Back whenever the first buzz of the Apple Iphone started, so started Dino’s insistence that this was the best piece of technology currently available.  (Which he says about every piece of Mac technology currently available.)  And so started my insistence that it was the most overly indulgent new toy for adults.  We have had a friendly tennis-match of an argument going for quite a while now—him generally saying that it’s the last and best phone one would ever need to buy.  Me gently reminding him that he said that when the Motorola Razr came out and he had to get it—and now hates it.

Last night, my lovely friend came over to talk about the design of her wedding invitations.  It turned into a long dinner with pasta (what else?) and wine…and somewhere in the conversation the Iphone came up.  She was saying that she had a brief and blissful affair with an iphone while waiting for her car’s oil to be changed.  The time went by so fast and she never once had to pick up one of those wrinkly, grease-spattered magazines in the waiting room!  I was trying to put my finger on an articulate and sensible statement of why I resist this gadget, and technology in general, and I think it has finally occurred to me why.

My first problem with the iphone is this ad, boasting over 25,000 applications and counting.  And also, how to get it faster here, than anywhere else.  What is the effing hurry, for one thing?  (Sorry, the “articulate” bit went out the window for a second there!)  And how many more than 25,000 applications does one need?  My friend was saying to me last night if I just gave it a chance I would really think it was the coolest thing ever.  Possible, but not probable.  See, I already spend my entire day, and entire week in front of a computer where I have access to all of the things I would need, that the iphone would also give me access to.  For my infrequent jaunts outside of my office the LAST thing I want to be is plugged into anything.

This constant need to be technologically connected is resulting in a massive disconnect to the rest of life.  (Now, let me make sure that I say this, for fear of sounding like a hypocrite—I rely heavily on all sorts of technology in my daily life, and primarily for my business.  Though I may resist,  I do have a tremendous appreciation for these modern conveniences.  And I even indulge in the frippery of Twitter, flickr, facebook and all these other social networking outlets.)  But my fear is that an iphone would send me into self-inflicted social quarantine.  I already rabidly avoid phone calls—both making them and receiving them–(most people who know me know how much I despise phone chat) and favor e-mail instead.  What if I also start avoiding conversation, and (gasp) even eye contact?  When I see an adult with an iphone (or God, one of those stupid Bluetooth earpieces) it reminds me of a bratty, over-indulged child sitting at a restaurant with his family with his head bowed down in reverance to his Gameboy.

The obligatory and probably unnecessary disclaimer is that I don’t assume that my opinions on the subject are shared with the masses.  This is just one nit-picky gals view on just one little subject.

Me, I’m going to pass on the iphone—and the Blackberry and laptop and Bluetooth and GPS while I’m at it.  I might even go outside and play today, sans sim card, power cords and micro chips.  Imagine that!

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