But I remember when the answering machine was king!
From an interesting article in NYT:
WHEN Steve Hamrick left his last job as manager at a software corporation, he had at least 25 unheard messages in his office voice mailbox. And that’s not counting the unreturned calls on his cellphone or landline at home.
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Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
But Charlie Park and his daughter Lucy still use it.
It’s not that he doesn’t like to talk. But with the cascade of messages he receives by e-mail, texting and on Facebook, Mr. Hamrick, 29, a self-described “voice mail phobic” from Cupertino, Calif., said he’d found better ways to keep in touch.
“I had to give up something and that, for me, was voice mail,” he said. “It’s cutting out some forms of communication to make room for the others.”
Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/fashion/02voicemail.html?pagewanted=all
WHEN Steve Hamrick left his last job as manager at a software corporation, he had at least 25 unheard messages in his office voice mailbox. And that’s not counting the unreturned calls on his cellphone or landline at home.
Skip to next paragraph
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
But Charlie Park and his daughter Lucy still use it.
It’s not that he doesn’t like to talk. But with the cascade of messages he receives by e-mail, texting and on Facebook, Mr. Hamrick, 29, a self-described “voice mail phobic” from Cupertino, Calif., said he’d found better ways to keep in touch.
“I had to give up something and that, for me, was voice mail,” he said. “It’s cutting out some forms of communication to make room for the others.”
Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/fashion/02voicemail.html?pagewanted=all
I refuse to put voicemail on my home phone. We have a business line with it - everyone who knows us knows about the business too so if it's that important, they can reach us there. But they never seem to bother. Guess it wasn't that important then. I'm not about to fashion my personal life around someone else's convenience.
ReplyDeleteOk so I thought it was just me, but I NEVER check my home voice mail. As a matter of fact, I love it when the mailbox get full.
ReplyDeleteIf people want to reach me, they have my cell phone number and I always check voice mail on that.
Is that bad?? Most of the messages on my home voice mail are pre-recorded solicitors anyway.
I don't mind voicemail itself but the stupid VM bitch who has to take 5 minutes of my life to tell my ALL of my options drives me insane. I know how to leave a voicemail message - shut it and beep already!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I would love it if we could revert back to about 1985. VCRs, faxes and answering machines were about as technical as it got for most people. Of course then we wouldn't have blogging.
ReplyDeleteI saw that article in the NYT yesterday. It's funny-- I frequently forget to check my home voicemail, but usually check my cell phone voicemail right away.
ReplyDeleteI remember when my life revolved around my answering machine, pre-cell phone, pre-pager, etc. It was one of those ones where you could call in to it, punch in a code and get your messages from any phone.
I deliberately don't use an answer machine/voicemail, as it just puts the onus on me to contact someone who wants me for some reason.
ReplyDeleteUnless they want me so they can provide me with free cake or beer, I'm generally not interested.
I used to get annoyed when people first started getting answering machines. Now I get annoyed when they don't have them.
ReplyDeleteI screen my calls. i let the machine pick up the call before i decide i'm going to answer or not.
My answering machine is the only reliable way people can get in touch with me. I only turn my cell on if Slim is off with friends, and I'm only able to check e-mail about every third day. I screen all my calls, it's just so much more convenient.
ReplyDelete