I think it's amazing how the voice function alone of the cell phone helps to coordinate our lives while on the run. It's hard for me to imagine how life was before cell phones and how people couldn't take advantage of time as they do now. What if you wanted to make a call to a business, which you can only make it in business hours, and if you were not at home during business hours you weren't able to call them.
Cell phones are such useful tools. If plans change you can let someone else know on time. For example, once I was going to have lunch with a friend after class at 12:15. She was at her place and by 12:05 she was going to leave in order to pick me up on campus. My class finished early and I called her to let her know I was out already. She said she would be on her way. She was able to know I got out early because I called her, without that call I would have had to wait, and I would have wasted my time waiting.
Along with the cell phone, another type of etiquette appeared, the cell phone etiquette. While I'm at church, class, a theater, or closed, silent space I don't answer calls because I think it's rude for everyone else. I also put my cell phone in silent mode when I am in those kinds of places because I don't want to interrupt what is going on.
I think cell phones have impacted face-to-face communication in both good, and bad ways. Some people may plan a face-to-face interaction by phone, but some other people might only have the interaction by phone and never get together.
Cell phones let you be in contact with everyone more easily. You can organize plans, maintain contact with people that are in different states or even make long distance calls. Long distance calls are especially important for me because I am from Panama and I can stay in touch with my family and friends that way. The not so good part is that I am available 24/7 and if a friend feels like calling me at 5:00a.m. she/he is able to.
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