Is the Smartphone the Ultimate Multitool?

[Steelej1976]

I am not trying to have a clickbait title but I am seriously asking.  I never had a smartphone growing up so I am not somebody that grew up with one attached to my hand all the 'time so I do remember life before them. I know a smartphone can't turn a screw or cut a package open but I think in some ways it is a multitool in it's own right.  I guess just like my Leatherman Wave that once I started carrying it more I came to appreciate the sheer utility of it. 

[old Lefty]

Good question! Whilst I don’t like to admit it, I will probably have more probs in daily life without a smartphone than without an SAK.
So, effectively I would say yes, it is, maybe not in tradional sense but for today’s digital age, definetly.


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[SteveC]

It is certainly a powerful Multitool but I'm not sure I would classify it as the Ultimate.  Now if my leatherman Supertool could do all it does as well as what my smartphone does then that would be the Ultimate MT !   

[Aloha]

I seem to recall this coming up before  .   In any case the smart phone is pretty wonderful yet ultimate would not be how I'd describe it.  I also come from a time when there were no cell phones let alone smart ones.  Heck I recall using pay phones and now I rarely see those. 

As compared to most who rely on their smart phones I have very little apps on mine and have been using mine mostly for text and talk. 

[dmattaponi]

I am not trying to have a clickbait title but I am seriously asking.  I never had a smartphone growing up so I am not somebody that grew up with one attached to my hand all the 'time so I do remember life before them. I know a smartphone can't turn a screw or cut a package open but I think in some ways it is a multitool in it's own right.  I guess just like my Leatherman Wave that once I started carrying it more I came to appreciate the sheer utility of it.

I think it’s a tool, but not the ultimate tool...at least not until they are able to function for indefinite amounts of time without a battery that will ultimately run down and leave you without that tool.

There was a time when I hated cell phones and wanted nothing to do with them.  Today, I can’t do without one, so I do think of them as important.  Just not a good stand alone, or even very reliable tool.


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[Zanza]

Ultimate, certainly not, but a very useful MTO, definitely yes.

I also recall payphone of course and remember the days I was carrying some sort of beep-beep remote, just to call home and listen to my answering machine. Welcome to the 80's 
And this remote thing was as bulky as my actual smartphone, which is currently replacing a VHS cam-corder, a camera, a video player, a book reader, a music player, a scientific calculator and so many other things....

Even not connected I still use it for so many different things, and not so much for calling in fact. 

[Top-Gear-24]

I consider it a "poorly constructed" multitool, simply because it can do a lot of things, but most of them not nearly half as good as its dedicated adversary...

A compass?

Yes, but not half as useful or trustworthy as my "real" Suunto compass.

A hiking GPS?

Yes, but not half as useful or trustworthy as my old Garmin Map60CSX, and once your battery runs out, which will happen quite fast,  you're scr*wed...

A Led light?

Yes, but........................... (see above)................., and do you really want to waste battery life of your GPS and emergency "life line" with civilisation when you're in the middle of nowhere?

A phone?

Yes, but my old Samsung outdoor cellphone could kick its *ss every day of the week and twice on Sunday when it came to battery life.  I remember having to plug in my cellphone once every four or five weeks, no need to watch the battery when you need to make an emergency call from the middle of nowhere, plenty more juice left...

A tablet?

Yes, but annoyingly small, and using that smurf sized keyboard doesn't help either.

A PC?

Not even worth the time...

A camera?

Yes, and I'll admit, in some circumstances it even beats a dedicated camera, but on other occasion (mostly something to do with high speed, like F1 racing or fighter planes, it s*cks). Oh, and battery life... (when you might need it later as a GPS, or as a phone...).

So, that's my view on a smartphone...

What can I say?  I guess I'm just getting old, and I get annoyed when people are paying more attention to their "smartphone" as they do to their surroundings...

And come to think about it, even a cellphone...

I remember conversations going like:

"Hey, I called you yesterday evening"
"Yeah, I was out"
"oh? Okay"

And that was the end...

Old f*rt out... (that sounded wrong...  )

[Sea Monster]

Not quite.

