In
1983, one would never have thought that thousands of cell phone models would
ever be in existence (Evolution). At that time, if you had described a
touch-screen or 3G networks to even the most business-professional and
tech-savvy people, you´d have gotten some looks that made you question your own
sanity. What used to look like a small shoe box with a simple keyboard now
appears as a slim, pocket-sized, full-keyboard device with internet and music-playing
capabilities.
At
age 5, I recall longing to one day own a cell phone, though at the time I
thought this was such a stretched notion of possibility, knowing that the
majority of people who owned cell phones at that time were wealthy businessmen,
costing around $100 at a minimum. Unknown to me, in 1999, a cell phone
incorporating GPS was first introduced and was mainly popular in Europe
(Evolution). As in many other fields, the new millennium proved successful in
the subject area of technology. In the early 2000s, I can remember coming to
the realization that more and more people were getting into the cell phone
craze—specifically fancier models, like the ¨new¨ BlackBerrys (Edwards).
While
cell phones can still be rather expensive—depending on the model, company, and
plan—more economical options exist. In the process of cell phones becoming more
practical and available, downfalls have arisen, also…the most recognized being
the big cancer-causing scare (Cell Phones). Cell phones emit radiofrequency
energy, a type of electromagnetic radiation. Although there is some concern on
this issue, no solid data has been observed nor recorded stating that cell
phone use correlates with cancer (Cell Phones).
What
IS fact, however, is brand popularity over time. The original manufacturer in
the early 80s was Motorola; and while they remain a preferred and competitive brand
today, there are a few others that have come into the picture in the last three
decades, including: Samsung, Nokia, IBM, (Sony) Ericsson, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, and
the beloved Apple (Evolution).
From
simple phone calls to GPS tracking to text messaging capabilities to regular
internet service, it is clear that cell phones have evolved dramatically. As seen
in the last 30 years, technology will forever be developing and advancing, cell
phones included. Perhaps in another 30 years, we will no longer be carrying
around our cell phones, but rather exclusively use Bluetooth technology or
something completely foreign to us now. We may not be able to predict the
future of cellular communication, but when it happens, we’ll know it.
Sources:
¨Cell Phones and Cancer Risk.¨ Feb. 22, 2012.
National Cancer Institute. <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones>
Edwards, Benj. ¨Evolution of the Cell Phone.¨ Oct.
4, 2009. Feb. 22, 2012. PC World. <http://www.pcworld.com/article/173033/evolution_of_the_cell_phone.html>
¨The Evolution of Cell Phone Design Between
1983-2009.¨ Feb. 22, 2012. <http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/the-evolution-of-cell-phone-design-between-1983-2009/>
Even though I now have an iPhone, and have for a year or so, I still miss my Motorola RAZR and its large, physical number pad. But that's a tangent. What's really interesting to me about your article is speculation about the future of communications technology. To take it a step further, as our technical knowledge increases, so does our knowledge of the human body. An incredible advance would be if, in the future, we are able to implant in our heads a type of neural interface that can tap directly into the perceptual areas of the brain and feed communications to us, using, perhaps, a variety of HUD to interact with it and performing all of the functions of cell phones, and possibly other forms of media. There would, of course, be a number of risks associated, not the least of which is your head being hacked. It is an interesting path, however.
ReplyDeleteI remember the scare relating to cell phones and brain cancer. My dad was the first member of my family to have a cell phone and he used it for work purposes. I would always refuse to use his cell phone at the time because there had been talk that it caused brain cancer. However, when it was finally my turn to get a cell phone I was not phased by the possible idea of cell phones emitting radiofrequency energy.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to think about what new technology will be introduced in the future. I do feel that the idea of a chip inserted into the human brain is possible, but a scary thought!
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ReplyDeletePredicting what the future may bring is an appealing conversation topic to almost everyone. With the development of 'smartphones' our lives are essentially compacted into a single device. It is hard to understand how we would live our daily lives without the perks and apps that are readily available at our fingertips. There doesn't seem to be any one thing that could make our lives easier or our tasks more convenient. But when that invention or evolution does happen, we will be reiterating our previous sentiments... "How did I live without this?"
ReplyDeleteI think it's very interesting to learn about the development of technologies over time, and the ever-changing visual aspect of technologies. It is also very interesting to think about how much farther technology will improve. I am looking forward to seeing what could really be next.
ReplyDeleteI agree and i feel that technlolgy has improved greatly over time especally the cell phone. You used to only be able to call from them not they are more powerful than many peoples home computers. I also am interested in how much the technology speed will increase in the next lets say 20 years. I feel it will be exponental growth.
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