Cell phones

Ok here's an essay I made for my english class. Just discuss about my arguments and sorry for my spelling :(

Most people now have a cell phone. Cell phone is a technology that evolves quickly in many ways. Anyhow, it is not really improving in the domain of communication, but entertainment. Are cell phones becoming computers? Now it’s possible to play games, chat, take pictures, watch TV and download music. All these are features to increase the cost of your cell, but we don’t realize that we can all do those things at home.

First of all, Fido made a new type of cell phone recently that has MSN messenger on it. You could text message way before, but now MSN is involved. This shows that instead of simply calling someone and talk, you take more time to text a message and send it. Talking goes much faster. On a positive note, chatting is a silent way to communicate without having to disturb anyone. We have to be careful though, because the time you take to send those messages probably involves having to pay more since you take more time using your cell phone and this is one of the tricks that companies use to make more money.

Some models of cell phone allow people to watch TV anywhere they can use their cell phone (hospitals, movie theatres, for example, don’t allow cell phones). Instead of sitting on a sofa at home and watch television, which does not cost a lot of money since it does not consume that much electricity, you pay more to watch the news in the bus or in the train when you also have newspapers that are made to keep you aware of what’s going on. All this to say that there is no point in buying a cell phone with a TV option.

After Ipod, Cell phone companies decided to allow their customers to download music on their cell phones to entertain them. Slowly, CDs are becoming obsolete and so are walkmans. Fido,Bell,Telus…etc. All these companies are constantly making new models allowing customers download more and more music. All this in order to make more money, of course.

Playing games and taking pictures are two options that aren’t as useless as the other features possible on a cell. Those are still tricks to spend more though. As for the games, cell phones are trying to replace the gameboys, but cannot prevail at it because they don’t have the trendy games. We could also consider that on long trips, you can change your gameboy’s batteries with a new ones (plus you can have many regular batteries) while as a cell phone battery is expensive and needs to be reloaded for a certain amount of time. As for the pictures, they replace digital cameras, but those cameras can offer pictures with a much better quality and also can be shared easily by E-mails. Of course, seeing that almost everyone has a cell, it’s better to share pictures from cell to cell, but the fact remains that digital camera offer pictures with better sizes and quality.

To conclude, cell phones are becoming an entertainment tool instead of a communication tool. We can play games, take pictures. Watch TV, chat and download music on different models and more is coming up. What is next? Downloading movies and watch them? People keep consuming these things. We spend more time worrying about what the person next to you would think of your ringtone than who you need to call today.


Discuss.

the added features of cell phones arent meant to replace anything. Its just there to add more functionality. You cant always carry around a camera with you, and having one on your phone makes a lot of sense. Likewise, PDAs are expenisve, and a lot of people tend to get intimidated by gadgets, but not by phones. So they tend to find phones easier to use, whether or not they are.

What were you trying to argue? There doesnt really seem to be anything in your essay thats contentious enough for it to be in the war board.

I think that depends pretty heavily on what sort of contract you have. I'd say overall that your point is correct, but not for the right reasons. With modern communication, there tends to be a lot fo very shallow exchanges. whereas in previous times you had to try harder toi contact someone, you would try to make that contact as meaningful as possible. With the advent on instant or near instant global communication, such thought and depth is generally discarded, as its always easy to spend time correcting yourself if there is a misunderstanding or the like. previously, you would have had to take the time to explain your message and make sure that it was as good as it could be. now, no such caution is needed, nor is it generally excersized, sadly.

Also, you 'spell' iPod with a capital 'p' and a small 'i', not the other weay around.

That also prooves that I do not have an iPod ;)

I'm sorry Raptor, but I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me.

What I got was: "You din't spell Game Boy right. Walkman and Game boys cannot be in an essay for school."

But could you tell me why it shouldn't be in an essay?

That's not what he was saying at all.. He was saying that "Game Boy" and "Walkman" are official product names, and that you should spell them correctly if you're going to use them in an academic essay.. There are no such words as "gameboy" and "walkman" in the English language. There are however, products whose official titles are "Game Boy" and "Walkman". So if you're going to mention them in your essay, spell them the way they are supposed to be spelled. Get it now?

I'm not sure what you want me to argue here. Do you want me to proof read your essay, or do you want me to be a devils advocate? Also, I think you're arguing against yourself in some points- first you say that it's improving communication by adding text messages, then you say that it's not by adding games.

I abhor phones and portable entertainment, especially now that they have become one in the same. If you give people the liberty to perform these functions whenever they want, they will do so at all the wrong times.

Camera functions allow taking spur-of-the-moment photos that I can share with my friends. Personally, I like having Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" ringtone along with my Katamari Damacy "Cherry Tree Times" ringtone to customize which ringtone I get when certain people call. The photos aren't the best quality, but I'd be willing to sacrifice quality to take a you-had-to-have-been-there photo. Just the other day my friend told me he went to a crazy wet t-shirt party and showed me a video clip from his phone. Talk about a neat function!

