The world has gone mad over iPhone 5s. It appears from all the hype that the new phone is in a lot better shape than the older version. The appearance is slimmer, the run time is faster, and it has mastered the art of yoga. Sounds like the makings of a Hollywood make-over. 

Apparently, the new phone has some glitches. If you tell Siri, your digital assistant, that you want to go to the Dairy Queen on Marietta Highway, she may direct you to the throne room at Buckingham Palace. 

Regardless, it is amazing what our two-way communication devices are capable of these days. If I spot Honey Boo Boo in Walmart I can take a picture and send it to my mama in Clermont, Georgia. If my doctor says something inspiring, I can tweet it to the world. I can look up menu options for fried chicken while shopping in Kroger. When my children do something heartwarming, I can post it on my wall in Facebook. All of this and more with my smartphone. 

I grew up with a rotary phone attached to the wall. Skill was required to use one of those devices. First, you located the phone number on the piece of paper taped to the wall next to the phone. Then, you adjusted your index finger so that it would fit properly in the little hole on the circular dial. Index finger inserted, you would twist the dial back to the silver stopper. Repeat the process six times. Back then it wasn't required to dial the area code. I guess not that many people lived in Clermont, Georgia. 

I am still trying to figure out if all this new technology has made life easier. I imagine it is a little more convenient for teenagers to have private conversations with their high school sweethearts now than back in the day when you only had 10 feet of phone cord. It is nice having my appointments scheduled on my phone versus looking at the wall calendar that you picked up at the funeral home.

All this advancement has given us a new vocabulary to deal with the world. Now when I need to make a change in my behavior, I can just say I need an update. When I fail at something, I can call it an older version. Whether we like it or not, life is full of updates and newer versions. 

Are you getting the new iPhone? With all the advancement of technology, do you think life has gotten easier and more convenient? Or has it gotten more complicated?