Who thought that this is a good idea? In case you are not familiar with this, Nextel, Verizon, and other mobile phone companies offer this "walkie-talkie" mode for making an instant connection to another phone. Nextel's demo explains that 1) you look up the user's number, 2) Push the button to "instantly connect" to him, and 3) you will hear a chirp JUST START TALKING AND HE WILL HEAR YOU. Some of us must need this. I'm thinking firefighters, police. But then, oh yeah, they have radios already. Most of us probably don't. I'm thinking surgeons, doctors, lawyers, tinkers, tailers, soldiers, sailers... me. Can I turn that sort of thing off? I suppose so. But, can't turn it off on someone else's phone. I have to listen to the other side of the conversation shouting out of the phone held 5 inches in front of the intended listener's face, and to his response, spoken loudly and clearly. Do we really need instant connections? Do we need instant access to each other?

Don't get me started on Blackberrys... Soon I may have to carry one.