Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are the most popular means of mobile communication in the world; there are more than 5 billion mobile subscriptions globally. This way of communicating is so vastly popular that there are estimated three times more mobile phones used in the world than personal computers. This is far higher than the first UK phone companies ever predicted; during their launch in 1987 an industry insider predicted a maximum of 10,000 phones sold. Now it seems that almost everyone owns a mobile phone; often more than one. The average age of a child receiving their first phone is now 8 in the UK, meaning that even younger children are believing that communicating this way is the norm and is quickly becoming part of children's lifestyles.
A mobile phone has many functions; it eradicates the need to meet somebody to communicate with them as you can call them at the touch of a button from wherever you are, even across international borders. There are now thousands of mobile phone tariffs to choose from which offer a variety of different features such as minutes, texts, Internet usage allowance and voicemail. These tariffs are tailored to different people's needs and often unlimited options are available so young people especially can text thousands of times a months for one set price. However there are still pay-as-you-go options available, although these are becoming less popular as the value offered in monthly contracts becomes more worthwhile. We often see mobile phones used as the medium of communication between friends, often planning events via text messaging or voice calling, and this method of communication is by far the most popular in the world. In the UK alone in 2009 a total of 96.8 billion text messages were sent.
SMS allows the user to send short messages to another mobile phone user, this message can contain anything from information to a question. However there is also an option to send an MMS message- this is an extension of the SMS services allowing text and multimedia such as videos and pictures to be sent between a group of people. This feature often comes at an extra charge but allows large data sharing from across the globe; if you want to send your family or friends a picture of what you're doing on holiday for example all you require is a picture phone and the phone number of who you wish to send it to. This method of communication is not nearly as popular as SMSing, only 1.6 million sent per day in the UK compared to the 265 million texts, however the numbers are rapidly growing.
Now mobile phone technology is so advanced that not only can we voice call others, but we can conduct video calls from the touch of a button. There is often a camera built in to the face of the phone that projects your image to the recipitant whilst you can see their face at the same time. You can also access the whole Internet via your phone; sites such as Facebook, Youtube and Google are among the most popular mobile sites accessed in the world. This feature not only eradicates the need for a computer to be connected to broadband to access the web, but now unlimited streams of information can be accessed whenever, and wherever you want.
Now mobile phone technology is so advanced that not only can we voice call others, but we can conduct video calls from the touch of a button. There is often a camera built in to the face of the phone that projects your image to the recipitant whilst you can see their face at the same time. You can also access the whole Internet via your phone; sites such as Facebook, Youtube and Google are among the most popular mobile sites accessed in the world. This feature not only eradicates the need for a computer to be connected to broadband to access the web, but now unlimited streams of information can be accessed whenever, and wherever you want.
Teenagers in particular have been affected by the growth of mobile phone usage; this study in America showed
- 47% of teens say their social life would be worsened without their mobile
- 4/5 teens (17 million) owned and used a mobile phone
- 57% see their phone as the key to their social life
- 52% agree that mobile phones are a new source of entertainment
- 80% say it provides a sense of security on the go, and if they forget or lose their mobile they feel a sense of incompleteness (they are so used to having the device on them they feel uncomfortable without it)
- astonishingly 52% of teens can text blindfolded.
This study shows how much mobile phones have affected our personal and social lives, they have rapidly become one of the most important items to own by the younger generations and they have become so dependant on this mobile form of communication that they feel 'lost' without it. The study indicates that as technology is advancing it is fast becoming an invaluable addition to the way we communicate; it is fast, on the go and private and is everything our society wants in modern times. Compared to the initial creation of mobile phones in the early 1980s nothing could have predicted the sheer popularity and dependence our society has formed on this mode of communication, allowing it to become one of the most important methods of social and personal organization in the world today.
Advantages:
- Quick and easy methods of communications
- It connects the whole world at the touch of a button
- Cheap and effective
- Allows people to talk wherever they are
- Eliminates the need for landlines
- Could have effects on the use of English language
- Makes people's social skills decrease as they are reducing the frequency of personal communication
- Scientists argue that the excessive use of mobile phones increases our exposure to radiation and increases the risks of cancer
Social Networking
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter are fast becoming the most subscribed and used sites on the Internet. A social network is described as a variety of people grouped together in a small virtual community; in this community you can talk to whoever you like from the web, talk to friends and meet new people. It is an online way of socialising both with old and new friends, and allows an easy method of communication to be established so people do not lose touch with each other.
Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world; there are over 500 million subscribers over the globe amounting to roughly 1 in every 14 people (including young children) are subscribed to Facebook. This is a substantial number of our population that is part of this reveloution of social networking; and the cliche opinion that the majority of users are youths is not nessasserily correct as research shows that 3 in 4 parents are signed up to the site often to keep an eye on their children. This proves that Facebook is an personal site for all types of people, regardless of age and gender.
- More than 50% of facebook acounts are used each day
- The average person has 130 friends.
- Users spend more than 500 billion minutes per month on Facebook.
- Average user is connected to over 60 pages, groups or events.
- The Average user create 70 prices of content each month.
