What is meant by the term: Power User?

[N2gaming]

Hello Folks;
What is meant by the term: Power User? when it is used for just a cell phone. Thanks

 

[Zaap]

Someone very knowledgeable about hardware and software- that tends to use a device to its full potential. Power users aren't generally swayed by marketing hype- they judge devices based on real world use, performance and design. A lot of little technical details that the average Joe may never notice or care about, a Power User will focus on.

Most people here probably qualify as Power Users, as opposed to say the average consumer.

Smartphones have become as important to many of us as our desktop/laptop PCs- moreso for some. So of course the Power User term applies with phones just as much as it ever did for computers.

 

[Crono]

To me, a power user is someone who does more than just download and use standard/popular apps, play media, play games, and browse the internet. If you know how to root or jailbreak your device, modify your browser, modify the phone physically in a significant way (not just adding a case or screen protector), overclock/underclock and benchmark your device, and/or tinker with system settings (like developer options), you can probably consider yourself a power user.

There are plenty of people who are intelligent and tech savvy but aren't power users on mobile because of time or because they get what they need out of the stock configuration.

So it's really what you do or don't do with your phone that determines whether you are a power user or not, though most power users are going to know more about phone specs and such than the average user.

 

[Oyeve]

These days it basically means you know how to plug your phone into a computer and do things to it like move files around.

 

[Red Storm]

My definition of a power user is someone who can figure things out on their own. If they run into an issue/question and are capable of using the proper resources (their brain, the internet, etc.) to solve the issue/question, they're a power user in my book.

Non-power users almost never try to figure things out, they just ask someone else for help.

 

[dawheat]

I think this has evolved over time. Today I think it's something close to what Chrono wrote:

- someone who knows how to use their phone beyond popular apps and UI buttons, regardless of how smart/useful the app is
- someone how knows how to troubleshoot issues with their phone when apps/UI functions don't work

Previously I think it would have been broader but as smartphones have become so ubiquitous, everyone who's not your grandmother knows how to use most functions. A power user today is not the same as a power user yesterday.

 

[poofyhairguy]

My definition of a power user is someone who can figure things out on their own. If they run into an issue/question and are capable of using the proper resources (their brain, the internet, etc.) to solve the issue/question, they're a power user in my book.

Non-power users almost never try to figure things out, they just ask someone else for help.

That is a good line in the sand, pretty much what I was going to say. "If you have ever gone to the carrier store or Apple store to get help with your device for something that wasn't a blatant hardware malfunction you aren't a power user."

 

[openwheel]

Power user is someone who pushes the hardware and software. Someone who uses 50gb a month. Someone who tinkers. Someone who actually uses the pro settings in camera...etc

Someone who knows how to troubleshoots does not qualify as a "power user". They are smart users who may or may not be a power user.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Power user is someone who pushes the hardware and software. Someone who uses 50gb a month. Someone who tinkers. Someone who actually uses the pro settings in camera...etc

The problem with utilization being the line is that would include people who are on their phone 8 hours a day but the only two apps being used are Facebook and email. Some of the most ignorant computer people in my life would fit in that category, mobile devices allows anyone to be a power user by that metric. The bar needs to be higher.

High data usage doesn't really count, in fact to me it is the sign sometimes of a less knowledgeable user if the usage is high because they don't know how/when to connect to wifi. I know many people who treat internet access as "magical" and don't care to know the difference between using LTE or Wifi. They have no idea how much data using Netflix or some app uses, they just do it and deal with the consequences. They have no concept of how big a gigabyte of data is. They can't be power users.

I would say even high app usage (like using a lot of apps) doesn't count because there is some 13 year old girl out there that has like 12 social media apps to stay in touch with friends and switches between those and another dozen bubble crush casual games but she couldn't jailbreak (or hell UPDATE) her iPhone if her life depended on it. She can't count.

The real line is when you don't treat mobile devices as magic boxes. When you know the limitations and realities of your device/platform, and you can maximize its power/features at will because you have a full concept of what you are messing with. Even if you don't blow through a ton of data or apps that particular day, in a pinch you could do anything the platform allows you to do because you conceptually understand what the OS is, what the app layer is, what the limitations of each are and what can or should exist in the ecosystem to allow you to do the task you want to do. That is a power user.

 

[Insomniator]

Would say a power user is simply one who actually utilizes the power of their devices.

I consider myself a knowledgeable user (much more so than average at least) -- can/have rooted and customized many phones, tablets and computers etc. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a power user though -- Candy Crush and Netflix do not exactly push my Galaxy S5 to the limit.

 

[gorcorps]

IMO, a power user is simply one who goes beyond the built in abilities of the phone. So, they'll be at the minimum rooted and possibly running different roms. In my eyes, if your phone isn't rooted you are NOT a power user. HOWEVER, I still think you can be an expert without being a "power user"

I used to be a power user, but my stock note 4 is good enough to not bother with it. I can't uninstall the built in apps, but I can disable them which is good enough for me.

