How Smart Phones Can Save You Money!

When my husband passed out in our kitchen several years ago, I realized that we were not going to live forever.  That was when I decided that getting the best in what I can afford now is a wise decision.   Tomorrow may never come!  

THOUGHTS ON THE LATEST SMART PHONES

Graph from Business Insider

Smart phones and what they can do for us is all the big buzz these days.  In fact, when I checked on what was viral online today, a headline comparing the Android to the iphone caught my interest. The Android has set the smart phone market on it's ear and has proved to be a big competitor for the always popular Blackberry. Texting, online work for the office bees and staying connected is what technology is all about today.  Grandparents are right there in the mix with everyone else.  And the iphone still stays on top in the market.

As a senior citizen I am alway thinking about what these trends have to do with my life.  Am I missing something important?  What will be the trends in the future so I don't waste my money now?  I think about the old kindle I was given when I was about to buy one for myself.  The money would have been a waste...at least I think so now. When the ipads came out with the kindle app included I saw that the $199 that the Kindle cost at the time could have been used put toward my next new computer.  Could it be that keeping track of trends is money in the bank?

That was why I was very interesting in the information from Business Insider regarding the buying trends for the smart phones.  It seems that iphones have not been hurt very much by the Android smart phone. Blackberry, on the other hand, has taken a big hit. The fact that the Android is not weakening the iphone market means that Apple will continue to be a driving innovative force in smart phone technology. This information changes my view of the Andriod completely.  See, I love the simplicity of an Apple devices and iphone is my smart phone of choice. When I put this in the mix with what may happen as a result of a new Verizon-iphone connection, I know I will stay with an iphone (even if I go back to Verizon). Why would I change when trends are showing that it is not a smart(phone) thing to do? (For those of you that are devoted PC users this does not apply to you. I hope your world is as good as mine.)

Keeping our technology simple is money in the bank too. When the Boomer Grandparent over at a website by the same name, wrote that she had too many device cords and not enough underwear, I felt a real kinship with her. Cords for phones, computer, ipods, the GPS, camera battery chargers and a Kindle is just way to much. In fact, it is a reminder for us that we probably have too much money invested in all those devices.

We have found that our iphone can serve as our phone, our ipod, our camera and our GPS. We don't even have a land line for a home phone. I can search for restaurants (Around Me app) and find the nearest grocery no matter where I am. This one device can actually replace my computer if I want to leave work behind.  I have eliminated several cords with just this one device.

The ipad (when I buy it) will eliminate my kindle and even my big computer.  I will buy a keyboard dock, use zip drives and online services to store large files of information.  Photos and word processing files will not be stored in my computer anymore.  Music will be stored on my iphone or I will use the the radio online.  Cords and big boxes to move my computer back and forth to Oregon will be eliminated.  

(I was surprised at the difference in cost 

for the ipad on Amazon...check it out)

I love a day of learning and research.  I thought this was all very interesting stuff.  Keeping it simple and keeping ahead of the trends can actually save us money in the long run.  I like that a lot.

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