What’s a power user?

Power users. They are a group of PDA owners that is often mentioned in articles. If you read a lot, you end up thinking that devices with less power then a car bomb are no use to them. In news and reviews the cream of the smartphones is always being described as “suited for power users”. But there is something strange about this phenomenon. If you ask around what a power user exactly is, nobody seems to know it. Even stranger is, that although nobody knows, everybody claims to be one- including me!  Wikipedia, which has an answer to almost everything in life, says the following: ‘’A power user is a user of a personal computer who can utilize advanced functions and programs which are outside the reach of normal users due to the complexity and advanced knowledge required to perform these specialized tasks. Also: a computer user who seeks and uses products having the most features and the fastest performance.’’    Hmm. Description number one is a bit vague, because what exactly is out of the reach of normal PDA/smartphone users these days? For instance a lot of people flash their ROMs without any knowledge, using step-by-step guides (I do not recommend this by the way). The second description is better, and it confirms the fact that people often refer to power users as adaptors of the latest and greatest devices *cough* Shaun McGill *cough*. Overall the description could have been better, but it’s good enough for now. I’ll illustrate my story with an example, for the people who still don’t see the problem and wonder what’s mine.    ← This are the applications of a guy from Treocentral, who also claims to use them all on a regular basis!

‘John Doe’ and I both call ourselves a power user. I own a HTC Touch, and John owns a HTC TyTN 2. At this point, people who know the specifications of these devices will think: “That’s bull$#@&! John’s TyTN 2 is far more powerful then the Touch!”  
Do you got the point now? I certainly hope so… But what is it that makes you a power user then? Is it the money that you spend on your PDA/smartphone, or the number of applications you install on your device? Do you have to be some kind of type, like a businessman, busy student or dedicated geek? Or could it be that the time you daily spend with your toy makes you a power user, or the number of tasks you use it for… I guess you will be dizzy now after reading so many question marks, especially since you’re insecure about your current user-status. Don’t worry, I will (try to) fix your self-confidence now!  It’s time to erase the nonsense, and only the truth will remain. I will judge in this case what’s relevant and what’s not, in order to make one final and complete definition. List of possible measure instruments:

• The type. This one is just not clear enough, as you can be a certain type, but no person is the same (nor is their PDA usage).
• The money you spend. Nope, it isn’t this one either. You can buy a top range device with a lot of accessories, and then leave it rotting away in the drawer.
•  The number of applications you have installed. This data is only relevant if you use the software often, instead of using them rarely/not.
• The time you daily spend with your toy. This is definitely a good one, since it shows your usage time clearly.
• The tasks you use your device for. The second good instrument, because you can easily see how long and detailed your list is.

 The two remaining measure instruments are the real killers, they quickly separate the choir from the chaff. What’s the conclusion then? Well, it turn out that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you use, what really matters is how much you use your device- for which tasks an how long. For some of you this may seem like stating the obvious, but think again. It’s a common made error to judge someone based on the things I erased from the list, because everybody has a different life- which comes with different (PDA) needs. And that’s why I wrote this in the first place… 

Am I a power user? Well, are you kidding me? If I would write a list of tasks I use my smartphone for, the sucker would have the length of this article. I tend to walk around with my face down, always focused on that little touch screen (I don’t recommend this either, as this can result in serious injury i.e. crashing into walls, lampposts and people). So I am definitely a power user- if you don’t believe me, send me a email so I can send you my list of smartphone usage (if I ever find the time to write the thing). But what about you, are you a power user? Well, I’d say it’s time to figure that out for yourself, and be sure to leave a comment about your thoughts afterwards!