Phones Are Great, But Don’t Ditch Your C

Phones Are Great, But Don't Ditch Your Computer Just Yet

 

A few days ago, I downloaded ChatGPT on my phone, and its capabilities have been nothing short of impressive lately. It's so advanced that Siri now feels miles behind—these days, I barely interact with Siri beyond asking for the next day's weather or setting simple timers while cooking, like 15 minutes for steamed eggs or 6 minutes for boiling noodles. For anything more complex, Siri just redirects me to a search engine.

 

ChatGPT, though, is like having a capable college assistant in your pocket. I recently wondered about the "Market Square" mentioned in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird—which modern U.S. town it might be based on, and if there are any literary tourism projects tied to the author there. I asked via voice, just like a casual chat, and it not only transcribed my question perfectly but also responded in a voice that sounded almost human—professional, like a broadcaster, not a robotic monotone.

 

The other night, while watching TV in a hotel, I spotted an actress I recognized. I turned to my partner and asked, "Is that Meryl Streep?" They suggested I look it up. Normally, I'd search for the show's title and scroll through the cast list on Google, but this time, I asked ChatGPT. It instantly pulled up the full cast, and sure enough, Meryl Streep was on it. I mentioned to my partner that Streep is usually known for her film roles, so it was nice to see her in a TV series. I followed up with another voice question: What character does she play, and what's her relationship with the lead? Again, ChatGPT nailed the transcription and gave a detailed answer—her character's name, occupation, and exact dynamic with the main protagonist.

 

It made me think: Stenographers might want to start worrying about their jobs. Just now, I spent over 10 seconds typing "Clarissa Dalloway" on my computer keyboard, fumbling with the spelling. It's a small hassle, but it highlights how even basic tasks can feel clunky compared to voice-powered tools—though computers still have their irreplaceable uses.

 

I remembered a tech reviewer once recommended Gboard, so I searched for it using Chrome. The first three results led to random software sites, not Google's official center; I had to scroll to the sixth link to find the legitimate download. After installing it, typing "Clarissa Dalloway" became a breeze—the software recognized the name automatically. I'd been using Windows' default keyboard for years because I thought switching would be a hassle, but it turns out trying new tools can drastically boost productivity with just a tiny effort.

 

Another surprise: The "find typos" feature on blog platform webpages works surprisingly well, catching around 90% of errors. It makes me wonder if proofreading jobs will soon be a thing of the past, too.

 

For two or three years, I barely used my computer—my old one was so slow that even playing a 4K video felt like a struggle, while my iPhone handled it smoothly. It wasn't until I got a new gaming laptop that I felt like I was keeping up with the times. Sure, many apps—ChatGPT included, plus shopping sites—offer a better experience on mobile, but when it comes to bulk content creation, nothing beats a computer.

 

Last year, I watched Existentialism Now, a documentary about philosopher Martha Nussbaum by a renowned media team. Freshly retired, Nussbaum mentioned in the film that she now enjoys more freedom—she can go on road trips anywhere, as long as she brings her laptop. She can write anytime, anywhere, and it feels the same as working at her desk. I tried searching for her exact quote on both Evernote and ChatGPT, but neither could find it. It seems video search capabilities still have room to grow; honestly, it should be simple enough—just transcribe the video's audio into text and store it for easy retrieval.

 

John, a writer I follow, has mentioned on his blog more than once that for professional writers, a computer is like a gun, and the keyboard is the trigger. He once wore out the keyboard on his gaming laptop; he planned to get it repaired, only to realize the laptop was still under warranty—proof of how much he uses it. He's clearly incredibly diligent.

 

He often advises the business owners he knows to use computers for learning, not just phones. Phones are filled with fragmented information, he says, but computers let you dive into systematic learning—you can type notes, jot down ideas, and organize thoughts anytime.

 

A few days ago, John said he wrote an article directly on his desktop, only to have it disappear later; he had to rewrite the whole thing. That's where I've got him beat: I always write in a fixed folder on my D drive—working on the desktop feels too risky. I even added an extra internal hard drive to my laptop, splitting it into E and F drives. Every once in a while, I copy all my important documents to the new drive, creating a double backup. The odds of both drives failing at the same time are tiny, so I don't have to hassle with frequent backups to an external drive.

 

I'll be the first to admit my writing skills aren't anything special, but I'm meticulous about backups—I value my work, even if it's not perfect. It's a habit I picked up from my days as a stenographer: I saved my notes constantly, always with a sense of caution. After a morning meeting, I'd immediately save the transcript to a USB drive or email it to myself. That's why, in all my years as a stenographer, I never once lost a document.

 

Today, I'm feeling a bit low on energy, but one great thing about writing for my blog is this: Even if I've had too much to drink, as long as I haven't posted my daily article, I can throw up and then sit down at my computer to write. Yesterday, though, I slipped up—right after posting, my sister pointed out a typo. She's an English teacher, so she's always thorough. I fixed it right away, then went back to feeling sick.

 

I recall some writers saying first drafts should be "vomit-style"—don't worry about grammar or rhythm, just pour whatever's in your head onto the page without overthinking. I checked ChatGPT, and sure enough, novelist Stephen King and essayist Joan Didion have both talked about this approach. King's The Shawshank Redemption is wonderful, and Didion's essay Slouching Towards Bethlehem is equally great. I can only hope I'll write something that good someday.

 

Yesterday, I drank through my entire annual quota of whiskey in one go. For the next year, I'm swearing off whiskey entirely.