Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

[Wakey]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

My first phone was actually a 2 way radio with a cell patch. You and the person you called spoke one at a time and said over when you were finished. 2 companies shared this frequency and only one person could place a call at a time and, there was no privacy. Anyone else on the frequency could listen, over :laughing: That was late 86 or so.

In 87 we all got bag phones, those were pretty good.

In 91 I had one installed in my truck, I sure wish we had the call quality today that we had back then.

I love my phone but it does not ring like it used to. I view as a handheld computer with a cell patch. Once again there is no privacy :laughing:

 

[Diggin It]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

^^ Well, if you want to back that far, look at some of the old TV shows and the ones that featured mobile telephones in vehicles. Suitcase sized unit was mounted in the trunk with a control head and handset that looked like a real phone under the dash. You had to call a Mobile Operator to pace a call which could be just a patch link to a land line.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

I got a job once that was OVER 100 miles away EACH way & that was THE ONLY REASON I got "us" cell phones..
Now that I moved back home, I have no reason for it..
I hate'm.. They cause more problems than they're worth..
WHEN did EVERYONE get so GD important??
Just like "water".. when did everyone get so GD thirsty.. that they HAVE TO HAVE a drink in their hand??..

 

[4570Man]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

I got a job once that was OVER 100 miles away EACH way & that was THE ONLY REASON I got "us" cell phones..
Now that I moved back home, I have no reason for it..
I hate'm.. They cause more problems than they're worth..
WHEN did EVERYONE get so GD important??
Just like "water".. when did everyone get so GD thirsty.. that they HAVE TO HAVE a drink in their hand??..

I hate those stainless mugs everyone has. They’re the nastiest thing around, but plastic cups are deadly.

 

[Wakey]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

^^ Well, if you want to back that far, look at some of the old TV shows and the ones that featured mobile telephones in vehicles. Suitcase sized unit was mounted in the trunk with a control head and handset that looked like a real phone under the dash. You had to call a Mobile Operator to pace a call which could be just a patch link to a land line.

I saw one around 85 or so. He ran a book, he used a secretary's headset.

 

[ultrarunner]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

Curse I would say in tipping the balance because it creates expectations.

I spend a lot of time in marginable reception areas.. both in California and Washington... even inside the Hospital has issues where I work.

The curse is people expect to reach you any time day or night... the reality is calls often go to voice mail.

Had to change my outgoing message saying... if you are getting the message the phone did not ring as I have the phone 24/7

Now the cheap little pager with a 30 day battery life worked anywhere and everywhere... truly amazing little piece of tech gone by the wayside... had a code system with the job so true emergencies were coded 911... and general information update coded 411... etc.

 

[Ritothebull]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

It's a blessing if you have 2 young daughters away at college,

It's a curse if you own your own business and don't want your guys bugging you every time they have to make a decision while you're on vacation.

 

[Oldoak]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

I got a job once that was OVER 100 miles away EACH way & that was THE ONLY REASON I got "us" cell phones..
Now that I moved back home, I have no reason for it..
I hate'm.. They cause more problems than they're worth..
WHEN did EVERYONE get so GD important??
Just like "water".. when did everyone get so GD thirsty.. that they HAVE TO HAVE a drink in their hand??..

:thumbsup:

Smart phones: latest status symbols

Water bottles: substitute for baby bottles

Both very useful in the right application but extremely over used in most cases. :confused3:

 

[stuckmotor]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

The phone pesters me half to death ringing while I'm driving, alerting me of a text message, wanting a charge and worst of all nagging to be unpluged when the charge is complete. I hate the $#@*'! things.

 

[3930dave]

Re: Cell Phones - Blessing or a Curse?

Curse I would say in tipping the balance because it creates expectations.

I spend a lot of time in marginable reception areas.. both in California and Washington... even inside the Hospital has issues where I work.

The curse is people expect to reach you any time day or night... the reality is calls often go to voice mail.

Had to change my outgoing message saying... if you are getting the message the phone did not ring as I have the phone 24/7

Now the cheap little pager with a 30 day battery life worked anywhere and everywhere... truly amazing little piece of tech gone by the wayside... had a code system with the job so true emergencies were coded 911... and general information update coded 411... etc.

In the job you do, yes, you can have actual emergencies that need attention. IMO, most of the time, most of the public conversations/texts.... going on do not need an instant answer. Whether people want the instant attention...... that's another topic......

I've been know to rant in public about new-tech adding bling yet doing a worse job at fundamental performance..... your point about historic pager performance is bang-on.

"Prioritized" (my word for them) cell phones exist, that could probably match the reliability of those pagers, but they're not something most civilians get their hands on.

Rgds, D.