Phone zombies are everywhere. You know, those people so glued to their smartphone screens they are barely aware of what’s happening all around them, in real life?

I remember watching the movie Wall-E and thinking how silly it was, all the humans glued to a small tablet, right next to each other but not speaking. Little did we all know then the Steve Jobs was showing us a glimpse of the future, as such tablets were already in development and would hit the market soon. I wonder if he ever considered not releasing smartphones and tablets, knowing what would happen to humanity?

Of course smart phones have many good uses too, like maps and information at your fingertips and the ability to check email and such on the go. Things you used to have to be sitting at a computer or before that go to a library to do.

Yet despite the convenience, they have also created this inconvenient 24×7 tether, too. Instead of walking away from that computer, now it goes with you. People expect a reply at any hour, day or night. Sometimes even your boss!

Even if you don’t want a smartphone to take over or change your life, somehow it seems like they do anyway. I know very few people who can keep it in its place. It’s like the devices were built to be highly addictive, to be very “sticky.” To replace human interaction. To supersede even your friends and family. To replace hobbies and real world activities.

I am curious how others feel. Am I being too negative? Do others have ideas for how to keep smartphones from taking over their life? Ways to put it in its place? A technique to reverse phone zombie-ism?

What do you think? Please share in the comments!