Plain Old Cell Phones Fading Away in U.S.

Yahoo! News ^ | February 3, 2004 | Ben Berkowitz

[El Conservador]

I've got a plain-old Nokia 3360.

Every time I go to school, both at UMSL and WU, and I see people with shiny, color-screen, camera-included, Web-capable phones make me want to switch.

I'm on a budget, but I think I'll eventually get one of the new phones.

[BikerTrash]

Personally, I can't wait for the day that I throw mine the hell away.

[pabianice]

Several months ago my lady and I were in the theater watching "Master and Commander." A phone rings. It's the girl sitting next to us. She takes the call.

I firmly believe that murdering someone whose phone rings in the movies should be considered justifiable homicide.

[trebb]

I consider myself fortunate in that I don't have a valid need for a cell phone. Even if I did, it would probably collect dust like any of the wristwatches I have owned.

[RandallFlagg]

Heh! I hucked mine 2 years ago. Haven't felt better.

Now I use a text-messaging email pager paid for by my work.

[dfwgator]

Becoming a Luddite gets more and more tempting.

[Lurker]

Clan Lurker has gone totally wireless except for one hardline into the house for a fax machine.

1100 minutes a month, plus 3000 nights and weekends, with long distance included after 7:00 PM. All that for 55 bucks a month.

That's two phones. It's a deal SBC can't come close to.

L

[KantianBurke]

don't have a cell and don't need one. When one needs to make a call, this should suffice:

[justlurking]

I went to upgrade my phone yesterday.

The only phone that appealed to me had a camera. I walked out, to wait for another phone without a camera to be introduced.

Most of my clients have strict policies against cameras on the premises. Cell phones with cameras are also prohibited.

A cell-phone left in my car isn't very useful to me.

[RedlegCPT]

I did once it was great. I would get rid of this one if I was not 45 minutes from the nearest town.

[AppyPappy]

Good luck finding one today. I just borrow someone's cell phone. Theatres are a good place to pick one up.

[Riley]

I've got a plain-old Nokia 3360.

Exactly what I've got. Now, I see them in bubble pack at 7-11, sold as 'pre-paid phones'.

I am perfectly happy with the thing. I may be a geek by trade, but it does what I want it to do, so I have no plans to switch anytime soon.

[philosofy123]

1100 minutes anywhere anytime? = 3000 nights and weekend for $55? What a deal! Who is the provider, and do you get good signal, and good service? Thanks

[AmericanInTokyo]

Its always a 'reverse culture shock' and kinda' like walking into a darned time machine and going backwards, everytime I travel from Asia (Japan specifically) back to the US. US cell phones are so ugly, bulky looking with no frills, so uninteresting and years behind what is available in Asia. Of course, people drive much more in the States and have less time to talk on the phone, where as a highly mobile population in Asia which walks alot and meets outside in large groups much more socially, would have the need for such technology.

[South40]

I've got a plain-old Nokia 3360.

So do I. It was free with the account. I need a phone not a camera.

[NYFriend]

All I want is a digital/analog, durable, DURABLE, phone witha decent battery life that will fit in my pocket. I'm worried that by the time I get rid of my current phone (which doesn't fit in my pocket, the V60's will be gone and replaced by some color-screen-camara-having-video-game piece of crap for $600.

[Huck]

My job just bought me my first cell phone--a motorola t-720. I am not using the txt msging or the web. I don't even know if it has a camera. I didn't read the manual yet. But the phone works.

[GigaDittos]

Pay Phones: These will soon be history; they are already being reduced very quickly.

[justlurking]

aI'm worried that by the time I get rid of my current phone (which doesn't fit in my pocket, the V60's will be gone and replaced by some color-screen-camara-having-video-game piece of crap for $600.

I have a V60. It's the best phone I have.

But where I live, it's already "gone". The cellular carrier has converted to GSM, and I need to upgrade to a GSM phone in order to get the better service plans.

But, the GSM version of the V60 isn't compatible with their system. So, I can't get it here.

[Judith Anne]

So, who's your provider?

I'm stuck with my US Cellular contract till October, but I've enjoyed it--73 a month for more service than I can use, and two phones...Yes, the old Nokias, but I don't need games (or cameras). Yours sounds superior, though.