DEFINITION

An electronic telecommunications device, often referred to as a cellular phone or cellphone. Mobile phones connect to a wireless communications network through radio wave or satellite transmissions. Most mobile phones provide voice communications, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), and newer phones may also provide Internet services such as Web browsing and e-mail.

Uses
A mobile phone has a lot of uses. Basically, this is used for a more convenient communication. In fact, communication has never been easier since the creation of mobile phones. With this, a person can contact another person wherever he is and at any given time. Because of its function, this is also very helpful in times of emergency. For some people, cell phones are a wonderful convenience of modern life.Mobile phones have played so many roles in peoples lives; it has reduced stress and created jobs for many.Mobile phones have become like the air people breathe, it keeps them connected and it has even grown to the extent that parents purchase mobile phones for their children in nursery and primary schools.
The more you talk, the more you know how to talk and the better your communication skills become. This is applicable if youre a sensible person and keep note of your interacting habits over the phone. It can be a communication tutorial! Nothing more than a cell phone comes to great help in emergency. You are driving by the freeway and the vehicle jams and cell phone comes to your rescue. You are stuck in a lone place, again call somebody and ask for directions. Parents can be a little less worried about their kids by being in constant touch with them. If youre a net-savvy, you can have Internet handy all the time and anywhere the signal of your cell phone provider can reach. Trendy and stylish cell phones can be used as a bait to receive attention. It can be part of fashion and styling. From the industy and economy point of view, cell phone companies (communication industry) is florishing with market capital in billions. This is a good thing for the economy to be smooth and healthy. Companies find it yet another medium to advertise their products; so another medium to reach the consumers. Nowadays, cell phones are not just phone calls; theyre about messaging, vidoe, songs, games, alarm clock, notes, calendar, reminder, etc. So one equipment, lots of uses! Although cell phone use can be dangerous while driving but sometimes it can be a time-saver - you are driving and simultanesouly discussing some urgent matter as well. A sensible and only urgent usage during driving can be a great help at times.

The ability to communicate wirelessly and across borders is one of the biggest uses of mobile phones. Mobile phones have emerged as the primary communication devices for millions of rural, remote and underdeveloped areas in developing countries where it is difficult to build extensive fixed-line and other wired phone infrastructures. Mobile phones can be used in many emergency situations and exigencies to gain valuable and timely help.

Multiple Functions

Latest generation mobile phones can be used to access email, listen to music, bank and shop online, store photos and songs, play games.

Abuse
However, some people have abused the use of mobile phone by using it irresponsibly. Some are using it while driving, which can result to road accident. Some are also using this device for gossiping
Your concentration breaks or your conversation ends or your peaceful moment disturbs. Now you are a victim of cell phone abuse. If you become the victim of a cell phone abuse, you will develop any one or more symptoms of cell phone abuse like 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Inability to concentrate on what you are doing Mild or severe irritability or annoyance Sensitivity to stupid ring tones (pop songs or loud music) Initially thinking that the cell phone user is actually talking to you Wishing the user would finish the call Wishing the user would leave the place Wishing that the battery of that cell phone would die

Here are some Social Problems related to Cell phone misuse Mobile Phone misuse in public places creates social problems like 1. 2. 3. 4. In attention blindness Caller Hegemony Cognitive load Accidents

Inattention blindness Cell phone use in social situations may result in overload both physical and mental. Local interaction with the surroundings and remote interaction with the other person demands certain attention- E.g. When you talk in a bus stand or crossing the road.

 Cell phone use in public places makes the user blind to local cues due to cognitive overload. E.g. When you use cell phone while walking through the road, you may not see a vehicle coming close to you. Cell phone use in public places increases the reaction time to events around the user. E.g. You will not get time to move away from a danger. Reduced attention to local situation may disturb others since the user is not attending the social situation. E.g. Your conversation and body language may be annoying to others. Use of Mobile phones in gatherings, meetings, entertainment places etc disturb others through inattention blindness Caller Hegemony Caller Hegemony is the asymmetric relationship between the caller and answerer. The alarming ring tone may demand higher attention to the phone rather than the local settings. If you use cell phones in busy areas, trains or buses, the sudden ring tone may alter your attention or the message from the caller may cause a disturbed feeling. This will leads to inattention blindness. This will not be the condition, if you use a land phone. Cognitive load Mobile phone use in public places makes the user overloaded and become unaware of the details of communicative behavior of co- located individuals as well as other relevant features of the social situation. It is advised that do not use cell phones while driving a vehicle or operating a machinery or crossing the road. Accidents Mobile phone use while driving may cause accidents due to inattention blindnessand cognitive load Cell phone conversation distracts the drivers attention, increase reaction time, and reduce visual field attention Cognitive load rises above visual sensation and diverts attention. Memory of visual inputs and Response will drastically reduce if the cognitive load increases when using cell phone along with driving. The same negative effects may also happen if the driver uses a hands free phone. E.g. If the actual distance between two vehicles is 5 meters, due to cognitive load, the driver may feel that, it is 10 meters. This is the reason for the accidents, if cell phone is used while driving a vehicle.