Having a messenger on a cell phone is good too, because there are practical uses for it. If I were to register my phone with my messenger, people could IM me (for something important, I hope) when I'm not actually online. I have family in distant locations, so this is particularly useful. Sometimes I get quick messages that don't really require a reply, but are still good to get. My boyfriend's studying group has a guy who didn't have a phone and only used his messenger to contact people.

Cell phones with television options can be put to good use as well. Some people care to keep up with sports. Others care to keep up with the latest dramas but are stuck at a desk job on a slow day. Using the television function during a long bus ride or a road trip sounds like a plan to me.

CDs will not become obsolete unless some other form of recording technology replaces them. No matter the cell phone, the quality of a download just isn't as good as an official CD. Plus, you have to pay for each download, so nobody is suffering.

It's a no-brainer that expensive digital cameras take better photos than expensive cameraphones. You'd have to be a complete idiot to think you can't do these things at home.

Edit: My cameraphone allowed me to take a photo of Roger Clemens. Yeah. Win.

I miss the zac morris phones. Then you EARNED the convenience by lugging that bulky thing around. Mp3s, television, video games, etc are all pointless additions to probably the number one causer of female-related accidents aside from alcohol. Thanks, assholes. I liked your essay, in the sense that it made very basic sense. You could probably fluff it up more with how cell phones are becoming somewhat of a fashion statement, much like a car, in that the more mundane crap you can cram into it, the cooler you think you are (the generic you, generic as in "all the jerkoffs who believe this"). Also you could maybe address how annoying these functions can be to people who are merely in the same place as said jerkoff with said phone.

Wouldn't that indicate that users with great cell phones think they are cool for having said phone? I like to show off pictures, not functions. The functions are for me and only I have to know how to use them.

Seriously. If it's such a problem to carry an iPod and a cellphone around, then you don't need one of the two, or either. Camera phones aren't really that great (seeing as I have one) nor are other features you can use really that great. mp3s, games, etc, are all pretty mediocre on a phone.

I have an iPod and a cell phone, and I don't want something that combines the two. Even though my phone has a camera and video, I rarely use them. I also don't have any fancy ringtones. The main things I use my phone for are calling my family and talking to girls. That's about it for me, and maybe people will call me occasionally, too.

Cell phones are good for convenience.. but.. a lot of people use them at the wrong times.

I hate it when my customers are talking on a cell phone while I'm trying to check them out and stuff.. It's so rude! Can't they turn the phone off or set it on vibrate and answer at a later time? Geez.. Plus people pretty much scream at the top of their lungs while on the phone.. "HEY MAN I'M BUYIN GROCERIES RIGHT NOW!!!!" Everyone in the store doesn't need to know that.. or your personal problems either.

The picture thing is nice, but it's just an "extra", just like the ringtones and all that assorted other crap. Frankly, I just want a ringtone that isn't bloody annoying. Unfortunately most of the ones that came with my cheapo cell phone are awful. :p

A cell phone is good for emergencies and stuff.. and just a convenience in general.. And people.. STOP TALKING ON THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING! I don't care if you have a headset.. it's still a major distraction.. and it's hard enough to drive without trying to pay attention to a phone call.. especially if you're arguing with someone.. save it.. or at least pull over to the side of the road.. Someone rammed into my mom's car a few years ago because they were talking on the phone and didn't see her.. they weren't even looking! Apparently that phone call was more important than his own life.

Other things.. don't use your cell phone during class or at work.. Turn it off! Especially the ringer! So we don't have to hear "SUP ALL MAH NIGGAS?!" in the middle of something important.. And at work.. We have to pick up the slack for you ****ers who insist on using your cell phone and texting and **** while you're supposed to be working.. argh..

Oh, and CDs aren't obsolete, not at all! Frankly, I much prefer having physical media than some download that could accidentally get deleted or whatever.. Plus you can always make countless digital copies from physical media.

I hate it when people speak loudly on the phone. When I'm on the phone I talk quietly so my private conversation doesnt become everyone elses.

I was pretty stoked when I first got my cell-phone, last year. People had tried to give me prepaid cell phones, and I'd refuse them because I never cared much about having a cell phone. But I got a T-mobile contract last year, and I loved my phone.

But about two months ago, I decided to stop paying the bill, so they shut it off. And honestly, it's been great. It's been awesome being able to go places and not be bothered. It's been nice to not be always available. Of course, you could say that I could just turn my phone off if I wish not to be bothered. But then people ask why I turned my phone off when they were trying to call me, and I have to make up some excuse about why I couldn't talk to them when they called me while I was in line at the bank.

Life is much more peaceful without carrying a cell phone. For me, anyway.

My parents like to speak on the phone in living room when I'm watching TV. I turn up the TV extra loud when they do, even if they're talking to their boss. IT'S A MOBILE PHONE, YOU CAN LEAVE THE ROOM.

My parents are thinking about getting rid of our home phone and getting me a cell phone. I don't want that to happen. I swear I'd have it off almost all the time. If people asked me why, I'd just say, "It's what I do."

Speedfreak reminded me that my parents talk obscenely loud when they are on any phone, especially if they turn it on speaker phone. I really don't understand why.