Feature

Liberation or enslavement?

US research suggests that there’s a downside to the BlackBerry and other smartphones - they blur the boundaries between life and work to the point where a third of American said they felt shackled by the mobile.
A third of those polled agreed with the statement “devices like BlackBerry chain you to work more than they liberate you.” The balance were evenly split between neutral and disagreement with the statement.

Surprisingly, among those who own a BlackBerry or a similar device, the results were not all that different: 34% agreed with the statement, 37% disagreed and 29% were neutral. While smartphones give users ability to get work done outside the office, the survey showed that owners were somewhat more likely to work long hours, not less. Among those who own a BlackBerry or a similar device, 19% worked for more than 50 hours a week, compared to 11% average.

Among owners of BlackBerry or a similar device, 53% agreed with the statement “I don’t have enough ‘me’ time,” compared to 40% average.

The information comes from Digital Life America, a US consumer trend study.