Evaluating Technology

 

Session 11

 

The topic for discussion in today’s class was methods of forecasting technology to evaluate whether or not it could be useful and adaptable to today’s current situations. This was the last lesson for the term but still proved to be a little useful as it also served as a reflection for the class to recap whether all of the lessons of the previous sessions could be deemed significant for society.

The interesting part of the class for me was the discussion on the various ways of evaluating technology. More often that not, we are ignorant and do not understand how technology works. What we essentially works for us is considered good enough while what doesn’t work for us, we can simply do away with. Industries, however, obviously need metrics to adjust their R&D to cater to the wants and needs of society. Obviously, there must be a balance to achieve success. I found the methods very practical and useful as it helped me to personally reflect on previously discussed technology.

A key take away for me was the quotations on forecasting about the future and evaluating existing technology. As Voltaire says, it is that the present is pregnant with the future. We as people cannot be constantly be stuck in the present. We must always have foresight regardless of the circumstances. We must be adept and quick and realize that innovation does not come at a blink of an eye. It comes with a common understanding of past and present. I find this to be not only applicable towards technology, but life in general as well. Understanding why certain things occur make you realize more about yourself and the world around you better.

The issue, which I wished could have been discussed more was what is done with technology that does not fulfill the evaluations of the methods. Do they simply get thrown away? Are they modified? What is done with them? These were some of the things that surfaced my mind throughout the discussions

Overall I give the session an 9/10. The discussions and lesson were relevant and applicable to not only technology but also real life.

Future of Tech

Session 10

The topic for discussion in today’s class was emerging and future technologies, which included some of the most peculiar things I have seen. Innovations such as being able to mold silicon into any shape or size you want immediately or nanotechnology was such a mind-boggling fascination. I was simply amazed at the possibilities of what the future could hold. Business matters, presentations and innovations would come with a renewed vigor that would surely entice the entire social market.
The interesting part of the class for me was the discussion on nanotechnology. With so much of our devices today being capable of handling enormous amounts of data, a key feature that has emerged for users is portability, size and thickness. Users want devices and technology that is small, convenient and user friendly, but at the same time can still provide the key major functions that they demand for. The concept of nanotechnology allows for this. I was amused by the fact that nanotechnology could enable, for example, a tablet to be foldable like paper. Such an innovation would prove to be a huge success for market consumers.
A key take away for me was the quote that Professor Shahi presented in class through the quote of Steve Jobs, “Innovation distinguishes the leader from the follower”. I feel that this quote has made a significant impact on how the world is played today as the major markets and industries are definitely steps ahead because they constantly try to innovate to cater to the demands of consumers while other industries are not able to keep up with the trend. This for me just proves that invention and creativity hold a significant place in society and should not be degraded at all.
The issue, which I wished could have been discussed more was the possibility of integrating certain devices onto humans, such as the one I had presented on. I feel that such an innovation has both its advantages and risks, but as a whole, do people want to actually be able to merge with their machines? After all, we are already attached to them as of now. The audience did not respond that well so I could have hoped that Professor Shahi gave more insight on this.
Overall I give the session an 8/10. The innovations out there are really creative and usable. None of the things presented in class I had known previously, so it was very informative. More discussion however, could have been used to make the session better.

Energy

 

Session 9

 

The topic for discussion in today’s class was fossil fuels and how its availability is consistently depleting, leading to an unsustainable future. As Professor Shahi said, if the entire world consumed as much energy as the average Singaporean and US resident, the world’s oil reserves would be depleted in 9 years. One of the solutions to this problem is renewable energy, which stems from our environment’s natural resources, which includes heat, geothermal energy, and so on.

The interesting part of the class for me was the presentations. One of the presenters talked about how tornadoes could be produced to create energy. This was particularly interesting because tornadoes, more known as calamities now can actually be a source of energy that can supply power for homes, communities, and more. Another concept that was interesting was anti-matter, which essentially is one of the more risky ventures when it comes to energy, but its possibility for power is enormous.

A key take away for me was really more of how the Sun could be a major player when it came to providing renewable energy as we are currently only using only a fraction of what the Sun is providing. Also, the concept of ocean wind farms was also a great idea that I had never come across; as such technology enables us to save space on land but at the same time still power and provide energy. Another concept that I found interesting was that Singapore was using solar power to also try to reduce its power consumption. This just goes to show how much energy is not so readily available anymore.

The issue, which I wished could have been discussed more, was the use of biofuel coming from vegetables, plants and other organisms. I think that there is a huge potential in using some of the things we eat and harvest and convert it into fuel and energy. Unfortunately, no one really got to touch upon this.

Overall I give the session a 7/10. The discussions were not really in depth but it gave me some insight on what could be better with regards to energy.

Agriculture and Technology

Session 7

 

The topic for discussion in today’s class was bio business, focusing on agricultural and business technology. This topic showcased how technology could be infused with life processes and sciences to produce a sustainable environment. Presentations included controversial topics such as genetically modified organisms, vertical farming and other more interesting concepts and ideas with regards to food and farming.

