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L.A. Times insults you, me, and all iPhone users

Posted March 23, 2008 3:13 PM by Cedric Bosch
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Look. This article might just be one of those things that we all grudgingly agree with, but are way too afraid to admit. After all, the very premise of this article undermines the basis of our collective knowledge. Michelle Quin, a writer for the L.A. Times, recently published a piece charging iPhone users with snobbery and a sense of false intelligence. The device, in Michelle’s opinion, has turned the average Joe into a pretentious know-it-all. This quote from tech writer Eric Sadum sums it up pretty well: “It’s turned me from a really annoying know-it-all into an incredibly annoying know-it-all, with the Internet to back me up.” I think we can all agree that the iPhone has made us more willing to share the information we find online, but can’t the same thing be said about every internet-enabled device? What do you think? Has the iPhone made you an annoying know-it-all?

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  1. I’d have to disagree. It’s not the iPhone that made me or others a know-it-all. It’s our need to have information at our fingertips at any given moment, then use that for any number of reasons.

    As far as the hardware is concerned, STILL it’s not the iPhone’s fault. I recently found the first PDA that had the ability to connect to a cellphone. For me it was the Palm Vx connected to a Kyocera cellphone. This was way before the iPhone! It was cumbersome to use and was only as fast as a regular dial-up internet connection. Later I jumped on the Treo bandwagon. I couldn’t wait for someone to ask a question about anyting, both of my thumbs would be riding those keys like a pro.

    So, it’s not the iPhone. The iPhone, like the iPod, is Apple showing others the error in what they’ve been doing the past 10 years. iPhone users aren’t arrogant because of the iPhone, they’re arrogant because… they just are! Had the iPhone not been created it could have been the “next generation” Treo (if Palm ever decides to update the OS). Or it could have been the HTC or Symbian OS or some UMPC with cellphone abilities.

    Posted by RB on March 23, 2008 4:30 PM

  2. I sort of agree.  Just today I overheard some colleagues wondering out loud how many grams were in an ounce.  One surreptitious Google on my iPhone later and I had the answer.  Naturally I pretended not to have heard the question the first time.  “What were you after?” I called across the room.  “The number of gram in an ounce” they replied.  I rolled my eyes thoughtfully.  “Ummm...28.3”.  smile

    Posted by Si Brindley on March 23, 2008 5:26 PM

  3. didn’t the internet already turn everyone into know-it-alls?

    Posted by al on March 23, 2008 5:32 PM

  4. No, Wikipedia did that

    Posted by Bryan on March 23, 2008 5:46 PM

  5. (head bent, shoulders stooping)
    I confess: I AM a snob…
    (sigh)
    but to complain about ease of access to information? namby-pambism

    Posted by Azazello on March 23, 2008 5:55 PM

  6. LOL, “wikipedia did that” I agree, wikipedia has made everyone just think they are a never ending plethora of knowledge just waiting to be dispensed. Truth is, its idiots writing the articles and mostly idiots reading them too.

    Posted by shay on March 23, 2008 6:36 PM

  7. ok, I agree the iphone has turned me into more of a now-it-all than I used to be with one cavet, the information accuracy has improved. Before the iPhone I could BS my way through about 25% but now I can quickly reference info and provide those around me with quality, timley info.

    So to those out there that are feeling like others think we are know it alls- I say we are providing them with a valuable service. Being their mobile reference kiosks if you will. Keep your fingers tapping and you eyes and ears open for the opportunity to help!

    OR you can feel like you are better than them and know that you have the ability to get the info for them and don’t. Either way have fun with it.

    Posted by lanphantom on March 23, 2008 7:04 PM

  8. It’s clearly not the fault of the iPhone.

    As many iPhone and Apple critics have repeatedly pointed out, “there is no new technology on the iPhone”, and “Other devices could already do everything that the iPhone does”.

    It may be the fault of computers,mobile devices, and the internet.  But the only thing the iPhone does, is do a lot of existing things better.

    It’s ridiculous to criticize a product or producer of delivering a better product, when the product capabilities already exist and are already in use.

    Posted by hardmanb on March 24, 2008 12:11 AM

  9. I’d like to think that superficial man made objects reveal the real asshole inside rather than turning nice emphatic people into techno-geek snobs.

    I wouldn’t blame the iPhone - some people are just royal assholes.

    Posted by Guy on March 24, 2008 5:00 AM

  10. Things some idiots would try to pass under the blanket of “journalism”. If anyone was made a “know-it-all-asshole” then it is the same “reporter” who wrote that garbage.

    Posted by Man on March 24, 2008 7:14 AM

  11. Don’t blame her for the piece she wrote, she’s just trying to bring everyone down to her level. It must be lonely down there and I bet her stubby intelectual neck hurts like hell looking up to intelligent people all the time.

    Posted by eMan on March 24, 2008 1:06 PM

  12. Yes. There was this really annoying guy at the science fair with an iphone. He would check the peoples facts. He did not know anything, but had access to everything.

    Though when he came to check mine, I had my cell phone jammer ready. Whoops, looks like you can’t scrutinize my project! Ha.

    PS: I know the consequences of such a device.

    Posted by Mr. Anon on March 24, 2008 8:10 PM

  13. The causal relationship is wrong in the piece, annoying know-it-alls are just drawn to the iphone ;P

    Posted by Mash on April 30, 2008 2:25 AM

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