English Research Paper on Culture

Hi- I'm writting a paper in English class about culture. The topic I chose is how cell phones have chaged today's society. If i could get some feedback on it that would be great! My teacher is an extremely hard grader and what he looks for most is organization, a strong thesis, and good supporting evidence, along with general grammar and flow of sentences. Thanks!

Americans and Their Cell Phones:

In this day in age owning a cell phone is as important and routine as brushing your teeth before bed. For some these devices just cause confusion and are more trouble than they are worth, but for most, they are life-savers and absolute necessities. Cell phones are rapidly changing America’s culture as they are no longer only used for emergencies and to connect with friends and family. Though an essential communication tool, cell phones have evolved into devices that allow for so much more than a simple call or text to occur. The dramatic increase in cell phone, especially smartphone, use in America is shifting the way people spend their time. It is forming a culture in which the newest technology is valued and seen as necessary and indispensable. Americans are becoming obsessed and dependent on their cell phones as a result of the many features and the convenience the device provides. Our society is changing in order to appeal to cell phone users by providing an increase in serviceability and practicality.

Many of the cell phones we use today are smartphones, which are high end mobile phones that combine the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone through the different applications they posses. Cell phones were first created in 1973 and took around 35 years to become commercially available in the United States (Bellis). Over the years, the cell phone has evolved from a way to communicate with friends and family or use strictly for emergencies to an essential tool for communication that aids in the organization of one’s life and provides entertainment for the owner. The two major companies that produce smartphones are Apple and Google. The iPhone and Android phones allow people to be connected 24/7 to to internet, providing them with the ability to have almost everything at their fingertips. The constant updates and new technology causes consumers to continuously buy the newest and most advanced products which shows why smartphone use is increasing.

Calling and text messaging are two functions of every cell phone and contribute to the reason Americans are so attached to their phones. Cell phones in today’s society are essential communication tools and are necessary for our nation’s interconnectivity. Phone owners often use their devices during their idle time. In fact, “41% of cell phone users say the fill in free time when they are traveling or waiting for someone by using their phone” (Rainie). Text messaging is the most common non voice application used by Americans. It is a phone function that people use more than calling in many instances. Text messaging users “send or receive an average of 41.5 text messages per day” (Smith). This number continues to increase over the years and as technology evolves and advances. Younger generations naturally text more often than older generations, “sending or receiving 87.7 text messages on a normal day” (Smith).

I can recall many instances in which I found myself without a cell phone and felt extremely uncomfortable in the situation I was in. The distress that comes with not having ones cell phone on them is a result of not having the ability to be connected with the world around you. Calling and text messaging are not the only ways to connect, other features such as the numerous applications and the internet contribute to the cell phone craze and obsession. One example of this is students in school. When put in a situation where one is not allowed to quickly look up an answer students become restless and impatient.

Aside from calling and messaging the applications available for purchase or download are what allures people to purchase phones and occupy their time with them. Among the most important of these are the calendar, weather, maps, reminders, camera, calculator, stocks, internet, email, and alarm applications that are often provided with the device. Other programs and software can be downloaded from the application store. Such programs include games, social networking apps, and banking applications. Dramatic increases in application purchases from the app store are also apparent. Many stores and companies have created apps for purchase and download to provide convenience to their consumers. For example, Starbucks has an app in which one can submit their credit card number and order their drink of choice through their phone, pre paid and ready for pick up at the location they choose. This is just one of the many examples of our society changing to benefit cell phone users. It creates a win-win situation in which the consumer is provided with an easy way to get their morning coffee and the producer increases profit not only from the increase in consumers but also from profit gained by each purchase of the application. The popularity of this technology is mainly due to the plethora of actions the device can perform in addition to the convenience provided by the phone.

Music is another aspect of smartphones that appeals to consumer wants. Everyone enjoys listening to their favorite music and having it on your phone, which for many is glued to their side, allows people to listen on the go. For example, many people listen to music as they walk to class or workout at the gym, and it is made possible through smartphone devices. Almost every phone has the capability to store and play music. This is provided most often by iTunes. A new era of buying and selling music has been created by Apple’s iTunes. iTunes has changed society it many ways including easy access to music and access to albums before their tangible release. Through iTunes, pre-releases, singles, and entire albums can be distributed before the CD is released. In many cases, one can only purchase a song from iTunes as many artists submit their music to iTunes and do not comprise a full album. Having iTunes on one’s phone provides the means for listening to music in a easy and inexpensive way.

Games are another feature of cell phones that are changing our society. Not only are there games that appeal to children but also to teens and adults alike. Smartphone users of all ages are “three to five times more likely to play games, use social networks, and access the internet from their phones, in comparison to traditional feature phone owners” (Jennings).

Cell phones are a convenient and useful way to stay connected in today’s society. Most cell phones are small and slim which allows them to be conveniently carried by their users. Landline use is significantly decreasing as “one in five U.S. adults do not have a landline” (cellular-news) while cell phones are being purchased more frequently and recently. This is because landlines confine one to a specific place, whereas cellular devices allow one to have free range when making a phone call as a result of their convenient size. The fact that many phones now can accomplish the same tasks as computers makes consumers purchase them for the practicality of carrying a small device as opposed to a laptop. In a 2011 telephone survey of 3000 adults, when asked what device smartphone owners use to access the internet, “25%...say that they mostly go online using their phone, rather than with a computer” (Smith). This shows that people prefer the convenience of having internet in their pocket rather than getting out their computer. The easy access to internet on one’s phone enables one to quickly look up any information they need. This is changing our society for the better because people are constantly learning new facts and are being be updated with news around the globe.

Cell phones are becoming necessary for one’s work life as many people’s cell phones are considered indispensable and completely imperative. Remember the days when people used to work 9-5 and nights and weekends were devoted to spending time with family and friends? Well, that is not the case anymore. Schedules, e-mails, and internet are all used by various careers men and women possess through their cell phones. The access to these programs on one’s phone allows for people to work outside of the office and integrate their work life and home life. For example on a busy day, one can get work done through their phone while taking care of their kids. This is one example of how cell phones have shifted the way people spend their time and how society has changed from cell phone use.

Social networking is a major contributor to the modifications of our culture due to phone use. Facebook ,Twitter, and LinkedIn are among the most popular social networking sites visited by Americans. Facebook is a site in which one can create a personal profile and add other users as friends. Additionally, one can exchange messages, create statuses, and update their profile when they please. Twitter is a microblogging service which allows users to read text based posts known as “tweets”. LinkedIn is a business related social networking site used to create contacts informally know as “connections” and use them to find jobs, workers, and business opportunities. These are all available as apps on smartphones so people constantly have access to all of the above and often are addicted to checking, posting, and reading their and other people’s profiles. People, especially teenagers and young adults, become attached to their phones for this reason mainly and rather than face-to-face encounters screen-to-screen interactions are becoming more and more popular. This is a major shift in American culture as we are now relying on cell phones for social interactions.

The constant updates that are available to smartphones add to a shift in America’s culture as well. Our society is becoming obsessed with speed and the improvements and upgrades on phones allow for faster connections to internet and more advanced applications. Technology is making people impatient because they do not usually have to wait for things to load on their phones, so the people waiting for their coffee to be made at Starbucks who are restless and agitated are quite possibly the result of being accustomed to the high speed of their phones.

The increase of smartphone use in America today is causing a shift in our culture as people are becoming significantly more dependent on their convenient and useful devices. This is not a bad thing because it is creating a technologically advanced culture, one that values thinking outside of the box and speed. The many applications and functions of a smart phone attract many people to purchase them which is the main cause of the increase in cell phone use.