Could you go 48 hours without the internet in China? This SCMP reporter tried
We asked one SCMP technology reporter to try going 48 hours without the internet
The alarm on my smartphone was set for 8am on Saturday, which is rare these days as I stopped using my phone as a clock when I bought a smart speaker in the middle of last year. Powered by artificial intelligence technology, the smart speaker understands my verbal requests for a musical wake-up call.
But I am not allowed to use the smart speaker this weekend after accepting an assignment to live without internet access for two days in Shenzhen, the technology hub of China where hardly anyone is not connected through their smartphone or a computer at home.
The smartphone has become an integral part of my body, like with most educated people in China. I can forget to bring a lot of things, but not my smartphone. It is in my hand or pocket at all times. Even while sleeping, the phone is within arm’s reach of my bed – charging to be ready for the next day.
I have become so dependent on my smartphone that it pervades almost every aspect of life, whether paying bills, calling for a ride, making restaurant reservations or booking tickets for movies or concerts. I can stay home the whole day and order daily necessities online and have them delivered to the front door.
But everything will change for one weekend when my smartphone will be used only to make calls and send text messages, just like the first feature phone in my life – the Motorola V8088 – which dates back to 2001.
Even while sleeping, the phone is within arms reach of my bed – charging ready for the next day
That means no WeChat or Alipay, no reading news apps or playing games – no app usage at all because they are all internet-based services. It was going to be tough because these apps occupy most of my waking time, whether I am working or not.