Nomophobia: Rate yourself.

[Renate]

I'm probably on the high end of mobile neediness.
No, I don't talk on the thing.
It gives me the ability to be away from home without missing anything.
I also feel that it's a safety measure for calling 911.

[Felix]

I have a kid who tends to eat inedible things, violently assault grownups, wander into traffic, etc, so I get pretty uncomfortable if she's at school or elsewise not with me and I don't have my phone on me and charged. If she is with me then I like to have it in case I get hurt or need help, but I often keep it turned off.

If I had no kid I might not have a cellphone. I'm not sure.

[tekla]

i thought i was the only one who didn't own one in this day and age, guess i'm not alone

If not alone in a fantastically small minority.  There are 322 million cell phones in the US, that's 102% coverage.  They are logging 2.2 TRILLION minutes of use, and 198.9 BILLION text messages (2+trillion a year now) per month now.  I'll bet that 150-200 million of those people have to have a phone on them and on as a casual work requirement - it's just how business is done anymore.  The use of smart phones/tablets is up to 234 million Americans aged 13 and older - that's roughly half of the cell market is now smart phones/tablets on G3 and G4 systems.

About 1/3 of the US population is cell only now.

[Sephirah]

i thought i was the only one who didn't own one in this day and age, guess i'm not alone

If not alone in a fantastically small minority.  There are 322 million cell phones in the US, that's 102% coverage.  They are logging 2.2 TRILLION minutes of use, and 198.9 BILLION text messages (2+trillion a year now) per month now.  I'll bet that 150-200 million of those people have to have a phone on them and on as a casual work requirement - it's just how business is done anymore.  The use of smart phones/tablets is up to 234 million Americans aged 13 and older - that's roughly half of the cell market is now smart phones/tablets on G3 and G4 systems.

About 1/3 of the US population is cell only now.

It's kinda interesting, all the people you see walking around, seemingly using The Force to navigate with as their eyes remain glued to their phone screens nowadays. Perhaps the next evolutionary step is an extra pair of eyes at the top of our heads or something, lol.

[tekla]

The Sci-Fi writers always saw the next step as 'wet-wear' that would just jack-in directly to your brain.

[Catherine Sarah]

It's kinda interesting, all the people you see walking around, seemingly using The Force to navigate with as their eyes remain glued to their phone screens nowadays. Perhaps the next evolutionary step is an extra pair of eyes at the top of our heads or something, lol.

Hi Sephirah,

Naaah! It's even easier than that. There's probably an App available for collision detection, complete with suggested tactical avoidance maneuver, similar to what is currently in use in commercial aircraft. Or at least, front view camera in picture in picture mode. ROFL.

Be safe, well and happy.
Lotsa huggs
Catherine

[tekla]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/project-glass-google_n_1403174.html

[Sephirah]

Hi Sephirah,

Naaah! It's even easier than that. There's probably an App available for collision detection, complete with suggested tactical avoidance maneuver, similar to what is currently in use in commercial aircraft. Or at least, front view camera in picture in picture mode. ROFL.

Be safe, well and happy.
Lotsa huggs
Catherine

Just wait till someone hacks that and you have a speight of people walking off cliffs like lemmings. That would be something to see.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/project-glass-google_n_1403174.html

That looks really interesting actually. Everyone walking round looking like Geordi LaForge.

[Devlyn]

OK, here we go! Lemmings are given the short end of the stick. They don't actually jump off cliffs, google it! Now, people, they might go over cliffs in droves. Hugs, Devlyn

[Sephirah]

Okay, I'll rephrase: Like cartoon lemmings.

[Catherine Sarah]

Just wait till someone hacks that and you have a speight of people walking off cliffs like lemmings. That would be something to see.

Dear lawd, don't give that idea to McDonald's, they'll have everyone redirected to there nearest outlet. Just imagine it. On the way home your Tom Tom takes you through 15 Maccas drive throughs.

The mind boggles   

Be safe, well and happy.
Lotsa huggs
Catherine

[tekla]

Lemmings are an isolated example.  What is far more common in nature is that those who stray behind the heard are the first ones the wolves dine on.

[Felix]

Plus side of all the cellphone use - my kid is constantly assuming that the schizophrenics downtown are just using bluetooth. She doesn't seem to have a framework for what kind of people are likely to be using bluetooth and what kind of people are probably arguing with voices in their head, but her confusion is comforting. It makes her politer to filthy psychotic types.

[luna nyan]

When I read nomophobia, the first thing that came to mind was fear of Cookie monster "nom-nom-nom!!!"

About a 5 should I be without my phone.  I have built in GPS in my car, I still have an old fashioned radio alarm clock, and I tend to remember all my appointments anyway.

[Jamie D]

I'm still waiting to get a Dick Tracy two-way wrist radio phone.

[tekla]

I'm still waiting to get a Dick Tracy two-way wrist radio phone.

What's stopping you?  They have been out for a few years now, LG makes one.  You can even have 3-way calling on it, one better than Dick Tracy ever got.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/new-watch-phone-w/

Though this is my favorite cell accessory, all that is old is new again.  And while I don't have a wrist radio, I do use one of these at home.  (Except mine is red with white polka-dots.  Really.)
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/7830/

[Ash]

I'm about a 1.5. I have a mobile but I haven't used it for literally a year. It has no credit and no battery. In fact...I'm not sure where it is.

The Sci-Fi writers always saw the next step as 'wet-wear' that would just jack-in directly to your brain.

That scares me more actually.

[tekla]

They are pretty close:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain%E2%80%93computer_interface



And, like I said, I'll bet cell use is closely linked with a: job, b: the amount of time one spends away from home, c: other uses.

Lot's of people like Catherine Sarah have found all sorts of uses for these things.

[Michelle G]

I run my business with my iphone during the day and it rarely if ever rings at night...its a "must have" for me

[Nathan.]

I don't know where i'd put me but most of the time i'm a 1. I have a mobile but don't use it. Whenever I go a little bit out of where i'm used to I get really anxious and I'm constantly worried about getting lost, so I take it with me so I can call my mum or taxi if need be, i've never had to use it though. I don't use it for anything else as I hate talking on the phone.