The interesting part of the class for me was the discussion. The fact that we are so dependent on both technology and the environment gives us a chance to combine both to create a better and more sustainable environment. What caught my eye was the concept of vertical farming, which was not the usual planting of seeds onto the soil, watering them and cultivating them while waiting for it to grow. This concept involved planting multiple seeds on several patches of land, rotation of crops vertically to receive sunlight and watering of the crops when it reaches down. Doing such a process makes it very efficient on space-starved countries, as more crops and plants can now be naturally grown. This simply proves that integrating a little bit of innovation and technology can really help grow agriculture and plantation to help society.

The key take aways that I learned from this class is that technology allows creation for opportunities with regards to making a sustainable environment. In years past, it was very difficult for farmers and society alike to control factors such as weather, sunlight, land arability and much more. However, granted that we have created technology to produce things such as Iphones, Ipads, Multi-Touch functionalities, who says that we cannot control the way we live and eat as well? The truth is that technology will make a huge impact on the way we live and the way the environment works given a sufficient amount of research.

The issue I would have liked to touch on more was the topic on genetically modified organisms. As the class touched on the topic for a while, I feel that it did not get a thorough enough discussion with regards to safety, sustenance, and even its effect on humans. I feel that these could have been touched on a little more as it affects us directly in the present and in the future.

Overall I give the session a 8/10. The discussions were not as rich as I expected it to be, but the fact that the concept of infusing life processes with technology amazed me and I hope will one day reshape the way we live.

The Revolution of the Mobile Phone Industry

Executive Summary:

 

The creation of the smart phone has taken the world by storm\  The development and transformation of the mobile phone over the years has made it one of the latest technological innovations to date. It is now considered more than just a platform for communication. With a multitude of functions, the smart phone now enables its user to connect to the Internet, check emails, capture photos, watch videos, and hold incredible amounts of data. The transfigurations of the mobile phone, however, have also changed the way consumers view and use their phones. Society has incrementally grown attached to this device and now has raised expectations as to how mobile phones operate. The change have created a continuous demanding for more functionalities, better convenience, and a more fitting ease of access. This paper aims to explore and examine the development and impact of mobile phones. More specifically it will focus prevalence of mobile phones in society, namely its purpose and usage, and its influence on the present and possible future.

 

Introduction:

 

For the purpose of this paper, a mobile telephone will be defined as wireless device, which connects to the public switched telephone network and is offered to the general public by a common carrier or public utility (Farley, 2008). Mobile phones have taken its place among the most commonly used gadgets in society today because of its convenience and ease of access. It has enabled easy communication among its users, and has transformed the way we communicate with each other. To be able to talk to anyone, at any time, without the mediator of the human messenger and without the messenger’s attendant delays, is a thorough modern triumph of human engineering (Rosen, 2004).

Since the introduction of, DynaTAC, the first true mobile telephone created by Motorola in 1983, the number of mobile phone users has steadily increased. According to MobiThinking, a mobile research company, there are currently more than 5.3 billion phone users, which accounts for 77% of the world’s population; By this time, it is projected that around 8 trillion text messages will have been sent. These statistics only prove society’s growing dependence and attachment to this piece of technology. With the continuous growth and innovation of the smart phone, these numbers are only expected to increase, displaying its long-term longevity in the market.

 

History:

 

The mobile phone innovation started actually in 1945, when the 0G generation of mobile telephones were introduced. 0G mobile telephones, such as Mobile Telephone Service, were not officially categorized as mobile phones, since they did not support the automatic change of channel frequency in the middle of a call, when the user moved from one cell (base station coverage area) to another cell, a feature called “handover”, but it did provide insight that wireless communication was possible.

As mentioned, Motorola launched the first commercial handheld cellular phone in 1983 called DynaTAC 8000X together with the first mobile service. The DynaTAC 8000X particularly used analog technology, a process that takes in an audio or video signals that translates into electronic pulses. This enables communication between two individuals at any given time and location. The technology used, however, was far from perfect as it had a great deal static and noise interference compared to what we are accustomed today.  The distinctive capability that stood out for this piece of technology was that the phone enabled talk time for 30 minutes. It was, however, also a heavy piece of gadgetry, with dimensions of 13 x 1.75 x 3.5 inches and weight of about 2 1/2 lbs (about 1 kg).

The size and bulk of the mobile phone made it very inconvenient to carry around, prompting users to permanently store it in their cars or mobile vehicles, proving that portability was also a priority with regards to consumer choice. It also boasted features of eight hours of standby time, takes in 10 hours to recharge, features an LED display, and had memory to store thirty “dialing locations”. The price of this gadget during that time was also very steep, costing $3,995.

Despite its high cost and physical limitations, the release of such a gadget was an unexpected success. It created a chain effect of wants within society, as everyone wanted to have a piece of wireless technology that would allow him or her to make calls anytime and anywhere. As a result of its popularity and increasing demand, sales grew every year by 100%, enticing overseas equipment makers to invest and reinvent its hardware. Its expanding popularity provided the stepping-stone for overseas expansion of the mobile phone industry and its continuous development thereafter.

