So I have been told, I told them to get to fuck and do it the old fashioned way. Pencil and Paper is too old fashioned apparently.

Actually, I do this too, apart from the falling part. The difference is that I'm not "connecting" when I do it, I'm reading. I did the same thing long before smartphones, only with a book instead. I have years of practice, and great peripheral vision, so I can read and pay attention to my surroundings at the same time.

Just trying to see what it is that bothers you actually. I am bothered when people do ignore me, though that was the case from way before Google was a thing. Going out for a cup of coffee and having one person on the table talk to their cell phone instead of the rest of the group was (and still is) quite annoying. Whenever I have to take a call and I'm in company, I do excuse myself and walk a bit further off, plus I try to keep the conversation short.

So I'd say that in both of the cases, the problem is that people choose to socialize with someone who is not present instead of someone that is present. Whether that socializing is text, voice, tweet, post or game is (imho) irrelevant.

I have a friend like that, it amazes me cause he can see everything thats going on whilst reading a novel.
Hit the nail on the head I think.

Yup, that's it in a nutshell.

Welcome to the 20XX era. The change was already there since we invented wireless home phone.

I must say I own a smartphone. Last generation. I was amazed by the sheer possibilities offered by such a device.

But now, I realize that I only play shitty little games, chat on instant messengers (not when physically with somebody, mind you) and... contemplate the vacuity of it all... Plus people tend now to consider me as in "always available" mode, which really annoys me.

I think that maybe when it will be time to change my smartphone, I'll be back to a non-smart phone. Or at least if I HAVE TO have a smartphone, it will be the cheapest one. I'll only ask it to be able to play music correctly, and that's all.

Same here. Bought mine just for business and/or family stuff when needed.

It's interesting how the very same people who use their phones or tablets all the time never seem to give their undivided attention to their gadgets if they haven't noticed my presence.

The other evening, a few people gathered at a neighboring flat.
One of them was on a laptop, another was checking/ texting/ gaming on the mobile, a third one was talking on the mobile on & off, a fourth one was watching TV and another one was playing with a dog.

I remember thinking to myself that the one playing with the dog seemed the one with the healthiest attitude because, in a room full of people, he was the only one plysically interacting with another living - breathing being, even if it wasn't another person.

And that thought made me sad.

The society/town/city/country you live in is malfunctioning, Really, I don't know anyone behaving like this while being with me and I will surely walk away after a "fuck-off" if I had to find one.

I'll be right with you about that; just let me finish sending this text. Oh, and then I have one more level on Crush the Angry Bird's Candy to get through, then a quickie update for all my Twitbook followers.... :p

I do not have a smartphone and I do not use facebook or twitter :P

Fucking phones man and they are also making PC and Laptops irrelevent :(

No, they really don't.