The Great Cell Phone Crisis

no, you don't HAVE to get everything you want, but... why not! if it is
there and you are not hurting anyone AND it makes your life easier, why
not have the latest. a new phone, for you, with all the new features will be an
asset to your line of work. as a therapist, you SHOULD be able to be reached.
you SHOULD be able to call people back you really need you. you SHOULD know if
you want to answer a certain call or not. as for the camera ... who knows ...
maybe one day, you will NEED to photograph something to help someone and
you wouldn't necessarily carry a camera with you BUT, you will have your phone.
maybe you also have a cute grandchild you just did something wonderful that you just HAD to capture ... you don't always get all these moments back ...
they are "captured" in cameras.
anyway, you will do whatever you feel comfortable with. just don't
be SO set in your ways that if something better comes along, you will not
take advantage of it JUST because you don't want to move on.hope this helped a little bit...

shalom, Rabbi!!
Our family has tried to pare down the extras. A cell phone is not a "necessity" as goes the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter, but it is something that impacts our ease of communication during the busy pace of daily life. It's a safety measure, also, with our teen. One day, I hope to jettison the cell phone, and a number of other alternate "necessities," in favor of a lifestyle something more akin to what my grandparents chose and enjoyed, complete with the experience of steady work over simpler tasks that today's general populace would likely disdain.

In listening to the latest hip-'n-savvy cell phone pitch, it would seem those wonderful devices can do everything but make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich! So what's a lesser mortal to do? Decide whether this phone is going to be just that...a phone, (gasp!) :) ...unless you want it to be a high-tech personal assistant, video cam, and mini theme park-in-one. (And those are just the basics without upgrades) It seems there are as many options available as there are channels on a basic cable TV menu!
My own personal cell needs are simple...it must be indestructible, have numbers I can read without the assistance of an electron microscope, and have a ring tone option that doesn't frighten small children or shut down nearby pacemakers. If it's smarter than I am, I'm not likely to buy it at this point, unless in addition to being internet-friendly and repositioning satellites for fun it can mow the yard or weed the flowerbeds. For ourselves, we utilize our family cells as low-tech teen monitors and as a voice mail cache for I-love-yous and bread-and-milk grocery reminders. And to screen solicitors of further mega-tech options! ;-)

Enjoy your choices! this may very well be the same dilemma that faced the innovators of the swiss army knife!

Something to think about!There are some things we can't do much about, My family would like me to think about my chronic illness so I do so now and as a result I am giving into it and sometimes have a meantally of a sick person, limited. I think I did better
in the semi-denial state.

cell phones are visual targets for the ego, aren't they... just one of many; they're a great multi purpose tool - each tool has a purpose and they're not for boosting the ego; I too am about to get a new cell phone & by the sounds of it, you have your ego 'in check' therefore I'm sure you'll make the right decision also based on the 5 W's -
conscious or subconsciously
(smiles! :) :) :) )

The hidden cost of new technology is the time it takes to convert old data and old techniques. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Michael Deverett

Well, I'm 38 years old, and believe it or not, I still don't have a cell phone (though my wife does). People think I'm from a different planet.
I certainly am no less guilty of being a slave to my possessions in other areas, but this cell phone stuff is a perfect example of it - people falling for the hype the manufacturers tote in front of us.
Now, if one is aware of the fact that he's allowing himself to fall for it that's at least better than someone who fools himself into believing that he actually needs it.

Rabbi,
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the technology. Personally, I want a phone with clear reception that works. I too have my Nokia and I'm not even sure what model it is. This one does have internet-which I don't use, an alarm-which I do use. Basically, I have a phone I can use and am happy with. Actually, my contract is up and I'm able to pick out a new phone-with a new contract. So, since I saw nothing I was comfortable with, I didn't get a new phone. Bottom line- get a phone YOU are comfortable with, has the features you will use or are willing to learn to use. Maybe you'll find a phone with 1 or 2 options you like that you presently don't have. Then it will be fun and enjoyablr to increase your technological skills without it being overwhelming. It doesn't matter what the computer mavens say. You have to be comfortable with YOUR choice. Good Luck and enjoy phone shopping. Francine Root Cubbage

Rabbi, You know, I've faced the same crisis when my cell phone started
sending me message that it's time was soon up. So.... ya' go to the cell
phone store and, guess what, you can't just get another of the same type.
This is because things keep changing. There's no way to avoid getting the state of the art improvements that have come along. Just like meeting an old friend who's process of self realization has advanced since the last time you saw them. My adivce is to just 'bite the bullet' and force yourself to go with the flow. Who knows....you might enjoy the improved communications capability of the new phone. By the way, when my daughter go back from her Birthright trip she had to run out and get the phone that all the other girls on the trip had. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that was similar to what I'm hearing from you. Then I realized that for security reasons, I was glad she got the one with the camera. Not only is there a constant
> connection with parents, there is also the capability of recording
anything that's out of the ordinary that might bother her.
>
> I enjoy your weekly column so much. Thank you. I'm a 62 year old
> man
who still bikes to work, selling advertising ( easy biking in Victoria BC).
I am a Reform Jew who enjoys studying with his son's Orthodox Aish rabbi. I
enjoy your approach so very much. It's a long story. Thank you again.