The innovative breakthrough of wireless communication served its primary purpose, which was to provide convenient communication between users; however given the size, inconvenience and cost, it was initially very hard for the industry to expand and capture its desired global market. As the mobile phone industry recognized its flaws, it did not settle for the monumental development that they had produced, but instead banked on the revolutionary tool to spur their interest to address its flaws. This, I believe, has led to the mobile industry needing to innovate and customize their product. Designers of the industry needed to adapt the functionalities, appearance and size of to this model into a more suitable product for the market that would cater to the nature and budget of an ordinary person within society.

 

Development:

 

The progression of the mobile phone has since developed rapidly over the past 30 years since the inauguration of the mobile phone into society. This timeline will discuss the different features that have developed over time and how the modern smart phone came to be.

In 1984, Nils Martensson, a Swedish radio engineer who previously worked for Ericsson set up a company called Technophone.  Martensson was instrumental in the mobile phone’s development as his ultimate goal was to transform the large, bulky “brick” like dimensions of the mobile phone to fit the pocket. He secured a DTI R&D grant, brought as much computer technology into the mobile phone as the state of the art would allow (including soft keys). This led to the creation of the Technophone Excell PC105T, which arrived on the market in 1986. The size of the phone was crafted to fit a shirt pocket, with the antenna still sticking out. His phone size model set the size benchmark for the entire mobile industry, and brought the concept of mobile communication out of the hand and into the pocket. The phone model’s development also signaled the mobile phone to be a mass consumer item of the future.

In 1991, the Subscriber Identity Module, more known as the SIM card, took its place in the mobile phone industry. The SIM card was intended to make mobile telephone in GSM networks as secure as talking on the phone of a fixed-line network. To accomplish its goal, it was designed to clearly establish the identity of wireless customers in order to prevent mobile networks from being abused. Additionally, it was meant to safeguard the confidentiality of user data. The SIM card’s second key feature was its flexibility. Whenever customers changed phones, the SIM card could simply be transferred to the new handset, giving users the option to change handsets at ease. This was a revolutionary in the mobile phone’s development as soon all phones needed to include a SIM card as part of its model.

In 1992, several milestones were achieved: the creation of the first “smart phone”, the introduction of the SMS feature, and the emergence of a mobile powerhouse company called Nokia through their GSM phones.

The first considered “smart phone” that was actually released into the market was called the IBM Simon Communicator. It was considered to be the most advanced cellular telephone of its time as it displayed first sign of a mobile phone capable of multiple functionalities. It integrated features of a mobile phone, pager, PDA, and fax machine. More specifically, it had major applications such as a calendar, address book, world clock, calculator, note pad, e-mail client, the ability to send and receive faxes, and games. This unit also featured touch screen capabilities, as it had no physical keys. It also came with an optional stylus. This model was revolutionary as it was one of the first signs that the mobile phone could be used for something other than just communication.

SMS, on the other hand, was actually developed much earlier in 1985, but only came together in 1992, when the first SMS message was sent over the GSM network (a European standard set describing cellular networks) in the United Kingdom.  The SMS or text message was basically a convenient, 160 word message that could be sent to other users via the mobile phone. This enabled convenient communication as messages could now be sent without the recipient needing to pick up the phone immediately. Communication was made more flexible and accessible through this innovation.

The emergence of Nokia into the industry during this time simply signaled the dawn of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), which could carry data and voice traffic. This allowed mobile phones to provide high quality voice calls, easy international roaming and support for new services such as text messaging, which laid the foundations for the rest of the mobile phone industries. The rise of the GSM phone also marked the eventual obsolescence of the analogue first generation phone, whose networks for communication was not that well established.

From the period of 1996 to the present, the development of the mobile phone got much quicker due to faster technology, better innovation and a good vision of what society wanted as part of the communication revolution.

In 1996, the designs of the mobile phone got even better when Motorola came up with a game changing design in the StarTAC phone, which was the world’s first clamshell/flip phone. It combined a lightweight and compact frame while still being able to keep its basic phone features. It was also one of the phones that gained widespread consumer adoption. This again led to a revolutionary redesigning of the phone’s design and aesthetics, prompting consumers to lean to a smaller and more portable design.

In 1998, the mobile phone’s style revolutionized into what became the most popular handset of the 1990’s: the Nokia candy-style bar cell phones. This design revolutionized the aesthetics of the mobile phone, as it was now able to remove the anesthetically unpleasing look of an antenna sticking out. Nokia was able to do this through the innovation of its engineers, who designed a flat, plate-like antenna that could hide inside the body of a cell phone. This anesthetic change was a significant in the design of future mobile phones as one rarely sees antennas in mobile phones nowadays.

In 1999, several phones again changed the mobile phone landscape Nokia released their 7110 mobile phone model, which was the first mobile phone to have a Wireless Application Protocol Browser. The WAP was designed to allow Web access on simple devices with limited processing power and displays. Instead of a rich graphical experience, users would see a stripped-down, typically text-only subset of the Web. While it may now seem that WAP browsing is a thing of the past, it laid out the foundation for Web browsing for future mobile phone releases.

