There is an App for that....

Let me preface this by saying I do not own an iPhone nor will I own an iPhone despite the peer pressure coming at me from friends, family or random Bell support guys but I do have something to say about them.

The iPhone has been quite the topic of debate and conversation in our world this week. Most has centered around the fact that I do not wish to upgrade to one choosing instead to stay in my Blackberry world. But, the other role that the iPhone has played this week has been an important one of lessons learned and stories told.

The first comes in when we were out of dinner on Monday night. It was a celebration of sorts involving three families and a total of 5 children under the age of 5. We were at family restaurant that loves when we bring our kids but not your typical family restaurant. A smaller, everyone knows your name and that of your children type restaurant. We planned for this and went for an early, dinner on the table for 5pm sort of dinner (okay it was supposed to be but we were a little late). The children chatted, played with some toys and ate. By that time they were starting to get a little antsy and therefore out came the iPhones. With children quietly playing various games (mostly educational…) an older couple who had just finished from a table behind us stopped by our table on their way out. The gentleman came over to ask us how we had managed to have such a peaceful dinner with five young children. We all would like to think that our fantastic parenting skills had come into play and could take credit for most of the good behaviour but the unanimous answer from the table came “iPhones” There is an app for that.

Our second iPhone dominated experience came this week with a customer in the store. A lovely gentleman who had come to order his daughter a stroller. As we like to do, we got chatting with the man about various subjects from grandchildren to politics to computers and back again. Throughout the entire conversation there were two iPhones popping in and out of cases and pockets as the conversation was interrupted and injected with comments of “oh and do you have this one?” Apps. Tons and tons of apps. Some we shared and some we had yet to experience that required immediate downloading for our children and well some for our enjoyment as well. It was a great conversation that admittedly took up a large part of our morning but also something that was so great to share and be a part of.

I am not going to get an iPhone. I will admit that it does have benefits and perks but I am not getting an iPhone. I had a wonderful week full of great conversations and food which some may attribute to having an iPhone but the personal benefits I gained from all of this well…there isn’t an app for that.