Imperative Internet

Cell phones have had access to the internet for a few years now, but the trend has only just begun. With everyone and their mother.. and daughter.. and grandma clutching a cell phone, internet access has crossed the fence from trend to necessity.

It was not too long ago that cell phones were emergency use only. In early nineties movies, it was always business that carried around the mobile--making them look hurried and busy. Of course now every twelve year old and up has got a cell phone somewhere on their person (and if they don't have it, they're probably undergoing a panic attack because of it).

And ever since the internet became accessable through our wireless talking machines, having an internet ready phone has been desired. But, it's only been recently that, because of their availability, internet phones are not just a want--they're a need.

Verizon Wireless, along with most other cell phone companies, allow you to upgrade your phone every two years. A friend of mine, ready to upgrade, refused to get anything other than a Blackberry, one of the internet ready phones available today. Her parents didn't want to pay the extra thirty dollars a month for the internet, so my friend left with no phone at all. To this day, three months later, she still has her old phone; waiting for her Blackberry.

Why are we so concerned with have internet at our fingertips, when internet became available only a few decades ago? It could be that a necessity for some was intensified by the consumer driven society we live in. Now, a twenty something girl NEEDS to get on the internet any time of the day--we can't live without facebook for more than an hour. So what's next then, I wonder? I can only hope, whatever it is, it comes after we all have our internet phones.