In addition to WAP browsing, DoComo, the largest mobile phone operator in Japan introduced the first mobile phone with a colored screen, which had a resolution of 96 x 120 and 256 colors. The popularity of the colored screen, however, only reached global markets two years later as the model was only unique to Japan. This specific innovation, however, did change the look and feel of the mobile phone in its future productions.

In 2000, the first device, Ericsson R380 Smartphone, to operate an OS was released. It combined the functions of a mobile phone and a PDA, but was still as lightweight as the normal mobile phone. This particular innovation stemmed out the possibility of incorporating operating systems within mobile phones.

Bluetooth was also incorporated through the Ericsson T36 during this time, which allowed the phone to link to independent devices within its proximity. The two most wide spread devices linked to Bluetooth at this time were a hands free kit in the car and a Bluetooth headset or earpiece. Future models of phones followed this function thereafter.

In 2001, the Sharp Corporation released the Sharp J-SH04, becoming the world’s first mobile phone to incorporate a camera. This is also one of the important highlights that have translated to the current model of the mobile phone. Most phones nowadays include a camera that allows capturing of high-resolution photos and videos.

In 2002, several other phones added specific functionalities. The Samsung SPH M100 entered the market and was considered to be the first mobile phone integrated with an MP3 Player. It had features of 64 MB of data storage that provided around 1 hour playtime. This was an example of a phone taking in features that had its own distinct market, which led to the eventual inclusion of MP4 in all mobile phones. The Blackberry, on the other hand, was known more for its email, organizer features and thumb keyboards, however the release of the 5810 at this time offered a different perspective- voice capability, which needed a headset for the user to make calls.

In 2003, Nokia generated a lot of buzz among its consumers with the release of the N-Gage, which was a mobile phone that integrated communication functionalities and was a gaming device as well. The phone was designed to compete with portable gaming devices such as those produced by Nintendo. It was all hype though, as the design and implementation was not as good as expected leading to its downfall, but it did provide insights for designers on how to improve the mobile phone with regards focus on points for improvement with regards to games. Developing games for mobile phones became one of the top priorities thereafter.

In 2007, the Apple Iphone was released. This specific release changed the entire landscape of the mobile phone industry within the blink of an eye. The aesthetics of the phone made it one of the most innovative designs to date. It had a screen-centric design and a large resolution screen which allowed for more convenient browsing and better usability. This feature allowed the mobile phone to potentially act as a video streaming screen on the go. It was also the first true touch-based mobile phone, as the user needed to use fingers instead of a stylus, and its user-interface was specifically gesture-based. Examples of these include the swiping of photos or contacts and apple’s recognized multi-touch pinch to zoom in and out. The phone also incorporated the popular operating system: the Mac OS X. The next biggest difference with regards to the Iphone was the presence of the App Store. While other smart phone platforms could use third-party apps for years, Apple was the first to make an app platform that was easy for developers to write apps for, and a store that was easy for consumers to browse, purchase, and download apps from. With Apple launching such a product out in the market, the magnitude of change it has created has been instrumental can still be felt today. The entire mobile industry has since tried to model its design and usability to match that of the Iphone’s capabilities. Numerous companies have tried to emulate Apple’s screen-centric design, making their screens of a bigger size and higher resolution. They have also tried to produce a similar convenient user interface that promotes touch screen interaction, while App stores such has the Android marketplace have also become more widespread to try and compete with Apple’s market share.

The most recent developments of mobile phones so far have been better screen resolution, the creation of a possible 4G network, and much more. As evidenced through the mobile phone’s timeline and history, the reinvention of the mobile phone over the years has allowed us to have the so-called “smart phones” of today. These changes did not happen overnight. The changes were incremental, starting with the basic model of reinventing its appearance and shape followed by the induction of several supported features. Each feature added was instrumental into shaping what we are accustomed to having today. With so much already at hand, more functions are only expected to be inducted to the smart phone, setting it up its longevity for the future.

 

Redesigned innovation:

 

As we have seen in the development of the mobile phone, its functions have easily become more complex over time. Its marketability and strong customer base have allowed it to transcend its original purpose and usage, which was to be able to conveniently call anyone at any given time or location. Once speech and messaging was essentially set up and stably in place, designers were able to focus and redesign the composition of the mobile phone to include certain applications and systems, which eventually led to the transfiguration of the mobile phone to becoming the smart phone. It is now considered to be a jack of all trades tool because it was designed to include a host of functions and applications that cater to specific needs of people such as leisure, productivity, internet access, calendar systems, photography and much more, while keeping the central function of communication via SMS and calling in place. The smart phone is very convenient to use because regardless of whether or not the user needs certain functions, access to specific applications is now more readily available and accessible that it was before. Apart from this, the learning curve on such a device is relatively easy, as both the young and the old are capable of learning to use such a complex device. This is due to the fact that the user only needs to know how to use the things he or she wants to use. All other functions that are secondary and are not needed or can be learned later for future use.

