Cell phones (telefone celular) are increasingly used in the modern world. They are no longer a luxury, but are considered a need. They can send and receive e-mail, get information on news, entertainment, make a call home while traveling and contact the police or the ambulance during an emergency.

The radio, telephone and computer technology fused together to make the cell phone technology. Nevertheless, with the advancing technology, marketing became much tougher, and cell phone operators devised numerous clauses in their contracts to ensure that their competitors do not erode their customer base. Thus the cell phone contract was born.

A cell phone (telefone celular) contract is an agreement between the buyer and the wireless cell phone service provider. Usually it is of 1 or 2 years of duration, during which a consumer is legally bound to remain with the wireless service provider. Certain operators give a trial period to their consumers. After the trial period of 14 or 30 days is over, when the contract is entered upon and the phone is bought, the penalty for breaking the contract can range from $150 to $600, depending on where the phone was bought.

Before the contract finishes, if a new phone is to be bought, then some companies give a customer loyalty discount, which in effect extends the contract. This may prove to be expensive when compared to buying a new phone with a good discount. Thus, you may be locked in to a single operator, without your knowing it, if you do not read and understand the terms of the cell phone contract.

If one is not satisfied with the service provided by the cell phone (telefone celular) service provider, then one can come out of the contract, without paying a termination fee, if someone else is willing to go through the contract for the remaining period. Finding someone willing to undertake this may be difficult. Numerous websites have come up which help you in finding someone to transfer your contract to, however cell phone service providers do not endorse such websites as they only connect the buyer and the seller, doing nothing with the actual transfer.

Thus once you find a buyer for your cell phone contract, you have to contact your cell phone service provider to complete the transfer. This may take quite some time, as your provider will do a credit check on the buyer and if the creditworthiness is not found sufficient for the contract, the transfer will not take place. In case the transfer does take place, then you have the option of keeping the same number that you originally had. Usually, it has been seen that with transfers, you may have to supply the cell phone also as a free incentive to the buyer. High-end cell phones offered free along with the transfer usually get buyers within a couple of days.

Cell phone (telefone celular) service providers generally give a trial period before enforcing the contract term, which may be of 1-year or 2-year duration. Almost all providers give at least 14 to 30 days of trail period. A 1-year cell phone contract has a shorter commitment period, which may prove to be beneficial if the phone needs repairs, or is lost.

In addition, since the period is short, one may avail of new discounts that come up. After the term of 1-year ends, the phone can be kept without any contract and no penalty is charged for quitting. However, in a 1-year contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be cheap. Certain discounts and promotional offers cannot be availed of as in a 2-year period.

In a 2-year cell phone (telefone celular) contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be expensive. Huge discounts on the phone may be availed. Special promotions may be availed. However, since the phone is kept for a longer duration, more money may be spent on repairing, insuring, or replacing. The opportunity to buy a new phone reduces, and thus may not be eligible to switch cell phone service providers. Expensive phones may also opt for phone replacement insurance plans. However, due to the costs of such plans, few subscribe to these plans.

Pre-Paid or No Contract cell phones (telefone celular) are not available with all cell phone service providers. They are attractive as they require no commitment, the credit history is unimportant, and there is no penalty for quitting. However, call charges may be more expensive, and no promotional discounts etc., may be availed of.

It is always advisable to read and fully understand the terms of the cell phone provider as stated in the contract form, including the fine print, before signing the cell phone (telefone celular) contract.

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The invention of cell phones (celular) may be equated at par with the invention of radio, telephone or the television. Its usage has grown to astronomical proportions. Almost every human being from a bubbling teenager to an old infirm individual keeps a cell phone (celular). Previously it was considered a status symbol, but now with prices hitting rock bottom, it has become a necessity with everyone, right from the daily wage laborer to the company president.

Along with its wide spread use has also come its wide spread abuse. You can find people talking, nay, yelling on their cell phones (celular) at every nook and corner. The ease-of-use and its superb functionality have made people go into some sort of a virtual phantom private world, where they lose consciousness of their surroundings. They are so absorbed with the voice coming from their devices and their incessant loud reply to it that they forget they are social beings living in a civilized society, where other persons also have a right to silence. Cell phone users, almost every one of them, assume that the society has a high tolerance for their constant chatter and they care-a-dime even if you hear their private conversations, shocking revelations or intimate sweet nothings.

It is common to hear people talking on cell phones (celular) at hospitals, job interviews, funerals, weddings, sporting events, cinemas, theatres, auditoriums, conference halls, and at business meetings. Hearing Chopin`s or Mozart`s Overture suddenly going off in Broadway shows is not uncommon, although mobile phones have to be strictly switched off or has to be set to vibrate or mute according to the rules. Libraries, auditoriums, museums, hospitals, and all enclosed places for public use like elevators, conference rooms, restaurants, and cafeterias are filled with people laughing, crying, or going hysterical while speaking to someone invisible. With hands free cell phones (celular), you can see a person talking with full dramatic gestures that a few years back, would have been considered a sure sign of insanity and madness.

