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Number of People Who Refuse Cell Phones Dwindles

While it's hard for us to imagine, there's still a small segment of those who don't have a cell phone. They claim life is simpler when you can't be reached all the time, but we beg to differ. Have you ever tried meeting a friend without a cell phone for drinks? According to The New York Times, a recent study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that most people who don't have a cell phone are older, less educated, or simply can't afford one.

According to the same study, 85-percent of adult Americans do use a cell phone, but there's still a subgroup within that remaining 15-percent who choose to stay off the grid. Take Gregory Han, a 34-year-old L.A. writer and editor, for example. "It's a luxury not to be reached when I'm out and about," he told the New York Times. Han uses instant messages in lieu of text messages, and Skype when he wants to call his mother. Those alternatives usually work, but sometimes, as Jenna Catsos learned, a mobile device can be quite helpful -- like when your transmission on your car stops working. "It's situations like that when I would really love to have a phone," she says.

Look, we've all been guilty of spending too much time on a cell, but there are times when it's just necessary to have one. There has to be some compromise between being a complete Luddite and a connection addict, right? [From: The New York Times]

Tags: mobile, pew, PewResearchCenter, study, top

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