The emergence of smart phones to consumer markets has created a great impact society; however, there have been certain advantages and disadvantages that are associated to the user of such a complex device.

 

Advantages:

 

Apart from allowing us to wirelessly communicate with each other, some other advantages of the smart phone include better productivity, flexibility, access to information, safety, and organization.

As the development of mobile phones has vastly improved over the years, notes and planning applications have easily gotten better, making the smart phone a viable option of being a personal electronic organizer. One is readily updated and reminded by the electronic diaries, contact lists and automatic prompts, which helps in self-organization together with improved productivity.

The usage of the phone also promotes flexibility; phone users are now able to do more than just communicate. In addition to being able to answer important calls and receive significant messages, acquiring desired information is now possible. Having a mobile phone now enables one to access the Internet at anytime using 3G networks. This key function alone allows users to be able to access news, write blogs, use social networking, check emails, chat online and much more in real time, allowing the user to remain up to date wherever and whenever he wants. Along with Internet access, the mobile phone is now also able to hold significant documents such as notes, letters, presentations and much more. The user is now able to update, review and even edit such documents conveniently on the go.

With regards to safety, the mobile phone allows you to feel more secure. According to Christine Rosen, more than ninety percent of cell phone users report that owning a cell phone makes them feel safer (Rosen, 2004). For instance, Parents are able to feel more relief when they know their sons and daughters carry a mobile phone with them because they know that they are just a phone call or text message away. Some may even have a mobile tracking application that enables them to identify the exact location of their children through GPS. These examples show that having a mobile phone enables convenience with regards to emergency communication and tracking.

The mobile phone has also evolved into a tool for leisure, with the numerous applications for music, gaming and photography. The mere fact that the phone is compact enough to fit into your pocket and allow such activities already is a benefit for long-winded trips and waiting time during appointments or travel.

Furthermore, the innovation of the mobile phone has tried to bridge the gap of the digital divide. Its price is relatively cheaper in comparison to desktops, laptops and broadband Internet access, giving low-income families the opportunity to grab a hold ICT technology. For instance, in Kenya, farmers can access daily fruit and vegetable prices from a dozen markets through SMS. In the Indian states of Andra Pradesh and Gujarat, tens of millions of people are now within reach of ambulance services because they have access to a mobile. In the Brazilian state of Parana, the unemployed are now told about job opportunities by text.

These examples show that the usage of the mobile phone can somehow contribute to alleviating poverty, and create a more knowledgeable and technology savvy society.

Overall, the mobile phone has proved to be a useful tool. Integrating numerous functionalities together with its compact and convenient stature makes it a device that allows convenience and ease. Surely this device is filled with unlimited potential and benefits for future use.

 

Disadvantages:

 

Judging from the advantages mentioned, it can be said without a doubt that the smart phone has provided both the convenience and ease that we all have desired. We are able to readily access information and communication anytime and anywhere together with several supported functions such as gaming and photography; however, certain not so desirable disadvantages have also stemmed out as a result of the phone’s misusage. The innovation of the smart phone has led to issues such as over-reliance of technology, questionable ethnical and social issues, rampant sexual behavior, and privacy.

Nowadays, it is very difficult to find a user not touching his phone for a long period of time. Many have said that they cannot imagine not leaving their phones away from their hands for even just a day. This is due to the fact that we have grown so accustomed and attached to the convenience and ease of this piece of technology. We all want to be able to remain connected with our friends, family, social networks and circle that we overlook technology already intruding our lives. For instance, we have relied so much on technology that we need to regularly look at our phones for updates on the latest events, news and reminders; however, the same task can be done by writing reminders on sticky notes or organizers.

Due to the over-reliance on the usage of our mobile phones, a series of questionable ethical and social issues have also risen. For instance, many consider leaving the middle of a meeting to answer a phone call to be permissible, as many do not consider doing so rude or a societal anomaly. It is now also common to hear people fighting and making a not so desirable scene when talking to their phones in public. These just prove that our perspective has changed with the usage of the mobile phone. With a little ease, we now feel that the world needs to adapt to us.

While the mobile phone also offers easier hold on individuals, it also gives other people the chance to hold on to you. Before the cell phone made its way into society, individuals needed to exert more effort to contact a person. He either had to call the person’s home, leave a message or write mail. With the creation of the mobile phone, however, the usual privacy of a person is being invaded as he is now anticipated to be able to reply or call immediately. Individuals do not realize that the tool was created for the users’ existence and not for their comfort.

One of the more controversial issues that have also stemmed out is the rampant usage of mobile phones to access sexual content. One of the Internet’s most problematic problems is the posting of unsuitable content such as pornography. With the mobile phone allowing Internet access, the widespread usage of such content is also now more available on the go.

Also, with the existence of our mobile phones, privacy is now compromised. The sharing of data and communication through this piece of technology gives hackers a free pass to essentially gain access to all the content of your private life. The most recent phone hacking scandal in Europe illustrates this.