We started off by taping a clock to a radio and saying "voila! Multi-purpose!"

but that has changed. The phone is no longer a collection of "useful tools" it is a method of interacting with the world and your peers.

Sure, it may have a calendar or some feature that may at first just seem an alternative to a pen and paper -  but it could be more helpful to think of most people's relationship with their phones as that of a pair of glasses, or hearing aids, or a prosthetic limb.

You can live without a screwdriver, but trying to get through the day without functioning sight, or hearing, or a foot, is a whole different prospect.

For many people, a smart phone (and whatever evils it contains) is closer to being a foot, than a screwdriver.

I'm not really making a moral judgment, any more than I would about people who use hearing aids...I'm just framing the subject - in a lot of cases, the device is no longer a convenience, it's a necessity.



Old farts like top gear and aloha and myself, who just see it is a crappy collection of electronic gizmos and silly vanity products are on the wrong side of the technology, and the wrong side of cultural shift.

and, inevitably, we will become irrelevant and die - possibly in that order.

[ElevenBlade]

Interesting counterpoints so far - that it is more of an assistive device, or that it can't do things as good as the dedicated tools (which I'm not sure I agree with but appreciate the similarities to a common multitool gripe).

I would say yes - a smartphone is a multitool to an extent.... first I would call it a multi-purpose tool like many kitchen gadgets... and secondly, I would say it's not the Ultimate.

That said, just like a multitool covering the basic tasks of an entire toolbelt... my smartphone covers much of what I have EDC'd in the past. 

I used to carry a pocket calendar for many years (and looked forward to calendar buying season) - there's an app for that
I used to carry a Victorinox pocket watch - there's an app for that
I used to carry a blank check in my wallet just in case - there's an app for that
I used to have a flash drive on my keys - there's an app for that
I used to  carry a pocket reference for important things for my job - there's an app for that
I used to have a lot of extra keys on my keyring for doors at my workplace - there's an app for that
I used to carry an extra bus ticket in my wallet just in case I was running late - there's an app for that

I tell you ... with no exaggeration.  These I are things that I used to EDC, that I now use my smartphone for.  I'm not even mentioning the digital camera I bought and don't need, or the GPS navigation system for my car that I bought and don't need, or the calculator I carried for school.  This is a list of what I chose to EDC with me that I no longer need because of my smartphone.  That's quite a few things. 

[Etherealicer]

Yes, but not half as useful or trustworthy as ...

Maybe you just need a better phone/ better apps. Also it depends on your comparison for communication you can also compare it to a whistle or a mirror and I can tell you, the phone is much better than those

I can pre-load Topographical maps of Switzerland, combined with the GPS it is awesome. And considering the quality of the maps and the screen I find it superior to most "dedicated navigation devices" (and those dedicated devices are not cheap, also chances that you have your smartphone with you is much higher). And it almost certainly does either off or on road better than the dedicated one.
It even works better than a notepad (or can your notepad snap pictures and annotate them?) and you can send your notes to someone easily (I pretty much have stopped carrying a notebook/pen, I see no need for them anymore. I do carry a waterproof marker though).

Besides, smartphones can do so much more than what you list. Identifying plants/animals, translating text, magnifying stuff and serves as spyglass (I actually use that frequently to read text that is just out of reach). It can store your survival cards, determine the speed you are going, entertainment, measure time, alarm clock, reminder etc. And functions like the ones ElvenBlade mentioned might not directly assist you in survival, but it frees up space you can use otherwise (for me, it allowed me to remove easily a dozen cards from my wallet, that is the size of a really decent compass.).

Considering the size, that is an awful lot of functionality that not even a Spirit can match and even considering that it requires energy* a really good deal. Now I don't really believe it is the ultimate MT, but for its size/weight there is nothing better. And smartphones will get even better (e.g. distance measuring, lowlight camera etc) but the biggest jump forward will be when we get solid state batteries.

