The emergence of the cell phone into society brought about a huge impact on the way we communicate with the outside world. Cell phones have inundated our society to the point that everyone has one. On April 3, 1973, at a public demonstration and using a heavy 30-ounce phone, Martin Cooper placed the first cell phone call to his rival at AT&T Bell Labs from the streets of New York City.(Marples, 2008) Since this date the way we use the telephone has changed significantly. I can remember the early 1990’s and everyone wanting to have the “bag phone”. This phone was located inside of a tote bag the size of a purse that you could carry around with you. People paid huge deposits in order to have one and the price to maintain service was phenomenal. Now, we either pay by two year contract or month to month depending on the type of service you want.
The cell phone has basically put into extinction the landline phone as well as the use of phone booths. Most people have gotten rid of the landline phones in favor of portable service. In the words of my husband, “I don’t want anyone having that much access to me!”. I don’t blame him. Getting rid of your phone enables everyone to have access to you 24/7 unless you are like me and cut your phone off after 8pm. If you want me you better have my home number. Phone booths have also mysteriously disappeared. There used to be one on every corner and at least a station of them in the malls. Now you will be lucky to find one within 20 miles of your home.
Cell service has, with all of its new gadgets made life a little easier for some. We can now email, receive instant messages and chat online and also create and send documents to business meetings. The cell phone has many of the capabilities of the computer. For in its own right it is a mini version of a desktop computer.
I can’t help but get nostalgic about phones though. I grew up with rotary dial phones and was super excited when we got push button phones in our home. I remember the days of waiting in line for the phone at home and being made when I got a busy signal when I called home. None of these things occur now because call waiting is standard on every phone package now.
Cell phones have ushered in the phone companies marketing skills and they are now starting to look into the cellular business as a way to keep revenue coming in. Cox cable will start a new program offering cellular service according to an employee of the company. They are losing money to companies like Skype and others who offer phone service through the computer. Newer versions of the phones themselves will likely replace the current versions. There are 3-D phones out now and just about every phone system has the ability to surf the net and create and change documents.
Reference:
Marples, G.(2008) The History of Cell Phones – A Vision Realized.Retrieved from http://www.thehistoryof.net/history-of-cell-phones.html
Toni,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your tetrad and reading your post. Your husband sounds like my best friend, she has the exact same argument. I think that the whole "where are you" thing has led to many interpersonal conflicts. People now feel like they have to have a tab on other people. Even with Facebook mobile, it now says exactly where I am when I make a post, not a feature that I like at all! Do you think that cell phones take away from personal time that people used to use to read, reflect, rest, exercise? I love the commercial on TV where the father switches off the power just so he can get his family to come together for dinner. In this mobile society, have we come to a point where we need to be connected in order to feel relevant? And if this happens, what happens to our home lives?