Before cell phones, communicating with loved ones was less convenient, and soothing vibrations in your shirt could only be achieved by carrying a pocketful of crickets. Relish the ringing of modern marvels with today's Groupon: for $12, you get $25 toward cell phones and accessories at Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer - Mobile Generation, with six Chicagoland locations.

The tech gurus at Mobile Generation stores stock their interactive showrooms with the latest in communication gadgetry, including chargers, cases, basic phones, and high-tech smartphones. Quench phone batteries' thirst for metal-flavored electricity with a home or car charger ($30), or swaddle your mobile in a fashionable case ($20–$30) to prevent its prom date from ditching it for a trendy abacus. Mobile broadband devices ($50–$100) make suitable vessels for navigating the various detours and student drivers populating the Information Superhighway; basic phones ($50–$150) boast impressive features, such as the 1.3 megapixel camera embedded within the LG Cosmos Touch. Customers can also combine two Groupons to provide easier access to omnipotent smartphones ($50–$300), including the Android-powered Droid Incredible 2 by HTC and the Android-powered Thunderbolt by HTC.