I wonder how useful they really are most of the time? I hear the silliest conversations half the time. "I will be there in five minutes". You need to call someone to say that? It is not so much the phone, but some people's lack of etiquette while using them. People use their outside voice when they are on them inside. People will try and have two conversations while on them, a pet peeve of mine. I am not saying that you do any of this, I am simply saying that these things can be annoying.
I have to side with Pumbas on this one since I just recently bought my first phone. The only reason I did buy one was because I can no longer find a working pay phone.
I have also noticed how much people miss by constantly being connected. I am in D.C. often and I constantly see people walk right by great architecture and artistic statuary and they do not even notice it. I understand technology and all of that. However, I also understand the invaluable nature of face to face communication, as Pumbas noted.