Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Blessing or Curse

Is your cell phone an occasional convenience or a constant necessary business tool?

Do you like to be constantly available to all and sundry who might decide to call you or do you like being having time free from interruptions?

How essential have they become to everyone from kids to grannies?

Everyone has their own answers and reasons why they want or don't want such a convenience.

I like having one, although I can go days without sending or receiving a call or text. Sometimes I even forget to turn it on. It'd be different if I depended on it for business, but it's just for my convenience when I'm out that I have it. I've had several different models and now have a Samsung Galaxy S, which is more computer than phone I'm thinking. Someday I'll learn to use more of the functions and download more 'apps'. In the meantime, I'm thankful for a son-in-law who is a computer guy and comes over to solve my problems.

My husband, on the other hand, lives and dies by his Blackberry. This past weekend was a real challenge for him. His phone 'white screened' on Friday. He couldn't even turn it off without taking the battery out. There was no place open all weekend where he could get it fixed. One outlet told him that when the phone white screens it has to be totally reset...meaning that he'd lose all his data. He went into withdrawal...depression...frustration...you name it. Easily 80% of his business is conducted via Blackberry. The chiefs call and text him at any time of the day or night. All his contacts (and he has hundreds), all his appointments, travel claim information, etc. are in his Blackberry - with no backup or easy paper source. He was lost. On the upside, he had a peaceful weekend without the nuisance of phone calls and text messages. Finally on Monday he was able to take his phone back to where he bought it only to be told that the software had crashed, as we had already been told. They fixed it - loaded new software - and gave it back to him, completely empty of all his important information. He'll be spending hours inputting his contact list, contacting his assistant for his appointment schedule (he has missed several appointments already) and recreating his business life.

I think we have become too dependent on these little tyrants. When they rebel and trash our vital information, we're lost.

I'm going to use my phone for fun and convenience. I still have an old-fashioned paper address book, and write appointments on an old fashioned wall calendar. While I love and appreciate all this new technology, I'm going to remember to keep paper backups of important stuff. No paperless world for me!

And Lloyd's happy now and looking forward to retirement when he can use his cell phone for enjoyment rather than as a business tool.

8 comments:

RoeH said...

Okay .. here goes. I actually hate cell phones and I've got one. And I will never understand how we got to the point so fast where we cannot miss a telephone call. I don't get that. If I miss a call.. I really don't care. They'll call back or I will call them. I've got a cousin that has to keep in constant reach of her children 24 hours a day and they are over 50 years old now! The nice thing about cell phones is that they are a wonderful help when I am traveling alone. But even then...when I get out into the parts of the western states that have no cell phone service, I'm still out of luck. I could go on but I'll give you a break. :))

Wendy said...

I don't have a cell phone and have never wanted one. I don't like making phone calls - can't understand these people who walk through the malls or down the sidewalk with their phone to their ear, completely oblivious to everything else going on around them. I love being away from the phone, all by myself, with my own thoughts.
Okay, sorry, that's my rant for today. I know I'm a little old-fashioned but I prefer to stay that way.

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

I gave up my cell phone when the contract expired. And other than when I have to go out of town, I don't miss it. It's wonderful to not be tethered to a phone; and I love telling people that I don't have one.

However, I have to add that I'm very grateful that my children have cell phones and I can reach them (and vice versa) whenever needed.

Mickey said...

And here I text'd you this morning just because I could and it was fun chatting back & forth, & even sharing pics of our day! Your pics were cuter than mine! but thx for showing me how to do it. I really only use it for safety and convenience. The new features on our phones are pretty awesome ie the GPS & photo sending.

Kath said...

Being in the trucking business the cell phones are a blessing. When someting important happens you can get in contact with them instantly instead of calling ahead to their next destination. Which may be 100 miles away!! Like if a load cancels!!!
My phone is with me constantly. Its even my alarm clock. Truckers call when having issues on the road all hours of the day and night.
In the past couple years the one night I did NOT take my phone to bed with me is the night Dirk called to come get him at 2am to take him to the doctor.
Of course the last 2 weeks of Maria being pregnant I kept my phone VERY close by!! Every minute!! :)
To answer your question I think cell phones are a handy tool.
I dislike people loudly using them in restaurants. And definitely not in church!! And yes I even went to a funeral awhile back where a phone went off!! Rude.
I LOVE texting.(NOT while driving!!) I send the truckers all their load info via text so there is no misunderstanding and they have the info at all times. Names of towns, streets, etc not misunderstood cuz of bad tower.
We really like the feature that when you send phone numbers in a text they can click on it and call!!
And texting works pretty easy to tell teenagers when its time to get their butts home!!! Ya know they ALWAYS check their texts!!!
I have been told I need to get a new one as mine is old and that it could crash!! hmmm...maybe I should seriously consider that???

Kath said...

Ummmm... that comment didnt look so windy in a small box!! lol

Anonymous said...

I remember years ago before there were cell phones how much I would enjoy a long drive with my stereo cranked up. No untimely interuptions: just me, my music and the road.
In 2010, we live in a global economy and events half way around the world instanteously impact us in ways we could never have imagined. We find ourselves living with the expectation that we always be prepared to process situations and react immediately with solutions. We may not like it but it's essential to survival in the modern era if we choose to be a part of mainstream society.
To those who can opt out because they have retired or chosen an alternative lifestyle, then good for you. Unfortunately, many of us do not have the luxury of that choice due to work responsibilities of the 21st century.
When the printing press was invented, it was seen as both a great opportunity as well as a threat to society. Certainly the creation of the internet and the explosion of electronic devices that followed, create the same kind of dilemma. But there's no turning back folks.
Lloyd

Chatty Crone said...

I have to say I am like you - some days I don't even turn it on! sandie