Society's obsession with mobile phones

[BrandonP]

The other month my co-worker saw my mobile phone and couldn't believe a model like that still exists. I said as long as I can text and call, why would I need a newer phone. She seemed a little confused by this, and said because I worked in business a more recent model would be better. I stated why spend 100s of dollars on a product I don't need. It does not make any logical sense to spend that type of money just for show. Also, a new phone would have no impact on my job whatsoever.

This co-worker is several years younger than me, and probably can't remember a time before mobile phones. But this obsession with getting the brand new model is just very weird for me. If it works and meets your needs, why spend a small fortune on something that is more for show than anything else. The society we live in I guess.

Funnily enough I did end up getting a newer model, but I did get it for free from my girlfriend :)

[firewalker]

One of the main reason I hang on to my LG flip phone is I carry it in my pocket whether I'm in slacks or in jeans knee deep in "lord knows what." I've seen this thing take a pounding no smart phone could handle. And i phones don't fold down half the size of a wallet.

[BrandonP]

One of the main reason I hang on to my LG flip phone is I carry it in my pocket whether I'm in slacks or in jeans knee deep in "lord knows what." I've seen this thing take a pounding no smart phone could handle. And i phones don't fold down half the size of a wallet.

I hear you.

I have this 'new' phone, and honestly I'm not that impressed. I kept my old phone so I might just go back to that. Thank god I didn't pay for this thing!

[MoonShadow]

One reason you might be overlooking good logic, is that there are many apps that smartphones can use that older feature phones cannot use.  An example of such an app that might make your life better is Uber or Lyft, which can substitute for the occasional car.  There are thousands of examples of apps that might help with a small business; such as those for advertising on social media.  If your business model doesn't involve the Internet beyond simply communications like email, then you don't need more than a feature phone.  If your business model involves advertising to Millinials in particular, you probably do need a smartphone and just don't know why yet.

[BrandonP]

One reason you might be overlooking good logic, is that there are many apps that smartphones can use that older feature phones cannot use.  An example of such an app that might make your life better is Uber or Lyft, which can substitute for the occasional car.  There are thousands of examples of apps that might help with a small business; such as those for advertising on social media.  If your business model doesn't involve the Internet beyond simply communications like email, then you don't need more than a feature phone.  If your business model involves advertising to Millinials in particular, you probably do need a smartphone and just don't know why yet.

I'm just an employee working for a company. Having a mobile phone is irrelevant to my current job. I don't actually need one full stop. This co-worker was basically saying, you work for a financial company, you need a smart phone.

[MoonShadow]

One reason you might be overlooking good logic, is that there are many apps that smartphones can use that older feature phones cannot use.  An example of such an app that might make your life better is Uber or Lyft, which can substitute for the occasional car.  There are thousands of examples of apps that might help with a small business; such as those for advertising on social media.  If your business model doesn't involve the Internet beyond simply communications like email, then you don't need more than a feature phone.  If your business model involves advertising to Millinials in particular, you probably do need a smartphone and just don't know why yet.

I'm just an employee working for a company. Having a mobile phone is irrelevant to my current job. I don't actually need one full stop. This co-worker was basically saying, you work for a financial company, you need a smart phone.

Well, then.  You don't need a new phone.

[Psychstache]

While the idea of frequently upgrading to the newest model of phone when one comes out is wasteful and inefficient, I find that making the switch from a flip phone to a smartphone provided an immense amount of value and utility (to my personal life and professional one) and I have no desire to go back to one. Depends on your circumstances, I suppose.

[firewalker]

One issue has come up with my flip phone. Some text messages dont get received if sent by a smart phone. I havent sorted out why, but I miss texts from smart phones quite often.

[kpd905]

I work with a woman who makes around $15/hr and has a $600 phone.  She told me the other day that her monthly bill is $140.  I am trying to find out if that is just for her, I hope not.

[lizzzi]

I like my smart phone, but other than occasionally checking my emails when I'm not at home with the MacBook Air 11" open, I don't know that I really need it. I like to check the weather on it, and after my TI-84 graphing calculator died I started using the calculator on my smart phone...but do I really need to check Star Walk to see what time the moon is going to rise, or play the Harp on my two different Harp apps? Or look at Marine Aquarium to see if the starfish has moved? I have songs on it, but never play them.(One time "Shipping Up to Boston" started blaring when I was in my office, and I was new to the phone, and couldn't turn it off. Haha--supervisor was mad. So who says a smart phone is good for business? Mine got me in trouble.)  I have YNAB on it, but it won't sync with the Mac's YNAB at home, so it's not useful. I took Angry Birds off of it because the kids wouldn't leave it alone. And I have the Flashlight app, but my real flashlights work better.  It is a fun gizmo, but when my contract is up, unless there's some inside deal to lower the monthly bills, (more than the inside deal I already have), I'll probably go back to a simple flip phone. I don't like this cell phone culture. I keep mine put away, and if I need to use it while I'm with people, I apologize first. I try very hard...seriously, now, I mean this...to relegate my technology to just being a useful set of tools...not a way of life.