These issues are mostly due to the inability of a user to maximize the beneficial capabilities of a mobile phone. While there are definitely drawbacks to using each piece of technology, its original purpose of making things better and more convenient for society should be taken as the biggest consideration when assessing the purpose of the mobile phone.

 

 

Future:

 

The development of mobile phones has taken great strides in years past. As the years go by, it has continuously aimed to improve its enhancements and features to cater to the demand of its consumers, thus being able to capture a large market share due to its convenience, accessibility and service to its users.

Looking at the current situation, the smart phone has become one of the leading innovations that technology can offer, but as consumers expect, it doesn’t stop there. The future of the mobile phones will be directed at integrating a whole list of other functionalities, such as smart alerts, credit payments, augmented reality, replacement for PC technology, gaming platforms, better networking, and privacy.

The future includes a much more intelligent mobile phone, similar to web version 3.0. Based on the user’s preferences, mobile phones will be able to direct specific alerts such as events, reminders and tasks. The phone will then be able to look into these tasks and give specific recommendations. For instance, when booking for a specific lunch or dinner with a friend, the phone will be able to recommend a specific restaurant or bar based on the quality, budget and atmosphere catered to your fondness. Other possible scenarios include suggesting the best transportation conditions or spotting the best parking spaces. Having such functions integrated into the mobile phone will allow for even better productivity and time management.

The prospect of making payments using the mobile phone will be ready in the near future. A technology called near-field communications will embed a type of chip that connects the phone to one of the users credit/debit card accounts. It allows payment by using a touch sensitive interface or by bringing the phone near an NFC reader. The charge will be deducted immediately. This is different from the concept of RFID (radio frequency identification) as this technology allows two-way communication, which is more secure. This piece of technology will not only allow payments, but also include functions to download tickets or other data in years to come.

One of the key features that developers are trying to come up with is the possibility of augmented reality through the mobile phone. By augmented reality, it means that the mobile phone will be able to understand and interpret real objects in the world we live in and translate it into specific data that is made as useful information for the user. For instance, the phone is able to capture a photo of a specific book and Google the price or suggest books with similar genres. This attribute could prove to be useful for instances such as communication and reading as text and sounds will be able to be translated to cater to the user’s native language, helping bridge the communication gap and increasing learning.

Furthermore, the future of the mobile phone includes taking over the computer desktop and laptop industry. Designers and developers are constantly trying to integrate functions and hardware to fit the capabilities of PC technology. The future of mobile technology also includes addressing a more powerful gaming platform. Effects are expected to become more realistic and more user receptive, creating a powerful tool for leisure and relaxation. Privacy and security will also be better to complement the functionalities of the future, as trust from consumers will be one of the keys to attaining an expanded target market.

The effect of having is that having such a multi-functional mobile phone will look to be the central piece of technology within our lives. It basically enables us to access a whole lot more within the palm of our hands. This would lead to even more reliance to technology as we now have better access and convenience. Of course, along with its advantages also comes the idea of more risks stemming out.

The usage and performance of such a multi-functional phone will still be in question. Like the most recent Apple Iphone 4, who had its fair share of antenna problems, it will have little chinks on its armor as research and testing will be key before its eventually release into the market. With regards to cost, I presume that allowing a multitude of functions will first strike consumers with an enormously expensive price, but similar to the invention to the first mobile phone, the functionalities will be improved and cater to a larger target market.

 

Conclusion:

The mobile phone industry is definitely one business that has been on the rise and is here to stay for the future. Its up and coming ideas of integrating multiple functionalities such as productivity, communication, leisure and much more have made a significant contribution to today’s society. It is still considered to be an up and coming “rising star” with much potential for growth and expansion because it has not settled and remained content with its current success. Designers and developers have continued to improve and bank on its triumphs to be able to provide and even exceed customer demands. This industry can definitely serve as one of the existing business models that continue to innovate and not settle for its momentary breakthroughs.

This specific innovation has created a lot of opportunities, as well as drawbacks for society, but I think overall, it has contributed to the welfare and benefit of society. The development of the mobile phone has made its users a more knowledgeable and well connected because it has continuously sought to bring forth the convenience and ease that we all need. We are now able to access the World Wide Web at the palm of our hands, enabling us to connect with the rest of the world. We now have the capability to take clear photographs instantly, allowing us to recall our memories of specific events conveniently. We now also have the ability to record messages and reminders. Having said all these, it can be safe to question what the mobile phone won’t do next. With all that it brings, it is really quite impossible to view ourselves without our phones because it offers much more than just communication. It has and will forever embed a significant role in all of our lives.

Through the discussion of this paper, it is evident that the smart phone is clearly a convenient tool that will be a force to reckon with for years to come. As it constantly evolves to compete one of the highly used pieces of technology of generation, I can say that the smart phone will definitely be here to stay. While there are certain disadvantages that could possibly be considered risks for users, society, as a whole, will still constantly be looking forward to owning and embracing such a device because of its convenience, accessibility and performance.

