College faculty have myriad choices of resources for their students when designing courses. The rising prices of textbooks and the availability of cell phones with internet access open the question of using cell phones in the classroom. In this study, I compared student learning in an ecology course between a semester in which a textbook was used and a semester in which cell phones were used to access information. Student scores on quizzes and exams did not decrease without a textbook. In fact, some scores improved significantly. Students appreciated being able to use their cell phones and pointed out the economic and social benefits of using them instead of a textbook. The challenges posed by the elimination of the textbook are readily overcome and permit the benefits that are possible when teaching without a textbook.