I admit, we of the digital age are becoming helpless. We are perennially glued to our gadgets, rendered incapable without our apps, internet or battery life. We minimize the amount of physical labor we exert and are slowly losing grip on life skills. I could go so far as to say that without Google, we know nothing – no recipes, no workout routines and no self-taught lessons on how to reboot laptops. It’s not surprising then that the generational divide is growing even wider. Millennials (be honest where you lie in the generational spectrum) are often frowned upon for our perceived ineptitude. I mean, how can you quantify the limitless potential of having the internet as your personal assistant, tutor and life guide? Being glued to gadgets in whatever form is one of those tell-tale signs of a millennial. But, aside from the fact that maybe we need to learn actual skills privy to our seniors, I don’t think being dependent on gadgets is all that bad. In particular, I don’t think phone-dependence is necessarily evil.
Aside from the occasional silence over dinner (that I despise) thanks to everyone ‘gramming what they ordered instead of actually conversing, I don’t find much fault in phone-hogging. After all, these nifty little communicational devices have been lifelines and lifesavers on more than one occasion – saving us from traffic jams, moments of navigational failure, worried parents, saving our lives sometimes via 911 (in the US) and, the daily beast, boredom.
It is not my place to debunk myths about how much we use our phones nor is it my place to defend millennials and the corresponding benefits of knowing one’s way around the interwebz. I myself am a social media lurker who checks her phone every 10 minutes (mostly ‘coz it’s always on silent and I have a constant fear that work is calling), who plugs YouTube songs into my car when I’m especially lazy (Spinnr when I’m not), writes articles and saves important details on my Notes, edits and does work on the go and bugs friends and boyfriend (singular, obviously) on Whatsapp and Viber and all the other messaging apps. I also talk to Siri when I’m bored. She can get pretty entertaining. So I’m not here to judge. I am here to remind you that though it is sometimes condemned, (although I personally don’t get why- I’ve witnessed too many seniors addicted to Facebook, games and forwarding chain emails), we can still rock phone addiction in style.
Smartphones have transcended the realm of gadgets and have morphed into accessories on their own. We often buy phones based on preference in terms of jewelry or personal style. Think about it. I bet your choice of metal – silver or gold – has affected your color choice more than you care to admit. And many smartphones wow in terms of design. I mean the rose gold iPhone is gorgeous. It is, after all, pink! I may not know a lot about phone technicalities and processing specs but I do know fashion and value for money. So here are three looks to go with three of my preferred smartphones and the corresponding deals that you can use to get the best products and offers.
First is a rose gold iPhone. Apple’s iPhone 6s Plus is gorgeous and it makes all my Mean Girls x Legally Blonde dreams come true. It’s a little huge for my tiny hands but the trend now is actually to have your phone in your hand outside of your bag for easy snapping. I got my pink iPhone from Smart and you can also get a 16GB iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus for free under the P2499 plan. I also just found out (literally, I just checked) that there are also a bunch of benefits like Uber, Airbnb and Zalora discounts- discounts that every person who might want a pink iPhone would need. I should really ask about these benefits. Let’s research together. For now, just seeing this phone – sans the case – is a visual treat. Camera’s cool too. I felt like I had to say that. (Read more about iPhone plans and benefits here)
If you are more interested in budgeting your monthly expenses and are not a fan of either Samsung or Apple but still want an effective smartphone, you can get an Android MyPhone my28S with 100MB monthly data for just P888. The reason for this shockingly low price is that Smart wants to offer smartphone capabilities to more people and, in result, making even more people act like the dreaded millennials. Just kidding, this is a great thing. Its design also includes the Philippine map so it’s a pretty cool, patriotic choice. Make your phone standout by pairing it with loud, bright colors. A black phone needs a colorful canvas. (To know more about this program click here)
Finally, if you’re the type who wants a phone with the best features, there are a bunch of Samsung phones to choose from. I am personally obsessed with the sleek look of the S7 Edge but the Note series is pretty amazing too. Nothing is more elegant than a gold phone which serves as the ultimate accessory. It can mean business during meetings and can go from day to party in 0 to 60. It’s such a stand out phone on its own that you can either play it up or play it down. In my case, I played it up and wore a dark blue slip dress to bring out the gold tones and play up the elegance of the phone.
No matter the packaging (and pricing) though, what smartphones should come down to is how you use it. We have different needs, and its up to you to make sure the phone you choose matches your lifestyle. I know exactly what I need in terms of apps – VSCO, Waze and, yes, Candy Crush. I also know what I need in terms of data. I don’t download a bunch of movies (I have iFlix for that) but I do spend a lot of time online. So if you’re like me and you find yourself online more often that not, you can subscribe to the new Smart Big Bytes 50. It’s a promo that’s been introduced before so it might sound familiar but the crazy new perk is that data is now doubled from 300+MB to 700MB. Imagine the digital mileage that it could mean for you. P50 is worth the digital investment. Text BIG50 to 9999 to avail of the limited offer. (Read here to know more about Big Bytes 50)
Smartphones are powerful tools – for business or leisure, for millennials or those against us. Don’t let anyone stop you from making the most out of your phones. Just don’t forget to do it in style. It’s nice to match your trusted gadget once in a while.
