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When did you get your first mobile phone?
- Thread starter iMacZealot
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My first mobile phone was the Palm Visorphone -- sort of the clunky proto-iPhone of its time. Later I upgraded to a Treo, but eventually I realized I hardly ever used the thing, so I downgraded to a virgin pay-as-you-go deal. I'm very happy paying just $80 a year for the rare times I actually need a cell phone.
I bought my first one in 1998 or 1999. It was a Nokia 5190, a venerable beast that lasted me years and years. I'd probably still be using it today if I hadn't one day left it on the roof of my car, to fall in a ditch as I was accelerating onto the freeway. (In fact, it was found by a trucker, who tried to get it back to me, but we were never able to connect, so I just bought a new phone...)
So, 1999. I was in 3rd year of university, cell phones ("digital PCS phones", were what they were being sold as) were JUST starting to become popular, and I signed onto a pay-as-you-go plan. The whole thing cost me just over $100. Sadly, my first real use of the phone was a day or two after I bought it. My grandfather had just died, and my mother was in hysterics on the home phone with her sister. I used my cell phone to place a call to our pastor so he could come over and console the family.
Things took a more embarrassing turn a few days later. Since this was a brand new phone, and I hadn't yet given anyone the number, I didn't think to turn off the phone or the ringer when I brought it to class. I was thus mortified when, in the middle of the lecture, someone's phone started to ring. It took me a few seconds to clue in that it was MINE, and a few more seconds as I scrambled to dig it out of my jacket pocket to hastily reject the call. (Remember, this was just when cell phones were starting to really enter popular culture, so it was a BIG SPECTACLE. Everyone was staring at me.)
I thought it was finally over... until it happened again about 20 minutes later. And later again! (I finally wised up and turned the $#@$! off!) Turns out, the number I was assigned used to belong to another girl. And that day was her birthday... all her friends were calling!
That story got around among my friends and they continue to laugh about it, even today.
So, 1999. I was in 3rd year of university, cell phones ("digital PCS phones", were what they were being sold as) were JUST starting to become popular, and I signed onto a pay-as-you-go plan. The whole thing cost me just over $100. Sadly, my first real use of the phone was a day or two after I bought it. My grandfather had just died, and my mother was in hysterics on the home phone with her sister. I used my cell phone to place a call to our pastor so he could come over and console the family.
Things took a more embarrassing turn a few days later. Since this was a brand new phone, and I hadn't yet given anyone the number, I didn't think to turn off the phone or the ringer when I brought it to class. I was thus mortified when, in the middle of the lecture, someone's phone started to ring. It took me a few seconds to clue in that it was MINE, and a few more seconds as I scrambled to dig it out of my jacket pocket to hastily reject the call. (Remember, this was just when cell phones were starting to really enter popular culture, so it was a BIG SPECTACLE. Everyone was staring at me.)
I thought it was finally over... until it happened again about 20 minutes later. And later again! (I finally wised up and turned the $#@$! off!) Turns out, the number I was assigned used to belong to another girl. And that day was her birthday... all her friends were calling!
That story got around among my friends and they continue to laugh about it, even today.
First car phone in 1985. It took up an entire milk crate.
First handheld in 1989.
Back when Bell Atlantic Mobile was the name of the game and you had to do all these complicate things to be able to receive calls outside of your area. Anyone remember the advent "Follow Me Roaming"?
First handheld in 1989.
Back when Bell Atlantic Mobile was the name of the game and you had to do all these complicate things to be able to receive calls outside of your area. Anyone remember the advent "Follow Me Roaming"?
I had a motorola v60i in 2004 I think
That thing was a beast it took a golf club to break it in half, yet the phone still made a call because of the speaker phone, and the display worked before we cut the wires off with a saw! Then we threw it in a lake...
I then moved up to the Razr
Now I have a Rizr and it is dying
Next is either a blackberry pearl or an iPhone depending on which carrier if any I move to.
That thing was a beast it took a golf club to break it in half, yet the phone still made a call because of the speaker phone, and the display worked before we cut the wires off with a saw! Then we threw it in a lake...
I then moved up to the Razr
Now I have a Rizr and it is dying
Next is either a blackberry pearl or an iPhone depending on which carrier if any I move to.
I believe I was around 14 or 15 years old. I'm 18 years old no. I actually wasn't even all thet interested in cell phones then, but my dad needed to get one for work so we all got them. It was an LG VX3200 (Verizon). Mine didn't even last for the whole two years and it had to be replaced with an LG VX 3300. Now we have some crappy AudioVox phones that like to turn off and give us problems. And Verizon won't even do anything about it though. real nice, right?
After I get out of college I'm switching to AT&T. I so wish I had an iPhone.
After I get out of college I'm switching to AT&T. I so wish I had an iPhone.
Christmas 1999. I was 17 at the time. It was also when i got my first car. I still remember how my parents surprised me with it. I did not have a clue about it. Just heard a ring bag with my name on it and then my mom handing me a car key. I stood there speechless and unable to move. It took my dad telling me that my brother and sister where going to beat me out to my car before it clicked. I HAD A CAR.
The phone was a some sony phone. I broke about a year later.
Man back when I got my cell. Kids my age where just starting to get them so it was not like everyone had a cell yet. Sad thing is I am finally going to have to give up that number this Christmas after having it for 8 years because I graduate from college this Christmas and will be moving to Dallas.
The phone was a some sony phone. I broke about a year later.
Man back when I got my cell. Kids my age where just starting to get them so it was not like everyone had a cell yet. Sad thing is I am finally going to have to give up that number this Christmas after having it for 8 years because I graduate from college this Christmas and will be moving to Dallas.
Mine was sometime in 2003. It was an AT&T prepaid phone, some cheap Nokia with no features and a black and white screen. My parents had a monthly plan with AT&T for their phone (This was before Cingular bought out AT&T and made it suck so bad), so in 2004, when their contract was up for renewal, we went onto a family plan and I got a Sony Ericsson T616, one of the best phones I've ever had.
Then shortly after Cingular bought out AT&T, they offered all AT&T customers to sign up with Cingular and cancel their AT&T contract for free, so we did because my parents wanted to upgrade phones and add a new line so my mom and dad weren't sharing. I ended up with a Motorola V551, which is hands down the worst phone I've ever had, on what is hands down the worst carrier I've ever had. The day our contract with them was up, we switched to T-Mobile. I got a BlackBerry Pearl but didn't like it so much so later I switched to an HTC P4350 which is an awesome phone on an awesome carrier.
Then shortly after Cingular bought out AT&T, they offered all AT&T customers to sign up with Cingular and cancel their AT&T contract for free, so we did because my parents wanted to upgrade phones and add a new line so my mom and dad weren't sharing. I ended up with a Motorola V551, which is hands down the worst phone I've ever had, on what is hands down the worst carrier I've ever had. The day our contract with them was up, we switched to T-Mobile. I got a BlackBerry Pearl but didn't like it so much so later I switched to an HTC P4350 which is an awesome phone on an awesome carrier.