* Yes, energy is a weakness of smartphones, but my 3 year old Galaxy Note 8 still runs 2 days with regular use. Admittedly, I'm not a heavy user, but it includes a bit of gaming, YT, Music, Wifi/Blutooth always on. If I had to rely on it, I could easily double that time. 2 more charges are about the size of a Spirit, but weigh less.

[Swiss Guy]

I am also old enough to remember not having a phone with me at all times. When I leave the house, I am going to bring my SAK with me but my phone is optional. I have more immediate need to cut things or screw/unscrew things than I have of sending an email or checking the weather (for example). I have gone without my mobile phone for a week - on multiple occasions - simply because I accidentally left it somewhere that took an hour to drive back to. I can live life normally without my phone.

I could go without my SAK or Leatherman too but I would miss the functionality of the tool very quickly once I started having to open things with my teeth and finger nails.

Mobile phones are amazing and I am using one right now to write this post; however, I would not give them more importance than a SAK or Leatherman .. for me. My lady would have a very different opinion even though she always has her SAK Manager with her.

[comis]

I only see my cell phone as a multi function device, but not a 'tool'.  It is a great communication/navigation/reading/entertainment/camera device, but I probably shouldn't label it as a 'multi-tool'.  If that could be labelled as 'multi-tool', then my wallet is probably the most powerful grand daddy of them all 'multi-tool', since it brought me all my tools, pizza and bacon. 

[pomsbz]

I think it is the ultimate technological multitool and remarkably similar in purpose. Most of the features can be done better with the appropriate dedicated tool but with a smartphone on hand you can access a vast array of technology in a sleek and pocketable package.

I don't use or own one but I am very much aware of its utility. Were it not for the curse of social media having tainted its utility it would be very much part of my carry. A social media less smartphone would be a very interesting device that could maximise this advantage but it would not be worth investing in for any serious manufacturer so although they exist, they're simply old technology with a bunch of blocks added. Not really the same thing.

[Top-Gear-24]

I think it is the ultimate technological multitool and remarkably similar in purpose. Most of the features can be done better with the appropriate dedicated tool but with a smartphone on hand you can access a vast array of technology in a sleek and pocketable package.

I don't use or own one but I am very much aware of its utility. Were it not for the curse of social media having tainted its utility it would be very much part of my carry. A social media less smartphone would be a very interesting device that could maximise this advantage but it would not be worth investing in for any serious manufacturer so although they exist, they're simply old technology with a bunch of blocks added. Not really the same thing.

Haven't thought of it like that, but you have an excellent point there. 

Maybe it's not the device itself but the way most people use it that triggers my disgust for it...

[Etherealicer]

Most of the features can be done better with the appropriate dedicated tool but with a smartphone on hand you can access a vast array of technology in a sleek and pocketable package.

Isn't that kind a hallmark for Multitools? They compromise functionality for versatility + portability. No MT is as good as a dedicated screwdriver/pliers/saw/hammer/prybar.

Interesting with smartphones is though that this does not hold as true as it did a couple of years ago. At least not when it comes to electronics. Dedicated GPS-devices are technologically behind (especially when it comes to the screen), they are expensive and often not international/intercontinental.

Or what about comparing your smartphone to binoculars. Well, apart from weight and bulk the binoculars are far superior, right? Mostly, yes. But the camera modules on smartphone have improved so much, especially for low-light conditions and stabilization but also with mechanical zoom. Try using binoculars when you are very fatigued/exhausted (run until your hands are shaking, then try to spot something), that does not work nearly as well. Binoculars cannot extend exposure time for better images, smartphones can. For the things we carry binoculars, binoculars are still far superior. But then I never pack binoculars on my night-walks because they are useless. I never pack binoculars when I go running, because they are useless and bulky.

Also, while MTs have eclipsed (seriously, since we have all outside locking tools, there was barely any advancement anymore), smartphones still are improving.

I only see my cell phone as a multi function device, but not a 'tool'.

That is mostly semantics. I guess strongly depending on a persons background. If you work in IT, compilers and debuggers are the "tools of your trade", so for me tool is not necessarily physical.

