One of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes had a character finally getting what he wanted, to be left alone to read his books. As he bends over to grab one, his glasses fall and smash. He was left with all he could read, but without the ability to see. And so goes the nature of the mobile device. Left untethered, we have the capability to phone others, read, listen to iTunes, watch videos, tweet, and surf. But what do we do when the power runs out.
This is my dilemma with buying one device to do it all. Knowing my un-smart phone can make and receive calls, I don't want to risk draining it on other uses. Letting a second device manage the other non-essential tasks provides some relief that an important call won't be missed. It also means carrying 2 devices. Buying one device, say an iPhone or Android to do it all concerns me. What if the phone loses power after surfing and yet I still need to receive an important call. Do I rush into the nearest Starbucks for a charge and a latte? Am I charging my phone every time I am near an outlet just to be certain I have power during the day? How can I both use this mobile wonder that connects me without losing a complete charge to connect me?
Will we find ourselves begging for a charge wherever we go. Searching for an outlet at every meal. Or is it time for companies to make that quantum leap of sustained battery use. Today I am charging my iPod every night and that is for a device that doesn't make a phone call. It is that concern that keeps me from trusting one smartphone to do it all.
