This news isn’t as surprising as one may realize, but according to a report recently filed by The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, more than half of all cell phone users have smart phone as their source for personal communication.
Since the Pew Research Center began tracking smart phone acceptance two years ago, some 56% of those polled back in April & May of this year stated that their phone was a smart phone, either through Apple’s iSO platform (only used by Apple made iPhones), BlackBerry’s system (again, phones solely made by BlackBerry) or through Google’s Android system. (Phones made by everyone else!)
It’s also not to anyone’s surprise that the largest demographic that owns and uses these kind of phones are the age bracket called “Millenniums”–those born after 1979, as 80% stated that smartphones are their phone of choice. Ditto for those that are highly educated (college graduate) as well as those dwelling within a household earning $50k a year and up.
SInce there are more manufactures of Android systems phones, the share of this form of operations is about 28%. Apple’s iSO comes in second place with 25%. BlackBerry, once the leader in smart phones, fell to about 4% in usage.
Out of all cell phone users, 35% use “classic” type phones, while 9% do not have a cell phone at all. This lowly demographic is this way since their non usage is either through circumstance (can’t afford, no access), or by personal choice.
And rounding off facts and figures, the biggest demographic of standard a.k.a. “dumb” phones that can send and receive call and not much more, are those aged 65 and up. (Only 18% of those 65 and over stated that they own a smart phone).
(For those willing to review the report, it can be found at http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Smartphone-Ownership-2013/Findings.aspx)
This writer has seen while going through his journeys around town that most folks use these smart phones for their many reasons. Yes, some do use ‘em while making and receiving phone calls, but a lot of them use them as objects to pass the time away while waiting for something to begin or take place.
For instance, this same writer attends a lot of theatre shows, as well as occasional movies, usually taking place in traditional theater settings–playhouses and movie multiplexes. While the crowd is sitting within their seats waiting for the program to begin, many of these folks bring their phones close to their faces, touching the screen to either play a game, check text messages, take digital pictures with their built-in cameras, look at photos embedded within their phones, so some other form of mild entertainment to pass the time away. Yes, some do make or take calls, but whatever they do, it’s not to hard to see a smattering of spotted blueish screens a glow flashing with just a few taps of the three inch wide glass screens plastered in front. While waiting for some show to begin recently, this writer, seated at the back end of the theater, counted at least 26 blue toned glowing screens within the audience held by other patrons binding their time before anything on stage would occur! The only time that cell phone usage was kept to a minimum was at a theater where a good number of those in attendance was at least aged 60 and up!And those using their phones held traditional i.e. “dumb” phones to their faces, and kept that usage to only a minute or two!
As time and tide progress, so will the smart phones as they get smarter by the week! (Day?) Since the time Apple first introduced the iPhone back in January of ‘07, and began to offer them for purchase that July, millions of these type of phones flooded the marketplace, while standard, now boring phones, were either tossed on the wayside, or sold off to third world nations for various purposes–some legit and others questionable.
And to make things fair and balanced (using that form of expression from one of those “news” TV channels), this writer still uses a traditional aka “dumb” phone! Why, prey tell, would this humble writer use such a phone that doesn’t do any tricks except take calls and receive ‘em? There are a lot of reasons for this tech based backward step. Perhaps the biggest reason is the fact that yours truly doesn’t have to worry too much by having somebody steal this device! The make and model of the phone in possession currently goes on the open market for anywhere from $5.00 down to free–assuming that the device is working and the power cord is available! Besides, it doesn’t do anything except take calls and receive ‘em. (What fun is that?)
This writer’s phone may be dumb, but the user isn’t exactly stupid!
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NEWS AND REVIEWS
WORLD WAR Z (Paramount) stars Brad Pitt as Gerry Lane, a one time investigator for the United Nations. He recently became a stay-at-home dad in Philadelphia taking care of his two kids while his spouse Karen (Mireille Enos) becomes the breadwinner. One afternoon while being stuck in a traffic jam downtown, something goes haywire in the city. People are seen running around in panic while fires break out and explosions occur. It appears that a worldwide virus has taken its toll turning normal humans into living dead creatures (aka “zombies”), causing aggressive havoc. One bite from these beasts makes those bitten into rather dangerous personages. Gerry is then summoned by his former boss Thierry Umutoni (Fana Mokoena ) from the UN to assist in curtailing these dangerous monsters before the entire world is infected. Gerry’s mission is to develop a serum through the World Health Organization in order to put an end to this virus of unknown origin so the world’s population can live once again in a safe haven.
This feature film uses Max Brooks’s novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War as its story base; A horror thriller that describes a zombie invasion through the eyes of a number of survivors—including the Gerry Lane character. The movie changes things up a bit where Gerry is its sole hero traveling halfway around the world (thanks to the assistance of the Navy and Marines) to spot and stop the zombies! The screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Drew Goddars & Damon Lindelof (based on the screen story by Carnahan and J. Michael Strazynski) gets off from a slow start; Karen and Gerry is at home as their two kids get them out of bed in order for dad to make pancakes for the family. Without much action taking place from that scene, the plot moves into near full gear when the family is in their station wagon (a Volvo?) while stuck in traffic in downtown Philly where the zombies break loose. This action then places the group to hide out in a public housing apartment building in Newark, NJ until a military helicopter rescues them all, transporting the clan off to a naval ship away from the stateside panic. Gerry leaves his wife and kids behind on the ship in order to take on his mission! (That’s just the first half hour!!) As expected, our hero is chased by wild zombies, survives a plane crash, and lives through each near death episode until he discovers the method to place an end to everything zombie!! The plot nearly falls into campiness at times, knowing just when to sober up! (In the screening this writer attended, some laughter was heard from the audience in a few of these scenes!) The action itself is intense, the CGI effects were appealing, but the 3-D usage only works in the opening titles! Thus, anything seen in 3-D didn’t help the film much. And unless this writer’s eyesight is slowly giving out, a lot of scenes in this movie were either bathed in sepia or in blue-green tones. Perhaps this was due to the glasses worn, or maybe it was intended for this feature to be viewed off color!
