Ask HN: How do you feel about ubiquitous mobile devices?

Honestly, I’m starting to see them as a plague on humanity. Just looking around at my immediate environment (a train), there’s 20 people in my field of view, and all of them are staring at their little pocket computer, no doubt reading one of a thousand news items, or playing silly videogames.

I am (obviously) just as guilty of this, but I have no idea how to stop.

Every week my phone reminds me that I’m spending between 4-6 hours each day looking at it’s screen. Some of that is responding to work messages, but most of it is just faffing around on HN, which I tell myself is valuable, but…

I find I don’t notice the world any more. Or daydream much. Any extra time is automatically spent with my tiny screen. I can’t even stop it. Grabbing my phone is as near to a reflex as it comes at this point.

I don’t really have a point, or a solution, I was just curious if anyone had any thoughts on this ‘evolution’ of society. And if possible, let me know how to kick the habit.