Photo: Holger.Ellgaard CC BY-SA 3.0
“I’ll just add it to my shopping list.” I took the all-singing, all-dancing smartphone out of my pocket. There are very few times when the phrase ‘horrified fascination’ is justified, but it seemed to fit his expression as I reached for the pen.
“It’s a smartphone!” Well, yes, I am aware of that. He had dragged me, kicking and screaming, into the twenty-first century some time ago. “You’re supposed to write your notes on it…”
“That’s what I’m doing.”
“But that’s a post-it note!”
“And?”
“You have sticky-note software… ” I simply waited. He was laughing too much to have a sensible conversation. “….you don’t have to stick one to the phone!”
Now, my shopping lists are brief and to the point. They are not masterpieces of cursive script or convoluted prose, but more of a curt and almost indecipherable scrawl… that ‘almost’ is critical. I can read it. Usually.
It also takes me but a second to add an item to the list.
In a spirit of pure research for the purposes of this blog, I have tested the note-taking software, pitting it, and the stopwatch, against the humble post-it note conveniently… and very visibly… stuck to the back of my phone. A position which, I might add, keeps it with me at all times should I remember something and also from being forgotten on the kitchen table. The handwritten shopping list with six items took me 8.17 seconds to write… and that included grabbing the pen. I can add any other items in a fraction of that time and, on arrival at the supermarket, can instantly detach the note from my phone and stick it to my hand, making it perfectly accessible, while leaving both hands free to shop.
The new-fangled electronic version is a whole different ball-game.
- First ensure the phone is the right way up… the buttons are almost invisible and they are the only clue you have when the thing is asleep. Then push the one that wakes it up. Not too hard or too long as it will turn itself off altogether and take ages to reboot.
- Next, swipe the screen to get into the phone, clear a ream of other pages out of the way to access the home screen, ensuring that you do not get sidetracked by any interesting articles or emails on the way.
- Scroll to the appropriate sticky-note software. It has probably moved the icon. Find the right bit of it and open a new list.
- Swear at the touchscreen keyboard that doesn’t understand your abbreviations and likes to make helpful suggestions about what you might prefer to buy. However, the next time I want to purchase a glue gnu it will probably remind me.
- Repeat for all six items.
- Go back and edit the ones the predictive text changed anyway.
- Work out how to get rid of the electronic keyboard so you can actually see the list.
- Press save.
- Breathe.
- Remember that extra item … and repeat process…
Total time elapsed: 1 minute, 32.56 seconds.
Then you have to do it all again in the supermarket to access the list… and every time it goes back to sleep between aisles… whilst juggling the basket and larger items now that you have no free hands.
Now, I’m not entirely technophobic. In fact, I love technology. I love my phone. Granted, its use as a phone is pretty limited as it seldom has a signal to work with. But it does carry my whole Kindle library for me. It isn’t a bad spare camera… unless you want a quick shot (at which point access to the Hubble telescope is probably faster… and that includes the grant application and the governmental jumping through hoops for permission).
It comes into its own as a mobile computer, though… with access to just about everything imaginable, including music and films… as long as there is a signal and the battery holds up. And as long as you don’t mind the auto-correct that seldom is when answering comments…
But a shopping list?
I’ll stick with the pen.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
When PDAs first came out, I was an early adopter. Just the calendar was a major improvement in my life. But nothing works like a pen and paper. I always laugh at people who walk around with 10 pounds of technology instead of a 3 oz. notebook. Then watch all the “committed to technology” folks when they realize their battery died … or there’s no WiFi available. They totally freak out.
I love my computer. But I don’t need it OR my phone at the grocery store.
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It is one area where I don’t mind being a dinosaur 🙂
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you have just reminded me as to why I don’t want a smart phone. I used to think technology was brilliant, all these clever ways to get things done. But… that’s if you can understand how to make it work…have the patience while it decides if you have done it correctly…or wants to be helpful in the first place. Like you, Sue, I love my paper and pencil!
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I love the new technology, but there are times when we really don’t need it… why overcomplicate something that can achieved so simply?
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
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Thank you 😉
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Brilliant. What did you use to time yourself? 🙂
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An online stopwatch on the PC 🙂
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Ha ha, very true! Sometimes these things that are meant to help us, actually make life more difficult 🙂 Nothing beats the notebook and pen I carry around. Hope you are feeling better, and settling in for a Festive Holiday Season xx
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Indeed… as long as the lead doesn’t break or the ink run out 😉
Much better than I was, thanks… though deaf as a post at the minute! Still not sure what will happen for Christmas… but then, who needs to? The turkey and pud are in my possession… and my granddaughter is expecting me before dawn 🙂 What else do I need? 🙂 xx
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Sounds like you have everything you need to create some magic, Sue 🙂 Enjoy xx
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Magic is my speciality, Helen 😉 x
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the smarter the instrument, the dumber I feel
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I know that feeling well. Buon Natale, Paul.
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I’m all for technology too, but until someone develops a gizmo that’s as EFFICIENT as paper and pen/pencil, I’m sticking to my little notebooks – all over the house … and the car … and …
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Yes… know the feeling… 🙂 I have scribbling stuff pretty much everywhere too 🙂
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When I want to make quick notes, nothing is better than pen(cil) and paper. If I have something longer to write, I’ll scrawl notes on a notepad or my journal or any scrap of paper I can find, and then transcribe the ideas onto my computer later.
And I’m even part of the younger generation! (Actually, I want to write a blog post that piggy-backs off of this one!)
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You can’t beat the pen and paper… and there is such a lot of research about how that affects ‘how’ we write too.
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Sounds good to me. I’ve never gone to a mobile (cell) that’s connected to the internet. Mine does the basics and isn’t a camera. I have a Kindle so don’t need it for that. I finally got a bank card that I just need to activate by using it in an ATM. I could use the camera as I don’t have one. I can totally see your point about the post-it note. My husband got some once I dearly loved. Each note had a cow munching grass and said “Outstanding in the field”. 😀 — Suzanne
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A lot of such progress seems to force itself upon us, like it or not, doesn’t it? I like the idea of the cows 🙂
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A phone overflowing with gimmicks and gadgets…but you’ll never beat a good old faithful pen and paper.
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I’m happy to have the gadgetry, but why fix what isn’t broken? 🙂
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Exactly!
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Agree! Though, being unable to write without technology, here’s what I do and it is much faster than your process: Query SIRI, the assistant on the iphone Say something like, remind me in (number of minutes until you are probably going to get to the store) that I want to buy: dictate list verbally Release the button for SIRI and then it will create the reminder, and when you get to the store, your list should be the only and first thing on your screen once waking the phone up. Bypass the keyboard and weird apps altogether with that one. 🙂
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I don’t know if I have that function… mine’s not an iPhone. While I can see how it would work work for you.. I’ll stick to my sticky notes, I believe 🙂
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