Walking around campus the past few years, it would be almost impossible not to see someone chatting away on a cell phone, before, after or even during class. Their ubiquitous presence can attest to their popularity and growing use, especially among college students.
Not only are cell phones becoming more of an everyday occurrence, but their sizes and features are changing all the time as companies vie to outdo each other in the technological race for customers.
According to the cellular phone providers, it may not be an uncommon sight in the near future to see a person talking to themselves on their cell phone’s earpieces while downloading music, watching television and checking their e-mail on their cell phone — perhaps even all at the same time.
A process that used to take a relatively large amount of time can now be accomplished in just a few seconds. Whether it is through voice-activated calling from almost any location or text messaging, it is becoming faster and easier to communicate with other people.
What used to be the unwieldy phones of the past are becoming smaller and in some cases, extremely thin, such as the Motorola RAZR phone, or the upcoming SLVR model, that fits in the palm of one’s hand. There are so many different styles of phones and features that it may be difficult to choose a service.
According to the management at a local Verizon store, phones used as modems and PDAs are pretty popular right now, as well as phones that function as MP3 players. PDAs are Personal Data Assistants: They can carry names, numbers, e-mail addresses and entries for a calendar.
Verizon said in order to stay competitive, they need to know their competition and advertise through “word of mouth.”
Cingular has been promoting its RAZR phones, PDAs and MP3 phones along with trying to have their phones access the Internet, said Melissa Smith, a manager at a Cingular store. Cingular’s current objective is “looking towards expanding better coverage,” Smith said.
In order to stay ahead in the sales race for cell phone technology, Smith said her store tries to also succeed in advertisements, good customer service and prices.
According to Ryan Spargo, a student at UT and former U.S. Cellular employee, there are many issues concerning cell phone technology. These include medical issues such as cancer, which he does not think is as big an issue today as in the past, or the possibility of surgically implanting cell phones in the future.
“Cell phone technology is going to start blending with current technology,” Spargo said. “You almost cannot buy a phone without a camera in it.”
Spargo also thinks that in the future people will not want smaller cell phones anymore and may be returning to sizes reminiscent of the past.
“Cell phones are becoming more than a tool; they’re becoming a way of life,” said Nathan Nelson, a student at Pellissippi State Technical Community College and a U.S. Cellular agent. An example he gives is the situation in Japan and Europe, where people use cell phones in many areas other than direct voice to voice communications.
Even though cell phones may simplify life to a degree and make a lot of tasks simpler and easier, there are some things you should be aware of before passing along personal information when using and buying cell phones.
According to the Federal Communications Commissions Web site, the FCC is addressing issues that have been brought up concerning cell phone technology, which includes privacy. The filing of call records and safety of customer records from data brokers are one such problem. Another concern of the FCC is the practice of “slamming,” the illegal changing of a customer’s telephone service without permission.
