Drool Tool, Smartphone, or Status Symbol for Geeks
At the far end of a long table, safely outside Scoble's omnivourous information net, I mused aloud, "Does everyone have one of those blasted phones?" David Lemson, sitting next to me with his wife KC, pulled one out. 'Drats! They're everywhere,' I thought.
It was an informal shindig at Rockbottom in Bellevue. 12-15 inspired Microsofties were drinking about community and communing about thinking. When I arrived, Scoble was showing off his cell phone to Betsy and a few other folks (Josh and Gretchen Ledgard, ...). Several people at the table were holding the same blasted phone as Scoble: the Audiovox SMT 5600.
Upon seeing David's sexy, little Smartphone in action, I resolved (like any good, red-blooded American) to find and buy a better one and thereby dissipate any geek envy that I might have. Two nights later, I drove to each of the cellular provider retail stores in my area to investigate the alternatives. I shopped around online, solicited opinions, and finding nothing better, decided to buy the same blasted phone as everyone else. So much for individualism! I guess I'll have to wrap it in duct tape, or something.
Having never purchased a cell phone, I had no idea how fast the process would be. Within 15 minutes of walking into the AT&T Wireless/Cingular store, I was making calls to family, taking pictures of durable urban artifacts, and checking my Inbox for new emails.
I also had both hands on the steering wheel while driving... Ain't Bluetooth wonderful.
