It seems that everyone has a cell phone these days. It also seems that may believe things that just aren’t true about their phones. Here are a few things I’d like to clarify.
Myth: You can only take profile pictures with your cell phone and a mirror in the bathroom.
Not true at all. You can use the timer on your phone and take a picture without even holding the camera! Or you could have a friend or family member take a photo of you. Taking a picture of yourself in the mirror sends a message you probably don’t want to be sending.
Myth: If the phone rings, you must answer it.
Believe it or not, cell phones have two great features that allow you to see who’s call you missed. One is caller ID and the other is voice mail. So if you’re busy, or just not near the phone, you can actually NOT answer the phone and still know who called. If they leave a message, you’ll even know what they wanted. Amazing!
Myth: Someone will die if you turn off your cell phone.
People often think that if they power off their phone, something bad will happen. Like maybe someone will die and you’ll never know because your cell phone is off. I tested this theory the other day and no one died. I was kind of worried though.
Myth: When using your phone on speakerphone, you must hold it up to your ear to hear and mouth to talk.
Contrary to popular belief, the speakerphone was designed to work without you even holding onto your phone. However, people often talk on their speakerphone as if they didn’t even have it on speakerphone. If you’re going to hold the phone up to your mouth to talk and ear to hear, then why do you have it on speakerphone?
Myth: My ringtone is cool.
Every phone ringtone sucks. They are all annoying as hell and you only like your own. It’s like saying your farts don’t stink; it’s simply not true.
Myth: My phone conversation is more important than real people.
Did you know you can call people back on cell phones?! If you’re at the grocery store and about to check out, you can actually tell people you’ll call them back in a few minutes and hang up the phone. Whatever you’re talking about is probably about as pointless as the conversation you’ll have with the checkout person anyway.
Myth: You are social on your phone.
You have the Twitters and Facebooks and you’re just social networking it up. Well actually, you’re not social at all. There are many people around you and you don’t even look up from your phone. That’s called anti-social.
Myth: You can’t live without texting.
Yes you can! I’ve been living without texting on my phone for years and my parents never use it. It is possible to survive without texting; and cheaper too.
Myth: You are a great photographer.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but just because your cell phone can take pictures, doesn’t mean you have to take pictures of everything. Empty dishes after dinner, that random junk on the street, dead animals, your feet; those are all examples of things that just don’t need photographing. And just because you do take pictures of everything, doesn’t mean the pictures are any good. There is plenty of photographic evidence of that on the internet.
Myth: Everyone has a smartphone.
Wrong again. People still have those flip phones with actual keys. It’s true. Take a trip back though cell phone history by visiting any small rural town.
Myth: You need a new phone.
Just because there is a new shiny phone out there doesn’t make your old one mysteriously stop working. Granted every cell phone company basically tells us that. Having the same phone for two years is nearly unheard of, but you can. One phone can last many many years.
Myth: If you leave your phone at home, you must turn around to get it.
Back when I was a kid, we use to drive to and from school without phones. We use to take hikes through the woods and even vacations without having a phone on us. I know it’s hard, but it is possible to go places and do things without a cell phone.
So you see, cellphones shouldn’t these magical devices that control your every move, you should be the one in control of it. There was life before cell phones and a lot of us survived. Can you go one day without yours?
Fell free to leave your cell phone myths in the comments. I’ll be checking them via my smartphone. 🙂
