It's phone over sex for some

According to a recent online survey of Chicago residents, three out of 10 people said they'd give up sex for a year rather than sacrifice their mobile phone, officials said. And although cell phones make talking anywhere easy, a large number of residents spend more time texting, sending pictures and messaging then actually conversing. The survey was commissioned by Samsung Mobile to evaluate the relationship people have with their mobile phones, said Kim Titus, a spokesman for the company. The study is conducted each year to determine just how much of a priority people give their cell phones.

"It's a lighthearted way to measure how engaged people are with their mobile phones and the many things they can do with them," Titus said. "A couple of years ago we asked about the cell phone versus chocolate. The cell phone won that year too. We thought we'd up the ante and see what the results would be."

To conduct the research, 300 people were e-mailed at random in September and asked about their phone habits. Of the 300, 121 of the respondents were male and 179 were female; 169 of the respondents were married.

When asked explicitly which they'd prefer -- sex or to have a cell phone -- 36 percent of the women and 15 percent of the men interviewed chose the phone.

Thirty percent of those surveyed said they rely on texting more than talking. In fact, the average Chicago cell phone user spends three hours a day chatting or sending text, picture and video messages.

"I think we have created a technology that has created an evolution in the way we communicate," Titus said about text messaging. "It goes back to the popularity of e-mail. You can text somebody, and when they see it they can answer whether you're available or not. You improve efficiency in communication that way."

Unless you chose sex instead of the phone.
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