Get Smart

Ballston Lake, NY – Working as a young professional in a technology-centered environment, I feel pressure to stay up to date with the latest technologies. One week ago today I finally took the plunge, trading in my old school slider phone for a state-of-the-art-ish smartphone. I say “ish” because I opted to go with a model that has been on the market for a little while, Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris.  I swiped this slightly used bad boy off craigslist to save some money and stay out of a two year data plan agreement should I decide that the smartphone game isn’t for me.

I originally wanted to go with the HTC Droid Incredible, but I was hesitant to pay the premium for the marginally better hardware running the same software. Plus, Verizon told me that I would have to wait a month for the store to get more Incredibles.  I like the simple design and intuitive interface of the phone I went with.

But the name? I have to tell you, I’m not sure what HTC was thinking naming this model after Eris, the Greek goddess of strife and discord. My first impression of the name may suggest that this handset will not meld well with the human controlling it–it may suggest that there will be a battle between man and machine. Of course, this is not true at all. Seriously HTC, what’s up with the name? Sprint’s version, called the Hero, is clearly a better name.

So far my smartphone experience has been a positive one.  I’ve found it very convenient having the internet and all it has to offer in my pocket whenever I need it. In the endless quest for information that we find ourselves in today, the smartphone is the perfect tool. Plus, this phone doubles as a GPS, effectively replacing the standalone GPS I always carried around in my car.

The main thing I’ve noticed since I’ve picked up the phone, I use my laptop a lot less.

-bgaryg