University Star

I have to reiterate how un-tech savvy I truly am. Case in point: I resisted adding text messaging to my AT&T service plan until last spring. I also used a flip phone until it could not flip anymore. My free phone upgrade was an AT&T Pantech. I believe it’s the most basic of its kind. I have the ability to access the internet, but I’ve been leery because of the phone’s small screen. I’ve utilized the camera on my phone to take candid snapshots of family members, but the quality isn’t that great.

However, my recent acquisition of the AT&T Pantech Burst has brought me one step closer to the 21st century and has alleviated most of my hesitation about smart phone technology. I didn’t know the difference between 3G or 4G phone speeds before using the Pantech Burst because I didn’t have prior experience with a 4G phone.

After comparing the Pantech Burst’s four inch touch screen with the miniscule keyboard on the other Pantech phone, I am pleased to find I can text and type emails more efficiently. As a college student, efficiency is key- I find myself multitasking even more this semester, and having a phone with high speed internet access and web browsing capabilities that rival my PC has relieved the stress on my back and my mind (the phone weighs 4.32 ounces, while my laptop weighs about 112 ounces). I have activated the voice dialing and speakerphone capabilities to interview sources for the campus newspaper while I verify their classification and major on the university web site. I have utilized the conference calling feature to interview multiple sources at once, while I was speed walking to class and holding a recorder to the phone. Tripping up stairs is the risk I take to make deadline.

The Pantech Burst fits slimly in my pocket or purse. I sometimes freaked out and thought I had left it at the local coffee shop I frequent, but no, it was in my pocket. With the phone at my side, I shot last minute video of a campus organization passing out sunscreen and condoms for a possible story idea for the campus newspaper. I listened to music while walking back to my apartment from class and watched YouTube videos when I couldn’t find anything to watch on TV- all on the Pantech Burst. Of course, being the multitasking fiend that I am, I also created a playlist for the show I co-host on the campus radio station, read short stories for my American literature class in preparation for the midterm, sent a photo of the dress I am going to wear to an awards show to my friend and checked my Facebook. I can talk or search online for up to 4.5 hours, even in the dark because the touch screen and keys give off enough light to use it as a flashlight, which I did once to find my keys underneath my couch.