Get the new cell phone that comes with a heksher that's being advertised in the Hamodia. Play it smart by playing it safe!

been there, made my choice! by now i guess you have made your choice. life is moving so fast, i vote dig in your heel's and stick with something that meet's your need's, a phone and only a phone. what you seem to to lose sight of is , you are inviting invasion of the few minutes you have to be a mere overworked human . if you get deeply hi-tech 27-7 by phone, you offer up time you could choose to just be,you are already compromising with the world by being a cell comunicator. only you know your answer need-comunication or luxury.

Dear Rabbi Salomon,
In response to your dilemma about which phone you should get to replace your "trusty nokia..." I do agree with you that we may need to withdraw ourselves from certain luxuries. However, what is readily availible and is not harmful to ourselves spiritually or physicly then there is no reason not to take advantage. Who knows maybe a camera phone may come in hand one day, maybe it won't. Personally if I did not really care about a certain feature then I ask myself if I like the phone as it is, if th answer is yes then all of the extra features on the phone are just perks. I had a teacher this past year who had commented on modern technology, he went on a tangent about how in his day he would spend hours in a library just to find one peice of information, he then said that what we had invented was laziness to which I replied that now we get the same information with half the frustration. We didn't invent laziness, We created convenience.

Rabbi,
When the salesman completes his sales pitch, take a deep breath and say 'No - I'll go with the bare-bones model'. The test will be to see who blinks first.

I have the same old Motorola 120e. I like it but would like the newer sexy phone like the Razor or whatever. I found out that when someone is talking Bluetooth, they are just talking about an earpiece. I use my cell phone for a modem with the Bluetooth adapter - in conjunction with my Pocket PC. I can surf and email from anywhere my phone works. The sales engineers at Qwest tell me my phone does not do what I do with my phone. So I stick with the old phone. I have a few backups for parts.

Here's an idea. Since you have such an old phone ask your friends who have upgraded to new phones if they have one like yours in their telephone book drawer? They will give you their old phone, adapter and a spare battery. If you are able, replace old parts and fix your phone.

I carry two other cameras at all times so there is no need for me to have a camera in my phone.

http://www.suijuris.net/forum/misc-discussion/8003-analyze-4.html

It sounds like you need to repair or replace your phone.



Regards,

David Merrill.

Rabbi,

Go for simple, if that is your first thought. We use the 'tpys' we have, and often, I find, do not miss the toys we do not have. In Dating Advice #208 - The Irreconcilable Difference (this week's AISH mailing that also included you) hits it on the head: It is equallyt valid to be either focused on material things or not. Keeping up with the 21st century Joneses is a part of that!

I make a point of trying to purchase the product that is about 1 or 2 years old and no longer in fashion. It is usually much cheaper and has the features you may need. Whether it is my tennis racquet, appliances or replacing my cell phone (which I also did four months ago) you can always capitalize on our capitalistic society whereby corporations constantly strive to create something new to outsell the competition. I figure if I was happy with my life two months ago before the latest newfangled gadget came out, I certainly can be happy without it now.

With all of the free phones offered, anyone who pays to get a cell phone must be a bit meshigah.

I think that you are a very influential person. Like it or not, many people use technology to connect. If you can accept new technologies, I think it is an opportunity to learn new things, understand young people more, and connect with others in a unique way.

Rabbi,
You get the phone with the best reception and sound quality and if it happens to have those other features, then so be it.

Rabbi,
I look at my phone not as a question of luxury, but of opportunity. I have a phone with a camera because my mother lives halfway across the country, and the best way for her to see my daughter growing up is the pictures I send her every day. I have a friend overseas, and it is far too expensive to talk to him everyday, so my phone lets me email with him, without the need to be in front of my computer every two hours. All of these options could be viewed as indulgent, but are just as easily viewed as a way to make it easier for other people to connect to you.

Rabbonim have arranged phones, through Sprint without all the "extras". We have it! The reception is great. Why not?

I didn't want camera and video features on my new cell but it was the best one to accomodate my hearing loss. I found later that the camera and video features were useful when we got in an accident or had an unexpected event happen that I didn't have a camera handy. You just never know.

Unless you can assess a true need for all the bells and whistles available on today's cell phones, I would suggest getting the simplest with features you will actually use.It maybe a generationally thing, but I only want my phone to be a phone - similar to my land line only portable. Reliable service is key. If your present phone is acting up on you, but you have been happy with your service provider - ask for an upgrade, if possible.

