Saturday, October 1, 2011

Cell phones and the demise of watches

Since getting a cell phone, I have lost the habit of wearing a watch. Is that change of habits part of a trend? Tthe other day, in the Boston financial district. I counted how many, among the people with short sleeves, were wearing a watch. Result of my quick sample: 18 people had a watch and 17 did not. Pretty close! Is the ratio evolving? Are watches on their way out?

Last month I spent a week in a group among which only one person had a watch. The group leader, in spite of having a cell phone, was constantly asking that person for the time: it is much easier to glance at a watch than to dig out one's cell phone. So this is an instance where the progress of technology results in a less convenient access to information (information about what time it is, in the present case.) What is surprising is that it does not have to be this way: people have a choice, and they could very well continue wearing watches, should they care.

If watches really are on their way out, and if it really makes it more difficult to check the time, then, does that imply that people are late more often?

UPDATE: What we, users of basic features of telephones, really need are wristwatch telephones. They're coming!

4 comments:

  1. Nowadays a watch is just style, like a tie for a suite. It's not necessary but it looks brilliant. Perhaps some crazy guy will get the idea to fix the cell phone on the arm. This would be a nice feautre for future cell phones...

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    Replies
    1. Really rick it's a great feature. You just try it once, you feel great with this type of watch phones.

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  2. Cell phones make it *tolerable* to always postpone buying a new watch after you've broken yours ("I can always take out my cell phone to see the time if I need it").

    ReplyDelete
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