The death of the spoken word....

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Well that piece of crap title got your attention didn't it? Of course, I mean nothing of the sort. It just occurred to me that with unlimited SMS messaging plans and (limited) unlimited mobile internet, together with Twitter (Dabr), Gmail syncing to my phone and a decent web browser on the HTC Touch HD, I probably spend much more time on the phone sending or receiving information by text that by voice.

As a relatively early adopter of mobile phones, hands free kits and large amounts included airtime I was frequently the target of abuse / ribbing by the anti-mobile Luddites. Those who would equate anyone with a mobile with Dom Joly's "I'M ON THE TRAIN!". Quiet zones on trains felt, to me, like a sop to those individuals who wanted not a quiet area but an area where they could look uppity and annoyed and, pointing to the sign, proudly exclaim that "you can't use that thing here!".

Now, as a relatively early adopter of the communication tools and social networking resources that allow communication in (almost) complete science, and as someone who treasures the ability to be able to snooze undisturbed for the 1/2 hour train journey, I welcome an area where I can talk to my friends without being disturbed by other peoples communications. And they turn to volume down on those bloody annoying TV screens with the repetitive, out of date news service on them.