Bringing Back The Phone

Recently I was catching up with a friend of mine via instant messanging and he quickly asked for my phone number. Shortly thereafter, he called me and informed me that he doesn't really like using the computer that much, and prefers to use the phone to talk. I had a similar discussion with a former roommate of mine, not only on the great faults of instant messanging, but on the fact that we had gotten to the point where computers are less like tools and becoming more the same that is television. I guess there's a tandem need for minimizing the time I fritter on the computer, pretending to be getting something done, and also maximizing the actual benefits I gain from my computer.