Why I don't want a smartphone

I know, I know, I know...I work for a mobile phone software company - so surely I should have the latest whizziest most fabulous handset that hasn't even hit the market yet?

Wrong.  I have a rubbish old Nokia, no internet, no GPS, no MP3 player...nothing.

Why?  Well until recently I told myself it was because all I ever used my phone for was calls and texts, so why spend money on an expensive contract to get internet and a flashy phone when I spend about £5 a month on the stuff I actually need to use the phone for.  This was a great logical reason for why I don't have a smartphone, but it doesn't explain why I don't want one.

And then I had to set an iPhone up with my email account etc so I could take it with me for a work meeting in London.  I loved it, email, Facebook, news, at my fingertips.  Constantly.  When I came home I kept hold of this phone for about a week because I loved having easy access to all this connectivity and social goodies.  Loved it.

But then it hit me.  This phone, with all of its' fancy features, was making me so disconnected.  I would walk around the house with it glued to my hand, completely oblivious to what was around me.  I would check the news in bed at night before I went to sleep, time I would usually spend snuggling with Sally dog.  

Now don't get me wrong, I am not some pious tech-avoiding time-optimiser.  I have my laptop and the TV on most of the time.  But this iPhone business took it to a whole new level of detachment.

Not acceptable.  iPhone, you are lovely.  But I do not want you.  I want the world, not a glowing screen.