[The_path_less_taken]

One of the main reason I hang on to my LG flip phone is I carry it in my pocket whether I'm in slacks or in jeans knee deep in "lord knows what." I've seen this thing take a pounding no smart phone could handle. And i phones don't fold down half the size of a wallet.

Ditto.
But a fast second is price: paid less than ten bucks a month most of this year. My friend paid more than that in two weeks...why? Mine takes (poor) pics, texts, has an email feature I've never used....I use it to....wait for it...

Call people.  ;-0

My current job does have sales leads that come in on the smart phone apps. Great: switch me to that department and make it justify me paying 160-200 a month. Otherwise go away.

If your opinion mattered, I'd marry you. Or adopt you. Or acquire a Facebook account and follow you about through cyberspace...whatever.

To the people who love the gadgets: go for it. But I truly don't care that people are shocked and amazed when I whip out the flip phone. You can drop it from the back of a trotting horse and it's no worse for wear. My kinda gadget.

[Goldielocks]

LOL!

If you need a phone for work, then work should pay for one. 
If they are not willing, then OBVIOUSLY you don't need the phone for work....


I have never bought a cell phone, and only recently (after work paid for a smart phone for me and I found it personally fun and a useful free gadget), have I carried the work phone in the evenings or on weekends.  I am old enough to have friends that had "Pager / cell phone HELL" from work job expecting them to pick up at all hours, for no extra pay.    (Any IT admin out there that can relate?!)

I learned from that and always refused to answer a phone when not working, and demand more $'s if I was expected to.

Yep!  Life without a phone means:

• I may miss a bus (without the transit app),
  
  • I only recently "discovered" Podcasts, audio books not on CD, texting, and
  • My husband could not let me know what groceries to pickup after I left -- we would actually have to communicate before, or go without for a few days.   
  I bought a "TOM TOM" type navigation device in the car for a while, that app is very useful!   
  

Other than that, there is no reason to carry a cell phone....   funny, but I recently had to show my teenager how to find a phone or assistance when out of the house with dead cellphone.  (It can be done!).

 

[Debts_of_Despair]

While the idea of frequently upgrading to the newest model of phone when one comes out is wasteful and inefficient, I find that making the switch from a flip phone to a smartphone provided an immense amount of value and utility (to my personal life and professional one) and I have no desire to go back to one. Depends on your circumstances, I suppose.

Well said.  It only costs around $15 a month more for a data plan with Straight Talk.  You can buy a new, contract free smartphone with the latest Android software for $100.  Huge increase in value over a dumb phone IMO.

[sol]

While the idea of frequently upgrading to the newest model of phone when one comes out is wasteful and inefficient, I find that making the switch from a flip phone to a smartphone provided an immense amount of value and utility (to my personal life and professional one) and I have no desire to go back to one. Depends on your circumstances, I suppose.

Well said.  It only costs around $15 a month more for a data plan with Straight Talk.  You can buy a new, contract free smartphone with the latest Android software for $100.  Huge increase in value over a dumb phone IMO.

You mean huge POTENTIAL increase in value. 

Several of my coworkers spend all day in their cubicles covertly playing Clash of Clans on their smartphones, so clearly they can be more of a distraction than a useful tool.  I'm fairly certain the spread of smartphones has been a net negative for the productivity of US workers.  Every single one of them has a video game console in their pocket now.  Who thought that was going to be a good idea?

[MrsPete]

I work with a woman who makes around $15/hr and has a $600 phone.  She told me the other day that her monthly bill is $140.  I am trying to find out if that is just for her, I hope not.

In my limited experienced, I've noticed an inverse relationship between income and phone cost.  I've noticed the same thing about professional manicures.  And alcohol.

I like my smart phone, but other than occasionally checking my emails when I'm not at home with the MacBook Air 11" open, I don't know that I really need it.

Ditto.  I've only had a smart phone for a short period of time, but it's faaaaaaar from a need.  I'm able to stand in line without an electronic toy to keep my mind occupied.  I'm able to figure up the tip at a restaurant without an app.  I'm able to live without being tethered to my friends and family on a constant basis. 

[music lover]

Ditto.  I've only had a smart phone for a short period of time, but it's faaaaaaar from a need.  I'm able to stand in line without an electronic toy to keep my mind occupied.  I'm able to figure up the tip at a restaurant without an app.  I'm able to live without being tethered to my friends and family on a constant basis.

There is no rule that states that if you own new technology that it has to take over your life.

Most people don't really "need" more than a basic phone. I grew up in an era when people only had land lines, and even answering machine were rare, and have no interest in returning to an era when the only place you could use your phone was your living room.

[EricP]

I work with a woman who makes around $15/hr and has a $600 phone.  She told me the other day that her monthly bill is $140.  I am trying to find out if that is just for her, I hope not.

