The Eye App

What would we do without our iPhone or smartphone? We use this not only to text or telephone. It was invented for that, mostly to call someone wherever you are. Just a mobile telephone. But nowadays we use it to take pictures, make videos, surf the internet or listen to music. With the smartphone a new generation of telephones started. You can download applications that help you in everyday life.

Some years ago you used to read books, had a map in your car and lots of recipe books in your kitchen. Now there is an app for all of these things. You can also write your shopping list, look for the next grocery store, book hotel rooms, use a flashligth and so on. So we have everything in one device. But what do we do without it? What is when it’s broken?

I had one girl in my class some years ago, who took her smartphones (she had two) everywhere she went, even under the shower. I think this is a huge addiction and luckily I am not one of that kind. I can go out without my smartphone – I don’t do it very often, but I have no problem with that. I mostly use it for calling someone, I also play some games while sitting on a train to college. I also have to admit that I like the navigation system, and that I sometimes listen to music.

Which apps do we really need and which are unnecessary?

But for the last thing I still prefer my mp3 player, I don’t like reading a book on a screen, and I don’t surf the internet – only sometimes for checking my mails. There are apps for everything now. I still wait until it is replacing something what we can’t imagine of – like our eyes. But I think my waiting's over now. And no, I am not talking about Google Glasses – the glasses which Google filled with lots of apps and presented this week. No, the app I mean does already exist – in some way.

Last week I listened to a discussion on a German radio station about concerts and what most people firstly do there: take their smartphones and start filming. The whole time, they film the concert and do not get any of the atmosphere. Later they put it on youtube – and when they watch and share the video, they firstly see what has happened. So they don’t see it with their own eyes, they see it with the camera of their phone. But in my mind, that’s not what I wanna have when I go to a concert. I wanna feel the atmosphere because this is unique and can’t be filmed. If I wanna see a bad quality video with also not that good sound, I can save the money for the concert and watch a video of someone else. So I really ask myself why it is so important for some guys to put everything on their phone. Just for a few clicks on youtube? Sometimes it is better to save some moments 'only' in your memory, your brain has more capacity than your phone and it can’t be broken that easily.

Would you film a concert or show you go to? What do you use your smartphone for? Do you think some people can live without it? Do you also use the ‘eye app’?