1. trebb's Avatar
    From the looks of it, he wants a decent web browsing experience. He's already stated that he doesn't do much texting. A decent qwerty phone won't do him any good in the browsing department.
    12-15-08 12:08 AM
  2. anon(96573)'s Avatar
    I don't see why people think it's strange for a kid to get a blackberry. It's no longer your typical "business phone". Kids are growing up in a different time then we did.
    12-15-08 12:10 AM
  3. chuckh0308's Avatar
    Someone stated earlier in this thread that a 14 year old should only have a phone that can make emergency calls and call their parents. I didn't feel like finding it and quoting it.

    There's been numerous posts on this forum about the appropriate age for a Blackberry, and I've read many that state that they believe 14 year olds shouldn't even own a cell phone. I was referencing the post in the beginning, as well as the general outlook that I've encountered.

    Plenty of adults don't need a Blackberry either. Since I've gotten one, my dad got one. He doesn't need his e-mail on the go for work or anything, but he enjoys it. He likes having the latest technology and enjoys using its cool features. What's wrong with a teenager doing the same?

    You can use the phrase, "you don't need ____" for just about anything that's a luxury and not a necessity.

    You really SHOULD go back and read my post. That is my personal feeling and how I would feel about one of my own kids having a phone at that age. That was AFTER I gave a suggestion and some more liberal advice. My personal opinion though is that a 14 year old should be concentrating more on school and less on emailing/texting friends, playing games on phones in class, trying to have the coolest phone in class, and whatever else they might be doing. If you read the rest of my post you would see that I suggested compromising and offered a pretty decent alternative.

    None of this matters though because it's up to the PARENT! Not me, not you, not the kid...the parent. Yes, it is ultimatly the parent's decision no matter what anyone else thinks.
    12-15-08 12:11 AM
  4. trebb's Avatar
    Seriously dude, if you tell him you want it and he says no, deal. You're taking hard classes, you're in basketball, you work...if that's not enough then it sucks. But that's kinda how things go, sometimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar eats you.
    I think you're getting me confused with the OP.

    You're right. I apollogize. Taking time away from basketball practice is not an option. Ehem. I understand you're a child, but do not ever think for one second that working 20 hours a week is working "often." I would hate to see you enter the adult world with such unreasonable expectations. At any rate....

    I would like you to quote my original post, and underline where I said blackberries are SOLELY business devices, as opposed to where I said first and foremost.

    Go ahead. Ill wait.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    Oh, please, get off your high horse. I get up at 5:30 in the morning and sit in school all day and work my *** off. I have to deal with college stuff as well as tons of homework and other school related things. I'm sorry if I can't fit working a 40 hour week into my senior year of high school. Like I've already stated (and you ignored), the point of my statement wasn't to say that I worked a lot of hours. The point was that I make enough money to foot the cost of the phone as well as the $30/month bill.

    I still disagree with your 'first and foremost' statement. I see Blackberries everywhere, and about 70% are most likely non-business related. The phones themselves (pre-Storm) may have been primarily business devices, but they're not being used as such.
    Last edited by trebb; 12-15-08 at 12:17 AM.
    12-15-08 12:12 AM
  5. r0k's Avatar
    I've been thinking about a new phone for my 17 year old son. He is asking for a Storm. No way. The data plan is $30 a month. I've also thought about the LG Dare for him. Unfortunately, VZW will force us to change our plan to some new plan just to support the Dare. I told them no thanks. He doesn't need a new phone right now. Since he really wants an iphone, the best thing I can do is let his contract quietly run out and he can pick up his own iphone when he goes away to school and he can deal with his own data plan then.

    As for the question of the OP, if it's your money AND you are an adult there is nobody to ask. Even if you make more than enough to pay for the phone and the plan, if you are living under your parents' roof, you really should focus on working this out with them and never mind the opinions of complete strangers. If my son brings me a stack of forum posts or a poll saying he should get an iPhone or a Storm, I think it will make excellent material for getting a fire going in the fireplace on a cold night.
    Last edited by r0k; 12-15-08 at 12:18 AM.
    12-15-08 12:13 AM
  6. trebb's Avatar
    I've been thinking about a new phone for my 17 year old son. He is asking for a Storm. No way. The data plan is $30 a month. I've also thought about the LG Dare for him. Unfortunately, VZW will force us to change our plan to some new plan just to support the Dare. I told them no thanks. He doesn't need a new phone right now. Since he really wants an iphone, the best thing I can do is let his contract quietly run out and he can pick up his own iphone when he goes away to school and he can deal with his own data plan then.
    I'm pretty sure that the plan change to the Dare has no affect on your monthly bill. When I initially purchased my LG Voyager prior to my Pearl, they made me do the same thing.
    12-15-08 12:14 AM
  7. noaim's Avatar
    Bahahahaha!!! You work "often," 20 hours a week!? Oh my. You've made my night. Wait until you grow up, get a real job with responsibilities, and work 60 hours a week. Then you tell me if 20 hours a week is "working often." I work more in two days than you do in your jam-packed work week.