Directed by Marc Forster, WORLD WAR Z is just one of many summertime blockbusters that will still make the rounds for the next two months. One element that will work for this title is the fact that it isn’t a sequel, a super hero flick, an animated feature (CGI effects don’t count), nor is it an art movie. However, summer isn’t even half over, and there will be something better hitting the multiplexes between now and the Labor Day weekend. But if one is a Brad Pitt fan, this feature will tide you over until his next entry considering the fact that he is the only star in this presentation. Everybody else are just character actors whose previous appearances can be found on IMDB.com. (This writer should know this fact since he had to look this stuff up!!)
This feature is rated “PG-13” for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence, and disturbing images. (That is how the MPAA describes it all!) Opens on June 21st at many multiplexes .
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MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (Disney/Pixar) is a prequel to the 2001 Pixar release , Monsters, Inc. as the story begins years earlier. Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) always wanted to become a scream monster working for Monsters, Inc. since he was a young tyke. To become educated in this craft, he enrolls as a freshman into Monsters University, taking courses to become a scare monster and perhaps to become part of the school’s elite Scare Program. While boarding in the freshman dorms, he meets up with another fellow student, John “Johnny” Sullivan (John Goodman), son of legionary scare monster Fred Sullivan. John takes his enrollment in a laid back attitude, total opposite from Mike’s enthusiasm in becoming a scare monster. They don’t become friends at first, but they begin to learn the ropes as Mike and Sully becomes part of frat Oozma Kappa (OK), a misfit group that consist of Don Carlson (Joel Murray), a “mature” student who at one time was a sales rep but returned back to school for a career change; Scott “Squishy” Squibbles (Pete Sohn), a blob with a kid’s personality and happens to be the son of the house mother (Julia Sweeney); Terri & Terry Perry (Sean P. Hayes and Dave Foley), a two headed monster with minds of their own, and Art (Charlie Day) who has a mysterious background but tended to lean toward becoming “undeclared”. But the real challenge is to compete in the Scare Games, an all-frat contest where all of the clans compete to become the scariest house on campus. Can the OK’s, a group that consists of lovable losers, win this contest? Will Mike become an actual scare monster? And how will John and Mike, two creatures in total opposite directions, become the companions they would wind up to be?
Pixar, known as the “gold standard” studio that created CGI animation, dose it again in presenting a feature that is enjoyable, charming, and a treat to savor. The screenplay by Daniel Gerson & Robert L. Baird and Dan Scanlon is just as fun and witty. It shows that this animation production company knows how to become as serious as with the 2012 release of Brave, as much as it can be amusing with MU. Dan Scanlon, who had his hand in developing the story with Gerson & Braid, directs a film that pays tribute to one’s college days (minus the drinking, drugs, and sex since Monster’s don’t seem to engage in such activities), as well as showing some downright heart between Mike and Sully without the silliness.
Besides the characters as described above, there are some other monsters out of many, thanks to the crack team at Pixar that can develop a cast of thousands by just a few hits of a computer keyboard and a scroll of a mouse, that are worth noting; Steve Buscemi as Randall Boggs, Mike’s first roommate and future employee of Monsters, Inc; Nathan Fillion as Johnny Worthington, president of leading frat Roar Omega Roar; Aubrey Plaza as Claire Wheeler, head of the Greek Council who runs the Scare Games; Alfred Molina as Professor Knight, instructor to Scaring 101; Helen Mirren as Dean Hardscrabble, who runs this university that will be creating the scare leaders of tomorrow, and John Ratzenberger as Yeti, an employee at Monsters, Inc.
There will be a good share of animated features released in theaters while school is out for the summer. (All will be created via CGI rather than presented in “traditional” animation). However, if one was going to choose a single animated title, let it be this one! Movie fans will really take “homa-a diploma” for entertainment value! After all, that is the real reason why one goes to the movies in the first place! (PS. It’s also in 3-D, too, making this film a bigger treat to experience!)
This feature is rated “G” for all ages. Opening on June 21st at multiplexes nationwide.
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TIFFI’S FRIENDS SAY…
(As posted on her Facebook “wall”)
I like 76 degrees better than 88. Do you?
-Julie
I’ve welcomed yet another feline into my home, LOL. A dear friend rescued this precious kitten, and when I saw her photo….well, I couldn’t resist! ~ Susanna is so adorable, and is very entertaining! She’s keeping my older cats amused too!
-Patti Jo
Please pray for my head today… I was up sometime after 430 this morning with another terrible headache. Sinuses, I guess, and the back of my neck and head were swollen again. Finally eased off around 7 or so. This is the second really bad headache I’ve had within a weeks time…not cool!
-Teri
Scheduling cosmetic procedures for Friday. Contact me or my office 🙂
-Karen
Maybe I am being petty but when my soon to be ex-husband asks for his favorite recipe Buttermilk Pie so that his slut of a girlfriend can make it for him. I just want to say sorry I deleted it.
-Kristen
Sick…. pain… ugh. Not sure if Taco Bell is to blame or not. Nuff said.
-Susan
As of June 17th, Tiffi has 1,757 Facebook “friends” and counting!
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