My first mobile
It was meant to be just another Sunday. My boss (the very first boss of my insipid career), however, had other plans. He announced that he was going away for the weekend, and that I needed to cover for him. He was a gorgeously wonderful guy, and I could never ever refuse him, even if it was at the cost of scrapping a well-planned shopping expedition that very weekend.
So I took a handover and was all set to handle any sort of client-emergency. Just before he left for the airport, he suddenly turned around, walked right back to me, smiled ever so gently and said ‘This is for you..’ and thrust it into my hands before I could even react.
So there I was, holding my very first mobile phone. A heavy, faded Nokia that had been circulated among virtually EVERY project manager in my team.
Yippee! My very own phone! So somebody actually thought I was important enough to need a mobile phone?! Wooawww..that really felt awesome!
I remember going out with two of my closest friends (Mr.G and Ms.L) that night, and celebrating the event over Tangy Dahi-papdi-chaat and milkshakes (WITH a nice blob of ice-cream)! Every five minutes, G or L would disappear round the corner and call me on my mobile. You know.. just for me to be able to show the world that I too, had arrived!
Over the last ten years, I have owned and used many many mobiles.
- Starting with a really dirty, chapped Nokia (that was the possession of another project manager who used to constantly mine his nose for gold! YUCK!).
- I subsequently treated myself to an ultra-slim Sony Ericcson (colour phone, you see
). - In some time, I was formally given a new shiny blue Sony for ‘official use’. I have to admit this was my most memorable phone, as I used it 24 hours a day, during my courtship with hubby
- Then I got a sturdy Nokia (gift from hubby)…
- Followed by another Sony (With Bluetooth, camera and recording!!)
- And finally a coveted Blackberry Pearl (with about everything!!!!)
Last Saturday, I went scouting for my next mobile phone (none of the others worked now), and found exactly what I was looking for at the very popular Univercel outlet in the shopper’s paradise that is called T.Nagar (Pondy Bazaar, to be precise).
So, my latest addition is an LG. Really sleek. Pitch black. Colour display. And nothing else. Yes, you read right.
No camera, No FM radio, No video, NO NOTHING!!! Not even 10 ring tones, can you beat that? I have to choose from a very jing-chak “Pappu Can’t Dance Sala” or an annoyingly loud “Dance pe tu chance”. Kiddo loves the tunes, but I wouldn’t dream of being heard in public with that ring tone.
The fact that it actually works (for the Rs.1400 that I paid), is a blessing in itself. I can make and receive calls, and even get a whole lot of Marketing Spam SMS-es. And I think Sonny boy can even drop it a couple of times (ahem, that’s an understatement) and it might still just work!
So, I believe Life has come a full circle.
Or mebbe I’m just growing old.
Pal So do we say your world of mobile phones has come to a full circle …eh.. you started with a ‘heavy, faded Nokia’ to no-frills LG(INR 1400)
Well I started my mobile journey with a Motorola T180 black second hand, ‘gifted’ as a token of appreciation for my ‘efforts’ in my first year of job
Lets see where Do I reach
how sweet of your friends to call you to let you enjoy having that phone for the first time..
no cam, no FM, no nonsense..? great. now tht is what a phone is for. but i still prefer mine with a cam as i love clicking.. and FM as i live music.. portable musts os my life.
for parents of small kids those strudy Nokia ones are the best.. yours seems in that line too..
Not even 10 ringtones?? *sob* but can’t you download ringtones?
oh yea… my first mobile was a nokia – 3310 – it was huge!
Now, its another Nokia and the only additional feature is its got the radio. Paid 2000 for it and it works perfectly for me!
ROFL!!!! I find that the sheapest phones are actually the best, more lasting…
I have a samsung phone, and I dont even know the model number…. I bought it 4 years back for 1800 Rs…. it is still going strong
ohh This was a real good one..
I use a red colored BlackBerry and it is efficient but I have got bored. I have had 3 cellph changes for the same reason..
The first one was a gift from parents or was it an extortion on my part.. naahh let go.
And what this all abt age… no no!!
