Friday Fun: Verizon iPhone, Mac Fandom, and Smartphone Addiction

As you might have read elsewhere, preorders opened for the Verizon iPhone 4 yesterday, and sold out, breaking Verizon first-day sales records in the process. That's great. But as I wrote about a few weeks ago ("Is the iPhone Really All That?"), I'm still perplexed over this whole iPhone phenomenon. Why is it so attractive over other current generation smartphones?

A few readers responded to my earlier post with their take on the iPhone's popularity. Not surprisingly, one factor that was raised was the cool factor the "culture club" of the iPhone. While I recognize this element as a reason in choosing the iPhone, I deliberately didn't bring it up in my post because I was looking for rational explanations for iPhone popularity. Jumping on the bandwagon of popularity isn't particularly rational or well-reasoned. And remember: You can't spell culture without cult.

Of course, as I mentioned before, I used to be a junior member of that cult, back in the '90s, before iPhone, iPad, and even iPod. Before even Mac OSX. I used to tell people how superior the Mac was to the PC. I mean, I never went out of my way to harass people, as is so popular on forums and comment boards these days. But, if the opportunity arose . . .

Anyway, I seem to be straying from the point. If I even have one. Another surprising thing that came out of the reader feedback was a feeling that the Android OS was confusing or complicated. Let me just steal from Windows Phone 7 for a second: Really? Functionally, I really don't see much difference between the latest Android devices and iPhones. They both seem quite intuitive. But then, I'll admit I'm rather technologically inclined, so maybe it just seems so to me.

As I've written elsewhere, my conversion to a Smartphone Addict has been dramatic and a direct result of living daily with a Motorola Droid I call G2-9T. (Which is both a Star Wars and Disneyland reference, for anyone interested.) A while back, I started tweeting with the hash tag #SmartphoneAddict just for fun and to see if it might catch on. Well, I can't say it's gone like squirrel up a tree, but I have seen others using the tag in interesting and humorous ways. So, take a look below at some of mine and a few others—with occasional commentary.

#IWantADroid because I don't have enough things to distract me. No, wait--it's because I need better productivity. #SmartphoneAddict
            This was an attempt to win a new Droid from Verizon or Motorola or someone. I didn't win.

Repeat: I will not let the chirp of new mail on my Droid break my train of thought while speaking. #SmartphoneAddict http://is.gd/iR0nw
            I used to think that people talking on their cell phones while in line as the store was one of the rudest behaviors of our modern times. But now there's this. And it's insidious.

I will not let the chirp of new mail on my Droid break my . . . What was I saying? #SmartphoneAddict

RT @ZacWiggy RT @mikemunsell: Just bought some fingerless gloves for the winter #smartphoneaddict
            I'm slow sometimes. Took me a minute to figure out what this had to do with smartphones.

Had a nice long, relaxing holiday break. Only checked work email about once or twice a day. Damn you, Droid! #SmartphoneAddict

RT @LukeJesse I forgot my phone at @konjou's house last night. Why do I have the shakes this morning? #smartphoneaddict

RT @TheDanReed: Phone just magically became a brick. No phone for a week. I feel like I just had a technology amputation. #smartphoneaddict
            I feel your pain. And pray it doesn't happen to me.

Repeat after me: I will not buy a new car just to have an auxiliary stereo port for my Droid. #SmartphoneAddict

RT @joostk14 @dionthiers zei iemand smartphoneaddict? :p Wel gaaf, natuurlijk >I think it means "Well duh, of course I'm #SmartphoneAddict."
            Actually, I ran this through an online translator, and after several tries found out it was Dutch and literally translated means: "said someone smartphoneaddict? Be cool, of course" Nice!

First meeting in the new building and the conference room phone didn't work. Good thing someone brought a smartphone. #SmartphoneAddict
            Sadly, it wasn't me.

And yes, in case you missed it, Windows IT Pro has moved into a new building. It's a huge—huge!—upgrade from the setting we were in before. The pictures included with this post are from the new locale. So if you wonder why you aren't getting a response from me about something, it's probably because I'm gazing listlessly out the windows or hanging by the cozy fire.

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