Wait. This is not some shallow, gadget-obsessed, computer geek teen's opinion. I am in my early thirties. Old enough to learn what one values most and young enough to live life accordingly.
It's true, friends are the family we choose.
I come from a family where my siblings are opposites of me and ours is quite a cheerful love-hate relationship - more hate than love. We simply can't believe we share 50% of our genes. We just about tolerate each other.
But, we still need to keep in touch. And even though we may occasionally share a house, we find it easier to communicate via email.
I leaped over a small pile of stones, running as fast as I could. My lungs were close to bursting, as I glanced behind and breathlessly puffed up the road. What was that sound? That beep...oh yes, my phone! Why didn't I immediately think of it? Pulling it out, I touched just one key to get online and accessed my facebook mail update. An urgent message from my closest friend, suggesting an impulsive dinner tonight. I slowed down to a jog and stopped as I messaged her back to say that I would see her there. No, I wasn't running for my life there, just trying to keep fit. This new net phone means that I don't miss out on any impulsively made plans, or anything important work-wise.
Try jogging with your laptop and you'll see what I mean.
Need to see that funny Budweiser video? Send a cute animated card to your friend's adorable 6 year old daughter? Buy a book for your boss for his birthday? Respond in time to that interesting-and-cute guy's dinner invite for Friday evening? Listen to music while working out? Watch that new music video? Send a picture of that wild bear on a wildlife trail to your friends? Need to access that online map as you got lost driving?
A net phone makes it possible.
And all this, at one paisa per second. Sounds fair to me. And no long, patience-shredding dial-ups either.
Anything you thought you'd be tied down to a flat surface and a chair for, is just plain redundant now. So don't be afraid to live your life - go to that beach, that hammock, that spa, that hike - all you have to do is carry your phone along and you're still connected.
My friends and my life. See, my phone makes my own world move with me, in my own pocket.
Now I know what that old song meant - I have the whole world in my hands.
It's time to move on with the times. Just one touch makes it possible.
Early thirties is when you're old enough to have been at the forefront of the internet era and young enough to have tried all of it's myriad, glossy, enticing applications and get excited when a new one comes along. From ICQ to Messenger to Gtalk, to Ryze, hi5, Orkut, Twitter and Facebook, we've transited to our favourites by now.
Forget about a Second Life, we can create multiple personalities over different social networking sites, drop acquaintances who didn't turn into friends and cement bonds with true pals online. So what if I'm in India and they are in Singapore, USA or anywhere in the world?
Luckily, am old enough to have gone through the desktop computer era, which transited to the laptop and Macbook one. And luckily, am young enough to see the era where I can now interact with friends locally and globally - from my phone!
This was written as an entry for an online contest. Sadly, non-winning :)
It's true, friends are the family we choose.
I come from a family where my siblings are opposites of me and ours is quite a cheerful love-hate relationship - more hate than love. We simply can't believe we share 50% of our genes. We just about tolerate each other.
But, we still need to keep in touch. And even though we may occasionally share a house, we find it easier to communicate via email.
I leaped over a small pile of stones, running as fast as I could. My lungs were close to bursting, as I glanced behind and breathlessly puffed up the road. What was that sound? That beep...oh yes, my phone! Why didn't I immediately think of it? Pulling it out, I touched just one key to get online and accessed my facebook mail update. An urgent message from my closest friend, suggesting an impulsive dinner tonight. I slowed down to a jog and stopped as I messaged her back to say that I would see her there. No, I wasn't running for my life there, just trying to keep fit. This new net phone means that I don't miss out on any impulsively made plans, or anything important work-wise.
Try jogging with your laptop and you'll see what I mean.
Need to see that funny Budweiser video? Send a cute animated card to your friend's adorable 6 year old daughter? Buy a book for your boss for his birthday? Respond in time to that interesting-and-cute guy's dinner invite for Friday evening? Listen to music while working out? Watch that new music video? Send a picture of that wild bear on a wildlife trail to your friends? Need to access that online map as you got lost driving?
A net phone makes it possible.
And all this, at one paisa per second. Sounds fair to me. And no long, patience-shredding dial-ups either.
Anything you thought you'd be tied down to a flat surface and a chair for, is just plain redundant now. So don't be afraid to live your life - go to that beach, that hammock, that spa, that hike - all you have to do is carry your phone along and you're still connected.
My friends and my life. See, my phone makes my own world move with me, in my own pocket.
Now I know what that old song meant - I have the whole world in my hands.
It's time to move on with the times. Just one touch makes it possible.
Early thirties is when you're old enough to have been at the forefront of the internet era and young enough to have tried all of it's myriad, glossy, enticing applications and get excited when a new one comes along. From ICQ to Messenger to Gtalk, to Ryze, hi5, Orkut, Twitter and Facebook, we've transited to our favourites by now.
Forget about a Second Life, we can create multiple personalities over different social networking sites, drop acquaintances who didn't turn into friends and cement bonds with true pals online. So what if I'm in India and they are in Singapore, USA or anywhere in the world?
Luckily, am old enough to have gone through the desktop computer era, which transited to the laptop and Macbook one. And luckily, am young enough to see the era where I can now interact with friends locally and globally - from my phone!
This was written as an entry for an online contest. Sadly, non-winning :)
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