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[Cerebus]

$100 a month? That's gay. Are phones that expensive in the U.S.?

Welcome back, though!

[drenrin2120]

Yep, some people pay more. I don't get it. Most people have laptops with internet connection or netflix and flash aren't even close to being that cool.

[Archem]

$100 a month? That's gay. Are phones that expensive in the U.S.?

It depends a little, but yeah, lots of service providers gouge big time.

[Cerebus]

Ew. Mine's like half of that and I even have unlimited calls to the U.S.
On the other hand, you guys don't have a download limit with your Internet providers...

[Archem]

Well...

[MissingName]

My friends say I'm old fashioned for saying smartphones are useless.  Too expensive, too much crap.

[Archem]

That's dumb. They are useful by being a handful of other gadgets wrapped into one. Sure, we have computers, but the idea here is that they're a computer that, while less powerful that the one you have back home, is always with you. They're your phone, your weather forecast, your email, your GPS, your camera, your clock, calendar, alarm, your music player, your Game Boy, and yes, even your phone. On top of that, there are the countless apps available that add features, like banking information, product information via barcode scanner, music discovery system (for when you want to know what that song on the radio is), recipe book, and more.

Hell, they're even a TV for if you have kids that you need to shut up.

Don't call them useless just because you don't have one (I was there once, I know how you think). Just because they seem to be used largely for Facebook and Angry Birds by tweens doesn't mean that they don't have any legitimate use. They're incredibly damn useful. That's why they're so common, so popular, and used to be that thing only rich businessmen had (and is now an essential).

[drenrin2120]

I had a smartphone for a while. It was awesome, but I didn't need it. So I got rid of it. I don't care what people decide to waste their money on, but I'm willing to wager the majority of smart phone owners don't need them or utilize them effectively.

[Archem]

Such is the case of advancing technology. However, the same could be said of other high-tech gadgets, such as computers...

[drenrin2120]

True. I don't necessarily "need" my laptop... but we all know I do.

[Prpl_Mage]

Since I got one of these they don't seem so special and flashy anymore. I used to give 10 year olds with these kind of phones a queer look since it just seemed unreasonable to me.
But well, it's a phone and the texting system is all messed up. I can access the interwebs and the screens aren't bad anymore. Also zerow, that voltorb flip inspired game. Great timeslayer.

Only problem I've noticed is that it tries to connect to all sorts of wireless internet connections and that it drains battery like mad. Needs to be charged like everyday or you'll run out of juice.

Also, I got one of those ZTE, they aren't that expensive. A phone without touch screen and such costs about the same.

[Archem]

Only problem I've noticed is that it tries to connect to all sorts of wireless internet connections and that it drains battery like mad. Needs to be charged like everyday or you'll run out of juice.

Airplane mode. Doesn't make the thing fly, but it'll cut all wireless functions and keep your battery going. I think it makes it so your phone part disables, too... Maybe it's better to just manually disable the wireless features instead.

[Prpl_Mage]

Airplane mode. Doesn't make the thing fly, but it'll cut all wireless functions and keep your battery going.

Yeah I did that eventually, but like you said, no calls or texts arrive when it's on. They all pop up afterwards. But it's useful when you have to keep your focus up. Should force my students to do it.

[Moosetroop11]

hell it distracts all of my students.

Should force my students to do it.

I know you're modest and would never bring it up in conversation, but do you happen to have students?

[Archem]

I get the feeling that he teaches something.