New gadgets are being debuted all the time, and “smart” is no longer a term that can only be placed in front of phones; we have smart televisions, watches, glasses, and even plans for entire houses to become “smart” in the future. While all of these plans sound perfectly feasible at this point, as somebody who already struggles using any more than her smartphone and her computer on any given day I have to wonder if at some point in the future there will be such a thing as owning too many smart devices.
I started pondering this thought after coming across an article from The Guardian about how one-third of consumers are abandoning their wearable devices. In the article, two examples of extremely cheap Galaxy Gear smartwatches are up for sale on eBay, with one seller being so desperate to get rid of the thing that the buyer was able to name their price. The article goes on to explain that there are hurdles that smartwatches (in particular) have yet to overcome in order for people to really take interest in this technology; with most smartwatches having very little battery life, or even a real reason to consider purchasing one, as of right now smartwatches are nothing short of a waste of time in most cases.
Then you have Android Wear. With Android Wear on the horizon, it would seem that smartwatches are making some real leaps in smartwatch software, and I imagine it won’t be too much longer before manufacturers make it to where battery life significantly improves. But even when those changes are made, I’m left wondering if maybe the reason smartwatches aren’t catching on isn’t because they’re being executed poorly, but more so because we already have too many devices on our hands. If you think about it, the whole reason that smartphones became so popular was because it took away the need to carry so many things with us. I don’t carry around my camera, my mp3 player, or a calculator with me anymore. Just a smartphone. Even if I’m wearing wearables, it does take away from that. They’re still extra things to worry about.
I know there are some people out there that would love nothing more than to have a house filled to the brim with smart gadgets. I consider myself a tech enthusiast, especially when it comes to smartphones, but lately I’m realizing that there is a limit to how much tech I want in my life. I think that’s why I’m so wary of smartwatches. Sometimes I just like to be away from my phone. I like to be able to put it down and walk away. With a smartwatch, or anything wearable, it’s going to require constant attention because it’s always right there. Don’t get me wrong, I think for some people the idea really clicks, but it just doesn’t for me. I think, especially after realizing that I hardly ever use my tablet, that for now I’m just going to be sticking to smartphones.
Perhaps my opinion is the minority here, which is where your voice comes in, readers. When it comes to the progression of smart devices, do you find that you’re becoming more interested in them, or are you satisfied with what you already have? Let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments below!
Images via Slash Gear, Motorola
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