Is Talking on the Phone Becoming Obsolete?
The New York Times today reported that the average teenager sends more than six text messages in every waking hour. This finding was based on a study conducted by the rating company Nielsen that analyzed mobile phone usage by 13-to 17-year olds from April to June this year.
The average teenager sends or receives 3,339 text messages per month. Teenage girls averaged a mind-boggling 4,050 text messages per month (substantiating the notion that girls are more verbal (?) than boys). And, over all teenagers send texts twice as often at 18-to 24-year olds, who receive or send only 1,630 texts per month.
Not surprisingly, teenagers are making fewer phone calls and even used fewer minutes than their grandparents, many of whom are uncomfortable using cell phones as compared with landlines.
The findings led one Nielsen executive to quip “Teenagers growing up now don’t even think the phone is primarily for voice. It’s primarily for text.” As the father of three teenagers, I can attest to that. That said, wouldn’t it be wonderful if kids spent as much time studying as they did texting???? Maybe that would help to combat our decreasing competitiveness in math and science!!!
Until next time...
Good Luck and Good Texting!!!!!
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 25% of teenage girls received at least one dose of Merck & Co.'s Gardasil vaccine in 2007