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Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

wired.co.uk

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Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#111

Post by zimpenfish »

RandallBrown wrote: post #90
whytaka wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do not. I'm in the market for a camera that's the size of the AirPods case so I could bring it on vacation. It'd be great if I could have something like the cameras off of today's latest and greatest phones but in a much more miniature and standalone form factor. The apps I'm waiting for are Car2Go or Uber that work totally independently. Also, unfortunately, Google Hangout for work. While I'm making wishes, it'd b…

A GoPro is a pretty similar size to the AirPods case and gets you a pretty rugged camera.

Do they do a non-fisheye lens version though? Whilst it's great for action films, it's bloody terrible for plain old photos.

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#112

Post by zimpenfish »

shahbaby wrote: post #82

The majority of the population has been brain washed into believing that they need a computer that's physically attached to them 24/7. I believe that there is immense value in not having a smart phone. It's a value that can't be packaged into a box and sold for the sticker price. It's the value of being more engaged with your own life and the things that actually matter to you.

> It's the value of being more engaged with your own life and the things that actually matter to you.

My mother uses her smartphone to connect with family who are far away. Pray tell how that's not being "engaged with her own life and things that actually matter to her"?

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#113

Post by mulmen »

dayjah wrote: post #2

In general, I agree strongly with this sentiment: > What does a healthy, moderate digital life look like? I think that manufacturers and app developers need to take on this responsibility, before government regulators decide to step in As a bicyclist and driver I believe one of the best ways to enact this would be add a feature that allows investigators / insurers to answer the question of “whether the device was I u…

Apple’s existing solution of making the device hard to use while driving seems to be better because it actually prevents the accident in the first place and doesn’t introduce a back door.

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#114

Post by dingaling »

agitator wrote: post #98
rangibaby wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fuji X series have the IQ of a "real" camera but a very portable form factor. I currently carry a Nikon FE film camera around when I want a camera small enough to forget about, but I am itching to get an X100F in particular.

I got the fuji x-pro2 for this reason. I used to carry a bunch of canon gear... till I stopped bringing it anywhere because it was too heavy. I traded it all in for a fuji, and 2 small primes, and I bring that camera everywhere.

Unfortunately one can't beat physics.

If you need reach and magnification, for example at an airshow, then you need a long lens with a lot of glass. At that point the weight of the camera becomes irrelevant.

If you just need a couple of primes for street shooting then just about any camera manufacturer will sell you something small and lightweight. Fuji don't have any particular light-attracting or gravity-defeating magic.

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#115

Post by dmm »

dayjah wrote: post #2

In general, I agree strongly with this sentiment: > What does a healthy, moderate digital life look like? I think that manufacturers and app developers need to take on this responsibility, before government regulators decide to step in As a bicyclist and driver I believe one of the best ways to enact this would be add a feature that allows investigators / insurers to answer the question of “whether the device was I u…

Here's a great example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I3iNr1myG4

A driver on her phone strikes a cyclist stopped for a light because the driver cuts the corner and enters the wrong lane. The cyclist is wearing high-viz clothing and uses a very loud horn to alert they driver but the driver just wasn't paying looking.

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#116

Post by collyw »

rdiddly wrote: post #103
flyGuyOnTheSly wrote: post #95

I've been struggling with addiction in various forms for my entire adult life, so I have a decent understanding of it imho. When I first learned what a smartphone was, I knew immediately that I would become addicted to it if I let myself. I simply chose not to get addicted to smartphones by never purchasing one, and it's working out quite well so far. I know they're awesome little nuggets of technology, but I just do…

Kind of funny that they finally found something to hook the rest of 'em - all the strait-laced people as you say. Many people would never be caught by any of the typical addictions -- Smoking is socially stigmatized, drugs are illegal, alcohol addiction is kinda sorta alittlebit mostly "hereditary" in the loosest sense of the word, gambling for most people requires a long car trip. But a smartphone has none of those…

I think it helps to have been addicted (maybe "dependent" is a better word) on something that has been socially stigmatised to see it for what it is. Friends will quite happily point and label it an "addiction" it out to while ignoring their own "habits".

(I think I would draw the line between dependence and addiction when it starts affecting your normal life, but again that description is pretty subjective).

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#117

Post by collyw »

DonaldPShimoda wrote: post #58
vinniejames wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This argument seems to imply the opposite, taking the "addicting" notifications and strapping them to your wrist doesn't exactly reduce the behavior. Most studies show any addicting effect is directly tied to the dopamine release from receiving the notifications. The decreased frequency in unlocking the phone is simply moved to your arm. Just bought a smart watch over the weekend, I'll keep you posted ;)

What's important is the reduction in functionality. I can't do nearly as much from my Watch as I can with my phone, and specifically I can't just browse through Reddit or Facebook. While I may interact with the same number of notifications, I interact with them for significantly less time (because there's not much to do with them from the Watch), and any such interaction is unlikely to cause me to browse my phone in…

Don't you need your phone in your pocket to use it?

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#118

Post by collyw »

chrischen wrote: post #57

I hope Apple does provide the tools to help users control their usage. If they do, it'll be a prime example of the difference in philosophies (or marketing, if you will) between Facebook and Apple. Facebook would never help you curtail usage or take control of usage. They would want users to be oblivious to what's harming them and enable them, in the name of "engagement".

I wish there was an open source alternative to either of those two corporate monsters. I had the Ubuntu phone, but it wasn't great and as many of the apps were web based it was fairly useless when I travelled.

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#119

Post by hawaiianbrah »

collyw wrote: post #117
DonaldPShimoda wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's important is the reduction in functionality. I can't do nearly as much from my Watch as I can with my phone, and specifically I can't just browse through Reddit or Facebook. While I may interact with the same number of notifications, I interact with them for significantly less time (because there's not much to do with them from the Watch), and any such interaction is unlikely to cause me to browse my phone in…

Don't you need your phone in your pocket to use it?

For non-LTE models, yes. But if you are notified via your wrist, you still have to go through the effort of retrieving your phone, unlocking it, and then tending to the notification before you get to the “time wasting” stage, and I think its that’s a barrier to entry that’s causing people to use their phone less.

Re: Apple needs to tackle the issue of smartphone addiction

#120

Post by hawaiianbrah »

flyGuyOnTheSly wrote: post #95

I've been struggling with addiction in various forms for my entire adult life, so I have a decent understanding of it imho. When I first learned what a smartphone was, I knew immediately that I would become addicted to it if I let myself. I simply chose not to get addicted to smartphones by never purchasing one, and it's working out quite well so far. I know they're awesome little nuggets of technology, but I just do…

Who spends $2000 a year every year on their phone + connectivity? I know there are SOME people, but they’re in the minority, for sure.
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