    Alas, this isn't the point.. Bottom line is, yet again with this age old topic, what the he*l does a 14 year old need with a blackberry? They can't afford the data plan, let alone the standard voice plan, and be honest: these are BUSINESS devices first and foremost. If I hear one more person say they aren't, I will choke.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

    sorry im not going to agree with your post against him.. half the kids age 14 dont even attempt to get a job.. hes going to school and working 20 hours a week..

    when I got to college i worked 40 hours and went to school full time.

    but jobs are only aloud to give kids to many hours and when you first start working it feels like alot..

    this is not a good response when hes actually one of many who do nothing.
    12-15-08 12:15 AM
  8. ThePerfectStorm's Avatar
    Rofl. I'm a 17 year old kid, how am I supposed to work more than 20 hours a week? I go to school and play basketball. I have hard classes and a busy schedule. My point wasn't that I work a lot. The point was that I make enough money to foot the cost of the bill.

    Oh, and Blackberries (especially the storm) aren't solely business devices anymore. Take a look around. Sorry. I hope you don't choke.
    When I was 18 and in college I was working 32 hours a week, plus doing my weekend drills once a month for the national guard. So to me 20 hours a week is nothing.

    I started out with a bag phone when I turned 16 that my parents had me leave in my car. Once I decided that I "needed" a cell phone I bought my own and started paying my own bill.

    I always got whatever phone I wanted, but thats because I paid for it myself.
    12-15-08 12:16 AM
  9. snowgimp's Avatar
    I think you're getting me confused with the OP.
    That's whom I was speaking to, should have specified sorry.
    12-15-08 12:16 AM
  10. trebb's Avatar
    Well, you used the things I've stated (basketball etc.) into a post related to him. That's all I meant.

    I'm off to bed, as I have to get up in 4 hours. Good night all!

    To the OP: If you follow what I said and show your father that you're really interested and know what you want, as well as telling him you'll pay the bill, he should be swayed. However, I do not know your father, so it might not work. If it doesn't work then just try again next year.

    When I was 18 and in college I was working 32 hours a week, plus doing my weekend drills once a month for the national guard. So to me 20 hours a week is nothing.
    20 hours a week isn't really that much, and I wasn't saying it is. I was simply stating that within my schedule, I work as often as I can.
    Last edited by trebb; 12-15-08 at 12:23 AM.
    12-15-08 12:21 AM
  11. slav22's Avatar
    Who mentioned snake? Brilliant. I going to look for my first nokia right now. I doubt i have it, but i really want to play snake.
    12-15-08 12:24 AM
  12. cray1000's Avatar


    My first...Coupe eat your heart out. To stay on topic though Hokiabru, why do you think you need one?
    NICE! my first cell too! i loved that wheel on the side!

    i think that was the first major digital phone right?
    12-15-08 12:24 AM
  13. Acorn's Avatar
    if your willing to foot the bill for the data plan i dont see what the problem is. your paying for the extra features so i dont see what the argument is. you have to have a phone. there is no question there. your paying for the extra.

    in the end you guys will end up having to compromise imo
    12-15-08 12:24 AM
  14. CSSVT's Avatar
    Well, you used the things I've stated (basketball etc.) into a post related to him. That's all I meant.

    I'm off to bed, as I have to get up in 4 hours. Good night all!

    To the OP: If you follow what I said and show your father that you're really interested and know what you want, as well as telling him you'll pay the bill, he should be swayed. However, I do not know your father, so it might not work. If it doesn't work then just try again next year.



    20 hours a week isn't really that much, and I wasn't saying it is. I was simply stating that within my schedule, I work as often as I can.


    At first, I wanted to say 20 hours wasn't much...then I thought back to when I was in high school. Your average store closes at 9 and if you work 5 days a week at 4 hours a day (about all you CAN work due to high school SCHOOL schedules) for 5 days a week then that's all that's possible. The only way you could get more (I worked about 24-30 in high school) is if you worked 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday and 4 the 3 days during the week. That schedule would net about 28.



    Who mentioned snake? Brilliant. I going to look for my first nokia right now. I doubt i have it, but i really want to play snake.


