[Discuss] how much can i use a smartphone as a computer?

[effigies at riseup.net (Chris Markiewicz)]

On 09/09/2015 12:25 PM, barry wrote:
> i.e. manipulate text read (and maybe type with external (bluetooth?)
> keyboard), cut and paste across apps, pdfs, manipulate files in
> directory structure, write and execute programs in, say, python
> (accessing some of the opsys capabilities?)  lets say android, lets say
> rather low end for now
> 
> it's time for me to get new cellphone, thinking of graduating from
> simple flipfone...
> 
> thanks

I wouldn't expect to be able to seriously use it as a general purpose
computer, mainly because of battery life and screen size make heavy use
and multi-tasking difficult. There are decent filesystem browsers, and
you can do most of the things you mentioned in a pinch, but beyond
copy-paste and quick annotations, I think you'll get frustrated.

My personal list of reasons I would keep my smartphone over going back
to something I only have to charge once a week:

1) Maps. Advance planning is now only for things that need itineraries.
How to get somewhere you've never been can be figured out on the way
there. (There are also bus maps which show live locations.)
2) Ebooks/Games/Podcasts/etc. A variety of ways to occupy yourself, if
you're looking for them.
5) TextSecure. Probably the encrypted messaging app that is hardest to
use wrong. You can use it to text, but if you're talking to someone with
TextSecure (or Signal on iPhone), it'll use a forward-secret OTR-like
ratchet.
4) The Internet with a usable interface. Actually don't use this a lot,
but when you need to quickly look something up, it's so much better than
old phones.
5) A bunch of little utilities for notes or syncing shopping lists with
housemates, or splitting checks. A lot of banks have apps that will let
you deposit checks by taking pictures of the front and back, now.
6) Quality cameras, unless you're *really* into photography.

Chris