First, I'm curious: not much love has been professed for touch screens in this thread, but no one has really said why. So, why? LOL To me, it's just so much easier, and after the Blackberry I wanted nothing to do with anything dirt catching or mechanical. I mean, this is so easy for me I'll be sitting by the computer but will still sit here and surf and answer mail on the phone. I have been a very happy IPhone user for about 6 months now. I went from the standard flip phone to a Blackberry Curve prior to that. That was 10 steps above a flip phone, and overall ok. It was my first foray to a full keyboard which I loved, but went through 3 in 6 months because that stupid mechanical trackball would become inextricably jammed and fly apart. Anyone else have that issue? The last time the 963 microsopic moving parts of that trackball went flying all over, I went to the store to see what else was available. The salesman personally demonstrated his IPhone (which up to that point I'd heard good things about but hadn't actually seen in the "flesh") and I knew immediately there was no other choice. If the Blackberry was 10 steps above a flip phone, the IPhone is another 50 steps above that. It does take a bit to get used to the larger size of these phones when you're used to a little flip phone, but that's a minor issue. The big appeal of this for me is it's basically a portable computer. The telephone quality is just great, but I rarely talk on the phone, I prefer to text and email and am surfing 24/7, so I actually feel like I'm getting something for my money now. I LOVE that almost everything is done by touch screen and I love that, unlike the Blackberry, your email and websites look like emails and websites, not a jumble of links. I also love that I have access to several email accounts at once, where Yahoo only allows you to be logged in to one at a time on the computer. I have one touch access to my favorite sites, and while I'm not a big app fiend, I love that I have the capability and if/when I find I want or need something, I can probably find it. I like the fact that I have the option of no sound at all, not even vibrating, if I wish. Ringtones are cheaper and you have more control over the process through ITunes. I also like that it uses the same charger as my IPod! What I hope to see in the future is being able to use Flash (this is an issue with pretty much all phones at this point isn't it? I'm sure they'll get to it) and I thought it odd that you can't send picture text messages (it's coming). I'd probably add one of those tiny red pilot lights to let you know you have messages or whatever when the screen is dark, and I would do a conventional spellchecker instead of on the fly, or make it a selection. Overall minor stuff that would in no way affect my choice if I were doing it again. I'm sure all IPhone users also know there is a software upgrade which allows cutting and pasting and let you use the keyboard in both directions. You do have to be cautious about service in your area. ATT is great here in LA, but that's not always the case. I hope we eventually get away from phones being connected to phone companies, and you can buy the phone you want then pick your company. It's also important to note that you are not allowed to insure the IPhone as you can with other phones. With regard to Ipod usage, for me I have stuck with my traditional Ipod for that, and even with the IPhone will buy another if it goes. It's small and light and fits in my shorts pocket at the gym, and I can play it through my car stereo (the connection fits the Iphone but won't accept it). Sometimes when working out I get the headset cord tangled in the machines and send it flying, and if something bad would happen the IPod is a lot cheaper to replace.

I had no set age but figured I'd wait until they actually "need" them. Until the age of 13, my oldest was always in the presence of an adult, whether at school, camp, sports, activities, etc. Sure, it is a convenience, but I didn't feel like forking out the money if it was really necessary. In 7th grade, I started getting pressured by her because nearly all of her friends had them. By Christmas that year, she was one of about 3 kids in her class of 90 at school that did not have a phone. By spring, she was going through a bit of a rough patch socially (darn girls, what a tough age!) Much of her social circle's communication (well, basically ALL) was occurring via text and she was not only feeling left out, but actually was being left out. Her self esteem really being affected. Dh and I discussed it and after much annoyance at the feeling of "giving in" we got her a cell phone about two months before her 13th birthday. By the time she got her cheap phone, the majority of her friends had already graduated to iPhones. Don't even get me started on that subject! She is now 14, entering high school and all of her friends have them. I have come to realize now at her age, though, it is a nice comfort to me that she now has a phone because she now goes places with her friends (without parents). It's convenient for me in terms of getting in touch with her for logistical reasons. My son, who just finished 6th grade and turns 13 in five months is one of very few kids in his grade that doesn't have a phone. And there are plenty of kids in his grade that already have iPhones. Blows my mind. So, I guess I would say 12/13 is probably the typical age, but really, it should be what you are comfortable with, not what other people are doing. I don't imagine that my son will have the same social issues as my dd simply b/c his friendships don't operate the same way (let's face it, girls can be very *itchy to each other, especially in the early teen years!). Most of his friends do have cellphones but half the time, the parents have taken them away as punishment, or they've forgotten to bring it with them, etc. So for now, it's a non-issue with him and I don't imagine he'll get one anytime soon.

I got that email the other day, and I was mildly surprised at how someone could snoop on another person without them knowing it. I knew that they could listen in while you were on a call, but that's all I knew. I didn't know they could listen in when you weren't even on the phone. I know three people who have scanners, who listen for emergency activity (fire/police /ambulance), but a couple of them also listen in on phone calls (portable phones). This is a small community, and sometimes they know the people they are listening to, and sometimes they don't. One of the people (I really don't care for her), found out a policeman was having an affair, and even though she didn't know him, she found out who his wife was, and went to his wife and told her. Btw... she had an affair herself, not too much later.

I really was taken aback by the "holier than thou" take on my post. I sure don't feel that way, nor did I intend to come off that way. Hands free is legal in my state, however, the law now prohibits any contact with your cell, even when stopped in traffic. I've never used my cell in the car, I never look at texts and certainly wouldn't text myself. If hands free were illegal, I wouldn't do it. I never used my phone in the car before I had hands free and it is really a rare occasion when I do now - maybe to let someone know I'm stuck in traffic or running late. I have one route I take on a 2 lane country highway to my cabin, with long stretches of open road and sometimes I will talk to a friend for an extended period, but that, too, is rare. I am careful about when and where I talk, not on unfamiliar roads or when traffic seems to be erratic. I do feel like I am a super aware driver, I drive defensively. The same with my GPS...I always put in the address before I start moving and it talks me through maneuvers. I do glance at the dash display to see what the next move is going to be and how far away it is, but like I said above, it's no more of a glance than at my speedometer. I guess you can be livid if you want. I hope you don't ever turn on your car radio, or change the station or listen to the news. For some people that could be a big distraction and time with your eyes off the road. Same with smokers who light up while driving. Or people who drink their lattes, or even sip from water bottles. Only one hand available to control your car. I think it's a spectrum of distractions and abilities.