No "Phone"

For about four months I have been without a device that manufacturers market and consumers know as a phone. I sold my iPhone 4S after getting a Nexus 7 (2013) with a cellular modem in it.

I had long realized that since telephony works over the Internet through various VoIP services, I was grossly overpaying my cellular provider for voice services. Especially considering my lack of frequent usage of that feature. I had wanted to stop doing this. However, I believe that the cellular providers had also realized that VoIP threatens part of their business and so they had been reluctant to sell data without voice for a long time.

I was interested in the iPod Touch or an Android equivalent with a cellular modem, but that device never came to market. That is, until cellular ready tablets started to hit the market. The only problem there was that the device was too big for me to feel comfortable using as a phone. Eventually tablets got smaller and phones got bigger.

The Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini were both in the sweet spot that I was looking for, but ultimately Android had matured a lot as a platform and Apple's walled garden was not only a bit too restrictive for my tastes but had become stale and lacking in some of the features that either come stock or can be added to Android. That is merely my personal preference, however. VoIP solutions are available for both platforms and work well.

One thing to consider, especially earlier on, was that VoIP only works over a data connection. This means that anywhere one can get voice service but not data on a cell phone, I have no voice service. This may have been an issue when I lived in the more rural scene of Nebraska. I do not know if even that would have been an issue for myself though considering my minimal usage of voice communication, but especially now that I am in a largely populated area it is simply not an issue for me.

Another thing to note is that the Nexus 7 is (obviously) bigger and thus less convenient for some things. I have found solace in this loss though. One thing that inspired the consideration of switching to a tablet only was something Chris said to me when I once invited her to start using Instagram. She said something to the effect that it is nice to just live moments rather than spending those moments with your face in a device because you are so busy document them.

I knew she was right about the device taking away from some of the experience of a moment. However, I also had all this muscle memory of pulling out the device to take a picture and other things that take me away from the experience at hand. I have found that the best way to counter such habits is by creating obstacles which give me a chance to stop and think. In this case since I have to take the device out of my bag rather than my pocket, I often decide not to. Instead I make the conscious decision to be in that moment. It has worked out well, and now I take less pictures and spend more time in the actual moment.

That is not to say that I completely abstain from social networking and sharing pictures. Neither do I have a negative view of the overall value of these forms of connecting with others. But I do feel that it has allowed me to change my habits to more fulfilling usage of these activities for me personally. Besides that, Chris did eventually join the dark side (aka Instagram) and she posts plenty of pictures for the both of us.

An inconvenience that would affect more frequent users of the phone feature on their device is that it is not meant to be used as a phone. This means that a headset needs to be attached to it in order to have a semi private conversation. This mean that, unless you have a Bluetooth headset attached all the time, you are going to be answering calls with speakerphone. That does not bug me, but personal preference may vary. Of course if you are the type to have a Bluetooth headset always attached to the device already, this is a non issue as well.

Overall I am very satisfied with the switch. I have cut my cellular internet bill in half. I still have all the same features of the phone, but in a device with a screen size that allows me to see more of what I am doing. This makes it so I can get more done on it with greater efficiency. I feel that I am on the better side of that increasingly blurry line between those who use their handheld device and those who are used by their handheld device.