I bought the iPhone 3GS on October 6, 2009. That’s 1378 days ago. I’ve put it through the ringer and I didn’t any major problems with it until a few months ago. Now unless it’s plugged in, it will randomly shut off even with a fully charged battery. I was hoping to keep it for a couple more months, but since it’s barely functional, I decided to upgrade. My iPhone 5 arrived in the mail today.

Before I bought the 3GS back in 2009, I used a cheap flip phone. It did the basics, texting and phoning, but that’s it. Upgrading to an iPhone was a game changer. Instead of just carrying around a phone/messaging device, I now had portable computer in my pocket. A camera, maps, weather, internet browser, games, email, calendar, and more were always within reach. For better or for worse it changed my life. Of course, there were forerunners of the iPhone like the Sidekick or BlackBerries, but for me, my first taste of a multifunctional phone was the iPhone.

RIP 3GS.