If I google "definition tool" I get the following:

a device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

According to this, a smartphone is definitively a tool. In fact the classic pager is one, although as one-trick-pony it is not a multi-tool.

[Zanza]

Haven't thought of it like that, but you have an excellent point there. 

Maybe it's not the device itself but the way most people use it that triggers my disgust for it...

I totally agree with this, as the majority of smartphone's users are sharing pics of food, of pets, fake news, whatever of their not-so-interesting-lives on social networks

I work everyday behind a computer 9-18, and my smartphone is more like an extension of it... It's quite like my Classic on the keychain 

[Top-Gear-24]

Maybe you just need a better phone/ better apps. Also it depends on your comparison for communication you can also compare it to a whistle or a mirror and I can tell you, the phone is much better than those

I can pre-load Topographical maps of Switzerland, combined with the GPS it is awesome. And considering the quality of the maps and the screen I find it superior to most "dedicated navigation devices" (and those dedicated devices are not cheap, also chances that you have your smartphone with you is much higher). And it almost certainly does either off or on road better than the dedicated one.
It even works better than a notepad (or can your notepad snap pictures and annotate them?) and you can send your notes to someone easily (I pretty much have stopped carrying a notebook/pen, I see no need for them anymore. I do carry a waterproof marker though).

Besides, smartphones can do so much more than what you list. Identifying plants/animals, translating text, magnifying stuff and serves as spyglass (I actually use that frequently to read text that is just out of reach). It can store your survival cards, determine the speed you are going, entertainment, measure time, alarm clock, reminder etc. And functions like the ones ElvenBlade mentioned might not directly assist you in survival, but it frees up space you can use otherwise (for me, it allowed me to remove easily a dozen cards from my wallet, that is the size of a really decent compass.).

Considering the size, that is an awful lot of functionality that not even a Spirit can match and even considering that it requires energy* a really good deal. Now I don't really believe it is the ultimate MT, but for its size/weight there is nothing better. And smartphones will get even better (e.g. distance measuring, lowlight camera etc) but the biggest jump forward will be when we get solid state batteries.

* Yes, energy is a weakness of smartphones, but my 3 year old Galaxy Note 8 still runs 2 days with regular use. Admittedly, I'm not a heavy user, but it includes a bit of gaming, YT, Music, Wifi/Blutooth always on. If I had to rely on it, I could easily double that time. 2 more charges are about the size of a Spirit, but weigh less.

Maybe you just need a better "dedicated navigation device"? 

A very decent Garmin Etrex can be found for under 200 Euro, you can use free downloadable maps on it, it works on two AA batteries (and it can go for days and days of fulltime use on one set of them, and changing them in the field is super easy, and in case you need a new set, AA batteries are available just about everywhere. 

Most smartphones go a day on one battery charge at best, especially if you try to use it like 10 hours in a row for full-time navigation, let alone if you use it to take pictures or as a flashlight as well...

I searched for your type of smartphone and saw in its specs that it has a 3300 mAh battery, which is very decent for a smartphone, since a lot of them will have to make due with a 1800 to 2200 mAh battery.  In my opinion the manufacturers should make 2 or 3 different versions of each smartphone, the one they sell now, and two other options of the same device, but with a more powerfull battery and better protection.  Making it thicker and heavier, but I wouldn't mind carrying a smartphone which is 1,5 or 2 cm thick, but which would last an entire week of full use on one charge, while it can take the abuse my Garmin can.

That Etrex is very small, it can take a serious beating.  If you happen to sit on it, it will hurt your bottom instead of cracking its screen like a layer of thin ice (have you noticed how many smartphones have cracked screens?).

And it's water- and dust proof, and even quite shock proof (I know you can get smartphones that are water- and dust proof, but if you want a 2020 model with those specifications, can you get it under 200 Euro?).

And for a compass, I have some high quality, global compasses which aren't bigger as a small box of matches, and those will work every time, no need for charging or updates...  And yes, I'm one of those guys who's still in awe everytime I open a compass and see it point north all by itself, and when you pair it with a good old paper topomap it becomes this mighty navigation tool that's been around for ages and still deserves its place in our current age of modern technology in my opinion (apologies, I slipped into "old fart mode" again...).

