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Mac & Gaydos

Updated Oct 8, 2014 - 8:07 pm

In an era of smartphones, some happily cling to their ‘dumbphones’

This is the story that YOU wanted to hear us talk about! It received 44 percent of the vote in our Radioactive poll!

All the talk in the tech world revolves around the latest and greatest line of phones. Whether it is the launch of the newest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, the focus is always on the size of the screen, the amount of memory and how it will help people connect more.

However, not everyone is so concerned with the newest technology.

San Francisco Chronicle reports the stories of people like Tamar Beja, a 34-year-old artist who clings to her “dumbphone.”

Beja doesn’t regularly check her e-mail. Nor is she tempted to waste time scrolling through Facebook and Instagram on her phone.
“I’m not a complete Luddite,” said Beja. “I just don’t want to be connected all the time. Maybe I’ll try a new restaurant without finding out what Yelp says first. It’s like finding a treasure in a thrift store. There is a lot of adventure missing when you use a smartphone.”

The ability to disconnect from the online world and be spontaneous yields the greatest appeal to those who actively choose to avoid smartphones.

There are other reasons to avoid smartphones and the 24/7 access. Dependence can cause stress and changes in sleep patterns.

David Meyer, a University of Michigan psychologist, believes the effects are even worse.

“Your smartphone has turned you into a dumb organism,” he said.
Even so, he often finds himself seduced by the device.
“You get sucked into wanting to do it all the time,” he said. “There is now a pressure to always respond immediately. People literally take their phone to bed.”

Whether a cost-saving measure or a way to save time or brain cells, those who confidently remain users of cellphones strictly for the purpose of calls and texts are more than happy to stay that way.

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