Time for a smart phone

When I moved to Saskatoon, the TV I brought with me was 20 years old. My parents had bought it when they moved into their first apartment together and I managed to inherit it on my way out the door.

I loved that TV. I remember many a night falling asleep by its glowing light. I even recall falling asleep with it on after watching The Ring. I woke up in the middle of the night to sheer darkness broken only by a hissing, static-filled screen. I’m not too proud to say I turned on a lot of lights, shut the TV off, grabbed a hockey stick – because hockey sticks are the best defense against ghosts – and huddled in a corner until dawn.

But though I loved my TV, the pull of big screen HD sets was getting stronger. The technology had gone beyond the realm of early adopters and was starting to firmly entrench itself not as a luxury item, but simply as a consumer staple in a privileged country.

For months, I would spend hours walking through our local tech stores analyzing prices and features and marveling at just how stunning sports and nature shows were in HD. This went on for so long that one day Albert had heard enough. He said, “I know you don’t like impulse buys. I know this. But we’re gonna get you a new TV today.”

We headed out to a store which shall remain nameless and I was just about to finalize the deal when I got annoyed by the salesman and called it off. I told myself it was a sign from the universe and resolved to use my weathered old friend until it gave up the ghost. Three days later, the picture tube blew. I now watch all my sports on a 50” HD screen.

It would appear I got in right before the trend hit critical mass. In fact, one could argue that the trend hit critical mass right after I got in.*

Now, I told you that story to tell you this one.

When I first met Katherine about three years ago, she was the proud owner of a Motorola Razr. At the time, it was the talk of the tech world. Slim, light, strong and sexy, it hit on all the right buttons.

But though she loved her phone, the pull of smartphones was getting stronger. The technology had gone beyond the realm of early adopters and was starting to firmly entrench itself not as a luxury item, but simply as a consumer staple.

A couple weeks ago, she and I were discussing mobile devices and the unique challenges they present for websites and, once again, I tried to slyly convince her to get a smartphone. She was nearly over the fence but just couldn’t get past the fact that her current phone worked just fine.

She revealed she had nearly pulled the trigger a couple weeks ago and backed out for that very reason. She had resigned herself to fate and decided she’d use the Razr until it died. Three days later, she dropped her phone and broke it in half. She’s now the proud owner of a Blackberry Tour.

And while my involvement in this cosmic message was minimal, it will have a similar result. Smartphones are hitting critical mass and it won’t be long until they’ve gone beyond the realm of luxury item to a consumer staple, with one key difference. This won’t be a consumer staple only for privileged countries. This is a global trend that will extend farther than TV could ever hope to reach.

It’s time for a smartphone!

*One would not win that argument, but it helps tie the story together.