How do you use your mobile phone?

[MichaelCorfman]

Mobile phones are becoming more sophisticated and the applications they provide are expanding by the day. In fact, as I announced today, the GPWA forums can now be accessed through a variety of mobile phone devices (see the announcement thread http://www.gpwa.org/forum/gpwa-forum...le-187696.html.

So for the question of the week I thought it would be interesting to find out how folks use their mobile phones. Check off what you do with your mobile phone, and be sure to post how your use has changed over time, what type of mobile phone you use, and what you do with your phone above and beyond the items you can check off in this week's question.

I'm interested to see what folks have to say. Many webmasters are techies, and techies definitely like their gadgets.

Michael

[TheGooner]

LOL - you left the main function off the list ... making phone calls.
That's the only thing that I do with my mobile phone too. Phone calls.

[Chalkie]

I use a Blackberry but not to it's full extent i have to say. No idea how to do a lot on it.

I remember my first suitcase - well phone - but it was as big as a small suitcase.

Used to be a market trader and on one particular market i had to run to the top of the far right field to answer the dam thing when it rang.

I then had one that i repaired with car body filler after i forgot i placed it on the roof when i filled the car up at the service stn. In those days they were so expensive and it was either repair or just pay the bill with no phone.

I always used to have to have the best and most recently released phone, now they are just a nuisance.

Bring back the days when you could sneak off to the pub and hide.

[Renee]

I'm one of those geeky people who use their phone for everything humanly possible...

Although I have to say, when I was in Barcelona and London for the last 2 conferences I went to I didn't have my phone and it was nice that I didn't have people calling and texting me all the time.. and nice that people couldn't reach me at all in Barcelona (although in London I took the blackberry with me which noone has the number of and i only use for emails)...

I also have an ipod touch which i use for anything on the internet when I'm at home and too lazy to turn on my laptop..

Biggest nerd in the world right here.. <=============

[penny-slot-machines]

I use mine for phone calls and texts only - mainly because that's all it does!

Most days I don't carry it with me, as I like my freedom...

[Laura B]

I feel lost without my (personal) phone incase I miss an important call. But, then I get home to where I left it - you guessed it - no calls for me

I think it's great in some respects that you can do so much with a phone, although I feel that some day, like chalkie, I will have had enough of it.

Anyway, when does a phone stop being a phone and just become some kind of multi-functional aid to your life, that just so happens to allows calls to be made?

[pompeyrayuk]

Poor saddo pomp is the 1st one to vote I Dont Have A Mobile Phone.

And thats the truth of it I dont own a mobile phone. mrspomp got 3 I think and all 4 kids got at least 2 each but me? HELL NO

[stevenkeseg]

Well, I must say that I am pretty much as Renee, I use my phone for everything... (I have a HTC P3300)

But... I hate my alarm clock, so I usually turn it off when it does sound and sleep for another 1-2 hours (so basically I miss my appointments and the "to do"-s in the morning, so the to do part should be renamed, what I should have done )

Steven

[ElaineGardiner]

Like most people, i feel lost without my phone. Sometimes when i've left it at home, i'll message the people who might, just might want to call me to let them know i've left it at home and they can call me on the landline LOL.

For a while i was carrying 2 mobiles around, one Maltese number and one uk...and when the uk number had no activity for months, i turned it off and put it in the drawer!

[alexpratt]

I use it for just about everything I can - I love my iPhone!!! Just wish the battery could keep up with me

Looking forward to playing real money poker on it!

[thepokerkeep]

I use mine for it's original purpose... I call people, and they call me. Other than that I use it to take pics when the need arises. Once in a while, someone will text me... I read the text and if I need to respond, I call them. I hate texting on a phone.

[jarvi]

Skype for the iPhone is one of the best things available. I have the subscription which gives me unlimited (subject to reasonable use of around six hours a day) land line calls to a heap of countries and for some it includes cell calls. A couple of days ago I sat here in the Caribbean and rang a mate in Pittsburgh on his cell and we spoke for over an hour at no cost. Well the $15 a month although that's a fixed cost.

It's just like calling using a regular telco without the large costs. I also have a local number back in Australia so people can call me on that for the cost of a local call and as long as I'm logged into Skype I get the call.

[Chips]

Mine is used only for phone calls. I have had the provider turn off text functions as I was weary of paying for dumb arse texts that people would send me. I find it much easier to talk than mash a ton of buttons to send a text.

When I was a district manager I had a phone growing out my ear and ran up over 3000 minutes a month. My current plan is 450 mins/mo. and I think my highest usage was 100 minutes. I do burn up the free M2M calls though.

Sometimes it's nice to be "old school"!

[JuliaS]

Phone calls mostly, and a few texts, although this comment made me laugh:

I find it much easier to talk than mash a ton of buttons to send a text.

Also, as an alarm clock, always. I wonder if the alarm clock business has dropped a lot since cell phones have become so prevalent?

[Renee]

Like most people, i feel lost without my phone. Sometimes when i've left it at home, i'll message the people who might, just might want to call me to let them know i've left it at home and they can call me on the landline LOL.

For a while i was carrying 2 mobiles around, one Maltese number and one uk...and when the uk number had no activity for months, i turned it off and put it in the drawer!

It's funny you mention your multiple sim cards..

I have a few old phones in the drawer too..

One has a greek sim card. One has a canadian sim card. One has another aussie sim card and the last one has none. It's just a spare.. And I also have the blackberry..

Just to make it clear, I don't walk around wearing a bandana, a wifebeater, or really baggy jeans and I don't carry a bum bug..

[RayUK]

I ticked 'other' and text messages, the other of course being 'making phone calls'. We don't pay to receive SMS or phone calls here so that isn't a problem. My phone is several years old, and doesn't do much at all, and I leave it off except when actually making calls. This is a habit I have got into as my day job is at a place where we aren't allowed to have mobiles in the buildings, they have to be switched off and in the car! Also I really don't travel about much at all, the phone is only there really in case the car breaks down when I am out or something.

I also use a paper diary (an actual Filofax) and a fountain pen. The rumours that I write in it in Latin are exaggerations

[Anthony]

I use my iphone for all of the above and talking!

[ElaineGardiner]

It's funny you mention your multiple sim cards..

I have a few old phones in the drawer too..

One has a greek sim card. One has a canadian sim card. One has another aussie sim card and the last one has none. It's just a spare.. And I also have the blackberry..

I have a Spanish sim card in the drawer aswell. I wonder, between everyone on here how many SIM cards we've collected from around the world?

So far between us we have, Uk, Canadian, Australian, Greek, Spanish and Maltese..

Does anyone else have random sim cards hiding in the drawer?

[jarvi]

Not sure how you count this one then Elaine. My service is from Telestial which gives me a UK and US number and it just picks up the local provider without paying the huge roaming charges. Still not cheap although it means I can kept the same number where ever I go so the convenience outweighs the small cost and being prepaid I can keep control of the costs easily. Plus, only being in places for 1-8 weeks I don't get the 'local' and need to use it all lot. Also carrying around an Australian sim card.

You can actually buy specially designed containers to keep your sim cards in decent condition.

[ElaineGardiner]

That sounds like a good idea Jarvi, would save me looking like a poser/weirdo when i pulled out 3 phones to check messages. People got confused every time i put my hand in my bag and pulled out a different phone, it was like something from Mary Poppins! lol