@ Dhiman – Bang on. My world of mobiles has indeed come a full circle! Even the latest iPhone doesn’t excite me! Hey, congrats on starting your journey with something awarded by work. That’s impressive! LOL, at wondering where you will reach with your tryst with mobile phones
@ Oorja – You bet! Awfully sweet of them to have pampered me. I infact just met L about 2 weeks back and we were so excited, except that the one hour passed all too soon. Yet to meet G! P.S – You still dare to carry a phone with camera/FM? Your kid must be an angel!!
@ Spamwarrior – Download? You mean, like with bluetooth or cable? Huh! This one only downloads jhatak filmy tones via the ancient SMS system!
@ Pix – That’s my girl! But you are way too young to give up on mobile phones yet. Try it all out, and then chuck it all away.
@ OG – Yay! Another bird of this feather! But did you say you haven’t changed it in 4 years? Wow! Not many people can demonstrate that sort of commitment. Kudos! And now go exchange it for a nice Palm
@ Mini – Thanks! Wow…a red BB? Strong character there. Great going, girl! LOL on the ‘extortion’. That’s your birth right
And thank you for consoling me about the Age Factor. But its the harsh reality, and I better accept it. Sob!
Gosh, I was going to put a post on my mobile history, but then I decided to publish on Sillyday (im glad I did). So you bought a mobile so that your son could throw it down??
Hey Vimmu, you’re online now too! Cool! Please do share your mobile history… needless to say it would be fun! But what’s Sillyday pliss? And yes, I bought this thinking (read: hoping) it will survive the hammering meted out by a pair of tiny, mischievous hands!
I did read about your Saturda aka Sillyday. Hilarious post, only I also felt a little sorry for you. That was all too much for a single day!
Will Rishi beat up your phone too
I started with a sturdy Nokia 3315 and my roommate had a Motorola talkabout (the one which looks like a huge walkie-talkie) which we both got in our 3rd year and we used to play catch catch across the room with them
Then I moved to a camera phone sponsored by daddy dearest (which he calls blackmail/ extortion)
Then a couple of hand-me-downs from my ec-savvy husband who has to have the latest models (he really uses his phones well – they rarely last beyond a year. he uses the mail, net, bluetooth, redtooth, greentooth, download, FB etc ec etc. And he also sends msgs and calls from it too )
Now I finally got myself a slim red & black Nokia Express Music last year which I’m quite happy with (and its dainty looks belie its sturdniess)
heh heh…my mom uses one of the oldest simplest nokias and refuses to let go. i actually fully understand…it is so simple and uncomplicated…i think mine cud learn a few lessons from that one!!
i can still use the cam/FM mobile coz i don’t have a kid yet. enjoying till it lasts..
I think I will do the same
kids..the lil nieces and nephews who come make me pray for patience as it is..kids of my own?:D
hoo boy!!away goes the cell of my dreams
Every five minutes, G or L would disappear round the corner and call me on my mobile. You know.. just for me to be able to show the world that I too, had arrived!
LOL!! that was so cute and sweet of your friends:)))
I am not a big fan of cells you know
if it can receive calls and I can make em as well….that’s just about perfect:D
beyond that I am lost..
the one I have now is sleek and efficient …with a cam , fm and all..
but I have had it with me for four years now and cant remember the model like OG
you are right though about the reason that some cells are very special
@ Supps
He he, The gentleman that he is, he only beats those who can react or fend for themselves
Playing catch with your mobile phones..LOL! You actually did that? Its always nice to extort a mobile from the parents, isn’t it? We don’t even have to feel guilty about it!
LOL again, at your ‘…bluetooth, redtooth, greentooth…’. And I do like that black Nokia Express Music..really sleek, though I underestimated its sturdiness.
@ Arch
But which is your phone? Come on, reveal all!
Totally second your Mum on her decision
@ Oorja
Oh sorry girl, I thought you were another harassed mom too. So you still have your freedom? And a hi-tech mobile? That sounds good
@ Indy
Kids of your own…yeah , they sure will take after you. So you better watch out, girl!
