Smart-phones and Ipods are nothing new

I was reading in 1 Nephi 16 and realized Smartphones are nothing new--Lehi had one while they were in the wilderness---it was just in the form of a round brass ball with curious workmanship on it called the Liahona (meaning compass).  It may not have looked like a smartphone, but it worked like one!  It had communications from the Lord on it through text messaging, a GPS to point them in the right direction (wonder if it ever text "recalculating" when they were not faithful!), find food and other things. (is that how Nephi built the boat?--were written instructions and images 'posted' on the Liahona from time to time? :) 
The only difference between the two is that you have to pay monthly for a smartphone and be tech-savy to use it, whereas with the Liahona it worked "according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give..."  Is it easier to pay a bill and learn the technology than to be obedient?
Would you follow the cousel given if a smartphone or ipod told you everything you needed to do to be happy in this life? I guess it could if you downloaded the scriptures onto it AND used them.