Assuming that you use a phone that's actually a pocket-sized computer, is your relationship with your phone the same as your relationship with your computer, or is it different?

Are they both just devices that help you do stuff, or does it *feel* different (from a personal perspective, not technical) to use one versus the other?

Would it make you uncomfortable to have someone else sit down at your computer keyboard? What about handing them your phone?

Please invite others of varying ages and outlooks on life.

Whitney, you and I talked about this over beers the other night, but I think the relationship is completely different. My iPhone provides a (false?) sense of intimacy and privacy that the computer doesn't offer. It's Webpages on the World Wide Web versus small cubbyholes on my phone that my friends are in.

Related: branch.com

Do either of you have an opinion on whether or not phones and pads are primarily consumption devices? Is there a generational component to this question?

No, I don't think so at all. I sent text messages, snap chats, and photos all-day. And I prefer to tweet from mobile. Though I may be an odd specimen.

That's a yes-and-no for me, James, or maybe more of a a no-and-yes.

I think phones and tablets are (at their best) optimized for easy access to content, because of the perceived limitations of the interface (touch only, for the most part, no packing tiny icons into a toolbar or keyboard shortcuts to expose buried functionality).

BUT -- but, but, but, I don't think this means that these devices are inherently "consumption devices," but rather that they are very new: five and two years old.

To Josh's point, people create stuff with phones/tablets all the time already, but we're still figuring out how to make the devices work best for us.

Think of the limitations (both tech and imagination) of a PC five years after they were introduced.

Also: I hate the implied ethical distinction that comes with some people's assessment that these are consumption devices. Why is that perceived as a failing or weakness?

My relationship with my phone is definitely different from how I use a computer. I don't think "consumption device" captures it, but I do think there is significance to the screen's size and its relationship to a keyboard.

I read on my phone all the time. Books, email, websites, etc. I find myself infrequently creating anything long form on it, but I wouldn't call it a consumption device because of that. More like a small device leads to small utterances.

I resist long form creations on my phone because it feels too awkward to create. Proof reading an essay on a phone sucks. I am quite prolific, however, when it comes to short-form creations coming from my phone.

Maybe the question is actually one of long-form vs short-form content?

I think James makes an interesting point. I have always loved my computer and when I got my first smart phone, I thought it would be awesome as well. However, as time goes on, I tend to use my smart phone for it's "smart" less and less. Some people live by their phone, but I keep track of most of my online items via my desktop at home.

If I'm on the go and need information, though, it is very convenient to use my phone. I originally thought that there would be useful apps that I could use on my phone that would make it more important to me, but I am still struggling to find the best use for my phone. It's not made to be a web device, in my opinion, at least not in the terms of surfing. It's definitely interesting how differently I use it.

I open up my laptop maybe once a week? sometimes even less often. the phone and the ipad are where i do almost everything. the only thing i really need my laptop computer for is recording. that said, lately i've been doing most recording on a 4 track cassette recorder. If someone stole my laptop i probably wouldn't even notice for a couple weeks.

To address an earlier question, i would be REALLY uncomfortable handing off my phone to someone and letting them poke around. my entire life is on there!