It's only relatively recently (maybe 20 years) that most of the population has had a mobile phone. Smartphones are even newer with the first iPhone appearing in 2007. Before that only a few geeks had internet connected phones and they were slow and limited. Now it seems that everywhere you go you see people staring at a shiny rectangle.
Some of our old phones
Some people resist this, but they are a small minority. I got back for most of my life without being constantly available and even not I don't make many calls. We survived without these things. It's very rare that they are essential, but we have become accustomed to having them. We don't really need constant updates of what our friends or celebrities are up to.
Some will argue that they divide us as we are not concentrating on what is going on around us. We're too busy with that is happening elsewhere.
Technology will keep marching on, but we don't have to be slaves to it. We don't need to keep upgrading, but this is partly forced on us by planned obsolescence. My own Nexus 4 phone really needs replacing as it's not getting all the updates now and may become more vulnerable to malware.
A generation is growing up who have never known life without these things. Even fairly young kids have a phone now, even if they are rarely out of sight of their parents. For them it's probably more about things like games, but is it doing them harm to be constantly looking at a small screen. Could it affect their eyesight and posture? We may only find out in a few years.
I don't expect people to totally give up these devices, but try to leave your phone in your pocket or bag and just enjoy the moment. Facebook can wait.
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I think it's all well and good as long as you don't use them too much when in the company of other people. That's just a bit rude
I was about 18 before I gave in to the then new fad of everyone getting a phone, around 1999 I'd say. And again I resisted getting a smartphone for the first few years. First got a mobile because I missed a couple of buses and by the time I got into town the group I was meeting left the meeting spot (ah life before phones). Then to get a smart phone I upgraded to the cheapest around
It was enough of a taste, now I have a 1+ and likely to upgrade to a 1+5 soon. I am on it constant.
But when I travel and have no data or battery management may be trouble I am happy to be without it for hours days etc. I honestly think I could live with out it any amount of time, but and it's a big but, I wouldn't want to, it is the most useful tool I have.
So could I live without it? yes, would I no, not a chance.
I didn't have mobile data on mine until recently as I was generally on wifi. When I didn't have that I coped. There are other things to do
My first phone was the Motorola Razr! lol the flip phone era
Never had a flip phone, I think if I did I would of broke it in a week pretending to be on star trek
lol
I think that the phone has change our life in a positive and in a negative way. We are connected and we have all the information in our hands, but we miss a lot of things being all the time checking WhatsApp, fb , etc and it s really difficult to leave it in a bag or a pocket it s like an addiction and a perfect way to control us, dangerous.
yup u are right . Mobiles are usefull as well as it has bad impact on our life, on our behaviour. Now-a-days we don't talk with friends and family nor we spend more time with them and just remains in the clouds of social media. So that's not fair .
You are right we should spend more time with friends and family. The behavior of the society has change in a bad way.
Facebook can wait, but what about Steemit??😄 I've built my whole page from my phone, I type this on one now. For your old mobiles I have a nice solution, balance them on hanging wires, create a mobile mobile.
As for the kids of today, I wouldn't worry to much about it, the generation before was 'kids today with their video games, before that, TVs, Before that rock and roll, gramophones, electricity... The nature of progress is such that each generation enters into a world that simply exists, I remember seeing the Internet for the first time in grade 6, some magic modem thing our school had gotten. Now kids have iPads from school. The future rushes on, we just have to remember to find a balance.
The pace of change seems faster now. How long before everyone is off in a VR world?
I went 3 months without my cell phone its called basic training
I was resisting it also at first! And now that I don't have a computer anymore, I am really glad I have my mobile phone! I do everything with it.
I'm still using an old clamshell from 2008! It's good only for sending texts and making calls. The camera is so basic it doesn't take good pictures, and of course you can't go online with it. Yet it fits my needs as I prefer to go online when at home using my laptop and a proper keyboard.
I'd go back to buying mp3 players, buying books, having an extra camera and yes, internet from home only... but why? It's good like that
It can be about convenience. I get a lot of pictures with my phone I might not get otherwise. I still read paper books and buy CDs
The small screen generation.
It's quite sad how these have taken over our lives... Do I love my iPhone? Of course, but there should be boundaries - social boundaries...
I have a collection of old phones too - from way before color screens and cameras were even on phones!! Love my old phones though ;)
If it wasn't for WhatsApp, I'd easily use an old phone ;)
It would be fun to revive my old Motorola. Would get some odd looks with that
Hehe - I have my old Motorola still too - I actually used to work for them back in the day. Probably one of the best jobs I had 😁😁
I sure could not!
Thanks for the support!
Technically We can. But now time is different and needs are different. We found a lot of shortcuts and We get used to it, so... We cannot live without phones :)
Well some people do. It's as much a habit as a need
I agree. Habit&Need :)
in last 10 years i had all kind of phones and smartphones started with n-gage and so on. last 3 years im using old samsung who have battery life 1 week and without all gadgets only to talk :) so i think ye i can easily
I grew up in "Rural America" 5 miles to nearest neighbor 25 from closest one horse town and we had party lines. Did not get a cell phone till just a few years back, and it just sits on the shelf till I need to use. Folks forget they are created for your convenience and not for the ones calling you.
I remember my first mobile... it was heavy and bulky! - but I felt like the man ;)
You were the man! At least until I showed up with my Matrix phone
..https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H16HRiYOAzQ
Me too!
My dad had a brick phone. You needed muscles to carry that :)
Haha!!
