InsideTech

There's an interesting article at BusinessWeek on how and why people are using cell phones:
What's a Cell Phone for Anyway?

For most older Americans, a cellular phone is just a phone. But for the younger generation, well, a cell phone is so much more than just for making voice calls. In a survey of 2,365 adults, only 19% of the people 55 and over say they use the calendar and address book features on their phones. And 15% say they download ringtones. That compares to 56% of people between the ages of 18 and 34 who rely on the calendar and address functions. And 47% of people in that age bracket download ringtones. Also among the survey's findings: Men are more likely to use the extra features on a cell phone than women, and people with a college education are more likely to use additional features than those without a college degree.

I use mine for calling and of course to see what time it is ;)

A paperweight.

I'm with Magi on this one... when it's not a paperweight, then the cats are playing hockey with it. Why am I spending $49.95 a month for a cat toy?

During a recent business trip I noticed that a majority of people are doing something with their phones during travel downtime -- at gate areas, restaurants, etc. and most weren't talking but diddling with email or texting or reading. I wonder what we were all doing before we had a gadget in our hands.. were we talking to each other more or reading or doing paperwork?

I understand that it sounds very strange but I use my cell phone to make calls.. only..

I use my cell phone most frequently as a watch, for making calls, and as a phone book. I might send a rare text message. Other than it is on the charger or in my purse. My cats don't seem interested in my cell phone; they would rather walk across my keyboard when I using my laptop. :)

I use mine for making calls, taking pictures, and as a phone/address book. I would use the calendar feature, but I got a PDA that will sync with Outlook and work is a Microsoft shop in which we are expected to put our schedules into the Outlook calendar, so it's simpler just to keep all appointments and tasks with the PDA.

I find the result that women are less likely to use features interesting, because my wife uses hers for all that I do, plus she uses hers as a calculator, a calendar, an MP3 player, and occasionally an alarm. Then again, she has a bachelor's and a master's and is now in school for her second bachelor's (graduates 6/08) and hopes to attain a PhD in her new field of astronomy. I guess she falls into the more educated category. ;-)

I use to create huge pay checks for Verizon !

Hmmm... *deep breath* Text, camera, MP3 player, Text some more, Mirror, Sometimes as a phone but hardly, Calculator, Flashlight, Entertainment, Check Myspace, Text some more, and some more, and some more...

Exactly.

I'm a textaholic.  That's why I love my BB Storm.  Just turn it to the side and it's a lil ol' cutie pie of a keyboard.  Imagine a southern accent attached to that sentence. :)

I just got a phone with a keyboard on it, this increased txts and reduced the calls I've made with it.  It's all ways been a dependable flashlight, since it's batteries always seem to be charged and for what ever reason I've had it on me.



I'd say all in all I couldn't live w/o my cell phone.  Now it's my E-Mail client and used for MySpace.



Previously my Cell phone was the Home Internet connection, via "tethering", "Phone as A Modem", PAM.  It's impossible for me to take advantage of this feature with my new phone/plan.  Is there any truth to this being something Sprint plans to discontinue or am I just being told this by the greedy sales person trying to make commission on another $60/mo?

Honestly what's the point in an unlimited DataPlan to the Sprint Vision(Is it Fast?) network, if the only access I'll have is via an ?ARM? chip with a 4x2in screen?

I use mine for window decoration. I rarely use it, LoL. Only one person I talk to on the phone, that's through land line. I guess I just have it around to have it around, in case of an emergency or something (the cell that is). My roommate, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He wears his bluetooth headset around the house, all day! And texts while driving down the road. Needless to say, I hate riding with him.

Haha, yeah,  I do the same thing, even though I wear a watch. Ya know, sometimes them sleeves get in the way and it's easier to flip open the phone.

Funny story, last Sunday I went to Wal-Mart and there was a Tornado lock down, every one was sent to the middle of the store. Well.......I left my cell phone in my car. A lot of good that did letitng anyone know  I was ok. Then a couple of days later I was home and went to use the bathroom. Took my cell phone with me. Of course I left it in there and then couldn't find it. Hahaha!

Lmao, my roommate, who is 46 and male, is the same as your teenager. Now that's sad! He wears his bluetooth headset around the house, and texts while driving down the road. I swear that thing goes off more than the 911 call center does. Heck, I have had my cell phone turned off all week, actually the battery was dead and I just didn't take it out of my purse to charge it. LoL, charged it yesterday and I actually had voice mail! Omg, I couldn't believe it. Of course it was just recordings and such, nothing important.

I have a vonage USB phone on my pc (duh, USB, pc, don't mind me). It sounds kind of funky on the other end, mostly because my room is small, my pc is loud, and my fan is loud. But I can hear just fine . It costs me $37 a month, unlimited calls and long distance, and I can take it with me when I travel, it still works just like I am at home.

I am better in type than I am on the phone, generally speaking. I tend to get tongue tied or lost in my little fish bowl of a brain. It is easier to hit that backspace button than it is to rewind my tongue.

Man, I use my phone for everything: email, calendar, contacts, surfing the web, photos, weather, calculator, texas holdem, music, radio, facebook, and ebooks.  I even have a dog whistle, metronome, compass, stethoscope, planet locator and a racing game. Oh yeah, I make calls with it too! :D

I'm with steevo on this one. I have an iPhone and I do all those things as well except texas holdem - even though I live in very north Dallas. I also use my iPhone as a MP3 player.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have a phone at all if it wasn't for work. Being on call 24/7 365, and I also send and receive company email. I would rather be typing up an email during a commercial during one of my TV programs in the evening b/c that's one less email I have to take care of the following day, considering I get about 100 emails a day.

If I didn't have to have a cell phone for work, I would want one for personal safety if I needed to dial 911 or in my car stranded out in the middle of nowhere.

Last weekend I went to Ft. Worth to the Arts Festival and took some good pictures with my iPhone. It beats lugging around a digital camera and a cell phone.