Originally Posted By friendofdd Before retirement my company required I carry a cel phone. I resented that, in theory, I was always "reachable" for whoever had my phone number. Upon retiring, I willingly gave up the phone. After a couple of years of listening to DW tell me I needed a phone for "emergencies", I got one to carry when I was not with DW. I seldom turn it on and she wants me to do so. I tell her I carry it for my emergencies, not anybody elses. A couple of days ago, I was seated next to a young woman on the DL tram. She felt the need to call somebody and, since I was shoulder-to-shoulder with her, I could not help but hear her part of the conversation. She called a wrong number, but since it was in her electronic phone book, it was a person she knew. She explained it was a wrong number, why she was calling the other number and then switched to a topic relevant to the wrong number. I was both bemused and amused by the whole thing. Those phones are wonderful for meeting up with others at places such as DL. But they tend to control our activies more than I like. What are your thoughts and experiences with this modern wonder that is so much a part of our daily lives?
Originally Posted By beamerdog I love them and I'm not a young person. I use mute, vibrate and text when I don't want to share things with the world. But I don't talk ad infinitum. Or text. I do turn it off when appropriate, but check for missed calls asap. I also turn it off when I don't want to hear from anyone. It has literally been a lifesaver for me.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Wow - what a can of worms you've opened. I was an early adopter, getting my first cellphone in 1987. Back then, in the SF Bay Area where I was, there were two carriers, and they basically charged the same amount: $45/month with no minutes included, and $0.45/minute to talk. Almost double those prices to adjust for inflation into 2009 dollars. At nearly $1/minute with no minutes included, cellphones were a completely different beast back then. Obviously, you didn't call indiscriminately and chat for 20 minutes for no particular reason. Rather, you had a cellphone for the convenience of being reachable and being able to call out when you weren't near your regular phone, but you used it only for true emergencies or to deliver short messages of an urgent nature (ideally, under one minute ). Even if you used it casually, it would be for short things like "Hey, let's meet in front of POTC at 2pm - see ya!" and not a long, drawn-out conversation in a restaurant that could easily wait until you got home. These days, with people getting 1000 minutes of talk time and unlimited nights/weekends for $40 or whatever it is, people treat it as their mobile ADD busy-box.
Originally Posted By beamerdog What makes me crazy is people who substitute their land line with a cell and then have limited minutes. What's that all about?
Originally Posted By friendofdd I find myself feeling resentful when I realize that people I am with are, rather seruptitiously, texting while we are sharing a meal and conversation. It is as though they are telling me my face-to-face company is not as important as sharing one-liners with their BFFs.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I think cell phones are great - I can make calls on the road and in hotel rooms, check my e-mail and web, calendar synched to my PC, listen to music and have a photo album of my friends and family where ever I am. I would not be without on. However, it goes off pretty much when on vacations, at a meeting, at a meal at the table, and I call always forward on calls. I use it when I want to and let voicemail catch it when I am unavailable. I have used it to call ambulances or firemen, to make contact with people I am seperated with, and to maximise my time on the move. But I do think that if people lack manners in the first place, it heightens this. And I have no qualms about letting others I am with know how I feel if they start a long conversation on the phone or text when we are in the middle of something. I love the tariff I am on means unlimited internet, e-mail, landline calls and calls to Sarah's mobile, plus 1000 free minutes including international. But electronica in a way is making people badly behaved. Mobile DVD players, IPODs, phones etc. Common decency is required. So just like the kids are not allowed toys or books at the table while we are eating, or monitored times playing video games, we try to do likewise with the other electronics too.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I seldom turn it on and she wants me to do so. I tell her I carry it for my emergencies, not anybody elses.*** That is WAY AWESOME! I think that I need to take a page from your book with my cellphone, DD!
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I find myself feeling resentful when I realize that people I am with are, rather seruptitiously, texting while we are sharing a meal and conversation. It is as though they are telling me my face-to-face company is not as important as sharing one-liners with their BFFs.*** I know what you mean! I was recently hanging out with a friend (a very dear friend actually) who requested that *I* go out and meet up with him for coffee because he wanted to chat late at night. I dutifully showed up. We chatted for a bit, but then he proceeded to check his phone...not for "a couple of seconds", no no, this was full on, minutes at a time, reading and texting. And I was just sitting there. Finally I sort of shrugged, and pulled out my own phone, and started texting Mrs X about what a jerk my supposed "friend" was being. Personally, I don't use the phone (text or otherwise) unless a) it's important OR relevant to the hang (like, I'm texting our friend to see what time he's going to meet us), and b) not without an "excuse me", and apologies afterwards (my texting activities rarely take more than 15 seconds anyway). I suppose it's simply a matter of manners. But sometimes it can be a business matter, and when you're hanging out with friends and "business calls", it sort of becomes a necessary evil (these days)...I can recall a couple of instances where that came up when I was hanging out with a particularly "Super" poster, in such locals as (perhaps) Tokyo, Vegas, Orlando, and Anaheim (hope I was quiet enough for him during those occasions!).
