something old, something new, something simple, something blue

It was late November 2010 when the phone rang. The voice at the other end of the line told me that careful analysis had established my mobile phone subscription rate to be inadequate as compared to my actual needs. And that I could get more time, free mobile phones and greater satisfaction by paying less. I said yes before they had a chance to hang up. Two days later I had a small package in my hands, containing a shiny, new, small, non-smart mobile phone with enough battery left to try out for a couple of days.

Now, you have to understand that I was happy to begin with. I already owned a good phone, top of the class, a technological icon that catered to my mobile communication, time management and entertainment needs and beyond. It was smart, stylish and reliable. It served me well and supplied my occasional technical challenge fix. I neither needed nor wanted to downgrade.

So here was this shiny new garden-variety thing that I had paid nothing for and that was worth a bit more than just that (relatively speaking). It rang when someone called; it allowed me to call others and to send and receive messages. It had Sudoku. And to top all this off, its battery charge seemed to last forever (relatively speaking, again). When it comes to anything with rechargeable batteries, I am a compulsive geek (they who know me will shoot knowledgeable grins about other multiple manifestations of my geek freak, but they're welcome to it): I. Must. Format. Battery.

I therefore decided to use the plain new phone and deplete its battery before charging it for the first time. I took the SIM card out of my "old" state of the art smart phone and stuck it in the new toy, where it stayed for almost three days. During this time, I went about my business as usual and thought no more of it until.

Until I realised I liked that modest thingy. I was happy to have it in my pocket, to hold it in my hand, to hear it ring and be surprised about who's calling (hadn't bothered to import contacts), to text and yes, to pass idle time playing Sudoku. As soon as I realised that, it also occurred to me that I DIDN’T MISS MY iPHONE. I didn’t miss emailing and browsing the web every quarter of the hour on the hour, living on FB, checking the weather, updating my calendar, playing videos, following news, hunting for new utilities and games, looking up latest developments in arachnid mating strategies or substrate water proofing technologies; I didn’t miss the perks of being the proud owner of the most coveted mobile communication gadget in existence at that time.

Overly analytic and speculative as I also happen to be, I thought I’d think about this strange turn of taste in me. What had happened? How could I not miss my iPhone? What was it about the new phone that outshone the wealth of options I had had before? Could it be the mere fact that it was brand new and shiny? Hardly. A scratched and tattered iPhone is still many times more stylish than any other brand new mobile phone. Could it be the interface that reminded me of earlier days? :/

So what could it be?

I was toying with these thoughts, leaned against a shopping cart in a supermarket queue when it hit me. The realisation was unexpected and very fulfilling. I must have looked rather silly standing there with a liberated smile on my face, playing Sudoku. But I was really happy: I had been struck by a life changing thought. I knew why I preferred that nothing to write home about little mobile over my iPhone.

It was simple, easy to understand, deal with and use, unassuming, straightforward, ordinary, unsophisticated, unpretentious and rudimentary (all and any of these at any time); it gave me the essentials we expect from a mobile phone and nothing else. And in doing so, it relaxed me. I could be myself with it, I didn’t need to learn anything in order to use it, it didn’t challenge me and it worked just fine with me the way I was. It gave me peace and time to contemplate and be myself. It was the surprise farm holiday of the overworked urban iPhone wielding working girl cum wannabe high roller. It was basic and it worked.

The battery died out eventually and I eagerly resumed using the iPhone, with a fond memory of the experience, an improved understanding of our occasional need for simplicity and peace, as well as the pleasant tickle of knowing I can enjoy that kind of relaxation again whenever I choose.



PS I keep the phone that triggered this experience around, but I haven’t yet tried to use it again. Especially since I have upgraded to the latest iPhone...
(I do recommend someone carry out a survey among iPhone and other high end smart phone users to explore their desire for less complex mobile communication technology and the dynamics thereof. It may provide interesting insight into the workings of the 21st century human mind and our adaptive behaviour in general).