I think it's all in how you use any technology.

I like having modern resources to look at various locations, ask questions and plan trips etc... but when actually on the road I generally keep the cell phone off and go by crude line maps I've drawn out beforehand based on that research. Others may mount a phone or gps to the bars and consult constantly but I really don't feel I need that.. so far; and limited cell reception makes it a pretty good practice to adopt. Different conditions may dictate different techniques.

One could say modern gps/e mapping has allowed the bike packing genre to grow, mostly carried out by younger riders. Some of them are doing some pretty sketchy stuff with modern technology.