    LOL that was me. Thinking on it now, Snake would be awesome on the storm...could even use the accelerometer!
    12-15-08 12:25 AM
  15. snowgimp's Avatar
    LOL that was me. Thinking on it now, Snake would be awesome on the storm...could even use the accelerometer!
    I'm sure they'd try to hard like this recent incarnation:

    12-15-08 12:30 AM
  16. shnrbckman's Avatar
    My niece is 14 and the wow factor and the latest and greatest is the foremost on their minds. When I was over for Turkey day her and all of her like aged friends ( notice I didn't say little ) all wanted my phone. They see the ads they see and hear the buz they want the latest and greatest regardless of the price, etc. Sure you may be the exception @ 14, but don't tell me the latest and greatest hasn't entered into your thought processes. I have been with Verizon since the little pink Primeco guys. I have suffered thru poor phones and lack of options, but loved the service. Finally we have a phone that is cutting edge. Bottom line your are not old enough to enter into a binding contract and if your Dad says no the answer is no. If I were you I would ask for an older blackberry device that will do most of the same and show that you use and need the additional functionality that you can't get from a "regular" cell phone. Once warranted you may be able to get the next generation while the rest of us on New every two hold our breaths till the clock is in our favor.
    12-15-08 12:31 AM
  17. Rlyman1's Avatar
    I have to agree with most of the people on this there is no reason for a 14 year old to have a storm. whether or not you text alot and send emails you can do this on any phone on the market today. unless your going to be using the phone for things like document editing and have more appointments then you know what to do with i see no good reason for you to have this phone. So i can only think that the reason you really want this phone is because you think it looks pretty and will impress all of your friends. And also being able to pay for it clearly isnt the situation for you... however, believe me that youll want to save your money for things like a car gas for that car maybe college a house the list goes on.
    12-15-08 12:31 AM
  18. ThePerfectStorm's Avatar
    20 hours a week isn't really that much, and I wasn't saying it is. I was simply stating that within my schedule, I work as often as I can.
    It is a good thing that you are willing to work while going to college and not relying on "mommy and daddy".

    My brother-in-law is in college and doesn't work a lick. Granted he is hearing impaired and is getting most paid for by the state. But he is a spoiled brat! He got a PS3 a few years ago, then about a month ago he had some extra money from a grant and went and got a Xbox 360. The funniest thing is when he got an iphone last week and was trying to brag about it because he thought i wanted one!

    I will make sure to send him a picture when I get my storm
    12-15-08 12:34 AM
  19. cray1000's Avatar
    LOL, this is all crazy.

    My take is this, IF i had a kid (thank god i dont) they would take one of two options

    option a) get a job and pay for the phone and data plan and voice plan at whatever age you can pull that off. not under my credit of course, so prepaid or deposit.

    option b) take what i give you which is a limited phone that can call who i say it can.

    i think these are reasonable options.

    i wanted a phone bad when i was a kid, but had to wait till i could pay the bill and pay the deposit. this made me take care of it, etc.
    12-15-08 12:40 AM
  20. infamyx's Avatar
    I really just dont see how you can justify wanting a Storm.

    You say you can pay for it, but you have to use your dad's NE2...technically your dad's paying for it sorry to say.

    You CAN NOT use the phone 1/3 of the day 5 days a week cause your in school...well now thats a waste isnt it? (and if you are, then the phone is just disrupting your learning and it shows that your not mature enough to use it responsibly)

    BTW id really like to know what kind of email/browsing you need to be doing, as a 14 year old? Absolutely none cause you can do it from home, there are no time-sensitive materials a 14 year old needs access to, no bills, no buisness announcements, the list goes on and on.
    12-15-08 12:46 AM
  21. snowgimp's Avatar
    Hmmm...this raises an interesting question because I don't know even if the big guys at VZW would have anticipated this situation. I wonder if the data blocks through usage controls will work on a smartphone? Come to think of it, I'm almost positive on a Blackberry it won't. I guess they think if you're getting your 14 year old a Blackberry you don't really care what they do.
    12-15-08 12:53 AM
  22. cray1000's Avatar
    this post has shown me one thing for sure, BB users dont want their world invaded by tweens. Unfortunately, it looks this is EXACTLY what verizon is trying to do. Have you seen the latest commercials? They focus on media and even make comments about it not being just for business anymore.

    damn, figures i get in just as everything turns to sh*t. i hate tweens
    12-15-08 12:55 AM
  23. cray1000's Avatar
    Hmmm...this raises an interesting question because I don't know even if the big guys at VZW would have anticipated this situation. I wonder if the data blocks through usage controls will work on a smartphone? Come to think of it, I'm almost positive on a Blackberry it won't. I guess they think if you're getting your 14 year old a Blackberry you don't really care what they do.
    the storm REQUIRES data, so why would someone get data and then block it?
    12-15-08 12:56 AM
  24. snowgimp's Avatar
    the storm REQUIRES data, so why would someone get data and then block it?
    All blackberrries and smart phones released after November require to be specific...but I don't know why alot of people do the things they do to answer your question. But I'm sure someone will create a thread to complain about it.
    12-15-08 12:59 AM
  25. infamyx's Avatar
    to keep the user from accessing inappropriate websites? I bet if every email/text/web page was forwarded to his fathers phone he most likely wouldn't be so upbeat about trying to get one
    12-15-08 12:59 AM
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