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Life without a cell phone

theawl.com

1–10 of 26 posts

Re: Life without a cell phone

#2
I did this until last year when I broke down and got a phone because I wanted to get into mobile development. It was worth it (financially), but the freedom she talks about in not owning a cell phone is real - and I miss it.

Re: Life without a cell phone

#3
I've been seriously considering cutting AT&T out, and just using skype over wifi. I hardly ever make or receive phone calls - everything is SMS or email.

The thing that keeps me from it is the knowledge that, with a data plan, I don't have to worry about getting lost. With a data plan, I can be certain my contacts are backed up. With a data plan, I'll get that SMS when I get off the subway and plans have changed. And that I'll never be able to get the same data plan I'm grandfathered into.

Re: Life without a cell phone

#5
Apart from one valid point (low attention span), this article reeks of confirmation bias. Certainly, if you google "cell phones and brain tumor" and go to the FUD sites, you will get enough fodder to peddle that viewpoint. Here's a reliable source:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones

Re: Life without a cell phone

#6
I'm about to do this and am actually looking forward to it. I cut the TV cord over 2 years ago and haven't missed it. There have been days I forget to bring my cell phone in (it's an older Blackberry model). The only thing I've used it for is to check my email and text messaging, all which is accessible on the web.

Re: Life without a cell phone

#7
post #2

I did this until last year when I broke down and got a phone because I wanted to get into mobile development. It was worth it (financially), but the freedom she talks about in not owning a cell phone is real - and I miss it.

That sounds like a loss of freedom to me. How about the freedom to not answer your phone when you don't want to be bothered?

Re: Life without a cell phone

#8
post #7
post #2

I did this until last year when I broke down and got a phone because I wanted to get into mobile development. It was worth it (financially), but the freedom she talks about in not owning a cell phone is real - and I miss it.

That sounds like a loss of freedom to me. How about the freedom to not answer your phone when you don't want to be bothered?

It's like that blinking light on the Blackberry -- ignorable in principle, but irresistible in practice.

Re: Life without a cell phone

#10
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like a loss of freedom to me. How about the freedom to not answer your phone when you don't want to be bothered?

It's like that blinking light on the Blackberry -- ignorable in principle, but irresistible in practice.

Out of sight, out of mind. And put your phone in silent mode if you don't want to hear it. It's all about self control. If someone does not have that, then maybe a cell phone really isn't for them.
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