My iPhone justification

By Craig Crossman, Electronic Devices / Consumer & Gadgets

I remember getting my first computer which was an Apple II back in the late '70s. You may be surprised when I tell you what mostly stands out about those times. It wasn't the fun I had playing with it nor the sense of discovery and accomplishment I achieved as I learned how to program it and figured out ways to use it in school.

Unfortunately the main thing I remember was how I constantly had to justify owning it. "Why do you need one?", "How much did you spend on it?", "What's it good for?", "Can you make any money with it?" were some of my favorite questions people would ask whenever I told them I owned a computer. My personal favorite wisenheimer remark was "Well can it wash the dishes?" to which I'd say something like "No, that would be a robot, not a desktop computer."

I really can't put my finger on the exact date those annoying questions finally ended but thank goodness the personal computer has earned its rightful place in our society. Of course there are those who stubbornly remain technologically challenged but at least they don't ask me those same kind of questions anymore. Or so I thought.

At first I thought I was experiencing a major case of deja vu but I've since come to identify the source of it all and it has a name. It's my iPhone. When Apple finally released its version 2.0 operating system for this device and allowed third party developers to create applications for it, the iPhone was no longer just a cell phone. No, the iPhone is actually a hand-held personal computer that just happens to be able to make phone calls. Yet whenever I talk about the iPhone on my radio show or write about it in my newspaper column, I get inundated with irate callers and emails that ask me the same questions I used to get from those who didn't understand why I would want to own a computer!

Actually the questions have been upgraded to reflect the times but their meaning is basically the same. People question me as to why I need one. My personal favorite is now "Why do I need a cell phone that does all of those things? All I need is a simple cell phone to make and receive calls!" You wouldn't think so but amazingly, I get this question a lot from people who own a computer. I usually begin by asking them if they only want to communicate when they're sitting in front of their computers. After a few blinks, I push on with some examples. Email is a good place to begin. Getting and replying to emails on my iPhone saves me countless hours of delayed response time if I could only read and reply when I was back at my computer. And there are so many more examples.

To track packages, I had to be in front of my computer. No more. Package Tracker is an iPhone app that lets me track all incoming and outgoing packages from FedEx, UPS, DHL and the Post Office. I can even label the tracking numbers so I know what they and I get up to the moment routing details. This little app costs 99 cents. I was at a party the other day and was asked to solve some word puzzles. No problem. I whipped out my trusty iPhone and called up WordBook, a Dictionary and Thesaurus ($7.99) that can also solve crossword puzzles and anagrams. I just put in the letters and it unscrambled them for me. No desktop computer needed and you can't do that with the paperback version. Plus it stores thousands of pictures so I could show off photos of the kids, the dog, the house, etc. on its really big screen.

TV Forecast (free) lets me see when my favorite TV shows are playing, what the upcoming episodes are about and if I forgot to record them on my DVR back at home, no problem. Another iPhone app lets me instantly and remotely program my DVR no matter where I am so I never miss a show. Already there are literally thousands of apps for the iPhone and the number is constantly growing. It's just like software for personal computers. Each application gives the computer and the iPhone new abilities.

So there you have it, my justification as to why I need and use my iPhone everyday. It's the same one I used for my personal computer way back when. It just makes my life a little bit easier and better. Maybe it can for you too.

All the above apps are available at the iTunes App Store.

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(Craig Crossman is a national newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology. He also hosts the No. 1 daily national computer radio talk show, Computer America, heard on the Business TalkRadio Network and the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network - Monday through Friday, 10 p.m.-midnight ET. For more information, visit his web site at http://www.computeramerica.com)

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© 2008, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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