many people nowadays spend a large part of their free time using a smartphone. What do you think are the reasons for this? do you think this is a positive or negative development?

It is clear that large numbers of people spend a considerable proportion of their leisure time looking at their smart phones or similar gadgets. In my view there are two major reasons for this. Firstly, so much of our lives is now managed through these devices and we are expected to be in touch at all times. It is no longer acceptable to say that we are on holiday and cut off from communication with the outside world. A related but separate point is that it is difficult to conduct our social lives without a mobile device. People travel much more and their friends often live far away. Therefore, they actually need to conduct relationships online rather than face to face and for this reason frequent use of a mobile device is considered essential. There are some worrying aspects to this growth in the use of mobile devices, especially at times when people are supposed to be relaxing. Firstly, it is widely believed that phone use can become addictive and lead to an unhealthy dependence. People can become anxious if they do not check their devices at all times of the day and night and this can cause insomnia and other kinds of mental health problems. On the other hand, such devices can provide great sources of information and entertainment during our free time. It is, for example, valuable to have a mobile device when travelling in a new area, to look up routes or to find interesting places to visit. They also greatly facilitate activities such as making arrangements to meet up with friends. On balance, I feel that rather than spoiling our health or reducing enjoyment of our free time these devices actually enhance our lives.