I don't really understand what you mean with "it depends on your comparison for communication you can also compare it to a whistle or a mirror and I can tell you, the phone is much better than those"

My old Samsung cellphone or mobile phone (whatever the right name is in English) was just as good for making phone calls as a current smartphone, only difference that it went for 4 or 5 weeks on one charge... ONE CHARGE!!  A whistle or a mirror would go even longer on one charge (  ), but making a phone call with them was not as easy if I remember it correctly.  Or did I misunderstand your point?

But like I said in my post above, maybe it's also the way most people use their smartphone that makes me dislike it so much... 

That and the fact that everybody expects you to be "available" every hour of the day. And yes, I can turn it off, but still, people won't understand why they couldn't contact me, or why I haven't read their email... I read my email while sitting behind my desk at home, nowhere else.  And I only do this once a week or when I know somebody send me an email (which defeats its purpose, when they told me that they send me an email, they could've just skipped the mail and tell me what they had to say, or give me the document they wanted me to have in person).

I didn't think of the identifying animals and plants possibilities, I often take books with me on a hike for that, but I must admit that they aren't very practical in the field, I should check this out, thanks for the tip  . 

Too bad that's going to shorten its battery life even more... 

Manufacturers, I want my brick sized, shock- and waterproof, week long lasting battery smartphone  .

This incoherent rambling is just my 2 cents, I appreciate you sharing your point of view, and always hope to learn new things from other people's opinion, just to be clear.

Edit: When I wanted to post this I noticed your latest response, so I had to add this.

I really admire how passionate you defend your smartphone, and you're right when you say that it's mostly semantics and strongly depending on a persons background.  Just as somebody working in an office and only going out to clubs and never exploring nature, will see no use for a tool with a saw in it...

And about a dedicated gps, this is turning into a console versus pc for gaming discussion, one is always up to date with best graphics and performance, but costs more, the other is way easier to use, very limited knowledge needed to make it work and does what it was designed for, and most of the time it's cheaper.

When I bought my Garmin GPSmap60csx back in 2007, it was still quite expensive, true.  But prices have dropped and all the technology of the top models back then is now integrated in the cheaper models, like the etrex line.  And biggest plus for me, they just keep on working... Even after years of being mounted on the handlebars of a mountainbike, or being clipped to a backpack in heavy rain, or freezing cold, being bumped up against rocks and trees...

Do you know anyone who still uses his smartphone from 2007?

I do believe we're not going to change each other's opinion on this, but as long as there are no hard feelings it's all good for me.

I like this place too much, and appreciate you way too much as a fellow member (and the person who got me my beautiful birth year SAK) to let something as trivial as this harm that.

Now I'm going to do some research on those plants and animals identification apps...  .

[Etherealicer]

Do you know anyone who still uses his smartphone from 2007?

A quick google search told me, that at least in 2015, some people where still using their 1st gen iPhone.
That said, it kinda plays into my point. Smartphones are still improving at an incredible rate. That is a major reason why people won't be using an over 10 year old phone.

What can you get for 200 euros? Well I can get a Samsung A21s for 186 euros. That comes with a 5000 mAh battery. Yep, this one is not waterproof, but that is something a plastic bag can remedy (there are decent ones that allow you to use your phone while in the bag and they cost less than 14 euros). My wife has one, so that is why I chose this. It lasts for days with moderate use. GPS is real good, maps are excellent. In fact it is almost as good as my 3yo $1000 phone.
Oh and remember, the Garmin Etrex has exactly half the pixels the 1st gen iPhone had in 2007

As for battery life. Here we have to be careful, as a tool it does not matter if the battery lasts no more than a day (most of the time we do have access to charging). We don't think of bit-drivers as useless because bits break. In a normal situation bits can be replaced and phones can be charged.
If you go camping for a week you can turn it off and it will be there and ready in case of an emergency. Imagine you break your leg. Would you rather send your child for help or call a rescue helicopter?