I know, that was so sweet of G and L, no? Bless them!!
4 years with only one phone? That’s cool. I haven’t crossed the 2-year threshold yet
He he, some phones are indeed special
Hey..
i m a new reader of your blog and i loved this post.
life is a full circle…isnt it?
lol yea.. you are grwoing old… !!!
@ Rohan – Thank you sooooo much! made my day. But why haven’t you left the URL of your blog? I love blog-hopping, you know
@ Hitchy – Boo hooo..sob.. sob. But yes, I am indeed growing old. Met up with some friends today, and while they were happily distracted by calls and SMS-es, I kept up a pretense of checking my mobile. And all I was checking was the Time
Today the object of having a cellular phone
with a jazzy ringtone is to make it known
to the whole world of the status symbol you own
sometimes hiding the fact that you had to take a loan.
LOL! Good one, PRG
))
Btw, what’s the secret to your spontaneity in poetry??
“Every five minutes, G or L would disappear round the corner and call me on my mobile. You know.. just for me to be able to show the world that I too, had arrived! ”
I just can’t stop laughing!!!
Thank you so much, Rekha! Btw, you have a great blog there…one of the few themed blogs I’ve come across. Thanks for dropping by!
Yes…life does come a full circle, doesn’t it? And it isn’t as much growing old as being able to cut through the clutter and recognizing the things that really matter
Exactly MM.. thanks for wording it so beautifully. And I love your display pic…awesome!
Ha! Ha! Back to basics!
P.S. You have been tagged! Check out my latest post: “I have been tagged. Now its your turn… !!!”… for further details.
Nice friends, I must say.. I bought my own phone, through the money I made on my summer internship in college. and your right about wanting a cellphone just to speak.. I am so tired of all the applications out there, just browsing them makes me tired!
@ Roshmi- Back to basics indeed
Will do the tag sometime today!!
@ Anu- Wow, now that’s an achievement you can always be proud of. And yes, the thrill of browsing through applications does quickly fade away.
your last two phone.. same as mine. I remember we didn’t even change ringtones.
He he he! I rememer now (though yours was a better colour than mine)! That little Sony model for 14.00 Gbp
They don’t make those these days. Sigh!!
well i’m in deep waters in the moment and the nasty sharksaround are all in the shapes of cell phones … i will be leaving my state and going else where for college so my parents decided to treat me to a cell phone, and i got an uber cool and fully packed Samsung S3500 at a bargain, and then saw that, though its memory was expandable to 8 GB, it supports not a single memory card in the country … so after a week of memory card hunting had to let go of that and now am without one again
hunting for yet another phone now …
OMG, that is terrible, Shoob! But are you sure you cannot get a memory card from the various shopping malls? What about the famous Singapore shopping centres? Or why don’t you get it from someone who lives abroad? Btw, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comment!
the phone was boght IN India, and the dealer claimed that no other customer had faced this problem … he replaced the model with another S3500 .. to no avail
Hey, there must be SOME way out! Agreed the phone was bought in India. But did u try getting the SD cards from one of those imported-stuff-wala shops? Or what about our good ol’ World Wide Web? Can you not order it online from somewhere? Good luck!!!
I`m sure you can download ringtones, cant you?
Piper! Cam and Videocam et al? Isn’t that cool? Might as well upload a nice pic of yourself for your fans to see
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Lovely read, this mobile journey of yours.
I too remember my first phone, the heavy Nokia. It was a gift from my sis and brother in law. 
hey ho!! long time.. where art thou, my friend???
You have been tagged!
Check out my latest post: “More tags… One down, 2 more to go!” for further info…
Shail- ‘the heavy Nokia’ seems to be the universal favourite, especially for first-timers
Piper- Been in bustling Chennai all these days, and only returned here yday! Will be regular now. Thanks for missing me
Roshmi- Aw, I haven’t even done justice to your earlier tag…will attempt it next week for sure! And congrats on being the second runner-up at Indiblogger. Way to go, girl! Care to share the moolah with your voters?