A month ago, the company I co-founded was acquired by a much larger, stalwart PR firm I greatly admire. The transition has meant fewer stresses, more support, and more robust projects as part of a team that is much bigger and fast moving than before.It has also meant an adjustment to my self-imposed disciplines around technology.
As per my last post. I’d recently been given the Apple Watch LTE, which allowed me to leave my phone behind much of the time. I still hadn’t set up email on it, but when I started at my new office, I began throwing it in my bag just in case. However, I soon discovered that although my new employer requires checking email early, late, and weekends, there still has been no real need to have email on my phone… or my phone at all, nor a laptop. Throughout the workday, I carry an iPad with a keyboard case (Belkin QODE, highly recommended) and that performs just fine when I’m in meetings, offsite, or at home. And if someone needs me urgently, they still call or text.
A couple of weeks back, I got Apple’s AirPod Bluetooth earphones, which pair simply with my iMac, the iPad, but most importantly the Apple Watch. Although I haven’t yet learned all the tricks, I can say without hesitation that an Apple Watch LTE with AirPods are a spectacular alternative to in iPhone altogether. It provides the ability to call, text, listen to music, and have turn-by-turn directions, and a few other key functions like a timer and calculator. That’s it!
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No social media, no web browser, no games, no distracting screen or lump in my pocket. Having the bare essentials on my wrist and — as needed — in my ears is a leap forward in near-distraction-free autonomy, having me very seldom missing the iPhone and feeling very, very free. I wish there were a simple way for people to just try this set up. I am certain so many would be convinced they don’t really want or need their precious smartphone.
The main question I get for people that happen to notice my Apple Watch is how I enter text messages. The solution is imperfect but completely serviceable: voice dictation and/or an on-screen function called “Scribble” where you use your finger to jot individual letters onto the screen. And yes, there are emoji.
How Scribble works on the Apple Watch
I will say, the one thing that presents any challenge is when I leave my iPad behind I have no camera. Not a huge deal – I just grab my phone if I think I will want a camera or I just pay attention. There’s a positive side to this as well though: I don’t feel the compulsion to take photos just to take them. That makes me more able to be present.
As a recovering technology addict, these new devices can be seductive. Although I’m rebelling in leaving my iPhone behind, I now have a smart watch strapped to my wrist and find myself daydreaming about accessories that, frankly, I don’t really need. All in all, I am lighter, freer, and less distracted.
But still I must be ever vigilant.
