Using technology in everyday life

I went to London this weekend.  It was a spontaneous decision made two days earlier. Once the idea was planted, I went straight online to book transport, accommodation and theatre tickets: A weekend sorted in minutes thanks to the Internet and a laptop.

Making such a spur of the moment decision meant that there was little time to pack.  As I was leaving the house on Saturday morning wondering if I had packed everything, I thought to myself: "As long as I have my phone (fully charged) and my credit card I'll be fine." 

Armed with a credit card I can buy anything I forgot to pack. But why did my phone matter above all else?  Travel documents, hotel and theatre reservations, map of the underground - all these things were on my phone.  If I got lost, the voice on my map app would tell me where to go.  If I needed to look for somewhere to eat or the nearest attraction, my trip advisor app could show me. When does this museum close? How much does that gallery charge? Where is the nearest tube station? How far is The Courtauld from The Tate? All these answers can be found within seconds thanks to 3G (still waiting on 4G but I'm coping).  My phone can tell me how much is on my Oyster card, and can even top it up.  If I want a Starbucks without paying cash - I have a Starbucks app.  If I found myself without reading material on the journey I could read the news, play a game or connect to my Kindle, all on my phone - and when my eyes are tired, I can just plug my headphones into my phone and listen to Planet Rock instead.

Of course, my phone is not just something I use for travelling. As a learning tool, I have access to books, journals, podcasts, language learning apps, university documents, as well as my uni email and Moodle.  It's also my watch, my camera, my calculator, my planner, my alarm clock, my pedometer, my MP3 player, my GPS... Oh yes, and I can make calls on it too.

Who needs a camera when you have a phone?
(photo: my own)