Living without a cell phone?

[zerocool84]

That sounds more like a problem with the people you know than a problem with a phone.

This

 

[JechtShot]

What happens if your car breaks down far from home? They don't have call boxes everywhere do they?

 

[Capt Caveman]

It's been my experience that the kind of "emergencies" that have colored my life aren't solvable by owning a cell phone, at least not the normal retail sort (let me know if there's an app for artillery/air support). My outlook is they tend to be expensive thumb exercisers. I also don't need to text, tweet or, have something electronic to fondle.

When emergencies happen in real life, thankfully there are people with cell phones that can call 911, video record the incident, etc.

And if it's a smart phone, even more power to you.

 

[coloumb]

How would my life change? I would have to start calling up people [again] instead of sending texts.

Yes - it is possible to live without one - but there are circumstances where it would be needed. Reminds me of when my dad's car broke down on the side of the road. We had to walk about a mile to a pay phone so the car could be towed to the dealership.

 

[mcurphy]

I haven't had a cell for about 4 years now. My wife and I both had them from about '99 and on, but then we realized the only calls we made were to each other for stupid things like what we may have forgotten at the grocery store. It wasn't worth the $80-$100/ month we were paying. Since we dropped the cells, we have had a land line, only $30/ month through our cable, and it has been great. I haven't missed having a cell phone at all.

 

[MotionMan]

Most people would call it a convenience.

I find it extremely convenient. If I could no longer have one, I could live, obviously, since I did it before. However, it would be annoying to lack the ability to communicate from my car.

MotionMan

 

[exdeath]

Live without a phone yes. I hardly use mine as a phone. I'm not a social person, I don't do constant texts, constant talking, and I certainly don't do Facebook or Twitter or any of that garbage. It's just an internet appliance for me.

Live without internet and GPS at my finger tips? Could, but I don't feel like printing out maps and stuff again or needing to find a public computer to look something up. Like the closing hours and/or number of I place I'm thinking about stopping by on my way home.

The only thing a smart phone did for me was displace my desktop PC for casual use for pretty much anything but gaming. Since I'm constantly on the web on the go in real time, I don't spend hours on the PC at night at home anymore checking email, news, etc.

 

[BoomerD]

How would your life change without it now?

Is it possible to live without one?

We threw ours away three years ago. Once in a while it'd be nice convenient to have one...but not worth the monthly cost.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That sounds more like a problem with the people you know than a problem with a phone.

No, it's a problem with American society. Today, most people think it's perfectly fine to talk, text and, tweet to others while in the company of another human they're also talking to.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to fiddle with an itty bitty electronic device while operating a vehicle that weighs a ton and a half.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to curse out loud when a call is dropped, the phone goes dead or, disturbing texts are received.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to make and receive calls while engaged in group activities.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to whip out their phones and record someone having a melt down.

I do not. I can handle day to day problems without instantly calling someone to help, complain to or, whine about by bad luck to an uncaring audience.

In my opinion, cell phones are the greatest scam since the pet rock.

An entire multi billion industry has sprung up to feed the "needs" of a society that never before in recorded history had the desire to be "connected" 24/7.

 

[dud]

How would your life change without it now?

Is it possible to live without one?

I've lived most of my life without a cell phone. The only reason I have a BB is because of work. I have it off/vibrate most of the time anyway.

Yes, life existed before cell phones and it will continue to do so without them.

 

[SKORPI0]

I've separated the "necessity" of a cell phone to the "need" of a cell phone. I don't need it to do my everyday activities. I've done well and managed without it. Not one of those "fools" who continuously use it 24/7.

The only time I have the "necessity" of using it when telling people I'm on the way home and be ready, where the hell are you? (big mall), car accident.

Used to pay Verizon $70/month for almost little use 3 years ago. Now paying PagePlus $80/year, 2000 minutes.

 

[brianmanahan]

pretty sure you couldn't find an IT job nowadays that would approve of you not having a cell phone

gotta be on call at any time in case things mess up

this is how everyone i know works

 

[J-Money]

I wonder how many own a gun "just in case" but don't own a cell phone because "I don't need it".

 

[Azraele]

I don't have one, so my life wouldn't change much.

 

[Veliko]

I could quite easily live without it. I mainly use it for email and Twitter when out, Angry Birds when I have a poo and a music player when at the gym.

The 'emergencies' argument is a poor one. How many emergencies do you actually have day-to-day...?

