“I’ve pondered this as I’ve watched people play with their iPhones. The primary reason to get one is for random Web browsing (which iPhone owners generally do to show off the fact that they can browse the Web on their handset) or time-wasting. The latter seems to be the main use of cell phones these days,” Dvorak writes. “I include phone calls in that category. Honestly, how much time does any one person need to yak on the phone? Nearly every time I overhear a phone conversation, the chit-chat is almost always inane, useless, unnecessary.”
MacDailyNews Take: While we, gulp, agree with the bloated gas bag on the last point, he’s obviously not watching experienced iPhone users work, not “play,” with their iPhones.
Dvorak continues, “And when people are not too busy needlessly chattering on the phone, they’re sending messages to all of their friends for no apparent reason.”
MacDailyNews Take: Agreed (even though us agreeing twice with Dvorak in one article means that the Apocalypse is nigh).
Dvorak continues, “When they’re not on the phone or texting, the person is probably goofing around on the phone. In the old days when people were standing in line or otherwise waiting for something, they’d read a book or knit or meditate. Now they fool around on the phone… They play games, sort messages, look for new apps. In other words, they waste time. Really, the iPhone is only the greatest handset around because it has more ways to waste time than any phone, ever.”
MacDailyNews Take: Here are just three examples, each of which has at least 50 other apps in its category:
• Free Books: 23,469 classics for less than a cup of coffee. (See all App Store apps for “books”)
• Knit Counter: A convenient way to store stitch counts and info for multiple knitting projects. (See all App Store apps for “knit”)
• Meditate – Meditation Timer: Elegant and functional meditation timer. (See all App Store apps for “meditate”)
Dvorak continues, “With the economy in the tank, this is probably as good a use of idle time as anything. But let’s face it, this whole phone thing is about wasting time… Cell phones are ruining the country. The economy has tanked in proportion to the growing popularity of the iPhone. This is no coincidence, as far as I’m concerned.”
Talk about wasting time, the full article – Think Before You Click™ – is here.
Wow. Simply wow.
“Now they’re all anyone talks about anymore,” John C. Dvorak writes for PC Magazine.
So after moaning that everybody is talking about the iPhone, what is Dvorak choosing to talk about ? The iPhone of course.
I guess he doesn’t mind “wasting time” waiting for windows to reboot because it blue screened, or wasting time scanning for viruses and such.
Face it Dvorak is wasting your and my time…
Talk about ” inane, useless, unnecessary.” That’s Dvorak.
The iPhone makes people vastly more productive. That it can also be used effectively for time-wasting is also true of automobiles, television, and reading Dvorak’s column.
He never has anything good to say about any Apple product.
Wow, I just wasted more time reading this stupid article than I’ve ever wasted on my iPhone. Lame.
Or, to sum up the article:
Get off my lawn!
He just wasted my time as well!!!!
Wow, I guess Dvorak must fixate on the shallow and vapid.
I surf the web on my phone for information on any number of things.
I use it for directions. I use it to communicate with others in my field and when I talk on my iPhone it is for business or family matters. There are of course occasions when I have this thing called a “conversation”, to others not involved it might seem inane, but I am sure that Dvorak has deep discussions about Sartre and other things of depth that I could never appreciate.
I guess his comments have come about because he’s gone to use his phone and maybe couldn’t get a connection (or it kept dropping out), but how I choose to use, or waste, my time on my iphone is my business, and I don’t need a gas-bag like this telling me otherwise.
So what! This is how people use cell phones…to socialize and relax…maybe they should ban people talking or playing games on their iPhones since it is clearly wrecking society. Maybe we should start burning certain books as well if they don’t serve any purpose aside from idle enjoyment.
Dvorak = 1984
Actually Dvorak has been talking about moving to mac. I never thought I’d see the day, it’s shocking after years of bashing Apple at every opportunity.
I think this is his attempt at being sarcastic. He can’t possibly be serious about it.
Same old John, still full of shit.
Oh, like he’s never heard of FACEBOOK! Sheeeesh.
Hit whor*.
Obviously, this article is somewhat satirical and borderline ironic.
Sure, I wast time that otherwise would be all ready waisted. Like in the waiting room at the doctors office. Or while waiting to get your driver license. Now what would you wall watching T.V. or telling stories around a camp fire?? Or slipping for that matter.
I try to use my time wisely. I dont’ watch more then maybe a couple of hours of TV a week, if that. I attempt to read or learn with my free time. Or I dedicate it to my kids by playing with them.
Just like Charles Manson said, “Now is the only time that is real”.
So you better get busy.
This from a man who’s bathroom has never seen a book or magazine!
I’m inclined to think John Dvorak sits on the can wearing a thousand-meter stare for ten minutes.
Me? I multitask like nobody’s business when sitting on the can.
PS I apologize for putting that image of Dvorak in your minds. Except you R2, as I’m sure you may have been aroused.
Of course one would really have to read that snippet on one’s iPhone to do the time wasting full irony.
I listen to audiobooks…and ponder ways to take over the world.
Mac-nugget: “Sure, I wast time that otherwise would be all ready waisted.”
You’ve certainly never wasted any time on learning how to spell correctly.
At least, on some level it’s somehow a notch better than the crap Enderle spouts forth on desperate need to get some hits for the holiday marketing for his wife..er fellow analyst.
But both of them are clean as angels compared to people who endlessly twit and blog about a blogger who has a desperate need to leech off/impersonate a famous CEO to feel relevant.
Reminds me of another professional curmudgeon:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/07/60minutes/rooney/main665523.shtml
what an unt with a c on the front.