The end of an era

Because I study advertising and social media, I usually consider myself on top of the latest news in technology. But one area I was behind in for a long time was my phone. For a while, I had a really old 2005 Motorola model that I just never upgraded, partly because I was never home to do so on my parents' plan. Eventually, it got to the point where my embarrassment in keeping such a relic around became a point of pride, in a stubborn sort of way where my friends, in all their iGadget glory, would be astonished that anyone would keep around such an old device. And after seven years, despite its basic functionality, the phone had weathered many nicks and bumps throughout its history with me. I didn't have brand loyalty toward the phone company. But as someone who sleeps next to her phone and has it permanently pressed inside her right hand, I had personal loyalty toward a device that had been reliable and had stuck with me through many life changes in those seven years. It was there with me when I took on job interviews,  planned my wedding, moved around the Southeast and worked through college and graduate school. Even as I changed, my phone stayed the same, which was comforting.

The only issue with my old phone was that it had a terrible signal, which is somewhat of a safety hazard in rural Georgia. Living near the outskirts of town meant always relying on Jeremiah's phone whenever I was at our home, which was like 60 percent of my time. 

And so, with his move out of state, I bought a new HTC One X to replace the ol' gadget. I love the new phone so far because it allows me to do most of my web browsing and photography without actually having to lug around my computer or camera all the time. When I took home the new phone and held it with its predecessor, I had to take a photo of my personal evolution of technology. The new phone makes the old device look so paleolithic and outside of this decade. For now the old phone will languish in a drawer, where I keep my old dead cameras and other broken technology. Who knows, perhaps in 10 or 20 years, it will be cool again. But for now, it will be an endearing part of my past, in a way that we look upon record players and cassette tapes and VCRs. 

Here's looking at you, phone of my late teens - early 20s.

* this is in no way a paid endorsement or review of Motorola or HTC. I just felt like waxing about technology.

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