{"id":38164,"date":"2013-09-21T15:15:50","date_gmt":"2013-09-21T14:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=38164"},"modified":"2013-09-21T15:21:54","modified_gmt":"2013-09-21T14:21:54","slug":"smartphones-powerful-business-consumer-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/smartphones-powerful-business-consumer-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Smartphones–Powerful Business and Consumer Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Beyond Like\"Fatal<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/b>We were attracted to each other at the party, that was obvious! You’re on your own for the night, that’s also obvious… we’re two adults.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Alex Forrest, \u201cFatal Attraction,\u201d<\/i> Paramount, 1987<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The other evening I left the office, got about a half block and had to pull a U-turn to go back for my smartphone.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve left my billfold at the office a few times but never bothered to retrieve it \u2026 just drove a little more carefully the next morning.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sure, I have a tablet and ultrabook at home that I could have used; but jeezz,<\/i> it\u2019s my smartphone!<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not like I\u2019m addicted to it. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not like I sleep with it \u2026 silly house rules!<\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no wonder the smartphone has taken off so rapidly around the globe.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

From almost anywhere, it enables you to be in touch with everyone, virtually anytime.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

While the devices are subsidized by carriers in the Americas (O.K., there\u2019s a \u201cservice contract\u201d attached, but still\u2026) few other countries started down that dark path by letting you buy your device anywhere and giving you contract breaks on the volume of usage.<\/span><\/p>\n

The device price limited some users\u2019 choices; but for a growing number of folks, it was a justifiable investment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"mobile<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Worldwide Mobile Usage \u2013 <\/span><\/i><\/b>Even though there are over 6B mobile phones in use around the globe, there are still a couple of billion who don\u2019t have their own personal communications device– either because of the high cost or the desire to not be constantly connected. But with newer, low-cost smartphones, that will change rapidly by the end of next year.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The featurephone has slipped even in emerging countries as newer, cheaper devices enable everyone to be totally connected so they can fill in (read \u201cwaste\u201d) all their free time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Checking In<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Mobile technology consultant Tomi Ahonen recently noted that the average smartphone user:<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Checks the device 150-200 times a day<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Makes, receives, avoids 22 calls a day<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sends\/receives 23 messages a day<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Does other phone stuff like setting the alarm, playing games, changing songs, taking pictures, watching videos<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Researches, studies\"smartphone<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Really Now \u2013 <\/span><\/i><\/b>Teens, Tweens will get their first smartphone from their parents by saying it will enable them to be more in touch and that they\u2019ll use the device in case of a problem or emergency. It\u2019s probably true, but they do a lot more with the smartphone day-in, day-out.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I call it \u201cdoin\u2019 stuff.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Shrinks obviously like to label all of our activities, so they say they\u2019re seeing an increase of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in all sexes, all age groups so much that the tool that was sold to you as \u201cthe ultimate in productivity tools\u201d<\/i> is actually detrimental to productivity.<\/p>\n

Funny, it doesn\u2019t take long for a person to almost act as though his\/her life revolves around the phone–especially their business life, which is why your boss secretly loves your BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) activities.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s constantly connected world, only nine percent of business people say that the phone makes it hard for them to disconnect from work.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But then, in today\u2019s instant info\/instant answer world, the two are so meshed we probably can\u2019t figure out where one begins, the other ends anymore.<\/span><\/p>\n

But as Alex commented, \u201c<\/span>You play fair with me, I’ll play fair with you.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

ROI research found that:<\/span><\/p>\n