Cell phones make many feel ignored : maya of Tech

Having a decent, uninterrupted conversation with someone is becoming extremely difficult because everyone’s interested only in their cell phones. Going out to eat with Crackberry addicts (Blackberry owners) is so annoying as they are either playing the game Brickbreaker or are boasting about how high their score is if there is a fellow addict in the group. The phone’s instant messenger service is even more irritating when hanging out with friends, as realisation dawns that you are not the only one the guy you fancy is messaging constantly.
iPhone lovers are no better ’cos they feel very insecure about the fact that many feel the Blackberry is superior. They have taken it upon themselves to lecture fellow iPhone owners on how important it is to remain a loyalist and after the lecturebaazi is over, it’s time to show-off all the latest software they have downloaded.
Vertu, Dior and other ridiculously expensive phone owners are equally insufferable. Now, no one wants to be portrayed as a rich flake. “I like a simple phone with basic features like messaging and calling features, my secretary is there to check mails and I have a camera for pictures,” is one silly line you have to constantly listen too. Another one is, “Oh the concierge feature is such a blessing. Sitting in Delhi, I got my son a table at Maddox (one of the hippest nightclubs) on Friday night in London.”
Next in line are the Simple Simons, with non-fancy phones. Since there are no features to boast of, they rely on the most basic function of all — incoming calls — to demonstrate how much in demand they are. Be prepared to listen in on their conversations forever while sitting with them.
Fitness expert Leena Mogre has noticed that this incessant need to text or chat even tempts her clients at the gym. “Cellphones can be very distracting and while doing weight training and other rigorous exercises. We have a strict policy against cell phone usage. If the rule is flouted, the phone is confiscated,” says Leena as this is the only way to prevent injury.
You can be that strict only at a gym, place of worship, school or workplace. Designer Manish Gupta confesses, “I am quite addicted. Without the phone it seems that life is still. But I use only the basic function i.e calling and messaging which I think nobody can live without.” Workaholics like Madonna sleep with their Blackberry so that they can answer urgent calls and emails 24x7.
So how do you get someone’s undivided attention when the conversation doesn’t revolve around the reading of a will, a case verdict or an answer to a proposal? A rare exception in the mobile crazy world, designer Nalandda Bhandari says, “The responsibility lies in one’s hand. It depends on how he/she prioritise things in his/her life.” Nalandda, doesn’t own a laptop at home as she doesn’t want to work after work and doesn’t carry a Blackberry for the same reason.
Honestly, it’s impossible to be like her for most of us. So looks like the best way to get your fair share of attention is to be the person, at the other end of the line. This way you will have their full attention.