Assignment B - Mobile Strategy and Psychology

When I think about the amount of time that I spend on mobile devices (I have a an android phone for personal use and my employer provides me with an iPad), I have to say, I don't think that I spend that much time on my mobile. 

I view myself as the antithesis of Golum in regards to the appeal of being mobile (but I know people who are just like this though...).

  

1. I use my phone everyday. It's my alarm to wake me (and the cats) up.

and I also check the weather to determine how warmly I should dress.

While trying to convince myself that it's a good idea to get up and get ready for the day, I may check my personal email to see if I received any interesting emails whilst sleeping. That's about it until the evening, when I may use an app that lets me log into my mobile via my computer so that I can remotely text. I also (surprisingly) use my mobile to talk on the phone.

My iPad is used intermittently, on a weekly basis, to play games, access Facebook and check work emails. I would estimate that overall, 95% of my mobile usage is personal and 5% is for work.

2. The most enjoyable way to use my mobile, is to not use it. Honestly. I try to make an active effort to not to be connected to mobile devices. 

I see people everywhere I go, focused on their phones and not engaging in real life (outside the online realm). On the LRT ride to this class yesterday I saw two parents riding with their three kids. The children were trying to engage with their parents, but the parents barely looked up to acknowledge their kids.

I'm not scared of mobile technology or fear it; I would just much rather engage via laptop/computer in a certain location (e.g. my desk) and be 'unconnected' the rest of the time.

3. I think that tracking my usage for one day does provide a mostly complete picture of my current use, although it may not for others. My weekend habits are very close to my weekday mobile habits; however I may have more time to play a logic game and am more likely to check my work email to see if any fires have popped up. Overall, there might be a very small spike in my mobile usage on weekends, but it is minimal.

4. I find it interesting that in 2014, mobile internet usage will overtake desktops.

I do understand this trend, with mobile being more affordable and portable than desktops. Also, free WiFi is available in most major cities in North America, and data plans allow the user to be connected when they want and where they want. 

With that said, I make a conscious decision to keep my use of mobile devices at a minimum.  

Other than purchasing two apps, I've never made a mobile purchase. I don't have any loyalty program apps on my mobile. I deny all requests for push notifications from games. I've disabled as many pre-loaded apps that came with my mobile as possible. 

I realize that mobile internet use is no longer the way of the future, it is the present--the here and now of what is happening. I may eventually embrace more of the benefits of mobile internet, but for the time being, I'm okay living more like this.