At least she's being honest about how much she is paying.  Most people will just lie and say they don't pay $100 a month for internet access.

[Gone Fishing]

While the idea of frequently upgrading to the newest model of phone when one comes out is wasteful and inefficient, I find that making the switch from a flip phone to a smartphone provided an immense amount of value and utility (to my personal life and professional one) and I have no desire to go back to one. Depends on your circumstances, I suppose.

Well said.  It only costs around $15 a month more for a data plan with Straight Talk.  You can buy a new, contract free smartphone with the latest Android software for $100.  Huge increase in value over a dumb phone IMO.

You mean huge POTENTIAL increase in value. 

Several of my coworkers spend all day in their cubicles covertly playing Clash of Clans on their smartphones, so clearly they can be more of a distraction than a useful tool.  I'm fairly certain the spread of smartphones has been a net negative for the productivity of US workers.  Every single one of them has a video game console in their pocket now.  Who thought that was going to be a good idea?

+1

They have also killed downtime that used to be used to relax, observe your surroundings, and actually talk to the person standing next to you. Not to mention killing basic skills such as, planning, preparation, setting a rendevzous, map reading and "long hand" communication.

On the very rare occasion a smart phone would actually be useful, I simply call a friend or family member and ask them to look something up for me.  Somebody is always sitting in front of a computer and can act as a real living, breathing, Siri. Plus it makes them feel helpful and we get to chat for a minute (great for the retired people).  I probably only need to do this 2-3x a year.     

[fb132]

I get ridiculed for having a cell phone that does no texting or internet, just calling. I always tell people "Why should I pay 5$ more per month on texting when I can still communicate with people verbally on my phone?"...I get answers like "But it's only 5$ per month" in which I reply "well if you are interested in losing 5$ a month, drive on the highway once a month, open your window and let your 5$ fly away, afterall it's only 5$ like you said.". I understand 5$ is not alot of money, but why spend it on something that you can do verbally?

[jms493]

We used to get the latest and greatest but we stopped...we both have the 2 year old Galaxy S4s and have no plans on getting new phones anytime soon.  We moved to straight talk and we will use these phones till they stop working.  Used phones going forward.

Smart phones are pretty effing amazing these days but they drop in price so fast.  Just wait and pick up a 2-3 year old model for ~$200.

The new models coming out lately are hardly different from years past.  The iPhone's biggers screens was perfect timing for apple.

[Bardo]

If someone doesn't want a new phone then don't get one, and that's fine.  This community would certainly be supportive of it.  That said, I think it is a bit much to criticize society for being "obsessed" with phones.  As obsessions go, this one seems fairly benign.  It's certainly less harmful than, say, driving big SUVs.  We can't really expect to all go back to landlines, or somehow freeze technology in 2005.  I have an older phone because I don't want to spend the money on a new one right now.  It doesn't make me any more virtuous. 

[EricP]

If someone doesn't want a new phone then don't get one, and that's fine.  This community would certainly be supportive of it.  That said, I think it is a bit much to criticize society for being "obsessed" with phones.  As obsessions go, this one seems fairly benign.  It's certainly less harmful than, say, driving big SUVs.  We can't really expect to all go back to landlines, or somehow freeze technology in 2005.  I have an older phone because I don't want to spend the money on a new one right now.  It doesn't make me any more virtuous.

It's still incredibly expensive.  Getting a new phone every 2 years is definitely the norm with certain people diligently buying every year when the new models come out.  And the same types of people who buy the new phones on a schedule are the ones complaining about their crushing student debt where if they just took that $100/mo phone payment and their $600 every two year new phone to their student debt they'd probably get out of it several years sooner.

[Blonde Lawyer]

LOL!

If you need a phone for work, then work should pay for one. 
If they are not willing, then OBVIOUSLY you don't need the phone for work....

Times are changing on this.  We were just discussing this at work the other day.  There are some things you are expected to have in a professional job and you can't expect your employer to pay for.  In my work, the bare minimum is suits and transportation to court and depositions all over the state.  I can claim mileage but my office isn't going to provide me a car.

The other is a smartphone / home internet.  The office provides me with an office and working computer / internet.  Sometimes I have to do work outside of normal business hours.  I can either go back into the office or I can use that smart phone / internet that I have at home and have much better quality of work/life balance.

My work does provide me with an ipad because I need that to present evidence in the court room.  My work does not provide my home internet or smart phone.  They expect me to have one or trek back into the office frequently.

[Chris22]

Times are changing on this.  We were just discussing this at work the other day.  There are some things you are expected to have in a professional job and you can't expect your employer to pay for.  In my work, the bare minimum is suits and transportation to court and depositions all over the state.  I can claim mileage but my office isn't going to provide me a car.

The other is a smartphone / home internet.  The office provides me with an office and working computer / internet.  Sometimes I have to do work outside of normal business hours.  I can either go back into the office or I can use that smart phone / internet that I have at home and have much better quality of work/life balance.

