Unscientific evidence suggests that more and more translators are using BlackBerries, Treos and other types of wireless e-mail devices. Whereas these devices used to be (say until a few years ago) nearly absent from translation-related events, half of the attendees at a recent Colorado Translators Association workshop said that they use a BlackBerry or similar device.
I’ll admit that I am someone who enjoys excluding technology and communications devices from certain areas of my life. I don’t answer my business phone line when I’m not working, I have no problem going away for the weekend to a place that doesn’t have cell reception, etc. and my sense is that many translators feel similarly. A colleague recently told me that she “only turns her cell phone on by appointment” and I generally don’t think of translators as people who are obsessed with being reachable.
At the same time, I’ll admit that I do a fair bit of “going home to quickly check e-mail.” Although I sometimes take a weekday off to enjoy some recreation and then make up the work time at night, I’m reluctant to be out of the office for more than about three hours at a time, for fear that I’ll miss an important work-related communication. So, I frequently pop back into the office just to check e-mail, then head out again if nothing demands immediate attention. In one sense I see how a BlackBerry or similar device could avoid this situation, since I could simply respond to the important e-mail while outside the office. In another sense, I’m terrified of becoming one of those people who feels lost and insecure without connectivity, and I wonder if it’s really possible to handle a translator’s work-related e-mail, i.e. “could you take a look at this 125 page file and tell me how long it would take to translate it and how much it would cost?” on a tiny screen. Any thoughts?
The other day I set up my mobile phone to sync automatically with my Exchange server – à la BlackBerry. It nearly paid dividends today when a client mailed me this afternoon, when I was spending time with the kids, to say there was a bit missing from the table of contents in the translation I had mailed first thing this morning (there was no such problem – just the ToC in the original doc hadn’t been updated after a couple of sections were deleted). I say “nearly” since the mail in question ended up in my Junk E-mail folder and never got as far as my mobile phone. I’ve only just seen it… It just goes to show that you should never rely on one means of communication when things are urgent.
It’s a real tough call. On the one hand, I’m like you and like to not be reachable if I’m not supposed to be (but then again, we are now officially the “older” generation). On the other hand, many translators are not as lucky as we are and rely on big agency customers who believe in the “first come, first served” principle. If they can’t respond quickly they don’t get the job.
That said, I am very tempted to get a wireless device so that I don’t have to deal with getting Internet access the next time I’m in Germany.
However, I would be one of those people who would turn my phone off when out with friends or out to dinner. Many of my crackberry addict friends can’t ignore a call or text when it comes, and I find it very rude when we are having a conversation.
Confession: I was semi-addicted to my Blackberry issued by my employer in my previous corporate-America life.
After five years of using the Blackberry and (ergonomically challenged) phone, I had to return it to my previous employer. I had no intention of getting another BB, but when I went to Costco for a cell phone, the new BB Pearl was free, so I went ahead and got it. I chose not to turn on the e-mail function for now, as I don’t need it. While I am very speedy at writing e-mails on BB (5 years’ worth of practice), the Pearl doesn’t have a full keyboard, and I don’t really have the patience to re-train myself. In addition, I wouldn’t really answer a new customer on my BB — I want to come home, put thought into the message, and put all appropriate accents and symbols in the message, which is a challenge on the BB.
I do actually feel quite liberated by not being connected all the time. I still have the option of enabling the e-mail function of my BB at a later time, but for now, it’s just a phone. And it’s cheaper, too. But I am with Corinne on constantly checking e-mail and not being away from the computer for extended periods of time.
Completely agree with Jill on BB etiquette: most people have none, and it is very annoying. It’s equivalent to reading a book when someone is talking to you, in my opinion. If you can’t have a conversation with someone without checking BB, it’s best to turn the thing off and focus on your company.
No, I like being disconnected once in a while. I benefit from getting away from it all sometimes; that’s when my creativity seems to flourish.
I personally have found the iPhone an invaluable device for my translation work. I was on a business trip once overseas and received a short translation job from a regular client I had.
Well, I hadn’t brought along my computer but it was no problem. I did the translation in an email and sent it back to the client that same day during a lunch break. I think I am part of the group that would feel lost without that piece of equipment
I miss my Blackberry terribly. It was worth its weight in gold to me in London, but the service charges are so much higher here in Australia that I’ve not quite managed to justify having one – yet 🙂
It wasn’t a big leap to go from not having one to having one, but there’s no denying it was very, very convenient and as Iwan says, the back-up email option saved me a lot of hassle on more than one occasion. Personally, I only rarely used it to open attachments or to read documents (and only then to quickly scan something for my own info purposes), nor did I use it to write long or detailed emails (too awkward). In fact, I used filters so I only received certain emails and I never broadcasted the fact that I had a BB either… (to manage expectations around response times, etc… a personal bugbear!).
Of course, mobile email devices don’t make anyone rude (texting, checking in company, etc), or unable to disconnect, or under pressure to be at anybody’s beck and call – *some* users just manage to be these things all by themselves, mobile devices just seem to bring their natural tendencies to the fore!
Thanks for your comments everyone, it’s really interesting to read your thoughts. Sarah, you’re actually the first person I’ve ever heard saying that you miss your BlackBerry! As several people pointed out, I think it’s all in how you use the device, and it can either be liberating or an electronic ball and chain.
I think that even if you can’t analyse attachments to give a price to some client. at least you can see if there really are an important e-mail, so you can drop to your office and finish reading all attachments and giving price to the client.
It is a good way to stay out of office more than the usual. If you can check emails outta office, you don’t have to stay there 3 times/day if you don’t really ought to.
It reminded me of the smart quote: “Prosperity is the surest breeder of insolence I know.” (Mark Twain) – thank u for sharing
Just grabbed the feed… thanks for posting this.