Hey, Vishesh, I waited for a week for you to come up with the first post. So, now you need to post on both topics together to make up.*smiles*
The cellphone I carry and how/why you love it:
Two years back, when I returned to Dubai on my second job, I decided to change the traditional Nokia phone I had and got the Samsung I320, after a lot of deliberation on whether to move away from Nokia’s familiar keypad and functions.
Initially, it was really confusing- when I picked up the phone, I’d switch off an incoming call, since the button was in a different location, I’d dial a number and press disconnect. But, the phone’s been worth all the teething troubles.
Why?
- It’s ultraslim, exactly like I always wanted my phone to be.
- It’s lightweight-just 95 grams, so I don’t even know I’m carrying it(That's a drawback, in a way, since I tend to forget things if I've not got them in my pockets/on the waist in a case. Touchwood, it hasn't happened yet).
- And, it’s got a QWERTY keypad, which is perfect for sending smses quickly. Can’t imagine how I used to sit and go through the ‘press same key thrice to type C’, for example, in the routine phones.
- Amongst other features, it can play mp3 songs on it's built in features, it's got Windows mobile 5...but, I can't wax eloquent about them since I hardly use them. In fact, even today, I keep it on silent most of the time. (Why, you ask? Well, that's a topic for another post. Those who read my blog,would remember my talk sagas from previous posts. Rest assured, I still consider it something like what they call men's ties in slang- a 'kanth langot'(tight diaper for the neck). Or, the proverbial bell around the neck. heh heh)
Yes, the phone’s been about to die on me two-three times. Once when it got too affected by humidity, another time when the battery decided to die out, and I thought there was something wrong with the charger.( Purchased three of them in the bargain, since even the repair shop people would say that the charger was not working. Hehe).
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Now,a bit on my cellphone saga of the last few years:
Now,a bit on my cellphone saga of the last few years:
Cellphones-that extreme luxury item of the nineties. People would flaunt it like it was the most wanted gadget in the world. Even though the phone would weight half a kilo or more, they would still be carrying it in their pockets or in their hands. Kids would not be allowed to touch it, a slight scratch would lead to the person’s mood being off for the rest of the day. Even I remember looking at my cell-phone owning relatives with awe, wondering how they decided to fritter away 25000 rupees or more on a frivolous object.
When I landed in Dubai in 2002, I was astonished to see that even our building watchman would be busy most of the time, chatting away on his cellphone. Still, for the first three months, I kept avoiding buying what I termed the equivalent of the proverbial ‘tying a bell around the cow’s neck’ so that it’s owners could find it easily. One of the Brit bosses in the office was quite astonished that I had not purchased a cell even after three months. And, his frustration was all the more so, because he loved to contact project people only after 9 PM, to discuss, followup, check, et al. Finally, during one of the internal company meetings, he put it down as one of the Minutes Of Meeting points as ‘ AL to buy cell phone’. Arghhh!! And, the rest, as they say, is history.
I started with the very basic model, the 3310. I used to hate it, and would glare angrily whenever it rang after (Forget after, even during) office hours. But, the stone was cast, the deed was done. I was trapped in the ‘cell phone vicious circle’. The next phone was a 6610, I think. Compulsorily purchased, again, because the 3310 had very less memory, and I couldn’t store all the suppliers’ phone numbers in it.
When I landed in Dubai in 2002, I was astonished to see that even our building watchman would be busy most of the time, chatting away on his cellphone. Still, for the first three months, I kept avoiding buying what I termed the equivalent of the proverbial ‘tying a bell around the cow’s neck’ so that it’s owners could find it easily. One of the Brit bosses in the office was quite astonished that I had not purchased a cell even after three months. And, his frustration was all the more so, because he loved to contact project people only after 9 PM, to discuss, followup, check, et al. Finally, during one of the internal company meetings, he put it down as one of the Minutes Of Meeting points as ‘ AL to buy cell phone’. Arghhh!! And, the rest, as they say, is history.
I started with the very basic model, the 3310. I used to hate it, and would glare angrily whenever it rang after (Forget after, even during) office hours. But, the stone was cast, the deed was done. I was trapped in the ‘cell phone vicious circle’. The next phone was a 6610, I think. Compulsorily purchased, again, because the 3310 had very less memory, and I couldn’t store all the suppliers’ phone numbers in it.
So, I gave the 3310 for a nominal sum to a poor worker in our company who had just come to Dubai. And, the next one was the Nokia smartphone of the slider type. Don’t even remember the model- I think it was the 7650 . It became obsolete pretty soon, but, I loved the way I could stylishly slide the screen up and dial.(Still have the phone stashed away somewhere for emergency use or for one of those exchange schemes) A fatso of a gadget, which I now wonder how I ever handled. This worked for a year or so.
And, I got the 6680, which was being sold in India with the lively song ‘Saamne Yeh Kaun Aaya’ playing in the background. This one was quite a fascinating phone, and, I’d spend quite a bit of spare time adding wallpapers and themes to it. It also had two cameras, but, I soon realized their futility because that’s useful only if the opposite person also has a similar gadget.
And, now, the moot point- except the 3310, I never purchased a new cellphone. I still think there’s no point in spending a fortune on a phone. There’s this former Boss I had, who loves cellphones. So, each time a new one comes out and he buys it, he lets me know that his former one is ‘for sale’ at a great special price for me(usually about 30% less than the market price) LOL. But, I don’t think I want to change from the I320 to another in the near future. After all, bells around the neck are always the same, whatever shape or colour they come in, na!!
And, now, the moot point- except the 3310, I never purchased a new cellphone. I still think there’s no point in spending a fortune on a phone. There’s this former Boss I had, who loves cellphones. So, each time a new one comes out and he buys it, he lets me know that his former one is ‘for sale’ at a great special price for me(usually about 30% less than the market price) LOL. But, I don’t think I want to change from the I320 to another in the near future. After all, bells around the neck are always the same, whatever shape or colour they come in, na!!
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