Most road accidents happen because people talk more and drive less. It has been found that holding the cell phone (celular) while driving is one of the main reasons of car accidents, as the conversation itself is distracting; hence, the accidents even happen with hands free cell phones. Technological change is forcing the society to define new norms and is leading towards a paradigm shift in societal acceptance of what is termed as cell phone behavior. The thin line between private and personal has vanished. The wireless and Gen Y kids believe it is their birthright to use cell phones (celular) and other technological products anywhere and anytime, without care or respect for anyone.

This use or abuse of the cell phones (celular) urgently demands enforcement of civilized practices, which may be called as mobile manners, mobile etiquette, or rules of cell phone decorum. This enforcement cannot be done by the organized agencies of law, like the courts or the police, but it has to be enforced by the public, by you, by me, and by everyone.

People should follow certain dos and don`ts while using their cell phones (celular). Private conversations should never be done in public. They should also understand that speaking at a low volume gives more clarity at the other hand than yelling and shouting. They should realize that the vibrate feature can always be used at gatherings, meetings, auditoriums, and all other public places.

Multitasking while talking can only distract and never prove beneficial. They should never talk on their cell phones (celular) while shopping, driving, crossing the streets, or while doing other personal business. Keeping the conversation short and brief has to be encouraged. And everyone should tell everyone about these mobile manners or these few rules of cell phone decorum. Then only will a change happen. A change much needed for the betterment of the individual, the society, and for the technological marvel - the cell phone (celular).

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The original iPod (mp3 mp4 player) introduced on 23 October 2001 marked the first iPod generation, and the latest iPod introduced on 12 October 2005 marked the fifth iPod generation, which was subsequently revised with a revision iPod model on September 2006, often referred to as generation 5.5. Note that the generations are referred with reference to the model name and not with reference to the date of release.

For a better understanding about iPod generations, check the following:

On October 23, 2001, the first generation of iPod was released. The model name was iPod and had the storage capacity of 5 to 10 gb. It used FireWire connection to computers and it had a mechanical scroll wheel.

On July 17, 2002, the second generation of iPod was released. It had the storage capacity of 10, 20 gb. It used FireWire connection to computers and it had a touch-sensitive wheel. The Hold switch was revised. The FireWire port had a cover.

On April 28, 2003, the third generation of iPod was released. It had the storage capacity of 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 gb. It used FireWire connection to computers (USB for syncing only), and it had a central row of touch sensitive buttons. New backlit screen was introduced. Dock connector port was introduced.

On January 6, 2004, the first generation of iPod mini was released. It had the storage capacity of 4 gb. It used FireWire or USB connection to computers, and it introduced the "Click Wheel", which was later adopted by the fourth generation iPod. It was available in 5 colors.

On July 19, 2004, the fourth generation of iPod was released. It had the storage capacity of 20, 30, 40, 60 gb. It used FireWire or USB connection to computers, and buttons were integrated to form "Click Wheel". The monochrome model was replaced in June 2005 by the color display with photo viewer, which was introduced in October 2004.

On January 11, 2005, the first generation of iPod shuffle was released. It had the storage capacity of 512 mb, 1gb. It used USB connection to computers, and it had no screen, no click wheel. It used flash memory instead of hard drive storage.

On February 22, 2005, the second generation of iPod mini was released. It had the storage capacity of 4, 6 gb. It used FireWire or USB connection to computers , and it had longer battery life, and brighter color variants. Gold model discontinued. No AC adapter. The body color matched the click wheel lettering.

On September 7, 2005, the first generation of iPod nano was released. It had the storage capacity of 1, 2, 4 gb. It used USB connection to computers (FireWire for charging only), and it was the successor of iPod mini. Slimmer design, flash memory, color screen and lyrics support.

On October 12, 2005, the fifth generation of iPod was released. It had the storage capacity of 30, 60, 80 gb. It used USB connection to computers (FireWire for charging only), and it had large screen with video player and lyrics support. No AC adapter, Universal Dock, or A/V cables were included. It had black and white color variants. This model was revised in September 2006 (often called as generation 5.5) had a brighter display, a music search function, and a longer video battery life.

On September 12, 2006, the second generation of iPod shuffle was released. It had the storage capacity of 1 gb. It used USB (via dock only), and it had the aluminum case with smaller form factor. Built-in clip. Later multi-colored models were also released.

On September 12, 2006, the second generation of iPod nano was released. It had the storage capacity of 2, 4, 8 gb It used USB connection to computers (FireWire for charging only), and it had the anodized Aluminum case in 6 colors. Music search function, longer battery life, and brighter screen.

When more refinements are carried out with respect to features, size, weight and etc., a new generation is announced of the respective model. The distinguishing landmarks were the replacement of the mechanical scroll wheel by touch-sensitive click wheel, the replacement of the hard disk by the flash memory, and the replacement of the monochrome display with color displays. Earlier generations are usually discontinued in favor of newer generations. Earlier generations had bundled software compatible with Macintosh only, while later iPod (mp3 mp4 player) generations have both Macintosh and Windows compatible versions.