Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Am I young for a 3G owner?
- Thread starter dcshutter019
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
I was eating cereal and almost coughed it up. That line was hilarious and the response is even better.
this thread looked like it was going to get interesting when people were starting to talk about famous folk they knew/met/boffed.
I wasn't trying to make an argument on guns (or cars for that matter) being right or wrong for XX age people to own, use, etc. I was trying to point out that people usually get into heated debates over these topics, and there is usually a better ultimate reason behind it all (people can get hurt if the kid acts irresponsibly), but this isn't such a case. It's a freaking phone. People make it out to be more than it is.
This isn't a poke or a jab at anyone, but merely curiosity. What kind of jobs are you teenagers working which allow you to pay for an iphone yourself. Are jobs paying more nowadays or what?
They can afford to pay for the iphone because they don't have any other bills to pay.
Duh! I guess I'm in a whole different mindset now. I had to crunch a whole lot of numbers to see if I could get an iphone and still save for a down payment.
FAIL
Could the mods please close this crap down?
these forums are getting clogged up with "what would you do if...." and "my iphone saved my life" threads.
Its getting silly now
Could the mods please close this crap down?
these forums are getting clogged up with "what would you do if...." and "my iphone saved my life" threads.
Its getting silly now
I am sure they listen, as everyone here values your input.
Well technically no one values it, if you dont like a thread dont read it.
Go enjoy the London air
I could possibly see rational arguments for giving your kids a basic cell phone for texting and calling. However, I can not on any level understand why on earth a child would need any smartphone (not just an iphone) that costs at least $70 a month if not more.
If you are not completely independent financially you have no business spending $70+ a month on a phone. You should be out of high school or college, living on your own, and able to pass your own credit check to even consider it. If you are not in the above categories at the minimum, you have better things to spend your money on and save for.
If your parents are footing the monthly bill, then they are nuts and they are doing you a huge disservice by not teaching you about financial responsibility and the value of money.
The iphone is a luxury gadget! If you're sacrificing necessities or not saving for your future or mooching off your parents you should not even think about anything more than a basic cellphone and service plan.
Just my 2 cents.
If you are not completely independent financially you have no business spending $70+ a month on a phone. You should be out of high school or college, living on your own, and able to pass your own credit check to even consider it. If you are not in the above categories at the minimum, you have better things to spend your money on and save for.
If your parents are footing the monthly bill, then they are nuts and they are doing you a huge disservice by not teaching you about financial responsibility and the value of money.
The iphone is a luxury gadget! If you're sacrificing necessities or not saving for your future or mooching off your parents you should not even think about anything more than a basic cellphone and service plan.
Just my 2 cents.
I actually agree with you, but there's also the chance that such a device could fuel his love for gadgets, possibly interest him in how they work, and since he's got nothing better to do (kids have a ton of time) he can spend countless hours researching it, learning to program, maybe even developing for it, and all of these skills will help him through school and give him a jump start on a great career. All hypothetical, but not too far fetched.
His parents could be doing far worse for him is all I'm saying.
Heh, I remember those days! Fresh out of school with my degree, into a well-paying programming job in the heyday of the dot-com bubble. $1500+ paychecks every other week! Sweet, man! That's like a new computer or PDA or gaming console or whatever, twice a month!
And I had my cell phone, new laptops, projectors, new computers, monitors, PDAs, Windows CE (PocketPC) handhelds, two new camcorders... I was seriously trying to decide which sweet car to buy. Now, now, I did pay for my own gas to drive dad's car. And savings? What savings? Surely not in a savings account or bonds, with their piddling 4-5% interest. Stock market, man! I did buy all kinds of stock options in my company, which was going to make it big any day now...
Then in 2001 the bubble burst, and I got laid off, and I was plunged into a cycle of credit card debt for the next few years. Everyone who was left behind had salary freezes, even cuts.
Today I make a lot more than what I did then, but the money pays for the mortage, line of credit, credit cards, property taxes, home and auto insurance, phone and internet bill, cell phone, groceries, electricity, gas and water bills, and a contribution to mutual funds and pension fund. Whatever's left over gets split between savings and social stuff like eating out, movies.
