# Mobile phones make waiting a lot less boring **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 20, 2009, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811 "2009-09-20T07:24:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/1 "2009-09-20T07:24:58Z")
One of the biggest changes in my life since acquiring a mobile is that waiting of any kind is now a lot less of a bother compared to before. The key is that the phone provides me with an enormous range of activity so there is bound to be something that will suit my mood. I can listen to music to to podcasts or play games or read e-books or surf the Internet or check my e-mail or simply call someone. Before, I could take a paperback but perhaps I wouldn’t feel like reading that book. Or I could take a disc-man but perhaps I might want some other CD. By contrast it’s highly unlikely that I would be bored by everything that’s on my phone. In fact provided it’s physically comfortable, waiting is almost as pleasant an activity these days as my general leisure time. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/2 "2009-09-20T12:52:31Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > One of the biggest changes in my life since acquiring a mobile is that waiting of any kind is now a lot less of a bother compared to before. > > The key is that the phone provides me with an enormous range of activity so there is bound to be something that will suit my mood. I can listen to music to to podcasts or play games or read e-books or surf the Internet or check my e-mail or simply call someone. > > Before, I could take a paperback but perhaps I wouldn’t feel like reading that book. Or I could take a disc-man but perhaps I might want some other CD. > > By contrast it’s highly unlikely that I would be bored by everything that’s on my phone. In fact provided it’s physically comfortable, waiting is almost as pleasant an activity these days as my general leisure time. I agree. I read eBooks on my Storm a lot. May I make a suggestion though. While it’s great to be able to call someone and burn some time. It can be a bit insulting to the person on the other end. Especially if they DO have something to do. My SIL sometimes does this while she is driving and is bored. If there is a legitamate reason to call the person, great. Even just to catch up, but it can make the other person sort of feel like a second class citizen. “I’m bored, entertain me”. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/3 "2009-09-20T15:42:09Z")
For some reason I am reminded of [this](http://therawfeed.com/pix/wall-e-fat-people-in-chairs.jpg). But I have to agree than my ithing makes it easier to pass a boring 15 minutes while waiting for the next subway car. Just make sure you don’t end up like [this guy](http://www.kwongfucius.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/ipod-cross-street-dead.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/4 "2009-09-20T15:42:38Z")
An iPhone is pretty fantastic for that. I can play a multitude of games, listen to podcasts, check my fantasy team, whatever. I used to be bored as hell while feeding my daughter and trying to put her down for the night. Now I can do all that stuff without bothering her at all. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/5 "2009-09-20T19:25:12Z")
Agreed. Waiting rooms, lines, long traffic lights, whatever. I’ve got about 20 ebooks downloaded from the[Baen Free Library](http://www.baen.com/library/). And a dozen or so CD’s ripped so I’m good to go! Just kidding about the traffic lights, but it is tempting. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/6 "2009-09-21T05:46:36Z")
One nice thing about the iPhone is, you can store movies and TV shows for the watching, or you can go to [NBC.com](http://NBC.com) or install the [TV.com](http://TV.com) app and watch on demand TV shows. Both apps have plenty of current shows. [TV.com](http://TV.com) has all the CSI shows, Numb3rs, NCIS, etc. and classic shows such as Star Trek TOS and MacGyver. Some of those shows are only available on Wi-Fi, though, although a good mix can be watched on your 3G connection. NBC has shows such as Parks and Recreation, Community, and Conan O’Brien. They also have older episodes of Miami Vice, Quantum Leap, and other classic shows, all viewable over 3G and with great picture quality and sound. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/7 "2009-09-21T11:31:09Z")
I currently positively look forward to long train journeys, as it gives me some free time to play [Drop7](http://playareacode.com/drop7/), which has actually been programmed to secrete crack cocaine through the screen of the iPhone. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/8 "2009-09-22T13:26:36Z")
I have a long train ride coming up and my fiancee (well, by then he’ll be my husband) and I only have one computer to share between the two of us. But we each have a phone. So if the one is using the computer, the other can be on their phone. Or we can have sex on the train. It’ll be our honeymoon after all. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-phones-make-waiting-a-lot-less-boring/510811/9 "2009-09-22T18:03:42Z")
Word! Well, I don’t have an all-in-one phone like you do (I _could_ load music onto my phone but most of it’s in itunes format so it’d be a bother, and my phone’s games capability is a bit limited), but I carry my Palm and iPod around with me all the time and it’s loaded with tons of ebooks, the phone can be used if I need to make calls, the iPod if I wanna get caught up on the podcasts or an audiobook… heck, sometimes I’ll just be getting settled in and then they’ll up and call my name :mad: ;). At such point as we get smartphones, it’ll be even better. One fewer gadget (or two fewer, if we get iPhones), and even more fun stuff to do.