My 14 days iPhone-less.

[Davejprince]

Hi guys, Dave here.
I have recently took my iPhone to get its sleep/wake button to be repaired.
It takes them two weeks, and I decided to not get a replacement or old phone to use meanwhile.

- I will keep this thread as a small blog for the 14 days without my iPhone.

• Day one: Right after leaving the store where I brought in my iPhone I felt happy, because knowing that my phone will function for the full 100% soon. So it was getting darker outside, I tried to check for any rain but, I had no phone. my pocket felt empty and I was not really happy with that.
Right when I got home I tried to get on Twitter, also had no phone so I took my laptop.

At that point I decided to use my laptop for things like checking the weather, social networks and Youtube.

• Day two: It was my first day of college of the week, so I woke up without using an alarm, but that wasn't a problem that day.
I do cycle to college, it takes me one hour to get there.
I had no music playing when I was going there, which I am used to.
It was pretty boring, but I decided to actually "listen" what was happening, as I never-ever cycle without having earbuds in.
I heard the birds, and other people also and the cars and other vehicles.
When I finally arrived there ( after a boring hour ) I was happy to get in college to be able to play music finally, that was one thing I missed that day.

I didn't miss the endless free-texting with friends without a real subject, I was able to concentrate more on my school work instead of worrying about unread messages and my battery percentage, so after college I came home and I didn't take play my usual iPhone game for 15 minutes, but instead I went to visit my grandmother, bring her the newspaper and drink a cup-a-tea, after that I came home and sat at the bar to wait for dinner, and did my usual evening-routine without my phone.

• Day three: The usual routine of cycling to college, I missed my music but nothing else, I wasn't able to text my friends but still I didn't really miss it.
Altough we planned a Poker-night at my place for the weekend, but wasn't able to participate in the group-chat because I had no phone, but besides that I had no important reason to use my phone, and the same thing happened as the day before.

• Day four: The same thing with the cycling ( again yes ) this day I had one class for four hours in a row, after some work I had some spare time at college.
I usually check out my phone at that point but I just decided to listen to John Mayer while browsing Macrumors instead.
When looking around I saw people with smartphones and such and they all suddenly looked "cooler" than when I had my iPhone.
I didn't really miss my phone, and other peoples phones looked amazing because I started getting used to not having my phone.

• Day five: Went to college without music on, had a few busy classes and went home.
I didn't need any phone at all today and nothing has changed, I am getting used to not having a smartphone.
____
I AM AT DAY FOUR AT THE MOMENT, A DAILY UPDATE WILL FOLLOW
_________

So now to create a discussion:
What would you do if you didn't have your phone for 14 days? What will you miss and what not?
( Alarm, calls, texting, browsing, games, music, etc? )

[satchow]

I assume you're getting a new iPhone from an Apple Store. Why is it taking 14 days? When my sleep/wake button broke, it took them less than 2 minutes to get me a new phone.

[AutoUnion39]

So dramatic. Only on MR would you see stuff like this.

[aliensporebomb]

Day 300 - this is taking forever!

[AustinIllini]

Originally Posted by AutoUnion39

So dramatic. Only on MR would you see stuff like this.

What's great about this board is it doesn't matter. He can talk about whatever he wants related to the iPhone.

[jamezr]

what is alarming is the blog only goes to 4 days......he must have committed suicide from iphone withdrawals! :-)

[bonskovsky]

:I You went 14 days without an iPhone??

I could NEVER do that!

[ricanloveee]

Sooooo - why didn't you back up all your data, get a replacement and sync everything back... Instead of this?

[maxosx]

Originally Posted by AutoUnion39

So dramatic. Only on MR would you see stuff like this.

My, someone sure enjoys being judgmental...

[Davejprince]

Haha no guys, I live in Holland so we got "Premium Resellers" they send the phone to a company so it takes ages.
I am on the fourth day at the moment and I decided to share my "story".
They don't give out temp. Phones and things like that, I did back-up my phone yes.
It's no drama, just a small inthread-blog to share my opinion.

[Interstella5555]

Originally Posted by Davejprince

Hi guys, Dave here.
I have recently took my iPhone to get its sleep/wake button to be repaired.
It takes them two weeks, and I decided to not get a replacement or old phone to use meanwhile.

- I will keep this thread as a small blog for the 14 days without my iPhone.

• Day one: Right after leaving the store where I brought in my iPhone I felt happy, because knowing that my phone will function for the full 100% soon. So it was getting darker outside, I tried to check for any rain but, I had no phone. my pocket felt empty and I was not really happy with that.
Right when I got home I tried to get on Twitter, also had no phone so I took my laptop.

How could it possibly take two weeks for this repiar? Also, You couldn't look up in the sky to see if it looked like rain? I also use past experience with weather to make an educated guess...