I've never felt so poor
I understand the point you're trying to make but I think it is very unlikely that owning an iphone will be a great inspiration in anyone's life. If computers didn't spark your interest in technology and programming, is the iphone going to change your life's direction? I think the odds are incredibly slim. Anyone who would want the iphone will already have an interest in gadgets. I think the more likely scenario for a kid is that it will be dropped onto concrete or left outside in the rain.
Teaching your kids to be responsible for their own expenses as well as the general value of money is far more important in my view than taking the 1 in a million chance that the iphone will inspire your child's life goals.
there is no way you bought it with your money. granted, it may come from your bank account, but your parents probably put most of the money in there. your parents are ridiculous for letting you spend that much on something at that age
Keep in mind, if your out and about walking around or catching transit system. You better be careful pulling that phone out. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, there a lot of punks taking peoples IPODS directly from them. I could only imagine a 13 year old walking around using it and some punk kid seeing him and beating up for it.
Fail
Well, judging by the tone of your post, you at least seem mature enough to be responsible enough for the phone, but clearly too young to be posting on this forum. Mostly because 13 year olds tend to do 13 year old things like make a stupid and pointless post on a forum just because they are excited they got a new iPhone 3G. Try spam-texting your friends instead? At least a few posts in here have actually sparked some discussion.
I really don't see the problem in general about a 13 year old owning a phone, but there are a few problems with young people owning expensive things which has more to do with maturity level than actual age. At 13 I would have lacked the money for the phone not maturity. First issue is responsibility. Young people are less responsible for their belongings and the phone could easily be damaged, lost, or stolen. Another less tangible issue to consider is the financial habits that owning such an expensive device will form for young people. It promotes less responsible spending, especially when young people grow up accustomed to having the latest and greatest. Just because you can afford something doesn't mean it would be wise to buy.
apockalipse and notjustjay got it just right. Someone should archive this thread so when this kid grows up to be $10,000 in debt and wonders where it all began, he'll know.
Well, judging by the tone of your post, you at least seem mature enough to be responsible enough for the phone, but clearly too young to be posting on this forum. Mostly because 13 year olds tend to do 13 year old things like make a stupid and pointless post on a forum just because they are excited they got a new iPhone 3G. Try spam-texting your friends instead? At least a few posts in here have actually sparked some discussion.
I really don't see the problem in general about a 13 year old owning a phone, but there are a few problems with young people owning expensive things which has more to do with maturity level than actual age. At 13 I would have lacked the money for the phone not maturity. First issue is responsibility. Young people are less responsible for their belongings and the phone could easily be damaged, lost, or stolen. Another less tangible issue to consider is the financial habits that owning such an expensive device will form for young people. It promotes less responsible spending, especially when young people grow up accustomed to having the latest and greatest. Just because you can afford something doesn't mean it would be wise to buy.
apockalipse and notjustjay got it just right. Someone should archive this thread so when this kid grows up to be $10,000 in debt and wonders where it all began, he'll know.
Adult License
Forget an age requirement. I think we need to make adulthood a subset of citizenship and make it licensed. In order to become an adult, you need to pass a test just like at the DMV. Anything that currently requires age 18+ would instead require an adult's license.
I can see it now... "in order to resister for this service, you must be an adult. Please enter your adult's license # here: _________."
Forget an age requirement. I think we need to make adulthood a subset of citizenship and make it licensed. In order to become an adult, you need to pass a test just like at the DMV. Anything that currently requires age 18+ would instead require an adult's license.
I can see it now... "in order to resister for this service, you must be an adult. Please enter your adult's license # here: _________."
I wouldnt say young I would say Spoiled, Precocious, Delusion, and probably a loner. Plus it doesnt make you cool to us cuz u have a "3G" (It's In Mommies Name). U Have nothing to prove. Get offline b4 ur the 40 Year Old Virgin.
Thats the best advice youve ever got.
...nice, intelligent, well thought out sentence. Your parents must be so proud that they raised a person who verbally assaults people that you've never met with such atrocious grammar.
The "acceptable" age for children getting cell phones is getting lower and lower each year. I don't think 13 is too young. So what if it's an iPhone? It's not much more expensive than many cell phones out there.
Dude, you have "boy" in your nickname...I've got to admit that I love these juvenile threads; it's makes keeping the Ignore List up-to-date that much easier.
Hah, I have "salad" in mine, yes I know.
The point of that post was....?
Anyway what's in a name? (I assume you can tell where I'm going with this.)
- Status