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The world stopped for a moment to watch and then cry about Apple's non-iPhone 5 announcement--at least it consumed the tech blogger masses. But, as SplatF's Dan Frommer points out, two-thirds of Americans don't even have smartphones. While tech freaks and iPhone fan boys got all in a tizzy, the majority of the country watched Apple release another, fancier, more Internet-y phone that's nothing like the phone they own. Will this get people to switch over? Who knows. But for one reason or another, Apple hasn't dazzled most Americans into buying its computer phones. We think that's because because dumbphones have a special sparkle that iPhones just don't have. Here are five reasons basic cell phones rule.
1. Cheaper. The least expensive iPhone 4S costs $199 with a two year contract and needs a data plan, which can run another $30 per month, to do most of its magic. Dumbphones are way cheap. "It's virtually free," dumbphone user and Smithsonian Magazine reporter Joseph Stromberg explained. "I'm on a family plan, it's $10 a month, and I get paid nothing." There are no data plans involved and with a two year contract the actual phone doesn't cost much. In fact, right now you can get an LG Revere from Verizon for zero dollars.