At that point I decided to use my laptop for things like checking the weather, social networks and Youtube.

You seriously prefer using your phone for stuff like this? I appreciate more screen real estate when I'm actually doing stuff online, not just browsing.

Day two: It was my first day of college of the week, so I woke up without using an alarm, but that wasn't a problem that day.
I do cycle to college, it takes me one hour to get there.
I had no music playing when I was going there, which I am used to.
It was pretty boring, but I decided to actually "listen" what was happening, as I never-ever cycle without having earbuds in.
I heard the birds, and other people also and the cars and other vehicles.
When I finally arrived there ( after a boring hour ) I was happy to get in college to be able to play music finally, that was one thing I missed that day.

Things you should invest in...An alarm clock
I have backup iPhones and a iPod for traveling, so would have just used that, glad you got to hear the noise of the city though and had...something to play music off of.

I didn't miss the endless free-texting with friends without a real subject, I was able to concentrate more on my school work instead of worrying about unread messages and my battery percentage, so after college I came home and I didn't take play my usual iPhone game for 15 minutes, but instead I went to visit my grandmother, bring her the newspaper and drink a cup-a-tea, after that I came home and sat at the bar to wait for dinner, and did my usual evening-routine without my phone.

Please tell me you don't actually worry about your phone instead of studying. Also, if you can't take 10 minutes out of the day to see your gran instead of playing a "game" on your phone that's just...sad.

• Day three: The usual routine of cycling to college, I missed my music but nothing else, I wasn't able to text my friends but still I didn't really miss it.
Altough we planned a Poker-night at my place for the weekend, but wasn't able to participate in the group-chat because I had no phone, but besides that I had no important reason to use my phone, and the same thing happened as the day before.

I guess living at home and only going to school allows you to do this, but I'd likely be fired from my job if I couldn't use a phone. This goes back to my original thought of why this is taking two weeks to fix and why you didn't pick up a spare.

Day four: The same thing with the cycling ( again yes ) this day I had one class for four hours in a row, after some work I had some spare time at college.
I usually check out my phone at that point but I just decided to listen to John Mayer while browsing Macrumors instead.
When looking around I saw people with smartphones and such and they all suddenly looked "cooler" than when I had my iPhone.
I didn't really miss my phone, and other peoples phones looked amazing because I started getting used to not having my phone.

Wow, this really brings it all together...you can't listed to music and browse your phone at the same time? Additionally, if you think people are "cool" for owning a phone, there's about 200 million pretty cool people out there. Good luck in life OP., though honestly can't wait for tomorrow update... "normally I'd look at the phone to see if it was sunny out, but today I actually looked out the window!!"

[Davejprince]

Originally Posted by Interstella5555

You couldn't look up in the sky to see if it looked like rain? I also use past experience with weather to make an educated guess...


With the "looked cooler" I meant the device itself, not the person who's holding it.

You seriously prefer using your phone for stuff like this? I appreciate more screen real estate when I'm actually doing stuff online, not just browsing.


Things you should invest in...An alarm clock
I have backup iPhones and a iPod for traveling, so would have just used that, glad you got to hear the noise of the city though and had...something to play music off of.



Please tell me you don't actually worry about your phone instead of studying. Also, if you can't take 10 minutes out of the day to see your gran instead of playing a "game" on your phone that's just...sad.



I guess living at home and only going to school allows you to do this, but I'd likely be fired from my job if I couldn't use a phone. This goes back to my original thought of why this is taking two weeks to fix and why you didn't pick up a spare.




Wow, this really brings it all together...you can't listed to music and browse your phone at the same time? Additionally, if you think people are "cool" for owning a phone, there's about 200 million pretty cool people out there. Good luck in life OP., though honestly can't wait for tomorrow update... "normally I'd look at the phone to see if it was sunny out, but today I actually looked out the window!!"

Here the weather is hard to predict, I'm long from home so to decide if I will cycle or take the bus I use a weather app, I can live without it tho.

I do visit my grandmother on a regular base, but an extra visit instead of doing other things, that is what I meant. ( She lives a 20 Minutes cycle away )

And for the phone at college, it's not really worrying. but streaming video's for music and such will drain my battery, it's not that I'm paranoid over a number on my screen.
Phones wont make you cool, I meant smartphones look cooler if someone else is holding it.

I do not have a job so I have no important calls coming in or anything so I'm fine with that.

And personal preferences are called personal preferences with a reason

[AutoUnion39]

Originally Posted by maxosx

My, someone sure enjoys being judgmental...

oh, the horror, of not having your beloved iPhone for 2 WHOLE WEEKS

[LostMyiPhone]

Originally Posted by Interstella5555

How could it possibly take two weeks for this repiar? Also, You couldn't look up in the sky to see if it looked like rain? I also use past experience with weather to make an educated guess...



