LG Neon Cell Phone GT365

LG NEON.jpeg

What is a device that is seen as cool to have, a tell of social status and the driving force in one’s social life? A cell phone of course! 

Wireless communication became popular in the early 2000s, creating a rat race for companies to create the most savvy devices. A New York Times Newspaper headliner in 2007 read “A new market based on security, or status?”. 1  The invention of the LG Neon cell phone, it’s new features, and the means by which it was advertised are a prime example of this new market in the technological world. The Neon Green LG cell phone was released March, 2009 and created with a younger generation in mind. It was advertised to attract the attention of preteens and teenagers through its looks and functions, which would include a touchscreen phone that then slid up to unlock a fully functioning QWERTY keyboard for texting. 

Texting and touchscreens became the focus for inventing new and improved cell phones, and the industry quickly magnetised itself to pre-teens and teenagers because they are more easily influenced than adults. In 2009, a study examined 280 highschool students and their relationship with texting, it stated “On average, 35–40% of teens reported using cell phones/text messaging and online social sites between 1 and 4 h daily, 24% reported using IMs 1–4 h daily and only 8% reported using email between 1 and 4 h daily”. 2 . AT&T coined the neon green color and name and began marketing it as the must have touchscreen cell phone with the clear intention to market off of children between the ages of 8-12 years old. Like giving candy to a baby, soon enough every kid wanted the newest cell phone available. 

  1. Lisa Foderaro, “Child Wants Cellphone; Reception Is Mixed,” N.Y. Times, New York, N.Y. (2007), accessed April 15th, 2021, 

    https://search-proquest-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/docview/848140806?pq-origsite=summon

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  2. Tamyra Pierce, “Social Anxiety And Technology; Face-to-Face Communication Versus Technological Communication Among Teens,” California State University, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, (July 2009), accessed April 15th, 2021 https://www-sciencedirect-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S0747563209000971


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A Memoir From A Cell Phone

by Bianca Eden

Sometimes I feel used

Then I remember I use them 

I get to control what they see

When they see it.

Sometimes, just for fun, I like to watch the little stories that they come up with in their minds

Wrapped around one topic, replaying their stories over and over again, most are false

Or completely immaterial to the topic they saw

Like tunnel vision, the most dangerous attribute you can have when using me

Regarding all of the information I can give them access to

It always intrigues me to see how caught up they can get 

The most peripheral idea can seem so important

When usually it’s only half a raindrop in the ocean, if that.

Oh but don’t get them too mad

That can hurt, like when they throw me at a wall too hard

Sometimes I shatter 

A couple band aids and I’m fine

Worse case scenario they break me completely

and maybe recover my memory if I’m lucky.

People are obsessed with having tangible memories

They fill me up so quickly with their own photos of what they’d like to remember

Family photos

Funny videos of them and their friends

Screenshots of things they saw that they want to buy, but probably never will

People they want to look like

Or wish they were

Bodies they want to have, but probably never will

Quotes they enjoy, why not screenshot those too, right?

I don’t care, I basically have an endless memory 

Just keep paying for more

New age technology is weird,

But I love the attention

I don’t know if they’re just addicted to me,

Or if they genuinely think they need me. 

Of course I do have healthy benefits to offer them too,

But they have to be willing to find them and focus on those rather than the rest of it

Communication at its fastest,

Apps to track health and fitness,

Scheduling, notes,

Music to play when you feel happy

Or sad.

The best is watching them express themselves authentically to the public,

A rare one these days but indispensable 

My favorite way to be used is when I see I’m actually making their lives better, rather than worse.

It’s easy to mentally live in a bubble,

See important news and find ignorance

Trying to figure out what’s important in me and what’s not at all

We do have a responsibility with these devices, such as me, a cell phone.

And that is to stay responsibly informed

And stay responsibly away from the bubble of toxicity I can provide.

Maybe one of the toughest abilities for the new generation to have,

But definitely an essential one. 

-Sincerely, 

Your Cell Phone
LG Neon Cell Phone GT365