eschewing technology

I do my research and writing on an out-of-fashion PC. But I like it and it works well for me. I have a tablet for keeping up with email and the internet while traveling. And I have a cellphone that I turn on only when I need to make a call, or expect one, such as coordinating a rendezvous.

I don't have a smartphone. I don't want to pay a monthly fee for something I think I'd hardly ever use.

But then, last month, we went to Japan. In a lovely rental in Kyoto, the owner provided an iPhone for our use, with English apps and an Australian-accented voice. Having a portable GPS was very helpful! I began to soften my opposition to a smartphone, started thinking of the times when one could prove useful.

And then I turned on the iPhone's flashlight feature. By mistake. And no matter what buttons I pushed, or what I swiped and punched, I couldn't turn it off. [Remember, I'd never used one before.] So what did I do? Turned on my tablet and Googled "how to turn off iPhone light." That worked. Problem solved.

But until I have time for a week-long [or longer?] course, probably taught by a pre-teen, on how to use a smartphone, I think I'll pass.