 

[dawp]

1) Don't give your number to everyone you meet
2) You don't have to answer when someone calls you
3) You don't have to have it on sound
4) You don't have to turn it on.

if you ain't going to use, why bother to own one in the first place?

I don't own one, when I did the most use it got was playing games in the shitter so I let it go.

 

[dawp]

I wonder how many own a gun "just in case" but don't own a cell phone because "I don't need it".

you don't pay a monthly fee (or a buy a recharge card) just to be able to use a gun like you do a cell phone. with a smart phone, some plans can get well over $100 a month.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Work provides me with an iPhone. Honestly, if they didn't provide one for me, I'd have a hard time justifying it and would probably just get a cheapo model and plan for emergencies. I've had cell phones for something like 12 years and I think I actually paid for one a grand total of a year or two.

 

[shortylickens]

Yeah, I've never spent 2400 dollars on Ammo for a gun over a two year period regardless of whether I shot it or not.

As for topic at hand: I dont make calls and receive very few. For me its about the texting, email, and other cool data needs like navigation and web use.
I'd miss it. Having said that, I have gone for brief periods without service just to show the carriers I dont like their bullshit and dont actually NEED them.

 

[Broheim]

you don't pay a monthly fee (or a buy a recharge card) just to be able to use a gun like you do a cell phone. with a smart phone, some plans can get well over $100 a month.

no you have to buy ammo .... derp

 

[bigpimpatl]

I think once you understand and separate what's truly important and not important in your life, you realize that having a cell phone is just another tool in life and thus we treat it accordingly. Unfortunately, lots of people haven't come to this conclusion and thus are glued to their phone, so much so that it defines them as a person (which is sad I think).

If I had to do away without a cell phone, I'd be inconvenienced. No lie. But I understand that a cell is just a means to an end, so I would a) make preparations ahead of time and b) plan accordingly.

Also, we should distinguish between having a cell phone and having cell service. Most phones are completely operational without a sim these days. Having a cell phone without service would be just fine with me

 

[waterduck]

I'd love to consider living without a cell phone, but the main issue for me (like others have mentioned) is that bc the cell phone is the standard mode of communication, not using a phone leaves me out of some of my social interaction. I do use IM a lot though. I don't have facebook and I've missed a more than a few events because people forgot I don't have fb.

 

[DrPizza]

Work and other people who know you have a cell phone get annoyed when you don't answer their "very important quick question, request or, emergency." I have a land line, a computer and, a phone at work. A cell phone is NOT a necessity and, in fact, seems to closely resemble an addiction from my viewpoint.

No, it's a problem with American society. Today, most people think it's perfectly fine to talk, text and, tweet to others while in the company of another human they're also talking to.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to fiddle with an itty bitty electronic device while operating a vehicle that weighs a ton and a half.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to curse out loud when a call is dropped, the phone goes dead or, disturbing texts are received.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to make and receive calls while engaged in group activities.
Most people think it's perfectly fine to whip out their phones and record someone having a melt down.

I do not. I can handle day to day problems without instantly calling someone to help, complain to or, whine about by bad luck to an uncaring audience.

In my opinion, cell phones are the greatest scam since the pet rock.

An entire multi billion industry has sprung up to feed the "needs" of a society that never before in recorded history had the desire to be "connected" 24/7.

I just want to say that I have a cell phone, and none of you bastards better tell my wife where it's at, else she'll charge it up and make me carry it around with me. I couldn't live without my wife having a cell phone - if anyone needs my number, I give them my wife's number. If I'm at work and you need me, call me on my work line. If it's not important enough to call through the school and interrupt my class, then send me an email, I'll get to it when I'm not busy. If I'm not at work, call my wife. If I'm not at work or with my wife, then I don't want to be bothered.

 

[waggy]

I have a "smart" phone. i rarely use the phone part of it. But i have to admit i wouldn't want to go back to not having one.

Though i don't txt or such while driving or with other people. IF im with friends i put it on vibrate adn only answer the baby sitter or such. IF i get a call its usually important since most know i don't like using a phone.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Building I work in prohibits cell phones pretty strictly so I'm having to deal with it there. Not having internet in wait rooms would suck immensely. The biggest thing is GPS. I'm terrible with directions until I can visualize an area in my head and having the GPS is amazing for before that happens. Considering I don't have a landline or a stand alone GPS the ~70$ for far more minutes/texts than I need and unlimited data isn't really bad.