Cell Phone Abuse: Are You A Victim?

Like millions of others, you may be the victim of cell phone abuse. What is cell phone abuse? Let's say you're in a public place trying to concentrate on something or having a face-to-face conversation or just enjoying a peaceful moment when a stranger 5-10 feet away starts talking on his or her cell phone. If, as a result, your concentration is broken or your conversation is interrupted or your peaceful moment ruined or you are otherwise disturbed, then consider yourself the victim of cell phone abuse.

Making or receiving one or two short calls in public among strangers is okay but extensive cell phone use or long cell phone chats which disturb other people is an invasion of privacy. It's inconsiderate, it's annoying, it's discourteous.

And worse, it's abuse.

And if the victim of cell phone abuse politely (or rudely) interrupts the abuser (as they talk on and on) and asks them kindly to take their cell phone elsewhere, or kindly be quiet; it's disturbing, the victim is all too often met with a perplexing look or even more abuse, as in "what's YOUR problem, I'm on the phone here!" Sure. Right. Every cell phone call is important and meaningful; so important and meaningful that people expose it to total strangers in public! Pul-eese.

Symptoms of Cell Phone Abuse -

while in the immediate vicinity of strangers using their cell phone common symptons may include:

• inability to concentrate on what you are doing

• mild or severe irritability or annoyance

• sensitivity to stupid or loud ring tones

• initially thinking the cell phone user is actually talking to YOU

• wishing they would hurry up and finish the call

• wishing they would leave

• wishing their cell phone battery would die

Cell phone abuse is a worldwide epidemic which is now affecting millions of men, women and children, with no relief in sight.

To the victims of cell phone abuse we say; we feel your pain and, though it's difficult, you will survive this horrible public abuse.

To the cell phone abusers we say ... try a little cell phone courtesy ... and do not burden or abuse others with your pseudo social and/or business self-importance. Or, at least, if you are in public and there are strangers around, keep your cell phone calls interesting ... and short. On behalf of the millions of us who suffer cell phone abuse every day, we thank you.

About The Author

Andrew Lawrence is a philosopher, founder of the Life Purpose Society and strives to help people feel better, do better, be better. He can be reached via http://lifepurpose.0catch.com

Customize Your Cell Phone With Ringtones and Wallpaper

As an important part of your daily life, your cell phone should reflect your personality. At one time, the only way to personalize your phone was to get one in your favorite color. Today, great cellular accessories such as ringtones and wallpapers make it easy to create a phone thatรขโ�ฌโ�ขs as unique as you are.

A ringtone is the sound your phone makes when thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs an incoming call. Custom ringtones are fun cellular accessories to personalize your phone and help identify your phone in a room full of cell phone users. Ringtones are available for purchase or as free downloads on a variety of websites. To download these cellular accessories, your phone must have internet access. Many cell phone providers have websites containing custom ringtones, but you can also type "cell phone ringtones" into any search engine to find sources for these cellular accessories. If your cellular phone supports SP-MIDI files, there are online tutorials that can teach you how to create your own ringtones. However, not all cell phones are capable of playing custom ringtones and some models will only play either polyphonic or monophonic ringtones. If youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre planning to use ringtones, make sure your phone is compatible with these cellular accessories.

Custom wallpapers are also great cellular accessories for people looking to personalize their phones. Cell phone wallpaper is just a smaller version of the desktop wallpapers for your home computer. Wallpapers can feature your favorite movies, actors, or music groups. Your wallpaper can be of a place youรขโ�ฌโ�ขd like to visit or of the car youรขโ�ฌโ�ขd like to own. You can even use your favorite photo to create your own wallpaper. To download these cellular accessories, your phone must have internet access. Like ringtones, wallpapers are available for purchase or as free downloads on many websites. You just need to type "cell phone wallpaper" into any search engine to find sources for these cellular accessories.

Timothy Gorman is a successful webmaster and publisher of Cellular-Phone-Solutions.com. He provides cellular phone plans, service and free cellular phones on his website that you can research in your pajamas.

GPS Cell Phones

Motivated by the events of 9/11 2001 and problems with 911 calls from cellular phones, the FCC requires that by the end of 2005 all cell phone carriers must be able to trace the location of cell phone calls to within a range of no more than 100 meters.

Cell phones are already available with GPS technology installed. These systems are not the same as the GPS devices used by hikers, mariners and drivers. Lower cost models do not allow the user to enter data such as mapping software. All systems require a wireless network.

Cell phones with GPS technology use AGPS (Assisted Global Positioning System). Assisted because the system uses both cell phone towers and satellites as location finders.

There are advantages and disadvantages in the new technology. The cost to implement the program will be passed on to consumers -รขโ�ฌโ�� cell phones will cost more. Privacy is a real concern with the general public especially in this day of identity theft. It is a concern that unknown people will be able to access your location. Also there is a possibility that the spam you are flooded with on your home computer will now be sent to your cell phone.

Using GPS cell phones to track people has some great advantages. Locating kids and family can be a blessing. Remember though, if you try to locate someone who is out of your calling area, you will be charged extra.

The obvious benefit for the consumer is the issue of emergency aid and that was the catalyst for this whole idea of GPS cell phones. A 911 call that can be quickly located, emergency roadside assistance, locating persons missing in remote areas, the list goes on. If coverage is available then GPS cell phones save lives.

Many carriers already have GPS cell phones available. You can buy the basic model for emergency tracking or you can pay for the technology that turns the cell phone into a sophisticated mapping, PDA system. Problems are still an issue with the advanced features. The more you use the advanced features, the greater the drain on the battery. Increasing battery size also increases the cell phone size and that is a problem for most consumers who want ever smaller, lighter devices to carry around. At this time Japan seems to have the edge on developing the high-end miniature GPS cell phone.

Sacrificing privacy for safety is the issue and I suspect that it would only take one positive outcome in an emergency situation to make the decision for you.

As the systems become more and more refined camera and PDA capabilities are being included into the phone itself. Developments in GPS cell phone technology are continuing. If programmers can solve the issues of privacy then the potential for GPS cell phones is incredible. It will no longer be an issue of "Can you hear me now?" Rather the question will be, "Can you find me now?"

Anne King is a sports and recreation writer in Boise, Idaho. For more information on GPS cell phones, visit Maps GPS Info.com which also provides practical information on GPS and maps that everyone can use. The website includes product reviews and a maps/GPS glossary.