Tbh i have had the same iphone 4 with a cracked screen for about 6 years now and i barely even use it, so i think i could live without it, plus i don't even like to talk on the phone in public, also that Motorola is ancient @steevc 😂
That was my first mobile. I resisted having one until we had kids and thought it would be useful in emergencies. Didn't use it too much.
My favourite phone is a Nokia - just texts and calls - small, lightweight and battery lasts for days. I have the sound off nearly all the time, unless I am expecting a call, and I just check from time to time when I'm ready. I have three other phones for work, two of them smartphones which I find clumsy and which I mainly use for maps and, occasionally, checking information, like when the bus is due. We have strict rules here - no mobiles at the table or in company. But then, we still play cards and board games.
My phone battery had a fault and it took 3 weeks to repair (long story), I didn't miss the phone too much.
The only real issue was 2FA issues because of no Google Authenticator or SMS options.
Hmmm yes ( if you wanna stay in jungle :- you needed weapon to stay alive )
If you talking about in city no way without mobile ( just like in jungle have no weapon ) .
???
I don't see a phone as that essential to survival. It's a convenience tool. You could use a payphone to call a friend, but then they can't reach you. Sometimes you want to be unavailable. It's very rare that your life or someone else's will depend on it
That's a really nice subject @steevc! I have noticed that since i joined steemit, I am not too much interested on my phone these days!
I am doing more productive things, like looking for ideas to bring great content on my post, Infact i'm using it mainly as a camera i can say!
Have a lovely weekend ahead mate!
@progressivechef
I like having my phone, but I could live without it. That said, I just bought a new one as mine is getting on. I won't buy a high end model though. I'll report on this one when I get it
Looking forward to it man!
In the past my phone was so important in my daily life, i'm so glad that this is no more the case now!
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STOPMany times to use a mobile phone but I can not dispense with it permanently
Hello there! I live in a third world country in impending Doom! one of our commodities is that people like stealing cellphones hence because I'm so special; mine got stolen almost a year ago. And yes sir! that is the time I have without a cellphone so maybe that makes me a living legend or something. You may be asking yourself-how is that possible? quick answer, our minimun wage is 25 bucks as I'm speaking because yesterday was at 30, and obviously the expenses surpass my earnings so there you go! is it possible to live without a phone for a year. You just only have to live in a third world country where your expense is only destined for eating, cause we gotta eat, don't we?
For a Bonus, is it possible to work on a S&%&y computer, too.
I guess for some people it's their only communications device and so is vital. In the richer countries we take these things for granted. I just wonder how many people don't have them. I expect a few older people don't as they never had them. The world is changing
Can calmly state I wouldn't use the phone if I had no job. I got my first one quite late....think i was round 18. I do have a new one right now - and it was mainly bought for the camera. I curently have about 40 listed contacts. The salesman was shocked after checking my usage....i just don't like em that much. I think we lost a bit of patience with them....I mean I dont call my family that im coming over. I sit in my car and drive there....if they aint home i just sigh and go back home. Now everything is an appointment. You expect everything to be done NOW and FAST.
I had a pay as you go deal and I didn't spend more than a pound or so on calls each month. I now pay for data as I'm not on wifi as much these days
I don't own a phone. Why would I want hackers to steal my data, and random jerks spy on me? I recommend Glasswire to see how secure your PC is.
We accept some compromises to use these things
to be honest in this age of internet i can't live without it
I have a mobile but not a smartphone. well, I have a smartphone but no web connection, so it is just to make calls and take photos. ;)
my first cell phone was in 1996, as far as I remember. :)
You were in fairly early then. My first was around 2000
No way you could take the phone away from me :))
Absolutely - to answer the question at the top.
I actually turn it off most of the time. There is no need to instantly disrupt someone else's live - or my own for that matter.
Nevertheless - it's a convenient tool - and I use it as needed. I certainly don't worship it.
PS:// Facebook aka F^c^book? Never!
Phone is important, but many are severely affected by it. Since then they have overlooked many other joys in life.
i basically do, i have a stupid flip phone... but i revolve around my work and home computers and an ipad
I grew up without one so yes I could live without it. I prefer to live with it though.
Life style has been changed now its impossible to give more time to friends and family and we all are badly addicted.
If we only have a stable internet connection in our house, then I can really live without my mobile phone. 🙂
I can live longer without air than without a phone.
I could live without a phone but not without internet.:)
I like it when it's there, but it's not essential to life
Yep. I totally agree
Honestly, living without phone is like sleeping without closing your eyes :D
I cannot live without my phone! Without it, I am like a person from the Stone Age Era!
It seems everyone is addicted. I wasn't born in the stone age ;)
I cant cause many my frind in the social media @steevc
But do you need to talk to them all the time on there? Meet up in real life :)
Yes you are right @steevc social media is just making that far so close that close so far, that's the present day
imposibale live without mobile
We all managed without for centuries. There's more to life
very nice post
Real comments get rewards. This doesn't
great post.. I had most of those phones. As a teenager there were no cellular phones.. Mom got us a princess phone in our room and it hooked to the wall with rules when it could be used. My husband and I were some of the first in public to get mobile phones when they came out. I felt embarrassed to use it because people stared. haha.. before that we had a CB in the car. As far as before mobile phones my husband and I had beepers .. that way we could always be in touch with each other.
If it wasn't for work, I could go without for a while
Very true
nice info
I suggest you leave better comments. 'nice' may be considered spam and get you flagged. Steemit is about conversations. Have fun
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