If Harriet the Spy had a Droid
So I needed a new cellphone. Not the antiquated version I had, which only let me text and phone...no no no...I needed a new one. Like an iPhone, but not an iPhone, because I didn't have AT&T. I was a little concerned about all this touchscreen stuff, my daughter had a Blackberry and it terrified me. I remember spending hours with her trying to configure her email. Which is the primary reason for moving on up to a "smartphone".
Now, for those of you who are certified techno-geeks and have all this stuff, read no further, it'll just be ho hum stuff. Probably bore you silly. For those of you who still know how to use a phone without voice commands, read on.
Because last week, I met Droid. I'm telling you it was love at first site. This is what I always dreamed of as a kid when I sat up late reading Harriet the Spy and Encyclopedia Brown. Watching Get Smart or Mission Impossible. In my hot little hands, I can now instantly chat with anyone anywhere. And if i'm not sure where that anywhere is, I can map it. If I'm not sure where I am, it'll map me. I can even map the stars. I can get on Facebook and see what my friends are doing. I can read the NY times, albeit three words at time...or have it read it to me. Droid is good at that. Though admittedly some of his words sound more like the Terminator than HAL.
I can carry my favorite photos with me. And take new ones. I can take the video I made for my daughter's graduation with me, and film my adventures away from home. I have my entire iTunes library on it and I can create my own ringtones from any song. Instantly. And I can download more. From any source. I can do my banking. Shop at Overstock. Compare prices using the Barcode scanner. And if you've never seen that, believe me it's amazing. Just push a button, and using the built in camera you scan any barcode, and in seconds you'll know exactly where to find the best price. What's for dinner? Look up a recipe. Found one but can't understand it? Translate from over 65 languages. I even carry an e-constitution so I can argue with my red-tie friends and back it up.
But the real beauty is it's easy to use. See my husband is a bit of a techno-phobe. Hates anything that requires more than 5 minutes to learn. But he too, loves his Droid. Yep. Buy one get one free. The guy that's never even had an iPod, is now a proud Droidman.
Now with all due respect to the iPhone, it's like anything else. Apple came up with a fabulous toy, and this is just the next generation. I'm sure iPhone is as good if not better, but since I can't use one, who cares. Droid let's me get my email, add events to my calendar, play my favorite games, watch movies, podcasts, whatever. And it even lets me know when my family and friends are on google so we can chat. True, it's not a giant screen like an iPad, but it fits in my pocket and does what iPad doesn't. Phones home. Takes Pictures. Takes movies. And Multi-tasks. And has thousands of apps. That anyone can create. And of course has a slide out keyboard for those with pudgy clumsy fingers like me.
So while thousands spend today lining sidewalks around the country waiting to spend their hard earned money on an iPad, I will be sitting at home wishing my Droid was as adjustable in size as the photos I'm storing on it. And trying to imagine what Harriet would have thought about having her very own Droid.
Now, for those of you who are certified techno-geeks and have all this stuff, read no further, it'll just be ho hum stuff. Probably bore you silly. For those of you who still know how to use a phone without voice commands, read on.
Because last week, I met Droid. I'm telling you it was love at first site. This is what I always dreamed of as a kid when I sat up late reading Harriet the Spy and Encyclopedia Brown. Watching Get Smart or Mission Impossible. In my hot little hands, I can now instantly chat with anyone anywhere. And if i'm not sure where that anywhere is, I can map it. If I'm not sure where I am, it'll map me. I can even map the stars. I can get on Facebook and see what my friends are doing. I can read the NY times, albeit three words at time...or have it read it to me. Droid is good at that. Though admittedly some of his words sound more like the Terminator than HAL.
I can carry my favorite photos with me. And take new ones. I can take the video I made for my daughter's graduation with me, and film my adventures away from home. I have my entire iTunes library on it and I can create my own ringtones from any song. Instantly. And I can download more. From any source. I can do my banking. Shop at Overstock. Compare prices using the Barcode scanner. And if you've never seen that, believe me it's amazing. Just push a button, and using the built in camera you scan any barcode, and in seconds you'll know exactly where to find the best price. What's for dinner? Look up a recipe. Found one but can't understand it? Translate from over 65 languages. I even carry an e-constitution so I can argue with my red-tie friends and back it up.
But the real beauty is it's easy to use. See my husband is a bit of a techno-phobe. Hates anything that requires more than 5 minutes to learn. But he too, loves his Droid. Yep. Buy one get one free. The guy that's never even had an iPod, is now a proud Droidman.
Now with all due respect to the iPhone, it's like anything else. Apple came up with a fabulous toy, and this is just the next generation. I'm sure iPhone is as good if not better, but since I can't use one, who cares. Droid let's me get my email, add events to my calendar, play my favorite games, watch movies, podcasts, whatever. And it even lets me know when my family and friends are on google so we can chat. True, it's not a giant screen like an iPad, but it fits in my pocket and does what iPad doesn't. Phones home. Takes Pictures. Takes movies. And Multi-tasks. And has thousands of apps. That anyone can create. And of course has a slide out keyboard for those with pudgy clumsy fingers like me.
So while thousands spend today lining sidewalks around the country waiting to spend their hard earned money on an iPad, I will be sitting at home wishing my Droid was as adjustable in size as the photos I'm storing on it. And trying to imagine what Harriet would have thought about having her very own Droid.
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