How many Californians cannot survive without a cell phone? (Home Depot, unemployed)

[MtnSurfer]

Just curious how many Californians view cell phones as a necessity of their daily lives? These seem to be such a part of most ppls lives here that I find it funny thinking how ppl would manage without them. I still don't have one. Though my wife has an android smart phone. I know kids who have no job yet nag their parents into getting them one. I also know ppl who are unemployed and on gov't assistance. Yet somehow they have to have the cell phone. And I'm not just talking a basic cell phone, but ones with data plans, etc... I wonder how folks who can barely pay for food and shelter see this as such a gotta have high priority.

Derek

[Fontucky]

Haven't needed one since the nineties and see no reason to get one. I do keep an old one in the glove box for dialing 911, but it's not activated for general calling. By law, all cellphones must come with the ability to dial 911, regardless of their account status.

[Malloric]

Hmm... needs an other option.

I need it for work. I don't talk a lot on the phone. I'm almost always somewhere with wifi and text more than I do talk which would work fine as I have Google Voice. I could do without although it'd annoy me if I wasn't working... but I'm pretty much on-call all the time and actually at a job 6-15 hours a week typically.

[bhcompy]

I don't need the phone, exactly, but I do need something with live traffic. Can't stand going out at 10am on Saturday and finding out that the freeway is backed up more than rush hour by surprise.

[Bulldogdad]

Need it for work.

Don't need it for my personal life.

Its a very nice and handy convenience that actually can make life more enjoyable and productive if used correctly.

Didn't have an option in the poll I could mark. Sorry.

[MtnSurfer]

Interesting inputs so far. With as much usage of cell phones today compared to even 10 years ago I knew I couldn't offer every type of poll option. And yes, some companies/jobs either require one or provide one. For my job we rotate usage of a blackberry when we're on call. I never use it unless on call and someone calls in for tech support.

[french paris]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Just curious how many Californians view cell phones as a necessity of their daily lives? These seem to be such a part of most ppls lives here that I find it funny thinking how ppl would manage without them. I still don't have one. Though my wife has an android smart phone. I know kids who have no job yet nag their parents into getting them one. I also know ppl who are unemployed and on gov't assistance. Yet somehow they have to have the cell phone. And I'm not just talking a basic cell phone, but ones with data plans, etc... I wonder how folks who can barely pay for food and shelter see this as such a gotta have high priority.

Derek

it's everywhere in the world

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by french paris

it's everywhere in the world

Yes, of course, I know. Its just that many of these tech gadgets originated here in California. Apple really put cell phones in another category for many as wanna have, gotta have items. Then Google's android OS pushed the market along even further for those wanting an anti-Apple option. So while every state and country use cell phones Californians tend to be the earliest adopters and as such don't want to go back to the stone ages and live without them. Its embedded into the culture.

[Fontucky]

And it's posted in the California forum...

[humboldtrat]

Never have had a cell phone and I don't want one. I notice that many of the day laborers hanging out at the Home Depot have phones.