Smartphones and College Students
Did you know that a person will check their cell phone, on average, 150 times a day within the 16 hours they are awake (Everett, 2013)? Society’s technology use continues to grow and we are relying more and more on our personal devices. College students use cell phones in between classes, at lunch with friends, while doing homework and some even before bed. Students use smartphones specifically to keep up with social media and the world around them. Not only that, smartphones can be and are used as calculators, flashlights and other convenient utilities. Some argue against the use of smartphones, but the benefits a student receives from having one are greater than the negative consequences. College students are better off with smartphones because of the convenience, organizational tools and media and personal connections smartphones provide.
Smartphones have evolved drastically since the first one was created in 1993. IBM designed the “Simon,” which weighed two pounds and cost $899 when it was first released. Though it didn’t have all the capabilities smartphones today have, it had a touch screen, could send faxes and worked as a PDA. The Simon got the ball rolling in the world of smartphones and was followed by phones like the Blackberry 5810 that could surf the web. In 2007, Apple released the iPhone which had the best web surfing capabilities at that time (Reed, 2010). Smartphones continue to evolve and work their way into our daily routines.
Using a smartphone is far from inconvenient. The fact that a smartphone can be carried around in a purse or a pocket makes it appealing to college students. “While walking to class, it would be a hassle to haul around all the things a smartphone provides. It’s so convenient to have everything you need in a handheld device,” says Madison VanFossen (personal communication, October 2, 2013), a student at Purdue University. Smartphones like Apple’s iPhone provide their users with many convenient utilities such as a GPS, a calculator, a flashlight and many other things college students would find useful (Apple-iPhone-Compare models, n.d.). Another convenience of a smartphone is the fact that Internet is available anywhere you go with wireless Internet connection or cell phone signal. This allows a student to do things like check his or her grades or submit an assignment from any place at any time. Imagine carrying around a calculator, a computer with a router, a flashlight, a GPS and an alarm clock from class to class. Smartphones have given students the ability to do that, without having to actually carry those items around.
Did you know that a person will check their cell phone, on average, 150 times a day within the 16 hours they are awake (Everett, 2013)? Society’s technology use continues to grow and we are relying more and more on our personal devices. College students use cell phones in between classes, at lunch with friends, while doing homework and some even before bed. Students use smartphones specifically to keep up with social media and the world around them. Not only that, smartphones can be and are used as calculators, flashlights and other convenient utilities. Some argue against the use of smartphones, but the benefits a student receives from having one are greater than the negative consequences. College students are better off with smartphones because of the convenience, organizational tools and media and personal connections smartphones provide.
Smartphones have evolved drastically since the first one was created in 1993. IBM designed the “Simon,” which weighed two pounds and cost $899 when it was first released. Though it didn’t have all the capabilities smartphones today have, it had a touch screen, could send faxes and worked as a PDA. The Simon got the ball rolling in the world of smartphones and was followed by phones like the Blackberry 5810 that could surf the web. In 2007, Apple released the iPhone which had the best web surfing capabilities at that time (Reed, 2010). Smartphones continue to evolve and work their way into our daily routines.
Using a smartphone is far from inconvenient. The fact that a smartphone can be carried around in a purse or a pocket makes it appealing to college students. “While walking to class, it would be a hassle to haul around all the things a smartphone provides. It’s so convenient to have everything you need in a handheld device,” says Madison VanFossen (personal communication, October 2, 2013), a student at Purdue University. Smartphones like Apple’s iPhone provide their users with many convenient utilities such as a GPS, a calculator, a flashlight and many other things college students would find useful (Apple-iPhone-Compare models, n.d.). Another convenience of a smartphone is the fact that Internet is available anywhere you go with wireless Internet connection or cell phone signal. This allows a student to do things like check his or her grades or submit an assignment from any place at any time. Imagine carrying around a calculator, a computer with a router, a flashlight, a GPS and an alarm clock from class to class. Smartphones have given students the ability to do that, without having to actually carry those items around.
Along with being convenient, smartphones are also good organizational tools. The PDA, personal digital assistant, ignited the trend of personal devices being used for organization. For a college student, being organized is a significant part of being successful. The fact that the same device used for entertainment, social media and important utilities can also be used to stay organized makes having a smartphone seem like a no-brainer for a college student or anyone with a busy life. The iPhone has apps like a calendar, reminders, notes and an alarm clock that a student would find very helpful (Apple-iPhone-iPhone 4s, n.d.). A college student may use the reminder app to write down homework assignments and once finished, it can be checked off the list. The calendar could be useful to keep track of due dates, club meetings and other important deadlines or events.
