The Last Smartphone Holdout – Why I Finally Broke Down and Got a Smartphone

By Jamie Wiersma

I admit it, I am one of the hold outs. I have a pay-as-you-go phone that really can’t do much more than make phone calls and text. And texting is NOT fun when you have to use the number keys!

I Resisted Getting a Smartphone for So Long for a Few Reasons:

1. First of all, I liked the cost of the pay-as-you go which for me, is very minimal because I don’t care to talk on the phone much.
2. I also don’t like being with people who are consumed by their phones to the point that they are being rude to the people that they are with. I didn’t want to become one of those people.

But, when I got the opportunity to try out HTC’s One S Smartphone for a month, I decided to give it a try. I was warned that I probably wouldn’t want to go back to my old phone and they were right – I’m hooked!

The HTC One S is a fantastic phone! Our family recently invested in a tablet and after getting accustomed to using it consistently during the day for little things like email, Facebook, Pinterest, and my Bible and book reading,  my husband decided that he wanted to take it to work with him. I felt lost!  We joked that we would need to get another tablet for the family. But, when I started using the HTC One S, I realized that it could do all the things that my tablet could do AND, I could easily take it with me and use it on the go.

Features that are Worth Talking About:

3. If you are using it as your MP3 player, you can’t beat the sound quality with Beats Audio technology. Even when you are just using the speaker, the sound is great!

Additional Pros:

1. Touch screen really responds well.

2. Loaded with a ton of useful apps like Flashlight, Navigation, Google Play, and Weather.

3. Very user friendly.

4. Great design – it is more durable than stainless steel and super thin.

Cons:

1. I’m not sold on the set up of the actual phone app. It is very sensitive and it is very easy to accidentally touch on a contact and call them. I worry about little fingers that might hit on the phone and call people without me knowing it.

2. Be careful when you first set up your phone that you know what you are syncing. I accidentally told the phone to sync all my Facebook friends to my phone book and now have all my friends who have their phone number posted on Facebook in my contacts whether or not I want it in there. So far, I have not figured out how to remove the ones that I don’t want there.

3. The battery life – I guess that’s just something to get used to! I hear that most smartphones have a short battery life.

From a Mom’s Perspective:

As a new smartphone user, I caught myself almost venturing into the world of rudeness and literally had to turn myself away from my phone and not get caught up in playing games while hanging out with my family. I’ve heard of some families who insist that everyone leave their phones at the door when they all get together and I’m thinking this might be a great thing to implement in my family.  Learn more about mobile etiquette and teens and cellphone manners in our previous posts.

That being said, there have been a ton of times this month when it’s been fantastic to have the capabilities of a smartphone while out and about. From sitting in a busy parking lot and being able to call the restaurant and find out what the wait is, to recording a TV show via my phone, and pulling up coupons that I had forgotten to print (and now don’t have to print), having a smartphone definitely has its advantages. As far as the cost of plans, I’ve found that you need to shop around. There are plans out there that are affordable if you do your research. There are plenty of plans out there for any kind of user.

If you are looking for a phone that can serve multiple purposes, the HTC One S is the perfect phone for you! I am using it as an e-Reader, tablet, camera, GPS, MP3 player and my computer away from home. It is priced at $199 (suggested retail $599) with a 2-year contract with T-Mobile. Check out the features on the T-Mobile website for all the details of the phone. There are too many to write about. This phone is full of bells and whistles! Looking at the reviews, most people agree that this is a phone worth the investment.

* I was loaned the HTC One S smartphone in exchange for my honest opinions and review.