Mobile Phones

I don't know how we survived in the days before mobile phones. I was thinking back to an experience I had when I was a teenager and didn't have the luxury of being able to get a hold of one of my parents. My kids have no problem getting a hold of me at any time and that is very convenient.

I got my first cell or mobile phone when I was in College. I was doing consulting for a glove manufacturing company in the Seattle area and attending school in Utah. If there was a database problem, I wanted my client to be able to reach me at any time. On more than one occasion the phone would ring while I was in class. I would silence the phone, excuse myself from the classroom, and take the call. It was a great system that got me through school without any student loans.

I was glad to see phones get smaller as my first phone was one of the original Motorola "bricks." It weighed about a pound and was too large to fit in a pocket. I was glad when the next generations of flip-phones appeared. They were much smaller and could be carried discretely.

Eventually my wife joined us mobile phone users when I needed a Christmas gift and didn't know what to get her. I was doing a lot of travelling and it was nice to be able to give her a call when my plane landed. It made it easier to pick me up at the airport. Shortly after that it seemed like the mobile phone craze really exploded.

We waited until my oldest daughter was 15 before we got her a phone. We figured she was learning to drive and would need a phone in case of emergencies. Oh how she loved her phone. For me, the mobile phone had always been just a communications tool. For my daughter, it was an extension of her personality. She would change the wallpaper to match her mood of the day. When there were too many other phones like hers being carried by friends at school, she spent her money to replace the phone's plastic casing. Instead of a plain black cover, her phone sported a pink one with flowers.

As for me, I didn't see the point in wasting money on something I kept hidden in my pocket. In fact I continued to use the simplest model phone even when they started getting all sorts of new features. After all, who needs a phone that is also a camera?

Last year I finally made the switch to an iPhone. I was hired by a company that would require me to have constant e-mail access and I figured I would give the iPhone a try. I thought about the Blackberry and the Blackjack but heard so many good things about the iPhone and decided on it. I would have to say that I haven't been disappointed.

My mobile phone is primarily a mobile phone. I also need it to work where I am. That includes at my house as well as at Snowbird Ski Resort where I spend most of my free time. The iPhone does that quite well. It also has a great e-mail program that is easy to use and has been crucial for work. I have been able to respond to important e-mails while riding the chairlift and that was the main reason from switching from a simple phone to a smart one.

I never thought I would use the iPhone's camera. However it comes in handy to help document a Scout campout or take pictures of a tire for an online classified ad. I also use the map application when I find myself looking for the closest Home Depot on the opposite end of town. Furthermore the map shows traffic conditions so that if there is an accident, I can avoid it. Finally, there are all those other applications that you can get from the app store. I have a couple of games like Risk and Air Hockey that keep me occupied when I find myself waiting somewhere.

I still don't consider my mobile phone to be an extension of my personality. However it is nice to carry one device can do more than just be a phone.