Cell phones: Necessary convenience or Invasive privacy intruder?

We call them 'Mobile Phones' in Oz...

don't got one, don't plan on getting one
I am untethered and free as a bird.

hehe, I don't own one either...

Get a good plan and it's cheaper than.. Ma bell

I hate them. Always have, always will. But my family insists I carry one in case of roadside emergency and such.

I get my sister's whenever I go on a little trip in my 17 yr old cherokee. I don't turn it on though unless I need to call somebody

I have one but i only use it when I am away from home. I don't talk on it much other than to stay in contact when away. So I use Verizon Freeup.

Always remember...they have an 'off' button.

You CAN be their master, not their slave.

They are invaluable to 'have'...even if not 'used'.

One occasion I was moments from a '000' call...[911]....because I came across an unconscious teen in 40 deg C heat.....and another I DID use it...[000] when I came across  4 big boxes on a freeway which were an accident waiting to happen....[a taxi hit one...and a semi almost jack-knifed at 100km trying to avoid them and the cars]...but we got them off after calling for police support.

Like I said...invaluable...

I have a nokia tracphone i don't even use. Guess i will sell it on ebay.

My uncle has one of those new fangled camera phones. nice phone I guess but to high tech for me, although I want one just to play around with.

Always remember...they have an 'off' button.You CAN be their master, not their slave.

Perhaps I could tape this to my phone base and repeat as needed.
See I resisted one for so long, finally gave in to the familys request, but kept it off unless needed for emergency.....funny how "emergencies" have now become "calling the BF from the grocery store to ask what kind of ice cream he wants". > bleh no willpower.

Wow..what a learning experience today has been. First I learn OZ has TV and now I learn they have phones........


/me thinks his head might explode

Like Paul says....they are invaluable. You don't need to be a "slave to the cell"! Hell, I still point an laugh when I see someone on one in public

They are good on road trips for emergencies only, not for general chit-chat(cause you keep hearing that they can cause brain cancer)

I borrowed one from my sister when my mother was ill and in hospital. And gave it back when she was better. Unfortunately she was ill a lot. So, my sister gave me my first mobile phone (pre-GSM thingie, model "brick" for my BD several years ago. ).

By now I am very attached to it and have exchanged the brick for a cute tiny Nokia. My latest color cover is... Black. Friends can even e-mail to it. I also use it to pay on several Dutch online stores. I do use SMS (text messages) from time to time, but I don't use i-mode (this model doesn't have it anyway) and hardly use WAP. It contains some simple, but cool games for while I am travelling. I like its organizer functions that warn me when something needs to be done. And I can even use it as phone.

As for privacy: You can always switch it off.

I'm in the building game...and that, along with Australia's propensity for rapid uptake of new technology...[we tend to have the highest per-capita use of all sorts of new products...be it Mobile [cell] phones or DVDs, etc...]...so I actually commented today I was waiting to see a building tradesman who DIDN'T have one.

They are as common as mud....I have 4 of them myself......

ditto Jafo's comment about the 'off' button...

I've had one since the bag phone came out. Love em' Sprint PCS is the only service I trust. Free long distance and PCS to PCS free minutes.
My girlfriend is from TENN. so, it really saves on the phone bill, Hell Im thinking of buying her family all a sprint phone for Xmas, (then im really saving )

I've a couple, one for me and t'other for Madame Lash.
Emergency use only.
As Jafo pointed out, Oz is very big on new gizmos .... but mobile users should be licensed!
Too many cretins use them when (1) driving a big dumb SUV (2) calling from the opposte side of the room (3) kids in particular for the cursed 'text' messages (4) young females while applying makeup, adjusting the in car cd player or aiming a car (generally a big dumb SUV) for a small gap in the traffic ..... usually all at the same time and while travelling at 20% above the speed limit!

Gotta luv em! Mine gets used nearly all the time (@ work and play) Even for texting people in the same office! Couldn't live without the thing!

Tho having said that.... I HATE it when someone in the office has one that they leave on the desk, and that rings constantly, at FULL volume (normally that annoying Nokia tune) The reason they are called mobile is that they are exactly that.. MOBILE!!! Also most have a silent/vibrate mode!! Rant over.... Love em really!

I have a cell (mobile) only, tanked my landline completely. That said, I agree about the etiquette issues involved (don't use where not appropriate, turn it OFF when not needed or when it shouldn't go off, or set to silent, as needed).

lol, Thanks for the input, was curious, because, personally, I get irritated with those who carry them around at all times, answer them during a movie [theater], interupt dinner out with friends to take that "important call" - etc etc etc.. To me, having a cell phone is almost liek saying: "Hey, call me whenever you want, any time of the day and there should be NO excuse why we can't talk! I don't need privacy, contact me WHENEVER!" - then they usually complain and whine when you don't return calls, as if just because they called you it means you're obligated to return the call? - Those WITH cell phones, perhaps use this as the outgoing message: "Hi there! I'm avoiding someone I dislike, leave me a message after the beep and if I don't return you call; it's you!"


hehe take care all.

I bought and installed one of the first "car phones" when they came out - you know, before they made them so small and truly portable. Had the box phone, bag phone, and now a tiny Motorola V60i (and it's outdated already). I use it for business and pleasure and never go over the minutes in my plan (costs me 49.99/month). I don't remember what it was like to have to find a pay phone that actually worked.

..the problem with people using their discretion with cell/mobile phones is not everyone CAN exercise proper discretion - To many, a call from a friend during a dinner out, IS necessary hehe - so it's tough to "train" people on what is proper and what is rude and tactless.

considering that I drive 55 miles one way to work, I see my mobile as "peace of mind".  It's also nice to know that people can reach me while I am away from my daughter.

I just wish that people would not talk on them while checking out at stores, while ordering fast food, while driving (one hand dedicated to the phone and not turning their head like they should), etc.....