What's New in Mobile Technology?
The Palm Treo, Helio Ocean, Blackberry Curve and the Apple iPhone are all a part of the much-heralded next generation of personal mobile technology. These smartphones are more than just cellphones, portable email devices or cameras; they have internet access and boast enough memory to comfortably hold photos, music, movies and documents. It’s easier to post to a blog, access podcasts, instant message and connect to social networking websites (like Facebook, mySpace,etc..) with this generation of mobile technology.
While it is safe to say that these devices are changing the way we communicate, it is a little presumptuous to claim that smartphones have immediately brought forth a new age of ubiquitous computing. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, over 73% of adults own cellphones, but many do not use interactive web technologies outside of email with their mobile devices. Younger people tend to adapt mobile technology faster; Pew reports that 87% of American teenagers are online and they access the internet regularly with mobile devices.
Smartphones are slowly changing our expectations about portable technology, and redefining how we view personal technology. Many predict that the smartphone will eventually evolve into an all-in-one appliance that will replace the personal computer, home entertainment center and telephone as we know it. While the future of personal mobile technology is hard to predict, it's difficult to deny that smartphones will have a wide-ranging impact on the way we work, communicate with each other, and entertain ourselves.