Today is the day that my iPad gets a sibling. Yes, it's upgrade day for me at Verizon Wireless and I am finally going to take the leap to a Smartphone (feeling badly that all these years I have had a dumb phone). My usual learning curve with a cell phone involves how to make a call, how to answer a call, how to check voicemail and most recently utilizing full keyboard texting. Other than that I never figure out how to use any other features and I can’t say that I’ve missed them. I tried to add individual ringtones for frequent callers but the pressure to choose appropriate tunes and the requirement to remember who they belonged to, proved way too complicated and I went the low-tech route and looked at the screen to identify callers. My cell phone, unlike those belonging to almost everyone I know (excluding maybe my mother who is just getting up to speed on voice mail and texting), spends way more time in my car or lost in my pocketbook than it does in my hand. It seems most users under 25 are unable to perform any daily functions without the phone appendage; sleeping, eating, using the bathroom, showering (left on the counter) and even sleeping (tucked safely next to their heads on the pillow). I am not that tethered to my mobile device – except in cases where I am waiting for a specific call or am traveling away from home. I had a Bluetooth at one point – also more than likely somewhere in my car – but it was never comfortable and I didn’t want to be one of those people with a flashing blue ear who appears to be talking to themselves in the car or worse, at the supermarket (I’m sure that I’ve just insulted more than a few people I know, sorry, not my style to hold back). As a result, I again take the low-tech approach (unfortunately illegal) and am not hands-free while driving. When I see a police car, I drop the phone and like magic I am “hands-free.” I do not text while driving because I can barely see the keyboard when I am stationary and even a moment with my eyes diverted would impact my less than stellar driving skills. I also have a simple system to avoid missing calls while driving with loud music; with the ringer on “vibrate” and the phone in my lap I rarely miss an inbound “ring.“ I’ve adapted to my phone world and it works for me, but I’ve decided to take it to the next level, inspired by my iPad and all the joy it has brought me.
Where I lack in phone skills, I am like an idiot savant with my iPad, unlocking all of its secrets in the year we have been together. Jeffrey refers to it as “the best present he ever gave me” (which is not far from the truth and 100% true if you exclude major pieces of jewelry). The kids refer to it as the iDad; named as such because it gets in bed with me every night (it also spends the day with me, which my other bedmate does not). It kept me from getting lost in the Tuscan countryside and it holds my photos and my thoughts (much of this blog was written on its bright yellow virtual legal pad). I’ve converted many friends and family to be iBelievers and am flattered when they come to me for help and support. I had a moment of jealousy when my iPad was devalued by its slimmer sibling, complete with camera and impressive cover, but I stayed true and did not trade it in for a “trophy Pad”. When it suffered a minor fall and received a life-threatening crack, I worked some “Jill magic” at the Apple Store and received a shiny new replacement, but there were some very tense moments while I waited for the diagnosis. If this all seems unusual to you, you probably don’t have an iPad or I may be a tiny bit iCrazy.
Like a mother awaiting the birth of her 2nd child, I hope I can love iPhone the same way I love iPad. I feel like I already know my phone in so many ways. When we met at the Verizon store its features did not scare me because they felt like family, iFamily. I’m sure the three of us are going to get along great and iPad will understand if Facetime is something I share with just iPhone (I don’t love iPad less because it is without camera). iPhone will surely understand if my writing stays on iPad, I’ll use its smaller screen for Facebook commentary and quick emails. Together they will share all my apps in harmony and my iLife will be synched together in virtual bliss.
Give me a day for us to get to know each other ... then call me, text me, email me ... i will be waiting.
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