Windows Phone Thoughts: Gadgetiquette 101

"The underlying assumption is that every moment of time must be filled, if not in actual human interaction or contemplative thought, then by electronic means. It's a perception that gadget makers -- and increasingly, entertainment companies -- are only too happy to exploit. The evidence is everywhere. Board a BART train and count the number of passengers plugged into their iPods and disengaged from the world around them. Sit in a cafe and notice the couples speaking, not to each other, but to other people on their cell phones. This week's Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association conference in San Francisco was devoted to finding new ways to lay claim to those spare moments waiting in line at Costco or queued for the Southwest cattle call at the airport... It's almost as if, in this media-saturated culture, we're afraid to be alone with our thoughts. For even a moment."

Oh, I'm so guilty of this. If I'm on a bus, a train, out with friends, or even waiting in an airport lounge, there's a high chance that I'll be tapping away on my Pocket PC or talking on my mobile phone at least once. And I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one. With more and more gadgets being unleashed into the market, it seems none of us can escape this world of digital immersion and are consequently throwing the rules of social behaviour out the door.

Now that the weekend is here, why don't we start by reading this article and then sharing a story or two: are you "plugged" into some sort of electronic device 24/7, or can you happily confess that you follow a strict code of "gadgetiquette" wherever possible? ;)