| Cell phones are arguably one of the biggest impact | | | | Cell phones now have a variety of multimedia options |
| inventions of the past twenty years. Although | | | | available for download at an additional fee. The list |
| telephones are nothing new, cell phones have | | | | includes the "essential" and the trivial, including ringtones, |
| revolutionized how people communicate, for better or | | | | wallpapers, games, and music. This is one area where |
| for worse. It's easier than ever to communicate with | | | | the cell phone market could improve; the options are |
| people anywhere in the world. Phones are no longer | | | | typically somewhat mediocre in quality while expensive |
| used just to speak with people, but now offer a | | | | compared to the other downloads out there. |
| variety of extra features such as texting, cameras, | | | | Unfortunately, there are a couple downsides to this |
| and access to the Internet. Phones are getting thinner | | | | tremendous invention. The actual telephone part of the |
| and thinner, all while providing more function than ever | | | | cell phone is being commonly overlooked or ignored, |
| before. | | | | with far more focus being given to the extra gizmos |
| Almost 100 years ago, people began fantasizing about | | | | and fashion statement behind the phone. |
| the possibility of a wireless phone. However, it took | | | | Even more of a problem, the cell phone has been |
| several decades for the idea to evolve. Twenty years | | | | attributed with increasingly poor etiquette and |
| ago, the impact and global reach of cell phones would | | | | discourtesy. People are continuously asked to turn off |
| have been unfathomable. The first cell phones were | | | | or silence their phones before entering quiet places like |
| ridiculously large and heavy, quite unlike the small, sleek | | | | theaters, libraries, and places of worship. However, |
| models that are so popular now. | | | | since there is little way to enforce these rules, people |
| In regards to phone design, there are three main types | | | | are repeatedly embarrassed when their phone |
| of phones seen on the market right now: basic "flat" | | | | unexpected goes off at the most inconvenient or |
| phones, flip phones, and slider phones. There are also a | | | | inappropriate times. |
| few other types of designs popping up for those in the | | | | It has become increasingly common for people to use |
| market for high-end phones, such as touch-screen | | | | their cell phones while driving, whether for calling |
| phones, and those with two sides of interface. | | | | somebody or sending a text. Every year, many |
| Features such as voicemail, caller ID, and voice dial are | | | | accidents are blamed on inattentive drivers who were |
| no longer pricey upgrades to phone service, but a part | | | | distracted by their phone. So far, the only method for |
| of the basic phone plan. Although for many people it's | | | | reducing these accidents has been to ban cell phone |
| hardly an "option," text messaging is by far the most | | | | use while driving. |
| popular upgrade on the market. Most cell phone | | | | Technology never ceases to blow people away. Even |
| service providers have a high per-text fee (around | | | | though the cell phones of today seem remarkable |
| twenty cents per text) as well as several texting | | | | compared to Alexander Graham Bell's first |
| packages that are far more affordable. Because so | | | | can-and-string device, phones will continue to evolve. |
| many customers, teenagers especially are addicted to | | | | Phones are no longer just for calling people, but just |
| texting (sending thousands every month), the unlimited | | | | one small feature of a larger "smartphone" capable of |
| texting package is extremely popular in the United | | | | so much more. |
| States. | | | | |