My work does provide me with an ipad because I need that to present evidence in the court room.  My work does not provide my home internet or smart phone.  They expect me to have one or trek back into the office frequently.

We're the other way around.  We specifically are NOT ALLOWED to load company email on our phones due to privacy, etc blah blah.  So the company issues an iPhone + data/voice/text plan to all who can demonstrate a need for it (almost everyone in a professional capacity).  I'd say 75% of us use it as our only phone.  I certainly do.  In fact, in a few more days I can order a new phone to replace my somewhat rough base iPhone, I'm looking forward to a bigger screen.  Cheap insurance for them, and a big perk for me (saves me $70-100+/mo).

[jms493]

What I do notice is that many people with much less income then my wife and I have much newer and more expensive phones than we have.  Seems like everyone have the iphone 6 or 6s.  These are not cheap and are a total luxury but Apple is a marketing company and has made these phones seems like a necessity.

[Slee_stack]

I have appreciated gadgets, computers, etc, for as long as I can remember (4 decades?), but I really dislike mobile phones in general.

Not mainly because they can be expensive, but because too many people become too easily lost in them.  Many don't have the will power to ignore the phone, even when in company of others.  It really seems like an addiction at times.

My wife and I both own smart phones and we use them for non-calling activities everyday.  However, we aren't consumed by them.  Too many people seem to be hardwired into them.

We only moved to smartphones just over a year ago because they became so cheap to own.  While we could do better, each of our phones is $33/mo all taxes/fees included.  We used to pay $30/mo for our flip phones w/ text.

There are too many tangible benefits that a smartphone brings:

I no longer have to go to the bank to deposit odd checks.  This saves me 30 min a month.
If we feel like wasting money on dining out, I can quickly look up the best (and nearest) restaurant based on reviews.
I have a mobile map with me at all times w/o even planning on bringing a paper one with me.
I can not be tied to a PC waiting for an important email to come in.  I can be anywhere.
I don't have to make (3) calls to (3) friends to meet up, I send one text to all (3) at the same time and they can work out the details w/o me having to play middle man.
I can take nice photos, almost always w/o remembering to bring the camera.

Obviously the list goes nearly infinite.  Is the value worth the extra $20/mo over a burner dumbphone?  Well, yeah, kind of a no-brainer for me.

Interestingly, I  don't do games, facebook, etc on the phone so its not a distraction.  It is truly an as-needed tool when I'm out and about.

Unfortunately, too many folks have little control and easily fall inside phones to the point of becoming non-functioning themselves.

I'd actually give up the conveniences and benefits for a world w/o cell phone.  I do think it would be a more friendly place.

Since that won't happen though, I'll take my own personal advantage where I can and pity those who have fallen prey.

[YK-Phil]

The obsession is not necessarily with the smartphones themselves but more with being connected 24/7, and the expensive multi-year data contracts that you must subscribe in order to get a new "free" device upgrade. Until my employer gave me an iPhone 5 (without data) this past spring, I was happy with my old iPhone 3 that allowed me to connect to wifi practically anywhere for free in stores, restaurants, coffee shops, and of course at the office, and use the multitude of useful apps for budgeting, banking, traveling, news and leisure that are at my fingertips.

[Blonde Lawyer]

Times are changing on this.  We were just discussing this at work the other day.  There are some things you are expected to have in a professional job and you can't expect your employer to pay for.  In my work, the bare minimum is suits and transportation to court and depositions all over the state.  I can claim mileage but my office isn't going to provide me a car.

The other is a smartphone / home internet.  The office provides me with an office and working computer / internet.  Sometimes I have to do work outside of normal business hours.  I can either go back into the office or I can use that smart phone / internet that I have at home and have much better quality of work/life balance.

My work does provide me with an ipad because I need that to present evidence in the court room.  My work does not provide my home internet or smart phone.  They expect me to have one or trek back into the office frequently.

We're the other way around.  We specifically are NOT ALLOWED to load company email on our phones due to privacy, etc blah blah.  So the company issues an iPhone + data/voice/text plan to all who can demonstrate a need for it (almost everyone in a professional capacity).  I'd say 75% of us use it as our only phone.  I certainly do.  In fact, in a few more days I can order a new phone to replace my somewhat rough base iPhone, I'm looking forward to a bigger screen.  Cheap insurance for them, and a big perk for me (saves me $70-100+/mo).

That's the deal my husband has too.  He initially did the two phone thing for privacy but then finally decided the $100/month savings was worth just combining them. 

[EricP]

Not constantly needing a new phone and going with a low cost carrier are the keys to doing it frugally.  I finally made the switch to a smart phone 3 months ago and went with a Refurbed Samsung S5.  I plan to keep it until I break it and then go for another One-generation old refrubed phone.  Seems like the best way to get a smart phone that is new enough that support won't be abandoned before I break it.

