| Four years ago, I was staying alone in a hostel in | | | | you to be permanently contactable and quick to |
| London and I had my mobile phone stolen. For two | | | | react. People who are hard to reach literally get left |
| weeks, I didn’t have a replacement one and it | | | | behind because arrangements need to be |
| felt awkward. | | | | instantaneous. The situation has literally become sink |
| After the first few days, the panic wore off and I | | | | or swim. |
| felt a relief of sorts, knowing that people knew that | | | | The Text Message |
| they couldn't get hold of me and they would just | | | | Just imagine life before the text message, a time |
| have to get on with it. It was a time of rebellion, like | | | | when you had to make actual conversation in any |
| an adventurer without a back-up plan. I was enjoyed | | | | verbal interaction. The text message has made |
| the novelty of really feeling alone (despite the 7.5 | | | | communication clean and convenient. The introduction |
| million people who were sharing the city). | | | | of the MMS means that picture messaging has |
| The novelty of a phone-free lifestyle came to an | | | | become the ultimate ‘Wish You Were |
| abrupt end when a friend was half an hour late to | | | | Here’, because unlike a postcard, you actually |
| meet me somewhere and I started to panic about | | | | are there at the time. |
| where she was. The imagination went wild. I learned | | | | The Future of Mobile Phones with VoIP |
| that day that old habits die hard and that freedom | | | | The introduction of VoIP [ means that communication |
| comes with a price. | | | | is more affordable. Now we can make maximum use |
| Before Mobile, people expected a degree of | | | | of our mobile phones. Our usage of the mobile phone |
| uncertainty to their plans and gave leeway to time. | | | | is only going to increase in time as new technologies |
| Telephones were fixed at certain points that people | | | | become commonplace. |
| had to travel between, thus introducing a space in | | | | The Swiss Army Knife of the 21st Century |
| time/place for setbacks. Now, with mobile | | | | The mobile phone has become the new multi-purpose |
| communication, lateness of anything more than five | | | | tool. A mobile phone can now replace a diary, a |
| minutes warrants, at the very least, an apologetic | | | | camera, a MP3 player, a flash disk and even a laptop. |
| text message. New etiquettes and standards have | | | | These are all commodities of the 21st Century. |
| been established in a world in which people are | | | | Life was much slower when we were without |
| expected to have a means of communication in their | | | | mobiles. We were less stressed and people |
| front pockets. | | | | demanded less from us all the time. But equally, you |
| The Speed of Immediacy | | | | cannot deny the absolute convenience of having a |
| A potential client calls and asks if you got the email | | | | mobile phone, something that is coming to assist us |
| that he sent you. You were out of the office and | | | | with everything. |
| you obviously haven't checked your email. You're not | | | | Technology has replaced general knowledge in |
| sure how to access your emails on your phone, or | | | | becoming the indicator of whether you are up to |
| even if the phone is capable of it. You’re a | | | | date with what is happening in the world. Never |
| little embarrassed, to say the least. | | | | before has the gap between the haves and the |
| General expectation has risen in terms of the speed | | | | have-nots been so wide. People need to accept that |
| of communication. With mobile phones, people expect | | | | mobiles are an essential tool in the modern day world. |