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August 29, 2008, 11:25 AM ET
For Many Students, the Simplest Cell Phones Suffice
There is something to be said for simplicity in an ever-more-wired age. But it’s typically the old folks you hear saying something like: “I just want a cell phone that makes calls. I don’t need one that plays music, sends e-mail, takes pictures, surfs the Web, contains a map of Tokyo, unlocks car doors, plays a crafty game of poker, works like a credit card, and combs my hair.” (Somewhere in this wide world, technicians are no doubt working on the mobile beautician.)
Youngsters have been branded as gizmophiles, attached to their phones and their many uses. But a new survey from the University of New Hampshire suggests that students use their phones in limited ways — mainly for talking, texting, keeping track of time, and a handful of other basic functions.
Students in a market-research class taught by Chuck Martin, an adjunct professor in the university’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics, asked 707 students from the college of engineering (the geeks, that is) which functions they use on their cell phones. Talking, texting, and the alarm clock were used by 80 to 90 percent of those who responded. The calculator, camera, and “backlight as flashlight” were used by around 50 percent. Far less important were the Internet browser, the music player, the e-mail reader, and GPS, at around 3 percent.
When asked what features they wanted in a cell phone, students ranked long battery life and water resistance at the top, then GPS features right after that. Maybe it’s just cool to have a cell phone that can do GPS, even though you never use it.
When asked what might prevent a student from buying a phone with an array of cool features, most students cited price, then durability and the quality of the service provider. So practical, these students. —Scott Carlson
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