No matter the time or setting there is a likely to be the sound of a phone buzzing or a screen being rapped on nearby.
Across genders and generations the use of smartphones, like BlackBerrys and iPhones, has become rampant.
However, appropriate etiquette on how and when these hand held devices should be used is up for debate.
Etiquette expert Constance Moore suggests, "You just don't do it."
Moore, a certified etiquette consultant and founder of ItsOnlyProper.com, says many people treat their BlackBerry or iPhone like an adult pacifier,
"It's like we can't do anything without it," she said.
Smartphones have made e mails instant messages, questions are answered at the click of a button, making the lives of many more efficient.
Despite the benefits of these hand held masterminds, many companies, businesses and schools are trying to determine how to regulate usage.
"Set your phone on silent or vibrate, so you are not bothered by it," Moore said.
Kara Harlow, a UF junior, disagrees. Harlow considers her BlackBerry her "Berry Buddy," and is on it all the time.
"I love checking my e-mails and Facebook statuses," she said.
Harlow is one of thousands of UF students with a smartphone and like most, she never leaves home without it.
"I use my phone in class and I love playing Brickbreaker, especially when I'm bored," Harlow said.
Traditionalists believe that using BlackBerrys or iPhones in a meeting is an extreme faux pas, while technology advocates say missing even a text message could be a threat to a possible business deal or important situation.
Some even believe that using smartphones are a positive business tactic during conferences.
Tony Moreno, an Orlando business owner and smartphone user, is more in line with the traditionalist perspective; he will not fiddle with his phone when he is in a meeting.
"It is as rude as answering a phone call," he said.
"If I am in a meeting with a client I know really well and he or she is playing with their phone, I'll make a funny comment to make them put it away," Moreno said.
Using a phone during a meeting shows the person is not focused with the task at hand and is disrespectful, he said.
"My assistant and employees know when it is appropriate to use their phones, and I will tell them to put it away if it is not the time or place," Moreno said.
UF statistics professor Megan Mocko agrees with Moreno's protocol on cell phone use.
"Cell phone should not be used in class. Texting or talking on the phone during class is very rude. I don't think many students realize that teachers can see them texting during class," Mocko said.
Moore, the etiquette expert, classifies cell phones as "the good, the bad and the ugly."
Cell phones are good in case of emergencies, bad because people have overused them and ugly, especially when someone uses it during a movie or at a restaurant, she said.
There is no smartphone guidebook as to when someone can text their buddy in class or post a new picture on Facebook, but it is important to respect the surroundings and learn a few rules about proper phone procedure.
Moore equates poor cell phone manners with handshakes.
"People don't remember a good handshake," she said. "But they always remember a bad one."