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Rosen, C. (2004). The new atlantis. (1 ed., Vol. 6, pp. 26-45). Retrieved from http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/our-cell-phones-ourselves

Farley, Tom. The Cell-Phone Revolution: American Heritage of Invention & Technology. New York: American Heritage, 2007.

Wotel, P. (1996). Analog. digital. what’s the difference?. Retrieved from http://telecom.hellodirect.com/docs/Tutorials/AnalogVsDigital.1.051501.asp

The sim card turns fifteen. (2006, August 22). Retrieved from http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18932.php://www.retrobrick.com/moto8000.html

Frommer, D. (2009, June 19). 10 ways the iphone changed smartphones forever. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/10-ways-the-iphone-changed-smartphones-forever-2009-6

Cassavoy , L. (2007, May 7). In pictures: a history of cell phones. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/article/131450/in_pictures_a_history_of_cell_phones.html

Temple, S. (n.d.). The most important mobile phones in history – the unique mobiles phones that changed the world (second edition). Retrieved from http://www.gsmhistory.com/infobox/vintage-mobiles/

The disadvantages of mobile phones [Web log message]. (2010, February 8). Retrieved from http://disadvantages-of–mobile-phones.blogspot.com/2010/02/disadvantages-of-mobile-phones.html

The future of mobile [Web log message]. (2008, September 9). Retrieved from http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/future-of-mobile.html

Reardon, M. (2007, June 1). 10 things your phone will do in 10 years. Retrieved from http://www.cnet.com/4520-13387_1-6737990-1.html

Rudebeck, C. (2009, March 10).closing the digital divide. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sustainit/closing-the-digital-divide-1640433.html

 

Bio business possibilities

Session 6

 

The topic for discussion in today’s class was bio business, focusing on healthcare and hospital systems technology. The class showcased a video that displayed the possible future of hospitals and check ups through the use of advanced technology. The doctor of the hospital and the patient at the house could easily communicate with ease and face to face through augmented reality. This made me think twice if such a system would be employed in the near future. Apart from this, the lesson included research on agricultural and environmental opportunities for business.

The interesting part of the class for me was the presentations, which focused and zoomed in on certain topics such as organ trading and fake drugs. As I am generally ignorant with the current make up of the healthcare industry, I did not realize that such happenings were going on. Organ trading for me is more or less a controversial issue. While people have the right to decide on how they want to use their body parts, I believe that there is a morality issue concerned. Unless it is absolutely necessary for another person’s sake, I don’t think it is such a good idea to have such a market simply because all our organs were put in a specific place for a reason. The loss of one organ to replace a failed organ may save one life, but could cost great repercussions for the next person. As for fake drugs, I have heard reports previously before, but I couldn’t really fathom why such an innovation was actually made other than profit. Drugs were meant for the benefit of people to extend their lives. Such fake drugs could again lead to the cost of another life, which is essentially irreplaceable.

The key take aways that I learned from this class is that there is essentially a huge market for bio business and healthcare to grow. Not many companies have invested in such research and technology because from an innovator’s perspective, we are now dealing with real lives with real possibilities of danger. It is not just some product where we make a mistake and we redo our mistakes, but rather the value of a true human being. Also I feel that companies who have the money should invest their time and effort into developing and evolving the bio business industry. This is because added funding could possibly revolutionize and change mankind once more.

The issue I would like to have been talked about more was the issue of organ trading, surrogacy, sperm banks, etc. I feel these are all controversial topics where technology has already meddled with the mere make up of how a human is supposed to live. Is it ethical? How effective is it? What are the possible side effects and impact on society by doing these things? These I feel should have been aligned together with the discussion.

Overall I give the session a 7/10, a much lower grade compared to previous sessions because it was difficult for most to understand such a complex topic where all of us had little idea about. The discussions were a bit limited, but the realization of such technology and innovation was helpful enough.

TWC Group Paper Outline

Topic: Has the tablet revolutionized human lifestyle?

 

 

Past

1. History
2. Development
3. Technology

 

Present

a. Current and Comparisons of Industry

b. Reason for Popularity

c. Specific Functions

a. ebook reader

b. entertainment

c. access internet

d. communication

e. gps

f. applications

d. Impact on Society

 

Future

1. Paperless Society
2. Integration of phone and computer
3. Trend or transition
4. Replace anything in the future?

Team Members: Kara Amantoy, Kenneth Chai, Lee Yao Zong, Luke Phong

Communication Technology

Session 5

The topic for discussion in today’s class was Information Communication Technology and its impact on society. For me, this was a highly significant topic as today’s world is filled with technology that directly affects how we communicate as people. Whether it be the world wide web, news articles, television, cell phones, etc, communication is something that is prevalent in our lives. I couldn’t imagine a day without being able to touch my computer or cell phone to find out about the latest news, happenings and insights around the world. Professor Shahi discussed it, however, in a much different perspective than I expected. He basically described ICT’s as drivers for the millennium development goals, its evolution in society, and as game changers for companies and businesses.

