Seems like it was just yesterday when I walked out of the Apple Store at Fashion Fair with the latest, coolest item from the Casa De Steve Jobs. Well that phone lasted about 3 months before I fried it when I plugged it to my iPod car charger figuring that it wouldn’t matter. It did and I literally fried my brand new $400 phone. Luckily, Apple was cool enough to bless me with a free replacement and covered it under the warranty. Since then it’s been clear sailing! I mean, minus the cracked screen, dents all around the body and sketchy syncing abilities with my computer, of course. And now as we stand here on the eve of the new iPhone 4, coming this Thursday, I find myself walking down memory lane with my first generation iPhone and revisiting the old days, both good and bad. In our time together we’ve been through the death of a close friend, one engagement (ended via text received on this very phone), millions of Monty pics, my first trip to New York & so many other memorable moments. But now our journey together is coming to an end. So I was struck with the decision of what to do with my outdated companion. Should I give it a proper burial in it’s original box & bag (yep, that’s all the original stuff in that pic up there)? Maybe give the phone to my mom or donate it? Sell it somewhere online? Or just keep it as a relic and in 30 years when Apple is on its 30th revision of the phone, pull it out and show my grandchildren the artifact to remind them of the days when we had to use our fingers to navigate our phone’s interface. I’ll figure it out, but I’d like to hear from you guys. What do you think I should do and what are your plans for your old phone when you upgrade? Also, please ridicule me if you feel my attachment to my phone, at an emotional level, is unhealthy. :) Chime in and maybe I’ll see you at the Apple Store this Thursday.
I want to ridicule you, but Toy Story 3 took the wind out of my sarcasm sails.
Fire away as soon as you regain your strength ;)
I think you should give it to your mom or throw it into a canal. After I get my new iPhone, I'm planning on smashing my Blackberry into a million pieces while drinking an expensive bottle of wine, straight from the bottle.
I still say viking funeral. Give it the rightful send off it deserves for all the shit it’s witnessed.
I agree, Viking funeral in the San Joaquin river. Or the First & Shields canal.
Your grand kids won't give a shit. You can recycle old phones at Whole Foods. Maybe you can sell it to some broke college student for $10 on Craigslist. Bottom line is your sense of pride that you used the shit out of the phone and got more than your $'s worth of enjoyment.
Very insightful, sir! Still on the fence, though. My inner hoarder is telling me to hold on to this :)
The canal (SW corner of McKinley & First) thing sounds like a good idea, at least u will do it on purpose, rather than accidentally like someone we know with their keys to their '99 mustang gt. Or donate it to our troops. All up to u. {;o)
As much as I want to see a Viking funeral, I'm all about supporting our troops. I say donate it to them.
I say hold on to it. If it was a 2nd generation iPhone then I would say donate to who or whatever you want. 1st generations of electronics like this are always cool to see 10yrs later. BTW – I thought I saw you at Edwards Theater on Saturday afternoon. I was gonna stop you & say hi but I didn't want to look like a groupie in front of my girlfriend…..
I say, hold onto it. I still have all of my GameBoys (unfortunately I tried to perform surgery myself on my first iPod and ruined it and my dad made me e-recycle it) and for the most part most of my cool, unused gadgets.
Are they taking up space in my closet? Yes, but my dad had he Apple ][e and his 45 record player for me to enjoy as a child and I want to share my stuff with future generations as well. I think you're as sentimental as I am.
See ya on Thursday.
i'm awaiting my thursday pick up of iphone 4 to replace my first gen iphone. i got my at the at&t store on blackstone & shields on that first day. it was fun waiting in line in anticipation.
my first gen is going over to my brother in south africa where he hopes to jail break it.