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I wouldn't quite classify myself as a complete addict, but I definitely have and use my phone quite a bit. I used to think I'd suffer severe withdrawal if I went without, but a little under three years ago my wife and I took a trip to Alaska where our data plan didn't work at all. We were able to put the phones down without a problem.
Totally unrelated to that, we now have a daughter that's just over two years old ;-)
I have a flip phone, that is only used for emergencies, or if wife wants something picked up from grocery store. I refuse to text, calling on a phone is meant for speaking, not writing; that's the way I remember phones being used anyway.
And if I don't recognize the number, I don't answer.
No slave to a 'smart' phone here. I love my dumbphone. Even the guy at MetroPCS who sold it to me figured out in about a minute that I was looking for standard technology, not a computer that I could stare at all day long.
Totally unrelated to that, we now have a daughter that's just over two years old ;-)
Lol...the wife and I have had some hilarious discussions about the human race going extinct; can these phone-addicted people put down their phones long enough to, uh, fool around???
It's a thin, flat thing that allows you to access the internet, as well as to make calls/texts. From what you describe regarding airtime, I don't think you have one (nor do I).
I have no idea. It's about 12 hours away from northern Maine. I haven't been there in 2 decades.
Do you think the whole east coast is NYC???
Nor'eastah, I have a smart phone. The dam thing is smarter than I. With it, I can access the internet, make and receive calls/texts. MOF, it has a voice thing that I can simply speak to the phone and it makes a call for me. I haven't bothered to figure that out yet.
And yes, airtime is involved. My phone is a Samsung Galaxy and it's from TracFone. I am obliged to spend $100./year to keep it activated but with that activation comes more airtime, and with my particular phone, that airtime triples. I'm not glued to the phone so I have quite a store of minutes (they don't expire)
The only problem I see in a crisis would be if the towers all go down or if there's no accessible electricity to recharge the phone when the battery dies.
Ok, all joking aside. I imagine that there are some (mostly the young) who would have a tough few weeks if the phones suddenly went kaput but overall humans are amazingly adaptable.
As mentioned by others upstream my smartphone plays the role of phone, calculator, email, camera, notepad, calendar/day planner and often thanks to the magic of the internet a pretty handy dandy flora and fauna identifier as well as automotive repair help...
Back in the mid 1990s when suddenly everyone had a cell phone they seemed to serve the primary objective of calling to tell the folks at the other end that you were running late or calling to find out what was for dinner. I'm pretty certain that these two calls made up the majority of phone conversations from 1994-1997.
I do have a neat trick when hiking, camping, museum going, etc...I happily turn the phone off.
The only problem I see in a crisis would be if the towers all go down or if there's no accessible electricity to recharge the phone when the battery dies.
The government can and does block people from the network either in groups or as individuals. They also use it to track people.
In an emergency only goverment would likely have full access.
The government can and does block people from the network either in groups or as individuals. They also use it to track people.
In an emergency only goverment would likely have full access.
In that case, I wouldn't have to worry about my battery running out or the lack of electricity. And there wouldn't be anyone to contact anyway since only the gov't would have access.
If the gov't is tracking me, I'm not worried. The agent assigned to my case is fast asleep from boredom.
The lack of a phone wouldn't be burdensome to me. I'd worry about a shortage of tinfoil, though.
In that case, I wouldn't have to worry about my battery running out or the lack of electricity. And there wouldn't be anyone to contact anyway since only the gov't would have access.
If the gov't is tracking me, I'm not worried. The agent assigned to my case is fast asleep from boredom.
The lack of a phone wouldn't be burdensome to me. I'd worry about a shortage of tinfoil, though.
Why are you posting on this forum if you have no concerns? This is the S-S & P Forum, not the Consumer Electronics forum.
I'm a cheapskate but finally got a smart phone when my parents were very elderly and not doing well. I could find out immediaetly from my sisters what was going on and if I had to skedaddle to see them (they were 4 hours away). If my sister was at the hospital with them she could text me ASAP.
On the other hand, I saw a group of workmen the other day. Before they would have been drinking their coffee and shooting the #$%%$ together. Instead, each was on their cell phone instead of talking to each other.
Like all technology, there's a an upside and downside. But people all over the world are on cell phones; it is not just Americans!
I hate cell phones with a passion, though I need to have one in case of emergencies. Mine is not an I-phone, and I'm going to put off getting one as long as possible.
I recently lost my cell phone charger, so have to make a point of not using it that much until I get a new charger. And, since I don't have an I-phone, I'm not on this much - which is great.
I think if I-phones were to all suddenly stop working, many people on this planet would have a collective nervous breakdown...
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