General Discussion

aeromanKC

(3,964 posts)

1. 1997

Reply to jodymarie aimee (Original post)

Sun Feb 3, 2019, 08:27 AM

Feb 2019

And I thought I was the last one to get one in 1997. However, I am not a claiming to be a smart DU member nor was it a smart cellphone at the time, but it did allow me to join the circle of mobile communicators. Now, I must confess, I do feel naked when I leave the house without it. I mean, what if I get a flat tire or get stranded going to the corner market!!??

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I have never owned a cellphone..curious, what year did they become a necessity? [View all] jodymarie aimee Feb 2019 OP

1997 aeromanKC Feb 2019 #1

My first "non-smart phone" was one I got in the late 90s from AAA. Miles Archer Feb 2019 #53

When they became "smart phones" and we could surf the 'net donkeypoofed Feb 2019 #2

My niece insisted on not bringing one when she went to college in 2001. It wasn't a necessity. pnwmom Feb 2019 #3

Not everyone has a 9-5 desk job, but everyone must be connected... CottonBear Feb 2019 #4

Yes many companies started issuing Blackberries to executives about 20 years ago FakeNoose Feb 2019 #34

Whenever it was that they became cheap enough for everyone to have one. GoCubsGo Feb 2019 #5

When it became necessary for every aspect of our daily lives to become known to retread Feb 2019 #6

It became a necessity for me around 2000 - maybe late 90s. nini Feb 2019 #7

I didn't get one until 2016, and only because my daughter got it for me. vsrazdem Feb 2019 #8

1992 is when I got my first one. littlemissmartypants Feb 2019 #9

Yeah same here, 1992, have had the same # since. Was $1 in/out a min for calls. n/t EX500rider Feb 2019 #50

1993 our first phones. Were not quite as big as a 2-way radio. 😆 sprinkleeninow Feb 2019 #54

Mid 00's when they started pulling out the pay phones. Afromania Feb 2019 #10

That's my measure, too - Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #33

Same here; when it became impossible to find a public phone. politicaljunkie41910 Feb 2019 #42

The big jump in ownership was after 9/11 Recursion Feb 2019 #11

Um, maybe 15, 20 years ago krispos42 Feb 2019 #12

I was a traveling salesman for 35 years. sellitman Feb 2019 #13

I have a flip phone. I am a librarian essme Feb 2019 #14

Everyone who works for me needs a smartphone crazycatlady Feb 2019 #18

The year my daughter demanded I get one so she could call me.... lindysalsagal Feb 2019 #15

Early 2000s. I think 9/11 and Smartphones really changed the "need" factor aikoaiko Feb 2019 #16

Maybe earlier (the 90s) if you lived in SF, NYC, or DC. aikoaiko Feb 2019 #40

I got my first in 2000 crazycatlady Feb 2019 #17

All of the above. Polly Hennessey Feb 2019 #19

I go by my pregnancies... Books_Tea_Alone Feb 2019 #20

Whenever the payphone stopped treestar Feb 2019 #21

2000 - having a cell phone saved me from being prosecuted. Quemado Feb 2019 #22

When everybody else had one customerserviceguy Feb 2019 #23

I got my first one, a big brick phone, in 1992. MineralMan Feb 2019 #24

For me it was about 1996, when my younger son PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2019 #25

Not a necessity but it helps underpants Feb 2019 #26

Smart phones became a necessity shortly after owning a personal computer stopbush Feb 2019 #27

I owned a personal computer in the late 80s, Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #31

I'd say you were an early adopter and ahead of the curve. stopbush Feb 2019 #37

Ahead of the curve on computers Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #41

A Vic 20 in the late 80's was definitely behind the curve Polybius Feb 2019 #52

Thinking back on when I did my masters degree - Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #58

1993 DBoon Feb 2019 #28

Ah......that's not good. I'm lucky to have what amounts to the opposite set-up. WillowTree Feb 2019 #66

We shared a single phone Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #29

2002 for me. Adrahil Feb 2019 #30

For me, it was 2003. MoonchildCA Feb 2019 #32

If you leave your home for any reason I deem it a necessity. Early 90's I would say. nt UniteFightBack Feb 2019 #35

I got my first one a little over 20 years ago. DFW Feb 2019 #36

About 2005 for me liberal N proud Feb 2019 #38

We've got one we share between us. If I make 1 call a month it's a miracle. Vinca Feb 2019 #39

While out driving (especially road trips) and riding alone on the bike path... SMC22307 Feb 2019 #43

I got my first one in 1993 MurrayDelph Feb 2019 #44

2003 for me kimbutgar Feb 2019 #45

Got one early this century, but seldom used it until 2010 or so. nocoincidences Feb 2019 #46

2015 for me and I didn't buy it myself. 65 here. GemDigger Feb 2019 #47

I got my first cell phone shortly after 9/11 living in NYC. smirkymonkey Feb 2019 #48

We got ours in around 2000. luvs2sing Feb 2019 #49

1998 lark Feb 2019 #51

I was a hold out at 2004. peacefrogman Feb 2019 #55

My job issued an iphone and made it mandatory to use sometime around 2010 Mabel Feb 2019 #56

Do you still use a landline? I don't know anyone with a landline in their house anymore. PTWB Feb 2019 #57

We have one. StatGirl Feb 2019 #60

Convenience vs necessity StatGirl Feb 2019 #59

For me, when I realized that the landline phone I still had was essentially obsolete. ooky Feb 2019 #61

I resisted getting a cell phone for years NastyRiffraff Feb 2019 #62

I got my first in 2008-- it was flip phone. yewberry Feb 2019 #63

I didn't start really using one until 2013 Downtown Hound Feb 2019 #64

About the same time the telephone booth disappeared Brother Buzz Feb 2019 #65

Probably the year I saw one of our local derelicts talking to himself while holding an empty hand to Hekate Feb 2019 #67