Originally Posted By Mr X ***But I do think that if people lack manners in the first place, it heightens this.*** BINGO.
Originally Posted By beamerdog >> people I am with are, rather seruptitiously, texting while we are sharing a meal and conversation.<< Rude, rude, rude, rude. Passing question: Do cell phones interfere with implanted medical electronics?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Not so much anymore. In fact a midwife friend of mine said the old one's used to (hence the messages everywhere to turn them off in hospitals and clinics), but she said even though the technology has changed, they have kept the signs up to stop the rude behaviours and noise.
Originally Posted By Mr X Such signage is still on all trains in Tokyo, in the special needs section (fwiw).
Originally Posted By ecdc I love my cell phone. Love being able to send and receive email, check the internet, etc. That said, I'm completely irritated by how quickly luxuries become necessities in our world. It wasn't that long ago that getting ahold of someone or always being accessible wasn't that big of a deal. While I use my cell phone for email and internet, I average about 90 minutes of use a month. And it's my only phone - I don't have a home phone. I screen calls mercilessly. If I get a call and you're not in my address book, you're not getting answered. If it's important, someone can always leave me a message. Even if you're in my address book, unless you're my wife or a close friend, odds are good you're leaving me a message. Especially if you're from work I just don't get this need people have to talk constantly and be constantly available. Slow down, for cryin' out loud.
Originally Posted By ecdc BTW, I think a lot of people know I work in the cell phone industry as a manager in a call center. While the vast, vast majority of people are normal, decent, rational people, you would not believe how some people behave over their phones. I think my favorite is real estate agents. At least once a day my reps get a call from a real estate agent screaming that we need to credit them thousands of dollars because they lost a sale because their cell phone dropped a call. Or they think it's a good idea to load all of their contacts and appointments into their phone and not back it up. Then their phone dies and they're on the phone with us, demanding to get 3,000 names and numbers back. How did we end up in a world where missing a single phone call cost you thousands of dollars? There's others, too. You routinely hear from people who tell you about how they make $300 an hour and how they don't have time to put up with their cell phone not working. It's so childish and pathetic. And 90% of the time, it's user error. People rely on these things so much, but they don't bother to understand how they work or how to use them.
Originally Posted By LPFan22 I'm not a big fan of cell phones due to the selfishness and rudeness in people they have created. I am, however, happy to have one for emergencies and to be able to get a message to hubby if he's in between work and home. It does also come in handy if I've planned to meet someone and get delayed, etc.
Originally Posted By LPFan22 ^^^And I'm probably one of the few people in the world who does not text.
Originally Posted By iamsally ^^^I have texted about 5x. Only a couple on my own phone. It takes me 5 minutes to text a 3 word answer. Did you have to carry yours in a backpack SuperDry? I did. But I did get 20 minutes for my $15 a month. I only went over one time. (To the tune of .79 per minute.) >>>>I just don't get this need people have to talk constantly and be constantly available. Slow down, for cryin' out loud.<<<<< I could not have stated in better myself.
Originally Posted By iamsally I could not have stated IT better myself. I am glad I have a mobile phone. One time my son and I were separated at Disneyland for over an hour. Today that would not happen and for that I am grateful. But for those who keep their BlueTooth in 24/7.....YIKES!!!!get a life. You are NOT that important. And what's with providing teenagers with the whole package?!? I admit that if I had kids to keep track of I might let them have a pay-as-you-go for emergencies. But my 11yo niece came in the other day sporting her new candy apple red, picture, text and I think wipe your butt phone. (Bought by her absentee father she was visiting for the summer.) So, on the original topic. I am glad we have cell phones. I agree with your wife that you should carry one. But I think most folks need to slow down on them. And have some manners for Pete's sake.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< But for those who keep their BlueTooth in 24/7.....YIKES!!!!get a life. You are NOT that important. >>> We came up with an effective way to deal with that particular issue at work: When such a person walks into the room, address them as Commander. They'll soon realize that they really don't need to wear the BlueTooth earpiece all the time.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<< But for those who keep their BlueTooth in 24/7.....YIKES!!!!get a life. You are NOT that important. >>> Not to mention that you look like a lunatic walking around talking to yourself!
