Cell phones?

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:18 pm

I'm just curious as to how many of you guys have a cell phone and why. It seems like I'm the only kid my age in the whole of North America who doesn't own one, but it's not like I ever, you know, call anyone, so it's not a problem for me.

Discuss.

jleemero · Post by **jleemero** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:20 pm

I used 12 minutes all of last December.
My high, for the year.

All I do is text.
Mobile IMing, as far as I'm concerned.

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:22 pm

You ever think you don't call people cause you don't have a cell?
I have one, for communications sake. It would be very difficult to locate my friends or tell my parents where I am.

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:22 pm

That's another reason I'm fine without one: I'm at home most of the time, so if someone wants to contact me, they can send me an IM, and for free.

Also, I hate talking on the phone.

mmoshkowich · Post by **mmoshkowich** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:24 pm

I've had A cellphone since 6th grade! Now that I think about it I wouldn't be able to live with my cellphone. It's great when I'm in a place without a clock. One thing that I think is F**cked up is really young kids have cellphones. My cousin has a cellphone and he's 7 WTF.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:26 pm

I refuse to text people. It seems so stupid to text someone when calling is much faster and personal.

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:27 pm

I'm under the impression that kids only have cell phones these days because they're fashionable, and their parents, fearing being considered "uncool," bend to the pressure and get them for their kids.

I'm sure some kids have a legitimate need for them (if their family does a lot of traveling, for example), but I think the majority of kids don't need one.

I'm not just saying this because I'm bitter about not having one, because I'm not. I just don't see why they're suddenly a must-have among kids today when ten years ago they all functioned fine without one.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:32 pm

I don't have a cell phone. I don't really care if I have one. If I got one, it would either be a pre paid with not text (mainly for emergencies) or an iPhone with the cheapest plan possible, something like 450 minutes, no text, unlimited data. Reason for the iPhone: To use Pandora Radio on the go, so I don't have to use FM or otherwise get music, I could also IM if I wanted. But that would be a very expensive radio, so its probably not gonna happen, much better ways to spend $200+~$70 a month.
I kinda don't want to have one, just so I can say that I don't.

I think its pretty sick how much some people depend on their phone.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:55 pm

Got a cell phone after I left high school.

I'm on virgin mobile, I pay roughly $6-$10/month (pay as you go).

It's extremely useful for finding friends across campus and planning meets, and for calling for a ride home. 30 cents a minute beats 50 cents for a payphone.

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:07 pm

Well, you're out of High School and it sounds you're paying for your own phone. That's different. I just don't understand why kids my age who can't drive and are at school for half the day and at home for the other half need a phone, and what's more, why their parents are willing to pay the bills themselves. They can't use it at school, and even if they could, who would they call that they can't meet up with at lunch? Mommy? And if they're at home, why not use the home phone to call their friends?

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:28 pm

Twilight Wolf wrote:I'm just curious as to how many of you guys have a cell phone and why. It seems like I'm the only kid my age in the whole of North America who doesn't own one, but it's not like I ever, you know, call anyone, so it's not a problem for me.

Discuss.

I do not have a cell phone. I can't justify the cost to myself at this point. I'll probably get a cheapie pay-as-you-go-yet-still-somewhat-tied-to-something-that-loosely-resembles-a-plan phone after I graduate high school (this June).

jleemero wrote:I used 12 minutes all of last December.
My high, for the year.

All I do is text.
Mobile IMing, as far as I'm concerned.

I refuse to partake in texting for the sole reason that cell phone companies exploit people's addictions to it. Texting costs the carrier virtually nothing; going on a bandwidth-based scale (compared to calls), texts should be just about free. Email and IM are free; I use them.

madc0w wrote:You ever think you don't call people cause you don't have a cell?
I have one, for communications sake. It would be very difficult to locate my friends or tell my parents where I am.

Pay phones still exist, other people have cell phones that they're not paying for that you can mooch off of, and people still do have these things called home phones.

Twilight Wolf wrote:That's another reason I'm fine without one: I'm at home most of the time, so if someone wants to contact me, they can send me an IM, and for free.

Also, I hate talking on the phone.

Bingo, IM is free and easy.

Another thing: I really hate it when people take their phones for granted. They have some fancy-pants phone with unlimited texting and all that special stuff, and they don't pay a dime of the bill. Mommy and Daddy will pay for their kid's phone without a second thought. I work hard for my money; I won't blow it on a lousy cell phone plan. If for example, I had bought a cell phone two years ago (which seems to be a pretty standard age these days: 15). Disregarding the cost of the phone itself, which really doesn't matter anyway, and assuming a $40/month plan (which seems the lowest most carriers will go), I would have spent $960 on cell phone bills by now, not including extra fees or other such garbage. Also, I'd be done now, that $960 wouldn't be doing anything for me anymore. With that $960 that I saved by not having a cell phone, I bought a quite respectable new computer ($700) last September, and a 21.5" Acer monitor a few weeks ago for $200. Hey, look! I spent only $900 including taxes and shipping! And I guarantee you this computer and monitor will last me a great deal more than two years. If I had bought that simple little cell phone, I wouldn't have my new computer or monitor, and I'd be out 60 more of my hard earned dollars. Most high schoolers have no concept of money. It's enough to make you sick. Cable TV is expensive and stupid too, but that's a topic for another rant.

mmoshkowich wrote:I've had A cellphone since 6th grade! Now that I think about it I wouldn't be able to live with my cellphone. It's great when I'm in a place without a clock. One thing that I think is F**cked up is really young kids have cellphones. My cousin has a cellphone and he's 7 WTF.

Do you not see the missteps in logic there?

Also:

It's great when I'm in a place without a clock.

There's these old-fashioned things called watches. They're quite handy, and just a slight bit cheaper than a cell phone! I have a quite nice watch that I do like; I bought it about seven years ago for $5, and have bought maybe $20 in battery and band replacements over the years. It tells me the time, plain and simple. I can set it to whatever time zone I want; I can have it off by just as many minutes/hours and I deem fit, and there's no monthly fee to speak of. Also, it's on my wrist, I merely need to lift my arm to see what the time is; none of this fishing around in your pocket and then flipping open your phone nonsense.

vskid wrote:I think its pretty sick how much some people depend on their phone.

Agreed.

[/angry ketchup]

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:42 pm

It's nice to know someone shares my feelings on those matters, lifeisbetterwithketchup.

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:55 pm

Twilight Wolf wrote:It's nice to know someone shares my feelings on those matters, lifeisbetterwithketchup.

Everyone needs a good rant now and again.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:56 pm

My parents got rid of there Home Phone, Cells only.

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:58 pm

I didnt get one till i realized i was borrowing my mom's every night. When you are running around drunk in the university area of town and you know someone on every block but they are all also running drunk, its really handy to meet up/stay together.

I rarely accept incoming calls and I respond to texts by calling. I pay $20 a month and Im happy. A very minor expense.