- More than 25 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each month.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1313014/Big-Mother-watching-Three-parents-use-Facebook-check-childrens-university-antics.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Blogging (Web logging) is also an extremely popular form of socialising online. It allows bloggers to post their thoughts and ideas on various blogging sites such as Blogger and Tumblr- you can also post pictures and videos about subjects of your choice. On these sites you can often add 'followers' and you can read recent blog posts and keep up to date with their personal lives via what the Blog; it's a fast and mobile way of updating people about what you're up to. By adding followers you are effectively building up a network of people who share similar ideas and values as you do, and you can begin building friendships with them. Advantages:
- Allows you to meet a wide range of people
- Enables you to join interest related groups which allows you to talk freely about the subjects you are interested in
- The majority of sites are free
- Allows you to keep in touch with friends and family who live a long distance away
- Is easy to share photos and videos with hundreds of people all at the same time
Disadvantages:
- Privacy is always an issue; people may find our personal things such as your address or phone number
- Can often cause a lot of viruses that spread easily
- Scientists argue it effects your 'social health' making you less adapted to social situations because of the time you spend socializing via a computer rather than in real life
- Social networking sites often take a lot of time and effort to keep interesting; it can be very time consuming keeping up to date with everything
Laptops
The very first computer was invented in the 1940s and were the size of a large room, each machine consuming the same amount of power equivalent to a few hundred modern laptops. However the first laptop wasn't invented until 1984; it weighed 30 pounds and had a memory of 64kb. It cost £1500 which is in stark contrast to the cost of laptops today where prices range from around £300. In the 1980s laptops seemed items of complete luxury; only the richest and most affluent people could own them due to their cost and complexity. However in this day and age owning three or more laptops in one household is considered the norm; 190 million were sold worldwide last year alone, showing just how popular they are today. Owning a laptop opens a whole new world of possibilities; now you can take you computer to work or school with you and access all your files you've been working on at home wherever you are. It is especially popular amongst young people who have a larger sense of freedom as they can communicate with their friends online without having to be in the family room where the computer is often situated. Laptops are also wireless; they can connect to the internet via wifi wherever there are as long as there is a wifi hotspot near you, or you can purchase a USB stick that allows for permanent connection to the internet all over the country. This means you can take you laptop anywhere in the house and you can still access the web.
Results of a survey I conducted asking people how many
computers they had in their households.
people to meet online via
chat rooms and online dating services and has started a social aspect of its own- online gaming and chatting.
Advantages:
- Allow for mobile connection to the internet and access to your personal files
- can be used anywhere
- battery life means they can be used without being plugged into the mains
- more privacy
- Lower power requirements
- Can enhance learning opportunities and gives students their own space to work on
Disadvantages
- Up to date models can be extremely expensive
- Difficult to repair and upgrade
- Some software is incompatible with laptops
- As they are portable they are more likely to be stolen
- Can have adverse affects on your health, for example your fertility in men (see link two)
- Hard to monitor your child's behaviour and what sites they are accessing (see link three)
Other
There are millions of other examples of ICT in our daily lives that effect our personal and social lives; these can be in many forms;
- Such as the self service ticket machine at train stations that allow us transport to go out to meet friends.
- Those who go to the gym after work encounter all sorts of ICT; from the barriers in which they swipe their gym card, to the treadmills that record your calorie loss and the drinks machines they can purchase liquids from
- iPods and other personal music players with in built speakers are good examples of technological advance in our society; music has evolved from the walkman, to the mp3 and now to the 3G which not only allows music, videos, files and games to be stored, but also connect to the internet
- Games consoles, in particular for young males, can be played so consistently they can be considered pastimes and shape someone's social life around the gameplay
How does it affect the economy?
The development of all the new technology in the market today to ehance our social and personal lives has caused economy to boom and billions of pounds to be made in profit in companies all over the world. The mobile phone companies in particular have made revenue in excess of $500 billion since it's development in the 1990s; the fact that in developed countries such as the UK and the China there is more than one mobile phone perscription per person indicates that more phones that necessary have been bought and activated across the nation. The combination of all the various companies have caused extortianate amounts of profits to be developed worldwide due to their success; in particular the company Apple. The creators and reailers of iPods, Macs, iPads and several other advanced pieces of technology means they are one of the most economically rich companies in the technology market today behind the Giants such as Google and Microsoft who are involved in almost every coputer sold in the developed world.
How does it affect society?
These advances have allowed us to arrange our social and personal lives around the developments such as mobile phones, laptops and iPods. People are now spending more time online meaning that more people are meeting over the Web; this is a far cry from society decades ago where friendships and relationships were initiated in person and there was no such technology to keep you occupied. The development of technology has also altered society's pastimes; many years ago young boy's would favour sports over any other form of entertainment however in a 2009 census young boys in the UK voted for video games as their favourite activity. In turn girl's have also put television as their favourite activity to participate in in their free time meaning that our society has become completely technology centered. No longer are we a society that relies on tradtional activites to pass the time as we are now relying on devices such as computers and televisions to create enjoyment in our spare time. There are millions of oppurtunites to find online activites to participate in such as games and online forums that allow people to form relationships and meet people they would never have had the chance to meet in real life, for example those from other countries. In some extreme cases the only social interaction people have may be through the computer to those on the other side of the web allowing technology to completely take over their social and personal lives.
How does it affect the individual?
ICT can affect an individual in many ways depending on the attitudes of the person in question- for example there are some types of people who choose not to engage fully with technology and choose not to use it for entertainment purposes and only use it for work related purposes. However for the general population advances in ICT mean that people can now chat instantly with their friends over various programmes meaning that social events can be planned quickly and of little effort. For myself I believe that having such variations of technology available for my use means that my social life can be arranged quickly over text, facebook or email and is a much more efficient method of communication than word of mouth; this enables plans to be made quickly and made certain in minutes. It has also altered my personal life as when at home I have a computer which gives me access to endless amounts of information, a television with hundreds of channels, an iPod with hundreds of tracks and applications and various games consoles to keep me occupied and can shape my personal life as much as I wish them to. Although depending on what country someone lives in and what life chances they have can change the ways in which ICT affect an individual's personal and social life as those in developing countries will not have these items at their disposal to keep them entertained and as a means of communication to organise events with their friends.
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