I'm a bit extreme, but I don't own a smartphone, I never have owned a smartphone, and I never plan to own a smartphone. I already know what it will do to my brain, because I spend all day at my computer, and it's a constant struggle to not waste time on the Internet. (Most of my best work has been done on pen and paper while taking a walk.)

Even when I'm not working, I like being disconnected. It gives me a chance to reflect on my life. Where I am, where I want to be. Ideas I have. I find it difficult to produce anything of value to myself or others when I am too busy consuming stuff through my screens.

I think the worst part of smartphones are the cameras. I had an epiphany one day at some aquarium in NJ. The aquarium was mediocre, certainly nothing worth taking pictures of. But yet every group of people had to take videos of the fish, had to pose with the fish with their friends, etc (who knows why, those people will never view those videos ever).

Of course all of this picture taking took so long that people got bored. Why not, they couldn't see the fish, after all. So of course, everyone got on their phones and goofed off, which made the crowds even MORE sluggish, which made the whole affair take longer, and which made the aquarium experience even more boring.

I think that if phones were banned at the aquarium people would have gotten in and out more quickly, seen more fish, and had more fun. It's ironic that the smartphone--which is supposed to be whiz-bang-wow-entertainment-whenever-you-need-it--contributed heavily to making the aquarium experience boring for everyone.

Sorry to ramble! This issue means a lot to me. For a funnier presentation of what I just said, check out Louis CK's standup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd2sRC3K9Hs).