Psychological problems Over use of Cell phones may cause two New generation Psychological problems. No-Mo phobia (NoMobile phobia) When we run out of credit or battery, lose of phone or are in an area with no reception, being phoneless can bring a panic symptom referred to as NoMo Phobia or No Mobile phobia. To overcome NoMo phobia, two methods are suggested. One is to keep the battery in top condition and the credit sufficient. Another method is, deliberately avoid mobile phone for few hours and then few days. Then you will feel that it is not an important thing. Ringxiety- Ringtone anxiety This is an anxiety symptom related to the over use of mobile phone, a form of addiction. Ringxiety refers to the sensation and false belief that the mobile phone is ringing or vibrating. The term is also used to explain the condition in which a person frequently takes the cell phone to see whether there is any a mis call or messages. Cell phone abuse is a worldwide epidemic which is now affecting millions of men, women and children especially teen age students To the cell phone abusers we say Consider cell phone as a communication device and not as an entertainment device or as a status symbol. Try a little Cell phone courtesy. and do not burden others with the pseudo social behavior. Some people (especially teens) get so much addicted to cell phones for talking, video, messaging, games, etc that they forget the real purpose of the phone and waste large part of their time in unnecessary interaction over their cell phones. Nothing more can be a distraction for a teached in the classroom, when a students phone rings. Cell phones are increasingly becoming a problem for the schools during classroom hours and are becoming a means of cheating during examinations and other kinds of ability tests. All this is really bad and does hurt the future of the student, who doesnt realize that he/she is him/her-self responsible for it. Health of those living in the vicinity of cell phone towers is becoming a growing concern. Towers result into an area with concrete development along with destruction of natural features (vegetation etc) around the place. The towers also emit strong electromagnetic signals, which can be health hazard for those living nearby and who are getting exposed to strong radiations continuously during a good span of their lives. While remaining in touch is good thing but sometimes it becomes annoying to have to deal with continuous incoming phone calls. You are on a vacation and your boss calls up, how does that sound!

Cell phone monthly bills are usually more than a landline bill. Sometimes, we may not require to have a cell phone but we still buy one and start paying monthly bills; so it increases our monthly/recurring expenses.

Use of hands-free (wired/blue-tooth) can at times pass on loud sounds to our ears which can result in weakening of ear-drums. Nowadays, one can download lots of songs, so keeping the hands-free glued inside your ears for long hours can really affect the sensitivity of ears in the long run of life.

There have been cases of cell phone blasts, due to the excessive heating up of its battery. This can be a fatal issue; although rare. No joke, the surface of a cell phone has millions of bacteria and virus on it and that can be a strong reason of immediate skin problem on face or can result into other internal infections wherein the microbes creep inside the body through mouth or other openings.

Some use the keypad excessively; due to size restrictions the buttons and keypad of the cell phone are not natural for human hands; so excessive and prolonged typing can be an issue for fingers and finger joints.

The continuous exposure of signal to and from our cell phone can be a cancer concern, although to a meagre amount- research is still going on. However, the mobile phone industry has long resisted any suggestion of a link to cancer, though it accepts that mobile phone radiation does affect the electrical activity in the brain.

The battery parts and other electonic parts of a cell phone can be environmental hazard if not disposed off properly through approved means. A cell phone can be helpful while driving and talking in case of urgent matters but increasingly it is becoming cause of accidents because it deviates the attention of a driver; human brain can do only one thing at a time (however small span of time it may be).

It can be a big time distraction and nuisance in calm and silent places like libraries, cinemas, restaruants, etc. Some cell phone users lose the sense of deciding when and where they can talk on the cell phone and where they cant, without slightest consideration for the fellow beings around.

The mobile phone advertisements through messages are becoming a pain for the cell phone users. Your SIM can be exploited as tracking device and if youre an important person then that can be a big concern for you. Having said all about cell phones, I think they are one of the biggest boons humanity ever had. If used

properly and sensibly, cell phone can be a wonderful piece of utility in life and most of its disadvantages will simply be insignificant.