What people don't seem to grasp on this board is that you can still be extremely knowledgeable about these devices without being a rooted power user. It seems like the common opinion is that any expert is also considered a power user, but I don't use those terms interchangeably. You can be an expert without having your own device rooted and customized... just because I don't feel like those customizations are worth it anymore doesn't mean I don't know how to do them. There's not a single thing on my phone that somebody can't copy from the play store, so I don't consider myself a power user anymore.

 

[corkyg]

I find it strange that so many replies limit it to phones. Power users existed in the computer world long before Smart Phones appeared on the scene.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_user

So, now the definition expands into the phone world. Welcome!

 

[Oyeve]

I find it strange that so many replies limit it to phones. Power users existed in the computer world long before Smart Phones appeared on the scene.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_user

So, now the definition expands into the phone world. Welcome!

The replies are for phones because thats what the OP asked about.

 

[sweenish]

Consider the sub forum the question was asked in, maybe?

 

[mrochester]

According to some, you're a power user if you swap the battery and micro SD card in your phone, despite neither operation requiring any technical knowledge whatsoever.

A power user, in my eyes, is someone who makes very heavy use of their device for the functions that it offers, but they might not have any technical knowledge at all about the device. I don't spend many hours a day using my device so I don't consider myself a power user. However, I am a technically knowledgeable user.

 

[Crono]

According to some, you're a power user if you swap the battery and micro SD card in your phone, despite neither operation requiring any technical knowledge whatsoever.

A power user, in my eyes, is someone who makes very heavy use of their device for the functions that it offers, but they might not have any technical knowledge at all about the device. I don't spend many hours a day using my device so I don't consider myself a power user. However, I am a technically knowledgeable user.

That person would be a heavy user, not a power user. "Power" doesn't refer to battery usage or time. We all know people who are always on their phones but don't know how to customize or root their phones. They wouldn't be power users, just heavy users.

 

[MongGrel]

I find it strange that so many replies limit it to phones. Power users existed in the computer world long before Smart Phones appeared on the scene.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_user

So, now the definition expands into the phone world. Welcome!

+1

Does just seem an added use of a term that has been around a long time.

 

[mrochester]

That person would be a heavy user, not a power user. "Power" doesn't refer to battery usage or time. We all know people who are always on their phones but don't know how to customize or root their phones. They wouldn't be power users, just heavy users.

A power user doesn't indicate any level of technical knowledge. That would be a technically knowledgeable user.

 

[Crono]

A power user doesn't indicate any level of technical knowledge. That would be a technically knowledgeable user.

"Power user" is practically a colloquial term. No one goes around saying "technically knowledgeable user". You only have to use the advanced features of a phone to be a power user, anyway, not be familiar with how the software or hardware actually works. Refer to the Wikipedia article posted earlier.

For example: I know plenty of people who use developer options on Android to disable animations (as well as use custom lockscreens, launchers, third party keyboards, etc) though they aren't developers and also don't know how to code or do anything very technical. Knowing how to get more out of your device than the stock configuration and to go beyond the standard, front-facing settings is what makes a power user a power user. The same was/is true for desktop computers and laptops.

There may be some heavy users who have co-opted the term power user (the stereotypical Blackberry user of yesteryear comes to mind), but they aren't necessarily power users unless they use the advanced features of the phone or modify the device more than just just changing the wallpaper or putting a case on the device.

 

[sweenish]

A power user doesn't indicate any level of technical knowledge. That would be a technically knowledgeable user.

You don't know definitions of things.

 

[corkyg]

In my experience, a power user solves problems instead of calling tech support, regardless of the device, phone, tablet, GPS, etc.

 

[MongGrel]

...

 

[Artdeco]

I find it strange that so many replies limit it to phones. Power users existed in the computer world long before Smart Phones appeared on the scene.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_user

So, now the definition expands into the phone world. Welcome!

You may have missed the memo, phones are the new "PC's" :biggrin:

 

[core2slow]

If you can crash safari browser, you're probably a power user.
If you lament over the fact that ios doesn't support BT mouse natively, you're probably a power user.
If you hate iPhone's battery life, you're probably a power user.
If you carry around an extra capacity battery bank, you're probably a power user.
If you jailbreak/root your phone, you're probably a power user.
If you rarely use stock apps, you're probably a power user.
If you buy your phone unlocked and off contract, you're probably a power user.
If you migrated from ios to android, you're definitely a power user =D

 

[akugami]

In my experience, a power user solves problems instead of calling tech support, regardless of the device, phone, tablet, GPS, etc.

Have you tried turning it off and on?

Having answered the phone many many many times, it's surprising how often that works.

If you can crash safari browser, you're probably a power user.
If you lament over the fact that ios doesn't support BT mouse natively, you're probably a power user.
If you hate iPhone's battery life, you're probably a power user.
If you carry around an extra capacity battery bank, you're probably a power user.
If you jailbreak/root your phone, you're probably a power user.
If you rarely use stock apps, you're probably a power user.
If you buy your phone unlocked and off contract, you're probably a power user.
If you migrated from ios to android, you're definitely a power user =D

Computer wise, I consider myself a power user.

Phone wise, I just need it to work and not give me problems. I don't want to fiddle with it. I don't want to modify it. I just need it to make calls, and run a few smartphone apps.