[LiveLean]

I hate how many people are tethered to their phones and that I have to lean on my horn in the car at least once a day to get people to look up because the light is green. I've ended friendships with people (now that they know) because I got tired of spending time with them because all they do is look at phones.

BUT....I think back to early 1997 when a similar discussion existed regarding Internet use. At the time I worked as a writer for a prominent newspaper that refused to issue us laptops or provide us with Internet use. (And we wonder why that industry went away). I finally went out and purchased my own $2,000 laptop (cheap at the time) and signed up for $29.95/month dial-up AOL. (Go ahead. Translate that into 2015 dollars).

Because of being ahead of the curve on that front, I was able to leave major newspaper 18 months later and go freelance (aka "semi-FIRE") and am now on my way to real FIRE. Had I never invested my own money in staying up with technology, I could never have done that. (Major newspaper was finally issuing us real laptops about the time I left.)

Of course, most people buying $700 new smartphones are not investing in their careers.

[Stache-O-Lantern]

I think its the same as society's obsession with the internet, it's just made more publicly visible on a mobile device.  That, and as Sol said, you can play games on it.  My wife's new smartphone is essentially a tool for her to play friends at on-line boggle.

I have an old flip phone, paid for by my work.  I've never paid for a mobile phone myself, and was pretty shocked the first time i heard what they and the plans cost a few years ago.  My biggest complaint with a smartphone would be it doesn't fit in my pocket, although some of the apps might be nice.  But I don't think apps would make up for the "too big for my pocket" complaint.  A year ago, my wife's company said they would pay $50/month, but you had to get your own phone and plan.  I told her great, get a couple year old phone and a cheap plan that's good enough.  You will actually make money tax free on this.  They don't check receipts, they just pay the $50!  No good, she got the new iPhone, but she did get on a plan with some of her family that wasn't terribly expensive.

[mohawkbrah]

my work phone provided by employer is better than my own personal phone. have had it for 6-7 years now and don't really use it that much.

[Wilson Hall]

Like many of you, I too have been teased for my flip-phone. And, based on advice on one of the older MMM threads, my better half and I are taking the leap to Trac phones this month. No more crummy Sprint service (it stinks here; the time on our phones jumps four hours ahead randomly) and no more monthly charges. And, we get to drop-kick a few annoying people from our contacts. Bonus!

[Bob W]

Damned if I know?    Of course I come from medieval times when my smart phone was on a 3 foot cord,  came with a rotary dial and was a party line.  In college we upgraded to a pay phone for 30 residents at 50 cents per local call and $3 per minute long distance.  There was never a line.   My kids are the opposite.  They can't wipe their asses without a cell phone. 

One of my nieces thought she was uber cool when she had her cell phone at the amusement park in a water proof thingy.  "Look" says the 15 year old,  "I can use my phone on the water rides."    Sure we did spend maybe 8 minutes on the water rides that day.  Probably a good $12 investment for her. lol    I genuinely felt sorry for her.  I genuinely feel sorry for all the young adults I see with the $140 a month plans and $700 phones.  If only they knew what that $140 a month would compound to in just 20 years.  So yeah,  insecurity and neediness comes to mind. 

I tell teenagers  -- "you know how to tell if an incoming call is unimportant?"   The say "no."   I say "its coming to you." 

I show people my $10 per month,  $100 Republic phone.   They are unimpressed.   "but you don't have internet all the time.  what if I need to look something up?"   Hmmm,  I donna know?  Call someone with a cell phone and ask them whatever dumbass question you need answered in such a big hurry.

I can tell you that in the many months of text and talk only (plus wifi internet)  it has not been a hindrance.  Even went to Mexico for a week without turning the phone on.   Wife either. 

Oh, yeah and then,  a couple of years ago I flat out went without a pocket phone or landline for 4-5 months.   nadda.   Life went on just fine. 

Now my employer pays me $25 to offset cell phone usage.  Score -- I pay $13.    Yeah,  I'm just a dumbass old fuddy duddy.

[Slee_stack]

I think its the same as society's obsession with the internet, it's just made more publicly visible on a mobile device.

No doubt internet obsession is its own issue.  But smartphones do more than just make it publicly visible, they enable the addiction to the extreme.

At least with laptops and tablets, often you can step away or will be in many situations where you aren't going to carry one around due to its physical inconvenience.  Essentially, you get forced to 'disconnect' at times.

Its scary how so many people have a Pavlovian reaction to the sound of their phone's text or email alert.  We have all experienced face-to-face conversations that immediately cease when the phone goes off!  Its like some hacker just took over your friend's brain for a minute.  Enjoyable activities come to a complete halt so the life-and-death text can be read and, of course, an equally world affecting response can be fat fingered in return.

Every day, this behavior becomes more and more the norm as well.

While the smartphone convenience is undeniable, I think the negative impact of cell phones on society as a whole outweighs the good.  How much worse will it get?

