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Why I gave up on mobile email, and why you should too

Posted on April 6, 2007 by Jeremy Toeman

One of the first posts I ever wrote on this lil ol blog o mine was entitled “Blackberry or Crackberry?”  Since that time, I did end up using a Blackberry a few more times, typically when I was traveling overseas and had a loaner phone/email device.  Hated it.  I hate that little red flashing light.  It’s a beckoning sign of evil, coming straight from Google the devil.  It causes malice.  I’m convinced of that.

Even without the dreaded device (and I guess this is about the right time for me to make a point absurdly clear: the Blackberry is unquestionably the best mobile email device ever made), I still had mobile email through the end of last year, mostly with a Sprint PPC-6700.  Also a great device, but the email experience was a lot more mellow than the Blackberry.  Maybe it’s because Windows Mobile didn’t implement it quite as well as RIM, I’m not sure.  I’ve also tried the Q, the Blackjack, the Dash (love the Dash), the HTC MTeoR (love it too), and others.  All good for mobile email.  All gone from my life.

I’m 4 months free from my last mobile email, and I don’t know what metric there is to use, but I’m unquestionably happier about it than ever.  I’ll tell you something else – I haven’t missed a deadline, opportunity, or any other work-related event as a result.  Yes, that’s right – life seems to progress even if my email doesn’t come in 30 seconds after I land at an airport.

With my new Samsung SCH-u740 (can they not come up with a better name for this device?), I have the option to get mobile email activated.  I’m not doing it.  And its not as if my email flow is that much lower than in the past, it’s just that I’ve consciously chosen I don’t want mobile email in my life.  The reason?  Mobile email access makes your life worse.

You can call it a quality of life thing.  You can call it a digital zen thing.  You can label this behavior however you choose, but I can say this with certainty: I don’t know or encounter anyone with mobile email who doesn’t act tethered.  Having mobile email means you are giving other people control over how you spend your free time.  It doesn’t liberate you from work, that’s really just how people convince themselves to carry the anchor with them. 

And don’t just take my word for it…

“With 67 percent of respondents admitting to having used a wireless device to connect to work while on vacation, signs indicated that the American workforce may be facing burnout,” she added.

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7 thoughts on “Why I gave up on mobile email, and why you should too”

  1. Pingback: mobile » Why I gave up on mobile email, and why you should too

  2. Gold says:
    April 6, 2007 at 8:26 am

    It dawns on me that the more devices available to keep people in touch with one another, the less people are involved with one another. There is so much busy time responding to messages but very little of personal importance is actually being shared.

    Reply
  3. Ed Kohler says:
    April 6, 2007 at 11:18 am

    I think your job will effect how out of touch you can be today. Personally, I can step away from email for hours without the world coming to an end, but I imagine it would be tougher for salespeople see potential dollar signs with every new message.

    Reply
  4. tivoboy says:
    April 6, 2007 at 2:30 pm

    I think it is a matter of self control and how one manages their life, not being managed by anything else. I use mobile email, but only on my terms. I’m not using it to constantly respond, but only when I want to, or WANT to send out an email about something I forgot about, whatnot. Just like the cell phone, when I want it, it is there. It doesn’t ring all the time and I certainly do not answer it all the time, sometimes, I even turn it off – gad? can it be.

    Just like we have drug users, alcoholics and such, we are going to have people who get addicted to work, to working out, to sex, to food, to email and to mobile email. Some people I have heard, somewhere are ACTUALLY adicted to the INTERNETS!. Can that be?

    :-0

    Reply
  5. tivoboy says:
    April 6, 2007 at 2:34 pm

    I forgot to add. This yahoo survey, is most likely flawed. And, who cares is 71% of respondant admited to checking in with WORK at least ONCE? I mean, who doestn’t do that at least ONCE on a trip? checks their voicemail, maybe checks and email, maybe does a call so it doesn’t have to be cancelled?

    The survey most likely said: “have you EVER used a “wireless device” Aka, pager, cell phone, blackberry or similar device” to check something at work while on vacation.? Of COURSE many many people are going to check yes?

    Did it take control of your vacation? :most might say no.
    Did you feel you HAD to make that call: ? many might say no.

    I’d like to see the Questions for that one, then let’s discuss it.

    🙂

    Reply
  6. Jeremy Toeman says:
    April 6, 2007 at 2:41 pm

    FYI, last 2 vacations – NO email checking for me…

    As I said, it’s a lifestyle choice. My new personal project is to stop checking work-related email on the weekend, I just haven’t figured out the logistics…

    Reply
  7. Pingback: Jeremy Toeman’s LIVEdigitally » Blog Archive » Thoughts on my Blogging Frequency

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Jeremy Toeman is a seasoned Product leader with over 20 years experience in the convergence of digital media, mobile entertainment, social entertainment, smart TV and consumer technology. Prior ventures and projects include CNET, Viggle/Dijit/Nextguide, Sling Media, VUDU, Clicker, DivX, Rovi, Mediabolic, Boxee, and many other consumer technology companies. This blog represents his personal opinion and outlook on things.

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