Digits That Divide

The NYT asks the critical question, now that people no longer carry address books, what happens when you lose your cell phone? Because most people no longer memorize 10-digit phone numbers, instead relying upon their cell phone, the article chronicles people sitting by their landlines, waiting pitifully for friends to call to capture numbers.

Okay, when my phone blew up, I had an easy fix...my online bill displays the numbers to which I've placed a call or sent a text message. And I had a vague sense of what area code should be associated with what area. Therefore, I was able to reconstruct most of my phone book from the contextual clues provided by my bill--perhaps the only good thing Cingular has ever done for me. Obviously if your phone breaks, but you don't lose it, you can just move the SIM chip into the new phone and still have access to your directory. Even though people may simply program the numbers into their phone, I'm still going out of my way to keep the same number I've had for the past 8 years.