What was most interesting for me during this session was the video on Project Natal Milo Demo and the evolution of the web to version 3.0. Project Natal was basically a project by Microsoft for the XBOX 360. It was a program designed to be able to link the virtual world with human reality. This really fascinated me as I did not know that we were that advanced with regards to technology. The virtual character could literally react, engage and communicate with someone in the real human world. This to me is a key advancement in how we are able to relate with technology. It simply shows that sooner or later machines will be able to think equally to the human touch, and possibly help us make life even more convenient. Web version 3.0 on the other hand, was also interesting for me as I was able to better understand how the web works now as compared to before. The current version is basically more intelligent and sophisticated, as it does not merely take input from its users. It is now able to make recommendations and suggestions based on the type of user accessing specific web content.

The key takeaways I got from this session is that communication is an integral part of the way we live, and that as the days pass by, we continue to rely on it more as it makes its own advancements. As I have thought about it in class, communication technology has basically overruled our lives. We regularly need to be in contact and interact with people because we are socially dependent on each other. No man is an island, as most people would say.

The issues that could have been addressed more in class was how we are gradually becoming attached to technology. As I mentioned earlier, I cannot imagine myself being detached from information and communication technology. Is this something others feel the same way about to? How do people react to certain types of news and information released? Are there biases? Are people complacent? I felt that these issues could have been discussed more had there been more time.

I personally rate this session 8/10 because I felt that a little more discussion could have been made on such an up and coming piece of technology that readily contributes to society everyday. Overall, I still liked the presentations and the concepts behind the development of ICTs.

Report Outline

Topic: Impact of Technology on the Mobile Phone Industry

 

Specific Innovation: Smart Phone

 

Rationale for choosing this specific innovation: The creation of the smart phone has taken the world by storm. Mobile phone users now are able to do more than just call or send an SMS. It has turned into a multi-tasking device that allows you to connect to the Internet, check emails, capture photos, etc.  It will forever change the way consumers view the use of a mobile phone as it now serves more than one purpose.

 

Executive View

Mobile phones are considered to be one of the latest technological innovations to date. Its development from the years has transformed the way consumers treat and use their phones. It is now used as a platform for more than just communication. The objective of this paper is to talk about the development of mobile phones, the impact it has made on society and the possible future of the industry.

 

 

Introduction of Mobile Phones

1. Prevalence of mobile phones in society
2. Background (Statistics of Mobile Phone Users)
3. Dependence on technology

 

History

a.            Technology of Original Mobile Phone

b.             Purpose of Mobile Phone

c.             Cost, performance and usage

d.             Personal View

 

Development

1. Progression of mobile technology
2. Current features and capabilities of a mobile phone
3. Comparative view of cost, performance and usage
4. Current Impact on Society

 

Future of Mobile Phones

 

1. Potential new technology for mobile phones
2. Future Impact moving forward
3. Potential usage, cost, performance

 

Conclusion

1. Personal conclusion on mobile phone industry
2. Personal view on impact, effects moving forward
3. Recommendation

 

My proposed approach to doing this paper is to make a comparison as to how mobile technology from previous years has dramatically shifted to create an impact on current society. From the past, mobile phones were used as a tool solely for communication. Now, it has turned into a necessary everyday gadget that performs numerous functions. I will be giving my reactions and comments, as well as continuing to discuss the future possibilities of the mobile phone.

All About Adaptation

Session 4

 

“Change is the only constant in this world”.

 

This week’s session talked mainly about the developing nature of our world, how the drivers of change have painted a totally different landscape from the past.

 

We are in the generation where technology is evolving at a rapid pace. As the age of gadget and computers dawn upon us, life has both become more convenient and complex at the same time. We are able to do tasks efficiently and at ease, but at the same time, learning to adapt to these changes has increasingly been more difficult. From the innovation of the smart phone, complex ERP systems, and nuclear energy among other things, society has gradually needed to inculcate technology into “The way we do things”. As change arises, however, so do opportunities for people to take advantage of its full potential. This has led to the concept of change management and leadership. The people who have consistently learned to adapt to changes are needed to assist those who are having a hard time coping with the current situation. This allows for the world to progress faster and as a whole.

 

 

What struck me most about the class is the management and leadership aspect that arises out of a situation of change. During the technological era it has often come to my attention that the older generations have a harder time both coping and adapting to the current scenario. Most times, they would rather be ignorant and choose not to stick to the changes that are happening around them. They would prefer to be traditional and comfortable. In this era, however, such an activity would not deem you to survive in the world. One needs adaptability to continue to be mobile in this technological world.

 

An issue that I wish could have been talked about more during class was the concept of opportunity in a time of change. I believe that change impacts the dimensions the world as a whole, but how do people take advantage of these opportunities. Is it a matter of a problem arising? Is it because things can be done in a more convenient manner? Or is technology simply the driver of all this?

 

My recommendation and rating for this class would be a 9/10. Change has definitely been one of the more interesting concepts that I wanted the class to delve in. As the world gradually grows into a technological realm, we must continue to consider opportunity, adaptability and practicality.