[HipGnosis]

I hate how many people are tethered to their phones and that I have to lean on my horn in the car at least once a day to get people to look up because the light is green.
I've ended friendships with people (now that they know) because I got tired of spending time with them because all they do is look at phones.

I am frequently tempted to tap my horn when I see ppl totally focused on their phone at a stop light - but the devil on my shoulder wants me to do it while the light is still red, just to see if they start moving their car out of habit.

Conversely for me, I've lost friends because they can't comprehend that just because I have a smart phone does NOT mean it is always in my hand.  For some reason, they take it personally that I didn't reply to their text in 3.8 seconds or answer every time they'd call...

[I'm a red panda]

Our company gives us the option of giving us an Iphone for work purposes only, or paying $40 a month towards our current phone plan.

Some coworkers were complaining how little the subsidy is (but of course everyone picks it, because who wants to carry around 2 phones? They only people who don't are the super paranoid, because in the case of a lawsuit, the phone could be confiscated as evidence. But in that case, the company provides a new one.)

I know that since it is after tax money, it doesn't really- but that $40 covers my entire bill.  Seems reasonable to me, when I only use it about 20% time for work (and since I have unlimited texting and calls it doesn't really 'count' against anything. I use data almost solely for work, but have never hit my cap).

[I'm a red panda]

Even went to Mexico for a week without turning the phone on.   Wife either. 

Mexico is the one place I really appreciate having my smartphone. Making local calls from hotels usually cost $2 or more a minute. So it is nice to be able to use wifi to check or send emails to service providers that we use in the area. (We don't have an international plan though, so calls, texts, and data stays turned off.)  I mean, I could bring a laptop, but the phone is so much easier.  And even at the lower cost hotels (less than $30 a night) wifi is generally free.

I've posted on Facebook a few times about leaving my phone at work on a Friday. The response is always "uh, oh! better turn around".  Nope, I'll get it Monday. I can got the weekend without a phone.

[HopefulMustache]

I've had a smartphone for a few years now. I remember when the first Android smartphone came out and I really wanted to buy it but without a data plan and just use WiFi with a voice plan. Needless to say, it was not in the cards, and neither was paying $60/mo for (even then) incredibly slow 3G internet, so I waited a few years for LTE to get good and cheap before I took the plunge. This was later than many, though not all, of my friends, and we enjoyed our retro-pride at having flip-phones for as long as we did for many of the reasons cited above (this is all I need to call people, etc).

It *is* easy to get lost in a modern smartphone, they're pretty slick and glossy and fast and can hold not just the latest game but ALL the latest games, at least for a while. I've gotten lost myself at times, so I feel a little shifty-eyed when I read people casually discussing those poor fools who lack the self-control not to stare at their phone, and are therefore horrible people. Erm, well, I see your point, and I dislike the short-attention-span-always-on culture too, but this is not always true.

Anyway, I think mobile phones as a whole have been a pretty wondrous boon for society. I remember in college, wearing clunky cargo pants, with my flip-phone, my camera, and my MP3 player each taking up space in a pocket, literally wishing the day to come when I could combine these all in one non-clunky device. Now that I think of it, my wallet was in the 4th pocket... I'm not really craving that being folded into the phone, but it's coming too, and I'm more or less ok with it. I already use it for that periodically. Don't get me started on the usefulness of a GPS, something that never would have made it into a pocket by itself.

Anyway, it's like any other tool, it's what you make of it. Every employee in America had a game console at their desk with the dawning of PCs too.

[Bob W]

Even went to Mexico for a week without turning the phone on.   Wife either. 

Mexico is the one place I really appreciate having my smartphone. Making local calls from hotels usually cost $2 or more a minute. So it is nice to be able to use wifi to check or send emails to service providers that we use in the area. (We don't have an international plan though, so calls, texts, and data stays turned off.)  I mean, I could bring a laptop, but the phone is so much easier.  And even at the lower cost hotels (less than $30 a night) wifi is generally free.

I've posted on Facebook a few times about leaving my phone at work on a Friday. The response is always "uh, oh! better turn around".  Nope, I'll get it Monday. I can got the weekend without a phone.

To be honest we were to stupid/lazy to figure out how to work our phone on wifi in the one hotspot with poor power on the resort.  We did give it a half hearted attempt and then said "fuck it, who do we need to talk to?"     We did see dozens of people in that area glued to their phones sucking up band with though. 

[Debts_of_Despair]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my smartphone just as much as the day I got one ~5 years ago.  No hedonic adaption here.  I'm old enough to have owned a huge Motorola brick phone and waited on sub 28Kbps dial up but young enough to appreciate a new smartphone and what it can do.  The information it puts at your finger tips on the fly is worth it alone.

[Debts_of_Despair]

I get ridiculed for having a cell phone that does no texting or internet, just calling. I always tell people "Why should I pay 5$ more per month on texting when I can still communicate with people verbally on my phone?"...I get answers like "But it's only 5$ per month" in which I reply "well if you are interested in losing 5$ a month, drive on the highway once a month, open your window and let your 5$ fly away, afterall it's only 5$ like you said.". I understand 5$ is not alot of money, but why spend it on something that you can do verbally?