And with survival situations (unplanned), I can see very few scenarios where I would need a knife or a MT for survival. But a phone you can make a call on the other hand seems extremely useful), but sure it depends on where you live reception is not as good everywhere. A bottle of water and maybe an energy bar will probably serve me much better. In fact I posted this a long while ago and maintain. This guy was not saved by the Buck 110/lighter, he was almost killed by them and his though guy, survival fantasy.

I am passionate about it because I think people miss out on it quite a bit.

[Etherealicer]

But like I said in my post above, maybe it's also the way most people use their smartphone that makes me dislike it so much... 

That and the fact that everybody expects you to be "available" every hour of the day. And yes, I can turn it off, but still, people won't understand why they couldn't contact me, or why I haven't read their email... I read my email while sitting behind my desk at home, nowhere else.  And I only do this once a week or when I know somebody send me an email (which defeats its purpose, when they told me that they send me an email, they could've just skipped the mail and tell me what they had to say, or give me the document they wanted me to have in person).

Sure, but that is kinda like people that are scared of knives... not really a knife but rather a people problem.
I work in IT but I have never immediately responded. By now, all my friends know that if it is urgent, they have to call else they have to wait.

Oh and I forgot to tell you... the wristband of my smarsmurfch is an avalanche beacon

[lister]

I'll consider a smartphone a multitool as soon as I can get one that runs full fledged fully open source linux, on a open source risc-v based soc and comes decked out with ir camera, at least one high performance DAC and two ADCs so I can use it as an oscilloscope, DDR, network analyzer etc, maybe some advanced air sensors (say CO, CO2, volatile organics...), all the normal sensors one expects today and a slide our keyboard... 

[Top-Gear-24]

So, according to Google, back in 2015 some people were apparently still using their 1st gen. IPhones... 

Most important words here are, according to Google, back in 2015, and some people...

Do you know any in person?

I know at least 2 people (not including myself) that still use a Garmin that's 10 years old or older, and that's only because I've seen them use it, and I assume I haven't seen all my friends use their GPS yet...

I would think that this plays into my point, as long as a device still does what it's supposed to do, I feel no need to get another one, even if the new one has some extra features...  If I'm not mistaken there are some Garmin outdoor devices that can also take pictures these days, do I need one?  H*ll no...

Same for pixels, the pixels on the Etrex are more than enough for what it's supposed to do, I've never looked at my 13 year old MAP60 and thought, hmmm, I wish that gravel track on the topomap had more pixels in it...

The pixels on a smartphone are there because they need to compete with tablet/pc screens and digital cameras.  The Garmin Etrex does not.

About being able to take a beating, my son has one of those waterproof bags for his smartphone, but if he uses it, it won't fit in the handlebar holder for his bike anymore, I've had my Garmin on my mountainbike's handlebars on very rocky and bumpy tracks so bad that the Ram mount I bought for it shook loose and my Garmin and RAM holder took a dive and bounced against my bike frame, I've had it while plowing through 40 centimeters deep mud pools, getting splattered all over, no way a modern day smartphone would've survived all that (which it's not supossed to as a phone, but when you think of it as an outdoor GPS, well, than it should...).

And it depends on the type of tool whether its batteries should last longer than 1 day, an electric screwdriver... no need, a nosehair trimmer... no need.  A device to track your route and to help you find your way on a 5 days hiking trip through the woods... hmmm  .

And I never said that I don't see the pros of having a mobile phone with me on a weeklong camping trip.  That was just my point, that old mobile phone would be a safer bet than a state of the art smartphone, like I said, 4 to 5 weeks, on all the time... And the calls were just as clear as on a smartphone.

By the way, if you're really going into the wild, a satellite phone would be your safest bet in my opinion.  Garmin even makes GPS units with an integrated satellite phone, so that's a multitool as well. My 13 year old MAP60CSX also has compass, altimeter, fishing/hunting calendar, so it's actually a multitool as well, but for me, it just needs to be a trustworthy GPS unit, nothing more.

