Data Consciousness

Got myself a new phone.

A Nokia e71 to replace my Nokia e61.


I was offered an affordable trade-in/ upgrade. The e71 received really good reviews. And I figured I could use a phone with a camera and video feature, finally.

Backed-up all data from the old phone--contacts, documents (Word, Excel, Notes), Calendar entries, SMS messages, videos, photos. Then deleted them individually from the older phone.

Until I realised there was an easier way to do a hard-reset (thanks to Kevin).

Not that I'm in danger of doing an Edison-Chen. Just that I won't want anyone to look through my SMS messages or documents.

Before my e61, I had a much less sophisticated phone. The only sensitive information it could store was phone contacts.

Then I moved to a Palm handheld and then the Nokia e61. The technical sophistication increased. I could do Word documents and Spreadsheets. But still no photos or video capabilities.

Without being conscious about it, we now own highly scaled-down and portable computers -- more than phones per se.

Yet mindsets and habits, in the way most people dispose of data, have not really caught up with technological advances.

In those pen and paper days, we didn't need to erase all your handwritten notes before shredding the paper. We got rid of data by destroying the entire "storage device".

So I think some people tend to unconsciously adopt that sort of attitude.

I feel user manuals should be revised.

They usually start with getting you to use the device -- the physical thing.

The part on data protection (e.g. Auto-lock feature, setting passwords) tends to be buried somewhere in the manual.

Computing devices will only increase in sophistication. Users have to be equally sophisticated as well. It's not that difficult.

Just think in terms of "data" rather than physical devices, and I think habits will change accordingly.