Phones, Phones, Phones!

First of all, I cannot dare to rest on my bed, nestling myself in a pool of cuddly, velvet-soft pillows, if I do not make myself undeniably clear: a mobile phone, preferably one with Wifi and a decent megapixel camera, is a deeply essential part of my hectic, teenage lifestyle and who knows how I would feel without a small gadget held in the palm of my hand every day, access to the exciting world of the internet only a click away.

Oh yes, mobile phones - or smartphones, which have certainly taken over the previous popularity for old-fashioned, yet tougher-than-a-bulletproof-boot phones only a mere decade or so ago - not only make a typically grumpy teenager as happy as one could hope during the tediously hormone-wrecking years, but create a source of comfort and YouTube-themed entertainment when being engrossed by a intriguing vampire novel, the latest genre of choice for blood-sucking (or patience-dwindling!) young adults in case the current craze hasn't swept upon your shores just yet.

Ever since I got my very first mobile almost two-and-a-half years ago - a basic Alcatel model, with a purple cover and a keyboard which could be slid open for text messaging, which is still hidden inside my Narnia-like wardrobe where many other unknown treasures exist - I've become a dedicated user of mobile networking and the thought of giving up my newest model, a quick-as-a-breeze, app-packed Nokia Lumia 620, brings a tear to my eye, though the sudden surge of emotion may be due to the spicy pizza I ate last night. So, Windows 8 systems and mushroom-rich pizza don't mix well together, unless that's your sort of thing. Ahem.

Sending ten-lettered texts to my brother just before bedtime or logging onto Wikipedia when the family laptop is currently in use for football-associated purposes (system-freezing tragedies have a tendency to occur during the weekend whilst Sky Sports News is blaring from the enlivened TV) has weaved its way into my every day life that I don't think twice about fishing out my mobile from its royal purple cover - of course, I like to think of myself as royalty minus the heavy, jewel-encrusted crown - and checking out certain apps during lunchtime.

The latest addition to my ever-increasing (not! Looking for a proper, flash-free meditation app is totally the hardest thing known to mankind, alongside getting a pitch perfect translation on Google) applications is the adorable, aww-inducing My Talking Tom, which features a grey cat whose needs feeding, sleeping, playing and even trips to the bathroom (you can even change the colour and decor of the toilet if the stains really get up your skin!) will leave your constantly frustrated and physically drained, along with your phone's immense lack of battery within the space of a night. It seems that Tom - whose wonderful habits, including relishing the flavour of chicken wings and burping à la moi after a meal - is oh-too-lazy to get his paws out of his purple-coloured covers and switch on the bedside light when he is wide-awake; the relentless messages popping up on my phone are driving me as nutty as my out-of-control addiction to roasted peanuts and cracked pecan shells! Yet the sound of his purr reminds me so much of Jerry, whose used his vibration-like purring techniques as his only form of communication, and so I'll carry on with the game when my temper has been given the opportunity to calm down. In perhaps an hour or so's time.

Anyway, as I was originally saying, mobile phones are not just mere electronic gadgets which merely enable the user with the option of making a call or sending a quick text whilst out-and-about from home: technology offers so much more than the standardized choice of yesteryear where you were limited to only being able to use a landline phone at home or actually write a neatly handwritten letter (a method of communication which I haven't used since I wrote my very last letter to Weightwatchers never-to-be ambassador, Father Christmas, years ago!). We, as a nation, ought to move with the times and embrace the technology for what it is - a form of both entertainment and necessity!

Phones aren't just for internet-savvy youngsters or high-flying workers who actually need to use such a multi-tasking gadget to stay on track with their working life; older people shouldn't be left out from the fun to be enjoyed because it brings them on a par with the majority of the population and keeps them in touch with family and friends in an easier, often cheaper way. I'm not suggesting for a second that original methods of communicating with others, such as speaking face-to-face or sitting down to write a letter (and risk getting an irritating cramp for ages afterwards!), ought to be abolished as though they no longer hold a valued place in the world - surely we can make room to adjust for everybody's needs and remain in touch with one other, whilst respecting various views and keeping up with the ever-changing times?

Despite rarely making a credit-reducing call on my smartphone as there is basically hardly an occasion where it is of a high necessity, I use it for all of the purposes it offers: send short, quick lines of communications in a budget-friendly text; log onto the internet whenever I fancy; play a game or two to keep myself amused; and even explore the basic functions which I barely give a thought about, like the pre-installed calculator, memory-realizing calender or alarm, the very worst method of awakening one from a peaceful, energizing slumber! What amazes me is how simple it is to discover so many wonderful things which once never existed in previous eras - it makes me think about the old ways of living and the manner in which people led their lives, unaware of the fabulously bright and electronic-mad future ahead of them. The same also applies to laptops, portable mp3 players and tablets, which only entered the gadget industry since Apple launched the very first of its kind in 2010 - without all of these wonderful items which have opened up a completely amazing world to our consistently-expanding own, where would we be now? I won't even dare think about my possibly bad attitude as a dramatically behaving teenager; the mood swings can firmly remain in my imagination!

So, let's make it as simple as finger-licking apple pie: touchscreen smartphone = happy teenager. With such a great gift to be had wherever we go or choose to do, the possibilities are endless! I'm sincerely looking forward to the new inventions which will be undoubtedly popping up in jam-packed stores over the next decade; will I be part of those technology-addicted crowds? Only if a phone - one of my strongly beloved possessions - is included!