My phone has become an instrumental part of my person. It's not been embedded under my skin, it does not replace my need to be around people, however if I do not have it with me that gets under my skin. So how does my phone work for me during the day? I put together a list of things that occur off and on during a normal day. I do not use all these apps every day however some are used a great deal of the time. I have to admit that even I was a bit surprised at the list and the number of things that I can do. I have used cell phones since the early 90's (that's the 1990's J ) and I have had a smartphone since the debut of the first Motorola Droid in November of 2009. My current phone is a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 running Android version 5.0.1 (Lollipop)
- First it's a phone so therefore it makes and receives phone calls.
- Next up I check and send email from various accounts (there are 4 on my phone one of which is Yahoo).
- I will use the Google calendar for scheduling meetings and appointments as well as events.
- My phone notifies me of appointments and time to leave for them via Google Now.
- Google Now actually alerts me of travel times when necessary.
- I send and receives text messages.
- I set timers, which when I am doing the laundry, is important.
- Can't miss the Perma-Press cycle
- I also use the timers to remind me to do something throughout the day – take medication for one.
- Can't miss the Perma-Press cycle
- I read news from at least 5 different resources – Circa, SmartNews, HuffPost, Guardian, CNN, BuzzFeed, TODAY for Android.
- I also get alerts to breaking news from a number of these.
- Actually the value of the 10:00 PM news is fast becoming history.
- Actually the value of the 10:00 PM news is fast becoming history.
- I read books via the Kindle app. I do this in the doctor's office or anywhere else I am with extra time and can't leave. Rather than just sit there watching TV I have something that I can do.
- I can read/scan PDF's when needed.
- The phone is also a great hand scanner which I have used on many occasions to scan receipts and other documents.
- They scan into PDF's and I can then email them directly from the phone.
- Not to mention the bar code reader that has helped me find other pricing.
- I make notes - this is a most important aspect for me..
- There are two great note taking apps and each with a different purpose – Evernote and Google Keep.
- I use Microsoft Word, Excel on my phone – mostly to look at documents and mostly Excel.
- I keep a medication list in Excel with refill dates.
- I play my music anywhere via Bluetooth, currently do that while I write the blog post.
- I schedule recordings on my DVR for television via 4G or WiFi when out of the house.
- We were going to be late for the last Idol show of the season and could not miss that.
- From time to time I watch LIVE TV (ESPN or NFL Mobile).
- My phone can act as a Remote for the TV and my Nikon Cameras and other devices.
- My phone is my most frequent connection to Facebook and I send a number of pictures to Facebook from the phone.
- My phone is a quick camera for both still and video when I need them while shopping, or at the house.
- GPS connection for Mapping and other location information.
- Keeps me from getting lost or finds where I am when I am lost.
- Finding gas stations, restaurant's, coffee shops, and other places of interest.
- I have remote computer connection to login to other systems from my phone.
- Such as work to check schedule or sign in went going to an onsite to work
- Now let's see, what else.
- I have purchased from Amazon on the phone
- I have health information and apps on the phone
- I can track recipes and shopping lists (shopping lists from Amazon's Echo go into the app on my phone as well as my wife's)
- I have watched YouTube video's although I do not make that a habit
- I listen to Podcast's
- I have the Audible app for listening to books
- I also have a few radio apps of which iHeart Radio is most likely the best for me
- I mentioned Facebook and Google+
- I have used the phone for Twitter
- I also get the weather a number of different ways – depends on my mood
- I have a clock app that I use for alarms and could use for a night alarm
- I have art and sketching apps
- I have photo editing apps which I use from time to time
- I have a Translate app when needed that works very well
- Utility app's like Privacy Flashlight, LastPass, Mobil Hotspot, Magnifier, Android Wear that connects to my Samsung Gear Watch, I have an app to turn or off the security system, and one to start the car when needed (cold weather beauty). There are security app's, calculator, Unit Converter, a Compass
- I have the Starbucks app as well as Google Wallet, Cash, and can use PayPal
- Don't forget Spider for those times you just want to forget what's going and kill a little time
- I might mention that there are a number of great scanners for documents, business cards, as well as barcodes and QR codes
- Not to mention all the pictures of family and friends and places that are on my phone when I want to view them
- I also have used Google Cardboard lens for VR viewing/playing – gotta have fun with the phone.
Now this user (whoever that mobile user might be) can do most of the mundane work using her/his phone or, when necessary, pull out that 10" to 12" tablet and do the bigger thing. So far the only thing I have found that hinders going over completely to the tablet is web development and that the Windows tablets are deficient in the keyboard area - being a Swype like keyboard lover (it is on the iPad and Android).
Yes I am a notebook/laptop computer to write this. I am in a Starbucks where I used my phone to pay for the coffee and now my phone is providing me with a hotspot (I like my hotspot over Starbucks) and at the same time my phone plays music that I can listen to with my Bluetooth headset – cutting out the chatter in Starbucks.
Actually I am using the Word 2016 Blog template on Windows 10 Technical Preview to write this so that I can use this computer for many things to test it in the way that I work.
I have to admit that there is still something of security (psychologically) in holding onto a notebook/laptop computer however I will work on overcoming this. These kids will not beat me. J
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