In a nutshell, here are some academically beneficial aspects of cell phones and other PDA devices. Most modern devices are capable of remembering complex math theorems and are able to note due dates for assignments. My phone has a "Notes" application, where I conveniently store all of my assignments. So, for those of you who are arguing that there is no reason to have a phone in school, how do you think I get absolutely all of my homework assignments done on time? Another aspect that is advantageous in most cell phones are calculator applications. Rather than spending an additional $100 on a fancy Texas Instruments calculator for Trigonometry or Calculus, I am easily able to access an application on my cellphone that allows me to take advantage of all of the functions that any standard calculator is able to use.
There is no real "problem" with cell-phones in themselves. Students just need to learn, and remember, that there is a time and a place for everything. A cell-phone should generally not be used in class, unless perhaps somebody is standing at the front of the room with a gun, or if there was some other calamity, such as: kids making bomb threats and what not - for these reasons I