Cell Phone: Advantages and Disadvantages
What is a cell phone? A cell phone is any gadget that uses a cellular network to help people communicate.
The sleek and costly smartphones we own may be advanced but they are still cell phones as they operate via a cellular network.
Latest cell phones can multitask very well due to their advanced operating systems and this has made them become an inseparable part of us. Let’s have a look at advantages and disadvantages of having a cell phone.
Advantages of a cell phone
- Improved communication. Cell phones help us communicate with friends, lovers, family members and workmates. You no longer need to send a postage letter (which could take days) or catch a car to his/her place.
- Staying connected. Latest cell phones are equipped with many applications like internet browsers, emails, document editors, etc. These apps can help you stay connected to both your social and office life. You can easily access your emails, chat with friends over social networks, access your bank accounts or book plane or train tickets.
- Convenience . How does it feel when you get stuck on a road due to a tire burst? If feels pretty bad. In such a situation and others, you can call for assistance or request someone to pick you up.
- Luxury. Lately, advanced phones are bought for luxury purposes. It’s becoming a norm to get people with over two smartphones.
- Gaming. Since not everyone can afford a computer, many people, particularly the young blood use phones to play their favorite games. These games are downloaded from the internet via the browser or from the phone play store.
- Toys. This may sound awkward, but it’s true. People buy cell phones as toys either for themselves or their kids. Adults can’t carry ordinary toys around which makes phones perfect and acceptable toys for adults.
- Personal assistant. Besides being an invaluable office tool, phones can also help you control your TV, make a video or edit it, remind you of important tasks and wake you up in the morning.
- Internet connection. A group of people can use a similar internet connection via a cell phone’s tethering and portable hotspot. You no longer need a modem or a router to set up a connection.
- Keeping track of loved ones. If your kids have cell phones, you don’t need to follow them everywhere. You can easily call them back whenever you need to have them near you.
- Creation of employments. Cell phone companies have become widespread nowadays. As a result, many people have been employed to offer their services at a certain payment.
Related: Telephone: Meaning, Types, Advantages, Disadvantages, Conclusion
Disadvantages of cell phones
- No more privacy. Mobile phones have made it hard for people to live quiet lives. Even at night, you’ll find it hard to switch it off due to unforeseen events.
- Costly. Cell phones, especially the latest models don’t come cheaply. Besides, you all need to recharge them for you to communicate.
- Not always reliable. Cell phones are machines and like others, they fail. Where the network signal is down, you may not be able to communicate.
- Can make one feel inferior. Phones have brought competition even closer than before. Frequent posting of holiday vacation pictures and new cars by others can make one feel like other people are doing better than them. You’ll need to appreciate your progress to avoid such a feeling.
- Constant interruptions. Unending messages from social sites and email can bother you. Talk of accessing all the apps in the phone, you will likely do nothing while on the phone.
- Loss of personal interactions. Personal interactions have reduced to some extent. Instead of visiting a friend, many would give them a call and talk for hours rather than meet at a personal level.
- Body strain. Long hours of cell phone use in one sitting can have a strain on one’s eyes, neck and the backbones. You need to switch positions and take a break to rejuvenate.
- Health hazards. Some phones, particularly the ones obtained through black markets are likely to have harmful radiations. However, most of the phones that are available in the market are normally subjected to tests to ensure they are safe for use.
- Ear problems. Using phones at a loud volume consistently can damage your eardrum. Switch ears or take a break to avoid this.
- Addiction. While phones are good at passing time, we need to be careful not to give it all our time making it the center of our lives.