I'm not into worst case scenarios or survival tactics at all, it's just that I've seen people putting all their faith into their smartphone, using it as a single navigation and/or communication tool during a hike, only to be scr*wed by its flaws (mostly battery and durability issues).

A former colleague of mine was all wild about his e-book (or whatever you call those things) while another colleague (and myself) preferred a regular book.  Yes, his was easier to read in low light conditions, and thinner than a book, but there's something about the feel of a real book, the smell of the ink and the paper, the fact that it never needs to be plugged in...

In the end it all comes down to personal preferences, or even simple habits.  I bought a Leatherman Crater for my father years ago, and he carries it when he goes on a walk, or on vacation.  But when he's at home, even if he still has the Crater in his pocket, he will always grab his toolbox and take out a dedicated screwdriver for just one screw...

It's all about personal preferences and habits I guess.

And since you are obviously to stubborn to change your ways (just as I am  ), we'll have to agree to disagree on this one...

Agreed?

 

[Don Pablo]

I need my phone almost as much as I need my glasses and hearing aids, in order to communicate with the world. and those two things aren't multitools.

[pomsbz]

The Garmin might be better, if you need better. For the majority of users a GPS system is about driving to location, not hiking. Of course you want a dedicated tool for a specific task but that's not what a multi tool is about.

My wife is currently using a nokia of 2010 vintage and my nokia is a 2012 model if that helps. They don't make them like that any more but I have never known a cell phone which would give 'weeks' of battery life with regular day to day usage even in the golden age of small rugged phones, the nokia's, motorola's, etc. If you would provide the model number I'd be glad to look up the specs and compare its advertised battery life.

[Aloha]

While I've upgraded my daughters phone to the latest I am still using my 5.  I came from a 3gs.  A smart phone is a handy device but I don't use a lot of apps.  I don't do any social media aside from MTO.  Calendar and maps aside from phone calls and texts are what I use most.  Internet search would be next then email. 

My kids and friends urge me to get a newer phone but I'm not really utilizing it enough to warrant the cost.   

[Top-Gear-24]

The Garmin might be better, if you need better. For the majority of users a GPS system is about driving to location, not hiking. Of course you want a dedicated tool for a specific task but that's not what a multi tool is about.

My wife is currently using a nokia of 2010 vintage and my nokia is a 2012 model if that helps. They don't make them like that any more but I have never known a cell phone which would give 'weeks' of battery life with regular day to day usage even in the golden age of small rugged phones, the nokia's, motorola's, etc. If you would provide the model number I'd be glad to look up the specs and compare its advertised battery life.

That's why I always specify that I'm talking about an outdoor GPS, for a car GPS, battery life is not important in my opinion, since power is always available. Which is not the case on a hiking trail. But since a lot of people use their smartphone as an outdoor GPS, I was trying to point out its flaws for that job.  Which doesn't mean you can't use it to get you out of trouble when you're lost, you just have to use it wisely, and try to save battery power as much as possible, but that's just my opinion. If you have a smartphone with a 5000 mAh battery like Etherealicer mentioned, battery life is less of a problem.  Like I said before, give me a smartphone 1,5 cm thick with a battery that lasts for a week during full use, and 90% of my complaints dissappear...

I remember the first weeks that I used my Samsung, I thought it was broken, since the battery seemed to stay full for about 3 weeks, just when I started to really worry about it, one block went of and I was happy  .

Still took almost a week more to run empty.  Like I said, I only used it as a phone or to text, and I'm not a heavy caller or texter. For example, I own the same smartphone as my youngest son, and when we get home from work/school, his one has 10 or 15% battery power left, while mine has used 10 to 15%.

I don't know the model of my old Samsung mobile phone, but I'll have a look, since I'm still using that same phone as alarm clock every morning (I know I can set alarms on my smartphone, but I always have to set multiple alarms, and need at least 2 or 3 to get me out of bed to go to work, and I do tend to drop it from time to time, while turning of the alarm while still being half asleep...).

So it's in quite a bad shape, Aesthetically, the battery still lasts about 2 weeks, but it only functions as a daily alarm clock, so no other use anymore.