Why have a phone at all?  Why not use a pay phone when you need a phone? Why not use a telegraph?  Smoke signals?

At any given time in history, there has been a mode of communication that has generally been accepted as the preferred mainstream method based on availability, price, and practicality.  Right now the smartphone is filling that spot.

[BrandonP]

I get ridiculed for having a cell phone that does no texting or internet, just calling. I always tell people "Why should I pay 5$ more per month on texting when I can still communicate with people verbally on my phone?"...I get answers like "But it's only 5$ per month" in which I reply "well if you are interested in losing 5$ a month, drive on the highway once a month, open your window and let your 5$ fly away, afterall it's only 5$ like you said.". I understand 5$ is not alot of money, but why spend it on something that you can do verbally?

Why have a phone at all?  Why not use a pay phone when you need a phone? Why not use a telegraph?  Smoke signals?

At any given time in history, there has been a mode of communication that has generally been accepted as the preferred mainstream method based on availability, price, and practicality.  Right now the smartphone is filling that spot.

I think you're missing the point. He has a phone that meets his current needs, which is to call people. He is being ridiculed for having this phone. But his very valid argument is why spend money on something he doesn't need!

Oh and since I got the smart phone for free recently, I really don't care much for it. Thinking of going back to the old one!

[HopefulMustache]

I get ridiculed for having a cell phone that does no texting or internet, just calling. I always tell people "Why should I pay 5$ more per month on texting when I can still communicate with people verbally on my phone?"...I get answers like "But it's only 5$ per month" in which I reply "well if you are interested in losing 5$ a month, drive on the highway once a month, open your window and let your 5$ fly away, afterall it's only 5$ like you said.". I understand 5$ is not alot of money, but why spend it on something that you can do verbally?

Why have a phone at all?  Why not use a pay phone when you need a phone? Why not use a telegraph?  Smoke signals?

At any given time in history, there has been a mode of communication that has generally been accepted as the preferred mainstream method based on availability, price, and practicality.  Right now the smartphone is filling that spot.

I think you're missing the point. He has a phone that meets his current needs, which is to call people. He is being ridiculed for having this phone. But his very valid argument is why spend money on something he doesn't need!

I think you're right on in the sense that if he has a phone that meets his needs, there's no need to get anything else. Many people "discover" things they didn't know they needed with a smartphone, but that's also marketing hooey part of the time. Depends on the person.

At the same time, I think it's pretty fair to agree that $5/mo is not a lot of money and that for many people texting is preferable to having to call in enough situations for it to be worthwhile. There are plenty of good reasons to spend $5 on something you could possibly do for free, though they may not apply to every person in every circumstance. There's common ground here :).

[Bob W]

I get ridiculed for having a cell phone that does no texting or internet, just calling. I always tell people "Why should I pay 5$ more per month on texting when I can still communicate with people verbally on my phone?"...I get answers like "But it's only 5$ per month" in which I reply "well if you are interested in losing 5$ a month, drive on the highway once a month, open your window and let your 5$ fly away, afterall it's only 5$ like you said.". I understand 5$ is not alot of money, but why spend it on something that you can do verbally?

Why have a phone at all?  Why not use a pay phone when you need a phone? Why not use a telegraph?  Smoke signals?

At any given time in history, there has been a mode of communication that has generally been accepted as the preferred mainstream method based on availability, price, and practicality.  Right now the smartphone is filling that spot.

Some how I can't imagine my mom (rest her soul)  paying $140 a month to surf the web at the beauty shop.  Surfing the web,  playing games and messing with apps is not communication.  I dare say that neither is Facebook.    I also don't consider my kids calling me repeatedly for directions during their drive to be good communication.  It is poor communication since I already told them the directions.

Its funny,  I don't know how it worked but back in college and for 45 years of my life but we never missed a party,  everyone showed up where they were to meet when they said they were, everyone could drive across town or across the country without directions,  everyone could look out the window and predict the weather, we all pretty much knew what was up with everyone else,  bad news traveled almost instantly.

I guess the real question is "when did we become so dumb that we needed a smart phone as a crutch?"

(does anyone still call them "mobile" phones?  Is that regional?  I don't recall hearing that in conversation in a long time.  It usually isn't even cell phone (sometimes it is) but just cell or phone.  Again, this could be my misperception.  At my office today I recall someone saying your "phone" is ringing.)

[Debts_of_Despair]

I think you're missing the point. He has a phone that meets his current needs, which is to call people. He is being ridiculed for having this phone. But his very valid argument is why spend money on something he doesn't need!

