My dad just joined the iRevolution

            You know there’s a revolution going on when my dad will pay half a grand for a phone.  Not any phone, mind you – it’s an iPhone.

            This is the same person who didn’t touch our computer for the first 5, maybe 10, years we owned it.

To his credit, he was one of the first to buy a home computer.  I don’t remember how old I was, but the computer was a Tandy 1000 with 256K and no hard drive.  A floppy disk was all you needed!  It was top of the line, for a few months anyway.

            It was used primarily for games and word processing, and my dad rarely used it.  And this is nothing against my dad (as we are still close to Father’s Day, I don’t mean to poke fun.)  It’s just the way it is for many people who don’t have an interest because there isn’t a need.  When operating a grain and dairy farm, and being a minister, there's no time to generate an interest.

            The same could be said for my use of Facebook, which I still can’t figure out (I seem to have lost a friend lately – seriously, I can’t find him anywhere).  And I still have the old flip phone that doesn’t do much but transmit voice signals. 

            We only try to master the things we have a true passion to try to understand.  By generating interest for all generations, the iPhone has achieved its marketing goals.  I never would have thought people would be so interested in paying over $600 for a phone, plus a monthly plan.  That is amazing.  Apple, you have done it.

            It goes to show how fast things can change in a few years.  A Blackberry was the thing to have not so long ago.  I had the fortune (my wife would say misfortune) of having one of these through work at one time.  It was an amazing device that kept me up to speed on everything.

            The only think I didn’t appreciate were the small keyboard numbers for dialling.  This was simply intolerable while driving.  Back in my day, you see, you could actually drive and talk on the phone – yes, in my day you could also text while driving, completely oblivious to your surroundings for minutes at a time.

I wish I knew how to rotate this awesome pic, but I don't!

As a consequence of the small keyboard, I got a flip phone for calls and used the Blackberry for e-mails.  I wasn’t interested in the cool look, you understand, as I had holsters on both sides of my belt.  Now everyone just slips them in their pocket, feeling around for them awkwardly each time they go off.  I love the holster, but because of societal pressure, I can no longer wear it unless my jacket is a certain length to conceal my electronic device.

But I’m getting off topic.  The titans of Blackberry were quite an example of technological hubris.  They didn’t see the iPhone coming.  They thought they were invincible.  When I saw the first iPhone four years ago, I also thought it wouldn’t go anywhere, with that big blank screen (probably would’ve helped to turn it on).

Then my friends started buying them, then my co-workers, and now my dad.

Next it will be my daughter begging me for this glorified texting device so she can stay tuned in to all her social networks every minute of the day.  A student who was living with us last year showed us how it’s done.   She carried it with her while eating, playing cards, watching TV, and probably while sleeping.  It might as well have been implanted.

Now my dad is doing the same thing… carrying it with him while eating, seeding, playing cards – checking the weather incessantly… And yes, if I owned one, I would be the same way!

But I won’t.  'Cause if I get one, my daughter will want one.  And THAT is not gonna happen until she’s 18.

The same holds true for dating.