My smartphone is specifically and uniquely useful to me for the following:
Access the Internet without using my work laptop. My employer doesn’t need to know I took a moment to check the weather, answer my wife to coordinate schedules, or respond to an important personal email.
Entertainment while my dog sniffs the same spot on the ground for 5 minutes, or while standing in a queue.
Safety, if I need to reach someone while out and about. I can’t imagine pulling out a laptop on the side of the road and trying to call a tow.
More secure OS for accessing mobile banking.
I love taking pictures. The best laptop cameras struggle to compete with a mid-range smartphone.
With that said, I think the smartphone is something that you know is useful to you. For most people, the answer is clearly yes that it has a place. It’s refreshing to know that not everyone is so dependent.
Honestly something that’s worth looking into is building homes with habitat for humanity (or any other organizations doing the same thing).
It’s pretty strenuous exercise and is good for you. Make sure to not abuse your body however and learn how to avoid doing so (i.e keeping back straight and squatting instead of bending over).
The most important aspect is learning carpentry, which is extremely good knowledge to have. It’s not just learning a new skill and an option for a new career but its the money it saves you. A carpenter is a jack of all trades and is far from just framing 2x4s. You learn a little plumbing, some electrician work, framing, finishing and repairing drywall and some more.
Granted a lot of it is pretty surface level but for a lot of repairs and installs around the house it’s all you need. Instead of paying like 1000$ for someone go install a toilet, do it yourself. Install outlets and light switches yourself, build basic custom furniture and shelves yourself. You become very self sufficient and it can save you so much money.
It matters very little. It’s performative, trying to justify the conflict by framing it one way or another. The reality on the ground will remain the same no matter what the media calls it. Ultimately, it will be historians that name the war.
The combatants are Israel and Hamas. The location is Gaza. Conclude from that what you will as far the “proper” name for the conflict.
The combatants are the IDF and Hamas. The location is Gaza. But if the ones dying aren’t soldiers but rather ordinary civilians, and if those civilian deaths aren’t tragic accidents but rather the intended outcomes of the attacks, some might believe this isn’t a war between militaries. This is a slaughter of populations. This is terror. This is genocide.
Hamas attempted such an act on Israel. But right now, the IDF is bombing refugee camps, targeting ambulances, blocking humanitarian aid convoys, and murdering men, women, and children - civilians - by the literal thousands.
Israel-Hamas, Israel-Gaza, it’s all performative. You’re right. But there’s a lot of subtext behind each performance. Is this a war against a small terrorist cell, or an extermination of a territory and all those who call it home? I can’t speak to the motives of newscasters using either wording, but just like OP, I do wonder what they’re trying to convey.
I use my smartphone for the same things I use my computer. Mainly web browsing if I want to know something/show something. Also for communication. Then comes taking photos or printing tickets or other files directly to my printer without turning on my PC.
By coincidence the first time I ever listened to it was being hospitalized for suicidal thoughts, and the last song I listened to before being hospitalized (you don’t have your phone).
As such it sort of felt like fate, like it was supposed to happen, especially considering the lyrics of the song and the context of being dragged to god knows where. The lyrics really struck deep.
Lyrics if you don’t want to listen to it
Dig for victory, go for gold I don’t want to die before I get old And I wonder where I’m going to There’s some way out, there’s some way through But I’m lost, I’m lost, I’m down again My direction is changing, which way, Which way can I go…
The only reason I consider a smartphone a necessity is private and secure messaging and calls on the go. I can’t imagine having to be at my PC for longer calls with my family or non-gaming friends, and as a woman I absolutely refuse to go outside when it’s dark without a phone.
So since I already have to have a phone I use it for other things like Lemmy, music, podcasts, public transit and the odd entertainment app. It’s perfectly fine to not have a smartphone if you don’t need any of those things though.
Being able to use forums and chats while not at my computer. I pretty much exclusively use my phone for the computer part, and never really use the phone part.
Heck, the first cellphone I had period was a Danger Hiptop (aka the Sidekick) because it allowed real web browsing (not that WAP shit) and other Internet features that only super expensive business PDAs had at the time.
Honestly the dedicated shutter button on my Sony Xperia. I have ADHD and I want to remember something I press the button and take an immediate picture. At work I use this function constantly. I’m a repair technician and it’s really nice to take a picture of a model number instead of having to cross reference between the computer screen and the computer I’m trying to fix.
Listening to music is also good.
I can’t believe I forgot this but GOOGLE. Anytime, anywhere you just have to know something, or learn how to do something you can immediately search it up.
I would also look into getting a flagship phone from a couple years ago, I find that they can be a lot nicer than a budget or mid range phone.
I’m using a Sony Xperia 1 III and I love it to bits. Bought it brand new for over 1000$ and 2 years after its release you can find it for 500$, refurbished with warranty, in excellent condition.
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