Dear Rav Salomon,
Aish has given us plenty to think about regarding experiencing all the pleasures that HaShem has made available. Doesn't he want us to taste the fresh fruits, kosher foods, and make blessings over our new clothes and when we see the stars at night? Perhaps, if these technologies are within our reach financially and we plan to use them wisely for good purposes in moderation, then we can put the item on our potential purchase list. To tell you the truth, I've got every bell and whistle on my computer and don't use them all. But, when I need something to function, it's there when I'm ready. Good luck!

Rabbi.....you sound like me. First of all, just because its "out there" I don't have to climb Mt. Everest, & so much technology IS NOT NECESSARY for the 'average' person. I want a phone that's a phone, nothing more & nothing less. Re your problem: have your "Sim" card checked....& probably replaced. I have your model phone (all my family does) and my husband (a tech person) says they have yet to make as reliable a PHONE as a phone. They do get old though & need help. Kind of like batteries slowly wearing down, if you change or get changed for you that "Sim" card (any phone co. store, ie. Cingular Wireless, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile can do it & never mind their sales-hype to "upgrade") your phone should do better.

Rabbi.....you sound like me. First of all, just because its "out there" I don't have to climb Mt. Everest, & so much technology IS NOT NECESSARY for the 'average' person. I want a phone that's a phone, nothing more & nothing less. Re your problem: have your "Sim" card checked....& probably replaced. I have your model phone (all my family does) and my husband (a tech person) says they have yet to make as reliable a PHONE as a phone. They do get old though & need help. Kind of like batteries slowly wearing down, if you change or get changed for you that "Sim" card (any phone co. store, ie. Cingular Wireless, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile can do it & never mind their sales-hype to "upgrade") your phone should do better.

I always get the least expensive new phone. It stays in my car on off and is used for emergencies. Remember what they are?

I too need a new cell phone and do not want all the gadgets and gizmos so prevalent nowadays. I don't need them to complicate my already busy life. Yes, people say I'm old-fashioned. I guess I am. But I am not one to jump on the bandwagon just because it is passing by me. I shall hold out for a cell phone which is a cell phone and nothing more, thank you. I wish you luck in your search for the optimal unit.

Before I got a cell phone I thought it was either only for drug dealers or call girls. Why would I need one? But we got one. Suddenly, my husband and I could call if we were late on the road or we didn't know the way and we needed help. But we still treated it like an emergency device. then we realized that we were paying for a lot of chat time we weren't using. Our children got phones that tied into our phone. We got an extra phone so both of us would have a phone. My mother thinks it stil reeks a little of indulgance although she has acknowledged that it does come in handy.
However, the fact that these phones coem with all these features means that a lot of places that I go (courthouses - I 'm a lawyer) my phone isn't welcome. So either I think ahead and stash it in the car or I have to ask a guard to hold it, or something. Plus, I am forever asking - where's my phone? Qyuerying my husband as if he were 12 - where's your phone? Plus the instructions. More advances - more instructions

We learned last month from an enthusiastic telemarketer that our cell phone contract was soon to expire. "That means," he exuded, "that you are entitled to a new cell phone!"

Well, I was perfectly happy with my current cell phone. "Ah, but the new model has a built-in camera, not to mention MP3 music," the telemarketer replied. I was not impressed. As the telemarketer hung up, I got the distinct impression that neither was he.

Rabbi Salomon, I say to you: Stick to your guns. Replace your broken phone with the same model. Your principles - and your pocketbook - will thank you.

The thing about technology is, once you adopt to it (buy it, learn it, use it, whatever), you really can't go back. If the technology has made your task or your life easier, why struggle without it? Sure, you can do without it, but why? If you needed to carry a simple camera (for whatever purpose people use simple cameras), and also needed to carry a cell phone, than your life becomes easier because you can carry one unit instead of lug around two units. I don't need to carry around a simple camera, and the last time I went to the cell phone store, I never even went to the camera phone section. I purchased only the phone that performed as I needed. Luddite or Techie? Not the point. What is the point: Buy what you need, but only you can decide.

On the repalcement cell phone issue...I have the Motorola camera phone, and like you, I wondered if this was a need or a want... As the deal came with the camera, I opted for it, and it came in very handy.. I met a friend I hadn't seen for a long time..I want to show my children that I met him again,m and asked and snapped his picture...I have pictures in there of my good friend and children and grands, and when waiting in a doctors office, I take out the phone and look at the pictures.. Yes, it is more than a phone, my beloved wife of 54 years passed away last year, and each time I open the camera, there is her precious face smiling at me! I want to add that I so enjoy your talks, like having a new friend!