and disappear by themselves for a few hours like I (and my brothers, for that matter) were able to do; so maybe the phone / tablet become a way to do that virtually for the very young that becomes a habit even as they move into young adulthood.

But like most psychological theories, that one would be unverifiable conjecture built on vapor.

ARFlyer said:
I keep the iPhone next to my bed since it is my alarm. My parents think I'm crazy for sleeping with my cell phone. They keep theirs on the other side of the house. The only devices in their bedroom is a clock and a house phone. They said if someone wants them bad enough they can call the house.
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I'm semi-retired, have few appointments, and therefore rarely need an alarm. The next time I actually have some place I have to be at some particular time is a dentist appointment in April. But I do keep the BlackBerry by my bed set to the "Phone Calls Only" setting at night. I get almost no wrong numbers, very few people have my cell phone number, and none of my friends or family members who do are prone to drunken, incoherent babbling (at least since Jeannette and I split, and she doesn't have my cell number, anyway); so it's a pretty safe bet that no one will call me at night unless it's actually important.

I really can't expect relatives and close friends to call my "land line" because I don't have one. I have a Magic Jack number that is the only number I give to people and organizations that I never want to hear from, but the ringer is turned off and I never answer it. Everything goes to voice mail (which I rarely bother checking).

Rich
 
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RJM62 said:
I respect your honesty. I think a lot of people do the same but would never think of admitting it. I'm not sure why, though. There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be bothered. The more telling thing is that you live in a generational and societal context in which you need to pretend to be busy simply to enjoy something like unstructured solitude, which I think is a perfectly normal and healthy thing to want -- and need -- from time to time.

If I wanted to play two-bit shrink, I suppose I could look for conflicts arising from growing up in a context characterized by both a strong focus on self and compulsory collectivism. Burying one's nose in a phone might represent a socially-acceptable way to remove oneself from that for a while. I know that my younger brothers' adolescent children are not allowed to simply go outside and disappear by themselves for a few hours like I (and my brothers, for that matter) were able to do; so maybe the phone / tablet become a way to do that virtually for the very young that becomes a habit even as they move into young adulthood.

But like most psychological theories, that one would be unverifiable conjecture built on vapor.



I'm semi-retired, have few appointments, and therefore rarely need an alarm. The next time I actually have some place I have to be at some particular time is a dentist appointment in April. But I do keep the BlackBerry by my bed set to the "Phone Calls Only" setting at night. I get almost no wrong numbers, very few people have my cell phone number, and none of my friends or family members who do are prone to drunken, incoherent babbling (at least since Jeannette and I split, and she doesn't have my cell number, anyway); so it's a pretty safe bet that no one will call me at night unless it's actually important.

I really can't expect relatives and close friends to call my "land line" because I don't have one. I have a Magic Jack number that is the only number I give to people and organizations that I never want to hear from, but the ringer is turned off and I never answer it. Everything goes to voice mail (which I rarely bother checking).

Rich
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It's part of growing global population density.
 
Two words: peripheral devices. Tablet is just that. Desktop is keyboard, mouse, monitor/TV,desk.

Tablets are easy to pick up, move to another person, and then show them instead of dragging them to you. They also allow a person a small amount of privacy when they want it, and also a social device when they want that instead. Have you ever heard "come watch this crazy cat video!" I can guarantee those that are staring at their phones and smirking every now and then are watching the same stupid cat videos but aren't admitting it.
 
nimdabew said:
Two words: peripheral devices. Tablet is just that. Desktop is keyboard, mouse, monitor/TV,desk.

Tablets are easy to pick up, move to another person, and then show them instead of dragging them to you. They also allow a person a small amount of privacy when they want it, and also a social device when they want that instead. Have you ever heard "come watch this crazy cat video!" I can guarantee those that are staring at their phones and smirking every now and then are watching the same stupid cat videos but aren't admitting it.
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Well... I must admit, responding to emails while sitting on the toilet is easier on my BlackBerry than using my computer. Conference calls, too.

Rich
 
An interesting theory Hillbilly that peripherals are the new 'escape but not out into the real world' mode of psycho-upbringing for our youth these days.

I think you can boil it down to typers and texters. No matter how versatile or portable you make peripherals, how are you ever going to replace a tactile keyboard? I can type 40-60 words a minute on a keyboard with little error. I can't text that fast. I learned typing the way it was taught me in school. The base keys are FDSA and JKL: where you use all your fingers quickly. I used to be much faster.

And don't say 'talk to text' because that sux. I'm not going to sit here in front of my wife saying every stupid thing I've just typed and then edit it... :loco:
 
I make my living in technology and use it constantly. That said if I could jump back about 40 years I probably would.
txflyer said:
I can easily do 150 wpm on a keyboard and if I really try hard and know the sentences in advance can hit 180 wpm.

I haven't tested myself texting but I'm pretty sure I can do pretty close to 50 wpm which is fast enough that I don't think about it being a slow medium to write.
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jesse said:
I can easily do 150 wpm on a keyboard and if I really try hard and know the sentences in advance can hit 180 wpm.
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The short way to say that is: 150 wpm with gusts to 180 wpm :D
 
I can do 150 wpm, too. Unfortunately, 100 of those are the backspace key.... :D
 
Clark1961 said:
The short way to say that is: 150 wpm with gusts to 180 wpm :D
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I failed keyboarding class in high school because I refused to change the fingers I used to touch a few of the keys. Anything over 30 wpm was supposed to be an A.

I was faster typing back then and challenged the keyboarding instructor to a speed test after she told me I had to change how I typed. Absolutely blew her away. Actually hit just over 200 wpm with no errors. She was half that.

Still failed. lol
 
jesse said:
I failed keyboarding class in high school because I refused to change the fingers I used to touch a few of the keys. Anything over 30 wpm was supposed to be an A.

I was faster typing back then and challenged the keyboarding instructor to a speed test after she told me I had to change how I typed. Absolutely blew her away. Actually hit just over 200 wpm with no errors. She was half that.

Still failed. lol
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Welcome to the academic world. If you challenge and best the status quo you will be squashed. That's the main thing academia teaches.:lol:
 
Henning said:
Welcome to the academic world. If you challenge and best the status quo you will be squashed. That's the main thing academia teaches.:lol:
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Hence why I chose to no longer participate in the academic world.
 
Karen ordered an inexpensive keyboard case for her iPad that she ended up not liking. Rather than return it, I decided to try it out with my iPhone 6+:

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Works great once you get past the color!
 
jesse said:
Hence why I chose to no longer participate in the academic world.
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Me too. I went to Art Center in Pasedena for photography after having worked in commercial custom labs and studios for three years as photographer and custom printer as well as all the other stuff. Second semester one of the instructors asked me, "What are you doing here? We aren't going to teach you anything you haven't already learned. You're wasting your money on a degree that isn't going to do much for you." I was surprised at his honesty.
 
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