Anyway, just had a look, it was a Samsung B2100.

And just searched for specs, turns out it had a 1000 mAh battery, which offered 600h of standby time and 540h of talking time (if that's a word).   

Misses TG-24 just asked why I took a pic of my old scruffy Samsung, and when I told her she first rolled her eyes ( ), but then she also mentioned that I used to switch off my mobile phone during the weekends when non of us had to work, which was one weekend out of two, or when we were both at home on a week day (since her phone was the one everybody, family and friends used to call, while mine was only for us to be able to talk to each other when we were at work, or not together in general).  So maybe 3 to 4 weeks was more correct than 4 to 5 (it has been years since I used it as a phone).



You want to know the irony of all this?

All of these last replies have been posted using my smartphone, since my son is using our laptop for schoolwork since noon, so to type out my hate against using a smartphone, I had to use a smartphone all afternoon...

 

Anyway, I'm so fed up with this tiny keyboard right now that I'll probably throw it on my desk after this post (read: place it gently on my desk, don't want to break it) not to touch it again for the rest of the weekend...

 

[Top-Gear-24]

This topic has been on my mind since yesterday...

And I'm starting to see that I've been looking at this the wrong way.

If anyone would start a discussion with me about how the saw on a multitool s*cks compared with the one hanging on the wall in the garden shed I'd try to explain that he's missing the point of the multitool  .

A smartphone does has a lot of good points, the cameras have really evolved to being a true alternative for a dedicated one (for regular use, not for a professional of course), maybe they're not as good on some points, but they beat a regular camera on others.  And you have it with you 99% of the time, which can't be said about the mirror reflex camera at home...

As an outdoor GPS, same story as with the camera.  But it does take a bit of knowledge to find a good hiking app, since the "smartphone GPS" is only as good as the app you're using, (which is a returning  theme for the smartphone, just because the app s*cks, doesn't mean the smartphone does).

And taking a pic of your SAK or watch during a hike, and uploading it to Imgur to post it here only minutes later is kinda cool.

So yes, it's a multitool (not the ultimate in my  opinion, but then again, it does have some fierce competition for that tittle...)

Only two issues I have are:

Battery life (some Garmin also have an internal battery, and I also stay clear from those, since the AA batteries in my MAP60 are still the best option for something as important as an outdoor GPS, in my opinion).

And how some people are addicted to the social media applications, but, I don't blame cars because some people drive like idiots, I don't blame guns or knives because some people use them to rob or kill people, so I can't really blame the smartphone for this...

So, my apologies if I've been too fanatic in my responses here, but you see, just give this old f*rt a bit if time and he'll see the error of his ways...

[SteveC]

 

[ElevenBlade]

If anyone would start a discussion with me about how the saw on a multitool s*cks compared with the one hanging on the wall in the garden shed I'd try to explain that he's missing the point of the multitool  .

This - exactly this....

All this talk of garmins and pixels and whatnot has been making me  .

Will your phone snap a picture of your dented bumper in the parking lot from a hit-and-run collision that you need to report? Yes.  Will it get you an award-winning photo to put in your portfolio..... in this day and age, also yes... but stay with me here...

Will your garmin GPS get you in and out of your secret camping spot in the Scottish Highlands or the Mojave Desert? yes.  Will your phone do that?  No... mine routinely took me through and through an elementary school parking lot on a 2 hour interstate drive that I used to make... and it took me through an older gentleman's front yard two Sundays ago when trying to get to a lake from the highway.  But will my phone GPS get me around a road closure and detours to get to work when I'm already running late?  You bet it will. 

We also look at multitools the wrong way, don't we?  We're the ones that use multitools when we should be using actual tools... or our teeth.   

[lister]

So no one else wants his smartphone to also be a tricoder and a personal computer? Well a fine lot of gadget aficionadso you are! 

 

[lister]

Speak of the devil and he doth appear:
https://www.xda-developers.com/pro1-x/

 

the price though... 

And my current smartphone still works.

Though ubuntu touch still has myriad of problems, including but not limited to calls and sms not working so that might be a good thing...