Instant Communication

• The chief advantage of a cellphone is that it allows you to communicate almost anywhere and at any time. Gone are the days when you would have to find a pay phone in order to call for assistance or check in with family or coworkers. Doctors, lawyers and people in other professions where availability is paramount are obvious beneficiaries of this always-available communication link, but cellphones have also given average citizens the ability to chat with friends while out and about. Of course, a cellphone also means you are available to be reached at any time, making it difficult for some users to get away from their work for any length of time.
  
  

Enhanced Safety

• Cellphones have also became a symbol of security. If you are in an accident, your car breaks down or you find yourself lost in an unfamiliar part of town, a cellphone represents a lifeline you can use to reach help. The inclusion of GPS technology into cellphones has turned them into locator beacons, allowing rescue services to locate users quickly in emergencies. The image of cellphones as safety equipment has even led to the development of emergency phones for kids, designed specifically to communicate with parents or police if children found themselves in a dangerous situation.
  
  

Electronic Gadgetry

• Another way in which cellphones have affected society is their use as a platform for other functions. In the 1990s, cellphones were good for voice communication and not much else. Today's cellphones feature text messaging, pictures and video, music playback, games and even Internet browsers. While discrete gadgets to perform each of these tasks still exist in the marketplace, some of the bestselling cellphones are all-in-one devices, more pocket computer than telephone. With the most advanced models, you can carry many of the features of your workplace with you in your pocket.
  
  

Negatives

• Unfortunately, cellphones have had a negative impact on society as well. Users rudely holding conversations in public spaces have become commonplace enough that they are barely worth getting upset over. More seriously, cellphone use while driving has become a serious problem, and texting in particular has caused many noteworthy accidents over the years. Manufacturers offer a number of hands-free options to help vehicle operators to keep their attention on the road, but many municipalities have passed regulations to outlaw cellphone use while driving as a safety measure.