What's the deal with those walkie talkie cell phones?

[Kev]

Can someone explain to me why they are necessary?

Now instead of listening to one annoying idiot yack on the bus, I have to listen to the annoying idiot they're talking to as well, with a loud obnoxious *BEEP* after every god damn thing they say. What is useful or convenient about this?

I've seen commercials where they can't reach someone so they turn on the dumb walkie talkie feature, then VOILA, the person responds to them! WTF? This makes no sense. If they're not answering, they're not answering.

Anyone who has one of these monstrosities care to explain any real uses to me?

 

Because it makes people look cool. I don't like it, and personally see no need for it for anyone but in-the-field workers.

 

[gigapet]

cant u still have walkie talkie service when you dont have cell service?

besides that its free with most plans so you can essentially talk all you want wheneveryou want.

there is an option to turn the beep off too.

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: gigapet
cant u still have walkie talkie service when you dont have cell service?

how would that work though

besides that its free with most plans so you can essentially talk all you want wheneveryou want.

wouldn't you be able to do that with the regular phone plan then?

there is an option to turn the beep off too.

nobody ever does though

 

[rh71]

Because they MUST draw attention to themselves.

When I first got a cellphone, it was out of necessity. I was embarrassed to have a whole conversation with anybody I didn't know standing next to me. I still am. And this is just a regular cellphone with no speaker. I don't know how these people can go on and on with these speakerphones.

Mine has speakerphone, but it's just used like it's handsfree in the car.

 

[jurzdevil]

i just want them to build the 400,000ft tower

 

[Fausto]

I always have to fight the urge not to grab the thing and beat the person to death with it. They are annoying as hell. :|

 

[Fiveohhh]

alot of people have unlimited two way. Also if your just checking in, it works great.

 

[FatJackSprat]

Originally posted by: rh71
Because they MUST draw attention to themselves.

When I first got a cellphone, it was out of necessity. I was embarrassed to have a whole conversation with anybody I didn't know standing next to me. I still am. And this is just a regular cellphone with no speaker. I don't know how these people can go on and on with these speakerphones.

Mine has speakerphone, but it's just used like it's handsfree in the car.

I agree. Many people seem to use their phones just so others will see them.

I just finished riding city buses back and forth to school every day and would sometimes see people sitting with phones up at their ears like they were talking to someone, but never say a word. My ride was twenty minutes so I don't think anyone was talking on the other end continuously for that long, I really think those people would have the phone up just so people could see it.

Now, they just like the walkie talkie feature because its the latest thing and they want everyone to know they've got it.

 

[JSClark]

Easier to talk to people than having your hand up against your ear I guess...

Alas, I'm stuck with Verizon...

 

[gigapet]

walkietalkie is not a new feature.

I thought it worked because it didnt rely on cell service but rather a patented radio band or something like that

its free in many plans cuz its only one way so it ties up less resources i guess.
Instead of using your peak minutes you can use this unlimited

 

[pukemon]

yeah it's stupid and annoying especially in large public places like the supermarket. it's stupid but in a funny way, ie, laugh and point and think "haha - dork!" maybe people are different on the east/west coasts but out here, people have no shame. come walk into any walmart and you'll know what i mean.

 

[Fiveohhh]

Originally posted by: gigapet
walkietalkie is not a new feature.

I thought it worked because it didnt rely on cell service but rather a patented radio band or something like that

its free in many plans cuz its only one way so it ties up less resources i guess.
Instead of using your peak minutes you can use this unlimited

it goes through the cell towers. no cell service no talkie.

 

[biffbacon]

Originally posted by: gigapet
cant u still have walkie talkie service when you dont have cell service?

you can set up phones so that they do not have the ability to be used as a phone, but only as a walkie talkie. I personally find them very annoying, but very useful. My father is an electrical contractor, and uses them to talk to his crews. Im not sure what the range is, or if there is one, but ive seen them work at up to 150 miles. I think in the right business setting they are very useful

 

[Spac3d]

It was extremely handy when I had it. I do miss my Nextel phone.

 

[gigapet]

stop hating cuz nextel's patent runs up at the end of this year anyways and hten verizon and all the rest will have the feature too. So you can look forward to everyone beeping like they are cool

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Fiveohhh

Originally posted by: gigapet
walkietalkie is not a new feature.

I thought it worked because it didnt rely on cell service but rather a patented radio band or something like that

its free in many plans cuz its only one way so it ties up less resources i guess.
Instead of using your peak minutes you can use this unlimited

it goes through the cell towers. no cell service no talkie.

Correct.
How Direct Connect works.
Personally, I think it's a great service for people who need it, like contractors, EMTs, construction workers, etc. Basically any person who would normally use a private-band radio on their job. However, it gets annoying when everyone and Dennis Franz is using it in the grocery store, on the bus, etc. :|

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: gigapet
stop hating cuz nextel's patent runs up at the end of this year anyways and hten verizon and all the rest will have the feature too. So you can look forward to everyone beeping like they are cool

Christ. I fvcking hate people using those walkie talkies.

 

[OutHouse]

I love the feature use it all the time with my wife and is very useful to business who have use for private band two-way radios. However i can see how annoying it can when people use them in cramped public places.

I believe it is a nation wide coverage now. I was just in College Station Texas and our Two-way never worked down there because it was out of my home area. but now it does work, Pretty cool to have a two way radio communication with somebody thousands of miles away, and im sure business with the need for it will be jumping all over it soon.

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: Citrix
I love the feature use it all the time with my wife and is very useful to business who have use for private band two-way radios. However i can see how annoying it can when people use them in cramped public places.

I believe it is a nation wide coverage now. I was just in College Station Texas and our Two-way never worked down there because it was out of my home area. but now it does work, Pretty cool to have a two way radio communication with somebody thousands of miles away, and im sure business with the need for it will be jumping all over it soon.

what the f*ck is the difference between that and just using a regular cell phone??

there is no difference except in annoyance factor

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: Spac3d
It was extremely handy when I had it. I do miss my Nextel phone.

i agree,at my job,to "save Money "they took them back,
it was really a Lot faster to get ahold of a coworker;friend.
Also you could talk to only the person you wanted to vs. an old fashioned 2 way radio/walkie-talkie
where like 50 people may be on the same frequency,and you have your messages interupted .

 

[Kev]

"it was really a Lot faster to get ahold of a coworker;friend."

elaborate.

i see no difference if you just call them using a cell phone

 

[Platypus]

the worst idea ever concieved. this is only useful for people who need to communicate like at work. not for the general public. i fvcking hate that annoying beep and hearing their entire conversation because they're too fvcking lazy to pick up their phone

 

[whateverdude]

I have one that I use at work. its handy because we are all in different places alot and need to communicate easy and its easier than having to call someone. but, I wouldnt use one outside of work, dont see the point.

 

[silent tone]

Originally posted by: Kev
"it was really a Lot faster to get ahold of a coworker;friend."

elaborate.

i see no difference if you just call them using a cell phone

There is no difference in a 'call' between 2 people except that it's half duplex. The only feature is private group calls.