Cell phone (cellular telephone) noun. A portable telephone that uses wireless cellular technology to send and receive phone signals. This technology works by dividing the Earth into small regions called cells. Within each cell the wireless telephone signal goes over its assigned bandwith to a cell tower, which relays the signal to a telephone switching network, connecting the user to the desired party.
April 3, 1973 marked the day of the first cellular phone to be introduced to mass culture by inventor, Dr. Martin Cooper. The original intent to create this device was not fulfilled. People could put in phone calls, business or casual, without being permanently attached to a wall, or being electrically shocked each time they wandered more than 20 feet away from the portable phone’s base. You could climb a mountain, grocery shop, play baseball, take a joy ride, wash your car, all while talking on the phone.
SMS text messaging systems, introduced in the 1990s, were the beginning of the downfall to the dignity of cell phones, and that of every person who owned one. Whether text messaging was initiated for convenience, humankind’s total inability to deal with direct confrontation, or perhaps an exercise to reduce cancer risk, I am unsure; but for some reason spending five minutes typing a conversation that could be said in two is much more desirable.
Now, cell phones, along with their tiny size, come equipped with cameras, games, music, email, navigation systems, texting and, oh-hey, you can call people too.
Someone could literally live in one room with nothing in it but a cell phone and have a pretty “fulfilling” (in current culture’s definition) life. Sit in there with you IPhone, Blackberry Storm, Samsung Glyde or the LG Voyager and keep in touch with friends and family through word and picture texts (but definitely do not, just don’t call them). Keep up with current events by visiting NewYorkTimes.com, or watch live news broadcast from NBC and ABC. Bored? Download a widget! I hear that “Jumping Papi” is fun. Hungry? Just order from one of those grocery delivery stores – some say tha you can even save money; without having to drive and use up expensive gasoline. Need to pay your life bill to Verizon? Guess what? You can do it on there too.
It is arguable whether inventor, Dr. Martin Cooper, was aware of the effects that the –then 30 ounce brick - would have on society. Did he know that people would become more and more impatient, greedy, irresponsible, and - alright I’ll say it – stupid? Instead of 10—year-olds reading Anne of Green Gables we have them on plastic “text machines” with teenage phenomenon’s, Hannah Montana, face plastered on every square inch of the thing. The invention has made it physically impossible for people to plan ahead. Why would you want any sort of stability when you can cancel, change, and confirm it in three seconds at any time of the day? And, if possible, it has sped up culture to a speed impossible to keep up with.
It is unimaginable to me what other additions could be made to the cell phone now, because it seems as if everything already has. But given the pattern of this thought arising right before a new model of he IPhone comes out, which is practically every day, it’s most likely not a very substantial one.
Cell phone (way of life) noun. Instant gratification.
Sweet Image.
ReplyDeleteI like your empty room reference...as well as the picture. It sybolizes the bubble we are in that exists with just the cell phone. They can practically do everything for us in terms of entertaining or consuming our time. Good work.
ReplyDeleteNicely put. I like how you used background information and how you can do everything with a cell phone this is really true. The way you set up the blog with the real definition of what a cell phone is at the beggining of the blog and at the you put your own spin on the definition of what a cell phone is and I think you are so right people just love their cell phones so much that it is the way of life. People are so obssessed with them. Great job.
ReplyDeleteGreat historical information. Great use of definition to open the article. Very well written and witty. Very cynical. Very delicious.
ReplyDeleteI think it's clear that everybody enjoys your tone and style. You've got a great way with a turn-of-phrase and you know how to pick up style points with devices like the "Dictionary" frame. Good stuff. You've also got your factual bases covered well--tho' it would be even better if you provided links!! to the information you're mentioning here.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see you put these skills to work in something that digs a little deeper, though. While I enjoyed your performance and learning a little more about phone history (seriously!), I kinda feel like I already knew a lot of what you said about cell phones as a cultural phenomenon. This is a tough topic because so much has been said about the way cells have changed our society, but the way you write shows me that you've got the ingenuity to come up with something we haven't noticed before.