Text messaging had opened up a world certainly for the deaf. I was worried that I'd never have an answering machine or a phone to tell me what I need to know. Especially when I cannot hear it ring (if it doesn't have vibrate). Overall, I rarely use the cell, but its a godsend between me and SailorD when we are away from one another via work or whatever.

And this feature is only somewhat (several years?) new and is charging like mad. :\ I hope they don't quickly dismiss the deaf population for using it so much too.

Not to derail the thread, but did you really have single out black people? I've never even heard of this stereotype referring only to black people, nor have I actually seen only black people do it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended or anything, your comment just struck me as odd.

Then again, this thread has already taught us that you're an old fogy, so it's no surprise you're stuck in your racist ways.

I think the trend is to higher-seated theaters, but there are still plenty of theaters in the US that are situated on a lower incline. So I guess your mileage may vary.

Of course the last time I was in the movies I was texting so...

Have you never seen Scary Movie?

Pretty much what Shin said, Rockgamer. It's certainly not only black people that do it, but when I've seen movies at theatres in more "urban" neighborhoods, the audiences were more apt to express themselves.

Eh, I've seen plenty of movies and TV shows that have depicted people yelling at movies, I've just never seen it specified as a black people thing. I'm not saying it isn't a stereotype, but it's certainly one I've never heard of (maybe they don't make us privy to those things).

I've actually found that while you see the screen better with stadium seating, you're also more likely to see some pleb texting in your lower peripheral.

I'll change my cellphone background to boobs, so when I'm texting the next time I'm in the theater the guys behind me won't be TOO upset.

Instead of watching movies or TV shows about people watching movies you might want to try going to the movies.

Also, I am old fart that doesn't text. I have a high school student working for me at the moment, and in the first day while I was off grabbing some articles at the library he texted me three times. I felt like I was 80 years old when I had to ask him to stop sending me texts and just call me since each one costs money. :(

To clarify Nutty's statement about me complaining over the person texting during a movie, it was an old theater where there's barely any incline to the seating at all. Also, it wouldn't bother me if they just opened their phone once, but this person had their phone open for a third of the movie and it seemed to be set to the brightest setting possible. That said, would it really kill people to turn off their goddamn phones for two hours during a movie? Unless you're a cop or some other on-call worker that needs to keep it on vibrate at all times, you're a fucking moron to leave your phone on in places like that.

Texting has its uses from time to time. I used to do it at work when the store was empty if I was extremely bored, since the phone was small enough to hide from the cameras. It's also handy when trying to meet up with someone in a noisy area, though I've only had to use it for that on one occasion. It isn't pointless, far from it by Meia's example, but I still don't get why it's so popular. Typing out texts on a normal phone is cumbersome and I'd never bother if I wasn't already bored and looking to kill time. Part of the reason I got a basic texting plan when I got my most recent phone was because people kept insisting on wanting to text instead of simply calling. I know several people who've racked up massive phone bills because they use texting to essentially have IM conversations. Just seems silly to me.

My cell contract is up in November and I was deciding what to go for. Given what i have read and heard, I know I WON'T get an iPhone.

Apple is smart though, they are building on their reputation and instead of having tons of features, using their rep and the idea that 'it's an ipod but also a phone' type deal to get people to buy it BEFORE adding a ton of features causing more people to buy it.

As for text messaging, it's funny, but in the States, I have only RECEIVED a few text messages. I have felt that here people don't text nearly as much as they do overseas. Overseas, text messaging was wonderful just because 1.) it was cheaper / free, 2.) you didn't have to worry about not being heard, 3.) what you sent out was on the recipient's phone so if they weren't sure what you said, they could check it again.

Text messaging doesn't really bother me....unless it is so constant that i keep hearing noise due to it. I, myself, kept my phone on vibration only to avoid this as I felt that text messaging had a lower priority than face-to-face conversation and of course other things like work, driving, etc.

This also gives you better clearance to throw something at the back of their head.

(My aim is terrible in the dark, so I've taken the habit of simply buying an additional small soda and pouring it all over the seats in front of me so no one sits there.)

I said in my first post that I hadn't seen only black people doing it. I guess it wasn't clear enough for you, but I meant that at the movies I've seen people other than blacks doing it.

Well naturally, it's much harder to spot darkies when the lights are off in a cinema.