Cell phone update thread

There are cellphones that have WiFi capability. Recent model Blackberries all have it (Curve, Bold). So you could still have only one device.

Tell us what you really think!

I'm glad you've gotten by without a smartphone However, I can tell you that >90% of folks who came to the gsb with a smartphone, and every person I knew that was initially holding out has ended up with an iPhone or a Blackberry. It really does make life easier to have one. And I hope I haven't become antisocial by having one. Perhaps the need for and utilization of smartphones varies across b-schools? Maybe it would be a good idea for entering students to talk to current students at the schools they plan to attend.

Too much talking about iphone apps. Too much chatting on Bchat. especially in non-laptop classes.

I can see the benefit, but - in reality - you are at business school. Your email is never going to be that important. I carry my laptop everywhere though, so have access when I need it by just getting to a wifi spot. I find it extremely annoying to be in a bar chatting to someone when they start pissing about on a blackberry or an iphone. I can take it from someone I am recruiting with, but if you are a fellow student you really need to get a grip.

More my point was that they are not entirely necessary, and the issue of a $100 per month data plan next to a $35 standard bill might be of issue to some people. The same way you are told macs aren't viable at business school, you are given the feeling that your world will fall apart without a smart phone. I am pretty sure most the great business leaders have been able to cope without, and am of the feeling that they are an intrusion a lot of times.

Maybe I just don't get enough email or something.

I am in the distinct minority at my school for not having one. I think it makes people *feel* like they are business people to be honest (there is a good PhD there - notice how you can pay someone $40k in New York but they get all crazy business because they get a blackberry). I am not to argue that they are handy, but they are about $800 a year of convenience and not really worth it to my mind.

If people want you enough, they can phone you. Plus I really appreciate my sanctuary in the pub, and actually get a negative externality from all the others busy doing whatever their crackberry addiction calls for.

Terry - you are at Stanford.

Heh heh- Yeah, I sometimes forget how tech-centered and gadget-centric Stanford is

I understand where you're coming from on a lot of the things you've discussed. I don't have many apps (yelp and the NY Times are handy), and I try to keep my use to a minimum in social situations. But I've definitely seen the abuses you mentioned.

Of the people who have business orientated smart phones, most people in my class are split in use between Nokia E71 and iPhone, maybe 1 or 2 blackberries. The rest use either basic phones, or non-business orientated smartphones (Nokia N81, N82, HTC Touch etc.). I`m assuming in Asia there is more choice in smartphones besides iPhone and Blackberry (Nokia is the largest smartphone seller globally).

Why not a ipod touch? You can pretty much get wifi on any campus these days on pretty much any corner of the b-school building.

I had the same question when I posted earlier in this thread. But do you want to carry 2 devices with you at all times? Also, based on current students responses here, a smartphone seems to be useful when you are away from school too, where wifi is not always available.

Personally, I want a device with a qwerty keyboard but all the current ones (Fuze, BB) are lacking in some respect. A 15% discount on AT&T sure seems attractive at this point.

Maybe this has already been posted, but just some info for those looking to buy new phones:

https://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/sil ... erecommend

I'm still planning to *NOT* get a smartphone, since I'm a texting machine (I'm Asian after all, heh) and I dislike being constantly connected to my e-mail. If it's that urgent, you shouldn't be e-mailing me, that's all I'm saying.

However, if I do end up caving and getting a smartphone, I will probably get an Android phone.

I decided to go with the iPhone a couple weeks ago and am thrilled with it so far. I did hear that a new iPhone might be released in July, which seems to be supported by the article posted here, but went with the current version anyway. Looking forward to the software update coming in June as well. Horizontal texting/emailing, push email, etc.