You seriously prefer using your phone for stuff like this? I appreciate more screen real estate when I'm actually doing stuff online, not just browsing.


Things you should invest in...An alarm clock
I have backup iPhones and a iPod for traveling, so would have just used that, glad you got to hear the noise of the city though and had...something to play music off of.



Please tell me you don't actually worry about your phone instead of studying. Also, if you can't take 10 minutes out of the day to see your gran instead of playing a "game" on your phone that's just...sad.



I guess living at home and only going to school allows you to do this, but I'd likely be fired from my job if I couldn't use a phone. This goes back to my original thought of why this is taking two weeks to fix and why you didn't pick up a spare.




Wow, this really brings it all together...you can't listed to music and browse your phone at the same time? Additionally, if you think people are "cool" for owning a phone, there's about 200 million pretty cool people out there. Good luck in life OP., though honestly can't wait for tomorrow update... "normally I'd look at the phone to see if it was sunny out, but today I actually looked out the window!!"

You don't have a lot to do in life, do you?

----------

OP, good luck. I personally would NOT like to not have my iPhone. I'll be the first to admit that I am horribly dependent on my phone for many many things. I read all of my news from my phone, I communicate with all of my friends and family using it (txt/calls), I listen to music from it, I take pictures with it. I use it a TON. Call me an addict, whatever...

Also, I just had a faulty sleep/wake button too... I was under the impression they couldn't fix this...

Are you having Apple do it? I'd probably prefer to have a new phone anyway. You get a new battery and it beats having someone open up your phone and poke around. Did they re-connect everything properly and securely? Who knows... For those reasons, I chose to have mine replaced rather than pushing for a repair (which they indirectly told me they couldn't/wouldn't do).

[Davejprince]

Originally Posted by LostMyiPhone

You don't have a lot to do in life, do you?

----------

OP, good luck. I personally would NOT like to not have my iPhone. I'll be the first to admit that I am horribly dependent on my phone for many many things. I read all of my news from my phone, I communicate with all of my friends and family using it (txt/calls), I listen to music from it, I take pictures with it. I use it a TON. Call me an addict, whatever...

Also, I just had a faulty sleep/wake button too... I was under the impression they couldn't fix this...

Are you having Apple do it? I'd probably prefer to have a new phone anyway. You get a new battery and it beats having someone open up your phone and poke around. Did they re-connect everything properly and securely? Who knows... For those reasons, I chose to have mine replaced rather than pushing for a repair (which they indirectly told me they couldn't/wouldn't do).

Hi, I purchased mined at a reseller because one Apple Store in the country exists and I will not travel to there.
I do the same things as you do on my phone, but my notebook will help me now my phone isn't here.

The premium reseller sends my phone to a repair-center somewhere so that is why it takes that long.

Having it fixed costs me nothing, getting a new 4s costs 580 Euros and a new iPhone 5 would cost me 670 Euros so that is why, by the way: my phone is purchased in May last year so it would be a waste of money ( at least for me it is, as a "poor" student ).

So only like ten days to go untill my phone is back and fixed.
I will post it when I got it back, I will check if everything still works fine what wasn't broke in the first place.

Dave,

[Shrink]

Originally Posted by AutoUnion39

So dramatic. Only on MR would you see stuff like this.

Originally Posted by maxosx

My, someone sure enjoys being judgmental...

Some things beg to be judged.

And, incidentally, what's wrong with making judgements (i.e. express an opinion) about posts on MR?!

[barkomatic]

Originally Posted by AutoUnion39

oh, the horror, of not having your beloved iPhone for 2 WHOLE WEEKS

Oh stop. If you're on this forum you're an addict like the rest of us. People who are "above" mobile electronics don't frequent this place.

[LostMyiPhone]

Originally Posted by Davejprince

Hi, I purchased mined at a reseller because one Apple Store in the country exists and I will not travel to there.
I do the same things as you do on my phone, but my notebook will help me now my phone isn't here.

The premium reseller sends my phone to a repair-center somewhere so that is why it takes that long.

Having it fixed costs me nothing, getting a new 4s costs 580 Euros and a new iPhone 5 would cost me 670 Euros so that is why, by the way: my phone is purchased in May last year so it would be a waste of money ( at least for me it is, as a "poor" student ).

So only like ten days to go untill my phone is back and fixed.
I will post it when I got it back, I will check if everything still works fine what wasn't broke in the first place.

Dave,

Fully understand. I complain that the nearest apple store to me is over an hour away by car but you guys not in the US generally have it much worse with only one or two retail stores in the country (if at all).

I hope all goes well! I'll be checking in to see which day you lose your mind

----------

Originally Posted by barkomatic

Oh stop. If you're on this forum you're an addict like the rest of us. People who are "above" mobile electronics don't frequent this place.

