Honestly, honestly do you feel smartphones have improved your quality of life?

[aygart]

I had a cell phone before most here were born

FTFY  but did it have email?

[12HRS]

no difference

Some of the apps have a setting to disable all notifications while davening.

[aygart]

Some of the apps have a setting to disable all notifications while davening.

Then a small difference, but why would they need to be using the phone in shul? Unless they are in 770 where apparently

every other siddur in the shul missing a different page

[mmgfarb]

I try to take my phone out of my pocket completely when either davening or learning and I would advise everyone else to try it as well. Even if you don't take it out at all the entire time and the ringer is completely off, just feeling it there makes a difference.

[12HRS]

I try to take my phone out of my pocket completely when either davening or learning and I would advise everyone else to try it as well. Even if you don't take it out at all the entire time and the ringer is completely off, just feeling it there makes a difference.

We have cell phone lockers. Phone goes off and in the locker. It's wonderfull.

[aygart]

If you were making a business presentation for a significant amount of money would you read off of your phone or from the book on the shelf in the meeting room that everyone else is using?

[stooges44]

If you were making a business presentation for a significant amount of money would you read off of your phone or from the book on the shelf in the meeting room that everyone else is using?

bingo! why don't people get that?

[Yonah]

I try to take my phone out of my pocket completely when either davening or learning and I would advise everyone else to try it as well. Even if you don't take it out at all the entire time and the ringer is completely off, just feeling it there makes a difference.

Two strategies I've seen people employ:
- Leave it screen down on your tallis bag.
- Use davening as a time to charge your phone - plug it in in the hallway while davening (recharge your phone while recharging your soul).

I realize that it doesn't work for everyone, but figured I throw them out there.

As a teenager, I remember someone had hung up a sign in our shul that said - 'Please turn off your phones and pagers - you're interfering with our communication!"

[cozmohoot]

People who keep it on tallis bag end up looking at it every 30 seconds

[Yonah]

People who keep it on tallis bag end up looking at it every 30 seconds

Leave it screen down, and then walk away

[CountValentine]

FTFY  but did it have email?

You could have just added that on. No email back then but I did have NetZero/AOL for email.

[AsherO]

Its crazy how many people are staring at phones in different shuls!

Why is it crazy? People have been talking in shul since forever, how is this any different?

[Yehudaa]

I have even seen people texting during shmona esrei because they were using it as a siddur.

It got me disgusted and vowed to not take it out at all.

"Davening" from a phone - $52 fine for that.

[yitzgar]

I try to take my phone out of my pocket completely when either davening or learning and I would advise everyone else to try it as well. Even if you don't take it out at all the entire time and the ringer is completely off, just feeling it there makes a difference.

+

[cozmohoot]

Why is it crazy? People have been talking in shul since forever, how is this any different?

True but that feels a bit different.
Would a person bring a laptop into shul and use it while davening...

[gozalim]

"Davening" from a phone - $52 fine for that.

% of profit sounds like win-win

[shwarmabob]

I am not sure why nobody here defend the poor phones so I will take this thankless task. Obviously there are some things against it.
I daven Mincha from the siddur on my phone.

• the shul doesn't have a lot of siddurim with my nusach
• the phone is much lighter that the siddur
• I can increase the font in the siddur app
• when using the siddur nothing else pops up on the phone
• I don't use it for anything else/look at anything else during davening, it's my 15 minute appointment with G-d

Some listen to shiurim during their commute, effectively using it as an mp3 player
Someone I know does daf yomi on it (probably bad for his eye)
Camera, Google Maps, Boarding apps/passes... Whatsapp, even contact lists (anyone remembers Palm Pilots?)
There was life before smart phones, before cell phones, even before phones, but people were not necessarily a happier or holier bunch.

my 2 cents:
Set limits
don't give it to young kids
teach your teens how to set limits
turn it off / put it away at home (if your job/boss let's you :/)
delete apps that are time wasters
don't stare at the screen while walking in Manhattan because you are more likely to get hit by a car, annoy other pedestrians.
Look up, there is a world out there

Otherwise I am not sure why this is worse than other innovations? Why don't you protest having a car? A lot of people became karbonos because of them.

[zale]

In response to the original question, it has not improved my quality of life. My biggest gripe is that it has become something that I can't live without. So much so, that even if I personally decided that I will no longer carry one, that won't fly with my job. I am expected to be able to respond to emails and Whatsapp and other messages on the fly. I absolutely hate the fact that if I forget my phone I feel like I left my pants at home. It's ridiculous.

There are some redeeming qualities to it though. I like certain whatsapp groups, like my family's group, shul group etc. and I feel like it gives me the opportunity to be in touch in a way which would not otherwise be possible. There is certain news I appreciate knowing as soon as it breaks, though most news I can definitely live without. There are utilities I use such as smart timers for my switches, Nest etc. which are invaluable.

Of course, how could I live without instant notices of hot, hurry and sizzling deals from Dan's? This alone makes it a must.

[chevron]

I don't use many apps on my phone (I use DDF on my browser)
I don't use any social media.
My Gmail is set to not alert me so I'll manually check for emails from time to time

In defense of phones;
I can't hear on regular phone so texting is critical. Same for say Uber, never was able to call a cab.

If I was not on my phone I'd be reading a book or newspaper, I only use print books but read news / articles online, was wasting too much paper on wsj / nyt and plus Google picks stuff for me.

We tend to text in shorter bursts vs longer meaningful conversation whether on phone, by email / snail mail or in person .

I like to converse with strangers or talk to friends in person, obviously they think I'm some kinda nutcase... Which I am lol

It's ok you know, there's pros and cons, online banking is great, also I spend less time on my laptop now

[Yonah]

forgot the biggest benefit of the smartphone (or at least a camera phone with texting capabilities)

When I am shopping, I can simply take a picture of an object to send to DW so that she can verify that I am buying the exact thing she asked.

When DW is shopping, she can snap a picture of a hashgacha and ask me - "Is this reliable?"