Staying organized is an important part of college, but sometimes students need to take a break and catch up on social media or play a game. On smartphones, apps of all kinds can be downloaded and stay at your fingertips for whenever you need them. These apps range from games to social media to helpful news apps. The fact that a smartphone user can have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media apps with them at all times is amazing and so convenient. While doing homework, a student may want to take a study break. A smartphone can be useful during this time because on it, the student could play a game, check Facebook or even watch videos on YouTube. Along with entertainment, smartphones provide an easy way to communicate with friends and family. Having the ability to get in contact with anyone at anytime is very useful to college students. By texting or calling, a student could let a classmate know class is cancelled. On the iPhone, people can text without having cell phone signal. This is convenient because if a person doesn’t have signal but has WiFi it’s still possible to get into contact with other people. Another app on the iPhone is called Newsstand. With this app, users can purchase newspapers and magazines and have them on their phone (Apple-iPhone-iPhone 4s, n.d.). This is important for college students because it’s crucial to know what’s going on in the world outside of campus.
Staying organized is an important part of college, but sometimes students need to take a break and catch up on social media or play a game. On smartphones, apps of all kinds can be downloaded and stay at your fingertips for whenever you need them. These apps range from games to social media to helpful news apps. The fact that a smartphone user can have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media apps with them at all times is amazing and so convenient. While doing homework, a student may want to take a study break. A smartphone can be useful during this time because on it, the student could play a game, check Facebook or even watch videos on YouTube. Along with entertainment, smartphones provide an easy way to communicate with friends and family. Having the ability to get in contact with anyone at anytime is very useful to college students. By texting or calling, a student could let a classmate know class is cancelled. On the iPhone, people can text without having cell phone signal. This is convenient because if a person doesn’t have signal but has WiFi it’s still possible to get into contact with other people. Another app on the iPhone is called Newsstand. With this app, users can purchase newspapers and magazines and have them on their phone (Apple-iPhone-iPhone 4s, n.d.). This is important for college students because it’s crucial to know what’s going on in the world outside of campus.
Many people argue that smartphones are too expensive. The reason that they cost more than a regular cell phone is because they come equipped with everything the user could possibly need. Most regular, non-smartphone, cell phones can only text, call, and sometimes have games. The reason a smartphone is better is because it has all those things and more. Most regular cell phones do not have the capability to surf the Internet while a smartphone does. Some may say that college students need to save money and should not waste their money on smartphones. A smartphone is a good purchase for a college student because it comes with all the things students may need conveniently in one handheld device. Smartphones are, in general, also not as expensive as people make them out to be. For example, when Apple released the iPhone 3G, it only took a year for the price to be cut in half (Traylor, 2009). As more models of smartphones are released, the older ones become cheaper because they are no longer the newest, hottest thing. If a person wanted a particular smartphone it would be sensible to wait until the next one came out. This way, the one they wanted would be cheaper but would have most of the same capabilities as the newer model. Overall, the price of the phone is worth the product because buyers are getting what they pay for. With a smartphone, users get what they pay for and more.
A smartphone is the best type of cell phone for college students for many reasons. Smartphones are convenient for students because of the utilities they provide. Things like an alarm clock, a calculator and a GPS are all at a smartphone users fingertips at all times. Smartphones are also great organizational tools. They provide apps such as a calendar and checklists that could be used everyday. Along with that, they give students a convenient way to relax and watch a movie or get in touch with an old family friend. The thought that smartphones are too expensive and not worth the money is not valid because even though they cost more than a regular cell phone, the buyer is getting more for their money. College students should invest in a smartphone because the benefits of owning a smartphone in college outweigh the negative consequences.
A smartphone is the best type of cell phone for college students for many reasons. Smartphones are convenient for students because of the utilities they provide. Things like an alarm clock, a calculator and a GPS are all at a smartphone users fingertips at all times. Smartphones are also great organizational tools. They provide apps such as a calendar and checklists that could be used everyday. Along with that, they give students a convenient way to relax and watch a movie or get in touch with an old family friend. The thought that smartphones are too expensive and not worth the money is not valid because even though they cost more than a regular cell phone, the buyer is getting more for their money. College students should invest in a smartphone because the benefits of owning a smartphone in college outweigh the negative consequences.