BINGO!

And what's wrong with being addicted to your smartphone? There are many more things that would be worse to be addicted to.

(using the word "addicted" very loosely abov)

[madmaxmedia]

I like this little diary idea, thanks for posting!

I am constantly using my iPhone (and enjoy doing so), but if I think about it I would be ultimately be fine if for whatever reason couldn't use it anymore and went to say a cheap feature phone and an iPod for music. I'll live if I have to wait to check news, RSS, scores, email, whatever (my work doesn't require me to have instant access to email all the time.)

I'm not a Luddite and it's really nice to have a smartphone, but in the big scheme of things is not that big of a deal (to me).

[scaredpoet]

Originally Posted by Interstella5555

You seriously prefer using your phone for stuff like this? I appreciate more screen real estate when I'm actually doing stuff online, not just browsing.

For checking the weather you don't need a 13 inch or higher screen. Especially if you're outside and just need to know if it might rain soon. This is exactly what a smartphone was intended for: just the information you need, when you need it.


If course in the old days one would've gone inside, booted up the computer, dialed up the modem and logged into weather.com to check the forecast. Without a smartphone one could do the same today, sans the dialup modem. But then you're inside and it doesn't matter much, anymore.

Wow, this really brings it all together...you can't listed to music and browse your phone at the same time? Additionally, if you think people are "cool" for owning a phone, there's about 200 million pretty cool people out there. Good luck in life OP., though honestly can't wait for tomorrow update... "normally I'd look at the phone to see if it was sunny out, but today I actually looked out the window!!"

It's actually kinda hilarious how much energy people spend in being angry at the OP. Makes me wonder what's missing in their lives that they HAVE to kick others down.

I suppose when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast and people were without power for weeks we could also say things like "grow up people! Just go outside and look at the birds and nature like the people in the 1800s did! Geez! Good luck in life!" Because you know, you don't need electricity to survive. Or refrigerators. Or gasoline for their cars... or even cars. Nor do people need computers or internet access, either. Right?

Anyway, I've done the no-smartphone-thing for two weeks, back when my 3GS was stolen on the same day the iPhone 4 was announced (thus about two weeks before launch day). It's not as easy as people think to just shrug your shoulders and do without. That very fact that you've had this thing which does things for you, and you no longer have it, does put you at a disadvantage, particularly when some 200 million others around you have that thing, and largely expect you to have it, too. For all people harp about how hanging out with real friends is way better than being online with facebook friends, the fact of the matter is, it's a real pain coordinating a meet-up with real friends when they have a smartphone to call or text you, and you don't.

Yes, there were some positives: being able to enjoy birds and nature and such thanks to not having my eyes glued to a screen. Not checking my e-mail or twitter or facebook every 5 minutes. Mildly annoying my coworkers and boss because no, I didn't get your email, and won't until I'm at my desk which could be a couple hours.

But at the end of two weeks, it gets old. No, sorry, there is no serenity in simpler, technology-less living unless you're okay with living in a box and being willfully ignorant of a lot of things. There needs to be a happy medium, and doing without a smartphone for a couple weeks puts that into perspective. But you're not better off with just getting rid of it forever, no matter what some luddite idealists think.

[abz1981]

Dude i think you should get in touch with some hollywood movie writers about your blog. Big money can be made here. It could go along and be about the story of life having to deal with re-sellers and, apple having only one store in a country such as yours, and how you had to adapt to life without the iphone. It may actually make apple open up a store nearer to your house.

[Davejprince]

Originally Posted by abz1981

Dude i think you should get in touch with some hollywood movie writers about your blog. Big money can be made here. It could go along and be about the story of life having to deal with re-sellers and, apple having only one store in a country such as yours, and how you had to adapt to life without the iphone. It may actually make apple open up a store nearer to your house.

You must be really fun at parties, if they are even that stupid to invite a person like you.

[abz1981]

Originally Posted by Davejprince

You must be really fun at parties, if they are even that stupid to invite a person like you.

lol why you feel insulted for? Its an idea, jeez. Some people cannot take a joke lol.

[hayden1250]

I sent my iPhone 5 in a couple of weeks ago for the exact same problem. I also was iPhone-less for 2 weeks.

It is like someone has taken a intergral part of your life away. It was a horrible 2 weeks. Horrible.

I understand talking about it relieves some of the pain. Why didn't I think of this?

[abz1981]

Originally Posted by hayden1250

I sent my iPhone 5 in a couple of weeks ago for the exact same problem. I also was iPhone-less for 2 weeks.

It is like someone has taken a intergral part of your life away. It was a horrible 2 weeks. Horrible.

I understand talking about it relieves some of the pain. Why didn't I think of this?

You can always do your own mini blog here too. Just try remember everything you did.