You can't really know for sure what caused the dropped call. And it doesn't matter. What matters are the feelings of others. It's best to take the blame. "Sorry, my phone must have dropped the call." Or, at the very least, don't blame the other person's phone.

When we first got Web browsing on our phones, it was fun to answer all questions that emerged during conversation by launching a Google search. The novelty has worn off, and now it can be rude.

It's tempting to think that you can simply integrate the search into the discussion. But the search always takes longer than you think, and requires more attention. The result is that conversation stops, and the person you're talking to might think that you're more interested in your search than you are in him.

It's best to do searches later or, at the very least, ask the person if he minds if you look it up.