posted on Jan, 29 2015 @ 11:33 AM
a reply to:
Benevolent Heretic
I believe that many are owned and controlled by their cells. It does not matter if they are the "Clam Shell" non-Smartphones or Smartphones.
Having been in the computer trade industry since 86 I remember when Orange phones came out. As a preferred supplier to Demon in the early years of
conception, I was invited to the same deal all Demon employees received from Orange. I remember when txt was issued for free soon to be charged. I
did not get it at first why would you text someone when a phone call got complete understanding and considering my plan and most contacts were Orange
there was no differences in cost. Soon after Text option was available I was invited to a Demon Party which was rather amazing. Seeing everyone send
txt msgs to ea other even though that person was a few feet if not inches away. The giggles. I suddenly felt out of it as I have not mastered the
speed of the keypad!
My youngest begged for an Orange phone on my contract. Had to explain I was on a special deal... This held her until Orange reached out with a
special advert aimed at kids..... "X" amount of mins free to a like phone. Only problem nobody read "LIKED"! My wife argue her corner....
Reluctantly I agreed being out numbered! Gems would pay for the phone over the contract rate out of pocket allowances whilst the contract amount
would be worked off doing odd chores that she nor her sister ever had to do. That last concept was foreign to me but being American living in the UK
my wife and two girls assured me that was an American thing.. Again being out numbered that was allowed to slide as it seemed that children where we
lived had a right to a childhood!!!! LOL to have been envied over IMHO....
I kept asking Gems about her "credit points" how was she doing. She quite confidently suggested that she was well indeed still within those limits
and admitted she was rather amazed as she used the phone often... Long story short the first bill came. It took my wife 8 days to show me. It was
Gems, bless her, that cracked first as she felt so guilty. The reason she had so many "Credit points" left over was that out of all her friends
only one had an Orange phone! The bill 4 figures and a "." point with 00 after it.
My ex wife batted her eye lids and Gems cuddled me... Yep company paid for it. From that point onwards to this day I am amazed how the Cell controls
people. It used to be visitors express an embarrassment when they visit that they have to take a call or answer an occasional txt msg. LOL TTYL
became new phrases one had to learn. Long before "SmartPhones" came out that the "Clam Shell" phones was no longer an embarrassment to use when
visiting. Then it started at the dinner table. We had friends who visited who lived on their phones during a visit. I asked my ex wife who was not
"ex" in those days what was the purpose of that visit considering we had less than 10 mins conversation without interruption of Cell usage.
Now no matter where you go people are doing something on a cell. Its no longer rude its understood that the phone rules.
I have now graduated to a "SmartPhone" when my daughter upgrade hers from Samsung to iPhone. All of a sudden I found it to be a computer tablet as
its an Android. I have been doing things with that phone my daughter who insisted I change to the "modern" world of "SmartPhones". I use it to
check ATS when having coffee "Alone" out never with company, it controls my media player, gives me news and weather report. I must say when walking
in a strange town, which happens as both girls moved to cities away from home and of course being an "Ex" my wife kept the house lol, the "Smart
Phone" now acts as a GPS navigator. When visiting my daughters home my "O2" Priorities app tells me where a free cuppa of latte is, press an on
screen link shows me the way to their counter. I can go a day since I do have a Microsoft remote for the media player but it will not act like a
mouse and keyboard as the "Smart Phone" works as well as file manager, without looking at said phone. If I am in another room the phone does not
come with me which my daughter who becomes concerned after two or three days of me not responding to her txt msg. "Sweetheart" I did not hear it
come in! My "Smart Phone" is not as clever as the "Clam Shell" which beeps until I checked missed calls or txt msgs. My daughter says, "But Dad
the Samsung is neat it does not bother you just swipe the screen and there are printed alerts." hmmm I just prefer not to be that attached... Yep
missed out a few opportunities because of this...
So yes most people are IMHO consumed by their phones "Smart" or otherwise. The amount of car accidents resulting from txting is unreal.... Then
the other night something that has been on my mind for too many years echoes the OP here, I saw the movie "Men, Women and Children". Adam Sandler,
Jennifer (OMG could not believe) Garner showed exactly how society has evolved. Me living in a small fishing village in Devon England far removed
from cities I was blown away by this film.
The Movie Men Women and Children IMDB
SnF - I thought I had a personal problem.... clearly this bothers others as well...