Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

The main advantage is so you can call people when you want. Just turn off the ringer when you don't want to take calls. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

That's what I used to do. When I was living in Ireland, I always had my phone with me. I'd forget my keys, or my wallet or my smokes or my lighter, but I'd never forget my phone. The damn things just become indespensible after a while. But I think I had my ringer on literally less that 1% of the time. The rest of the time it was on vibrate so I knew if someone was after me, but I had the choice of ignoring them if I was busy, or just not in the mood for talking. And if I really didn't want to be bothered, they do have off buttons.

Now a question for those of you who do own cell phones: How much talking do you actually do on them versus text messaging? My old phone bills used to be 95% text messages because no one actually calls anyone unless it's really urgent. I'd think the fact that you have to pay for incoming calls (boo!) would make texts even more popular, or do you have to pay for recieved texts as well?

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

I think you generally have to pay for incoming text messages too (or they count against the monthly limit). Most providers offer an unlimited text message option, though.

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

There should be one flat fee that covers everything. No more of this on peek, off peek, weekends, before 7, after 7, text this, photo that, download that, other hidden fees that, and bulls**t fees! $50.00 for 2,500 minutes, unlimited texting, phone services, and long distance.

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

They have to take your money somehow, you expect service at a reasonable fee! how preposterous!

I used to carry a cellphone with me all the time, but I stopped because I hated people calling me all the time over pointless crap and text messaging is a joke.

I can't figure out why anyone would want to spend ten minutes typing out a text message that you can spend two seconds and call them with the bloody phone -- after all, that's what a cellphone is for!

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

The fiends! That probably explains why cell phones aren't as prolific as they are in Europe. Well, maybe prolific is the wrong word, but they get used more over there. Like, if you see a group of 4 or more people walking down a typical Dublin street, 1 out of the 4 will have their phone out, it's almost a guarantee. Over here, not so much. Over there, it's common to own multiple phones. One of my flatmates had a weekday phone, a weekend phone, and emergency phone, and a phone only used to call her parents. Over here, people look at you funny for having a lot of phones. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe prolific is the word I'm looking for. That's not to say that cell phones aren't prolific in North America, just that in Europe, they're more prolific. Hell, even the homeless over there have them!
Not sure what my point was after all that though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif I guess it's that over there the pricing schemes seem to encourage the use of the phones, while over here, the schemes seem to discourage their use. Which is odd.

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

I'd consider it a matter of etiquette. Phoning someone is sort of like saying, "Drop whatever it is you're doing and pay attention to me NOW!" which is rather rude and not considerate of the fact that the person might be busy at work, in the middle of class, or otherwise not available to take the call. Whereas a text message is sort of like saying, "Hey, I need to relay this information to you, but don't mean to interrupt what you're doing. Read this and respond when you can." Which is a fair bit more polite, don't you think?

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

Bingo. I especially appreciate text-messaging being married. My wife and I can exchange small, concise, useful pieces of information that don't interrupt my heavy workload. Texting is far more efficient when dealing with females; they love to talk.
I live in Los Angeles. I would say that cellphones are probably as "prolific" here as they are in Europe. Dealing with the unavoidable downtime of sitting in traffic, in a job where meetings and schedules and appointments dance on a razor's edge, the concept of life without a cellphone to me is unfathomable.

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

I must say I disagree about texting being more polite. After all, if you didn't want to be interrupted by the phone, you wouldn't have it on, would you? Therefore, by extension, it wouldn't be impolite to give them a call.

You could make the same arguement about a regular land-line that you made for cellphones. Perhaps we should all just stop talking and text everyone about everything? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Introducing the iPhone...
 

It takes me 2 seconds to turn off the ringer and let voice mail take the call.