He's getting ridiculed probably because his friends find it's a PITA to communicate sometimes.  :)  I could communicate with everyone by Morse code light signals but it's not practical.  Texting is great for questions like "where are you" or "when will you be here" or sending someone an address.  It also saves you from doing the obligatory "Hello, how are you" greeting with the invariable response of "good."  Yes, there are times when voice communication is still needed but texting can be very convenient, along with the 1000s of other things smartphones can do.

[Chris22]

I get ridiculed for having a cell phone that does no texting or internet, just calling. I always tell people "Why should I pay 5$ more per month on texting when I can still communicate with people verbally on my phone?"...I get answers like "But it's only 5$ per month" in which I reply "well if you are interested in losing 5$ a month, drive on the highway once a month, open your window and let your 5$ fly away, afterall it's only 5$ like you said.". I understand 5$ is not alot of money, but why spend it on something that you can do verbally?

Why have a phone at all?  Why not use a pay phone when you need a phone? Why not use a telegraph?  Smoke signals?

At any given time in history, there has been a mode of communication that has generally been accepted as the preferred mainstream method based on availability, price, and practicality.  Right now the smartphone is filling that spot.

Some how I can't imagine my mom (rest her soul)  paying $140 a month to surf the web at the beauty shop.  Surfing the web,  playing games and messing with apps is not communication.  I dare say that neither is Facebook.    I also don't consider my kids calling me repeatedly for directions during their drive to be good communication.  It is poor communication since I already told them the directions.

Its funny,  I don't know how it worked but back in college and for 45 years of my life but we never missed a party,  everyone showed up where they were to meet when they said they were, everyone could drive across town or across the country without directions,  everyone could look out the window and predict the weather, we all pretty much knew what was up with everyone else,  bad news traveled almost instantly.

I guess the real question is "when did we become so dumb that we needed a smart phone as a crutch?"

(does anyone still call them "mobile" phones?  Is that regional?  I don't recall hearing that in conversation in a long time.  It usually isn't even cell phone (sometimes it is) but just cell or phone.  Again, this could be my misperception.  At my office today I recall someone saying your "phone" is ringing.)

We also, at various times in history, did without internet, cars, bikes, A/C, heat, houses, refrigerators, modern medicine, and fire.  Doesn't mean it was desirable to do so.  Not wanting a smart phone for yourself is fine.  Telling the rest of us they're superfluous because you didn't need one back in 1836 is silly. 

[Stache-O-Lantern]

But smartphones do more than just make it publicly visible, they enable the addiction to the extreme.

[/quote]

Yes, i see your point.  Not having a smartphone yet, I guess I don't quite realize how close the attachment can become!

[Debts_of_Despair]

Some how I can't imagine my mom (rest her soul)  paying $140 a month to surf the web at the beauty shop.  Surfing the web,  playing games and messing with apps is not communication.  I dare say that neither is Facebook.    I also don't consider my kids calling me repeatedly for directions during their drive to be good communication.  It is poor communication since I already told them the directions.

Its funny,  I don't know how it worked but back in college and for 45 years of my life but we never missed a party,  everyone showed up where they were to meet when they said they were, everyone could drive across town or across the country without directions,  everyone could look out the window and predict the weather, we all pretty much knew what was up with everyone else,  bad news traveled almost instantly.

If anyone is paying $140/mo they are just dumb.  My ST plan is around $48/mo with all taxes.

And yeah, people were able to drive across county because they had to do ridiculous things like drive to AAA and get a TripTik that the travel agent had to carefully plan out.  Hope they didn't plan on getting sidetracked and the agent had all the latest construction info. Google Maps does this for me instantly on the fly to wherever I want to go and reads me all of the street names of where to turn.  There is no distraction of reading of a map.   BTW, why would your kids call you for directions if they have a smartphone?   Don't confuse not knowing how to use the smartphone with smartphones being useless..

[Psychstache]

I think you're missing the point. He has a phone that meets his current needs, which is to call people. He is being ridiculed for having this phone. But his very valid argument is why spend money on something he doesn't need!

He's getting ridiculed probably because his friends find it's a PITA to communicate sometimes.  :)  I could communicate with everyone by Morse code light signals but it's not practical.  Texting is great for questions like "where are you" or "when will you be here" or sending someone an address.  It also saves you from doing the obligatory "Hello, how are you" greeting with the invariable response of "good."  Yes, there are times when voice communication is still needed but texting can be very convenient, along with the 1000s of other things smartphones can do.

There is a chance his ridicule is because it is hard to get a hold of him, but a better chance they are doing it because he doesn't go along with the crowd.

The smarmy 'having a smartphone responses is silly why don't you just have a phone that makes calls' is really no better than the 'ZOMG how to you survive without a smartphone' comments that everyone is mocking. Mostly it just brings you down into the vegan/crossfit/marathon runner/dog rescuer level of elitist condescension.

Some people value what their smartphones offer them, and that's great. Some people have their needs met by a classic cell phone, and that's great. Some people haven't thought about it and just do what their peers do, and they need to be punched in the face. So, let's unite against that group.  :)