Hold the 'phone...

Time was when telephones were used for making telephone calls. They were big chunky things with a rotating dial and attached to the wall by a thick, ropey cord. And so it was for decades - for most of my life in fact. About the only thing that changed was that push buttons took over from rotating dials. And then along came the mobile 'phone - which initially was not that mobile, being about the size and weight of a house brick, so not the sort of thing you wanted to lug about any more than was necessary. But technology was now starting to advance at an incredible rate, and within less than a decade mobiles had shrunk to the kind of size we are used to today. So then came the next question - what else can we use them for? Text messaging was one of the first things, followed by simple games and integrated digital cameras. And today...? What can't you do with them? Me - I'm the old-fashioned sort who just wants to be able to make 'phone calls and send text messages, but my grandchildren do the most amazing things, and it seems they need a new 'phone every year or so just to keep up with the latest developments. Life used to be so much simpler.