The cell phone has become one of the most widely used digital technologies in everyday life. However, current cellular innovations appear to be both exciting and potentially dangerous at the same time.
New cellular features (and what one can actually do with a modern cellphone) are taking the lead in incorporating the latest and greatest technical innovations. Interestingly, although they incorporate the latest in digital technologies, evidence shows that cell phones are becoming increasingly popular in countries such as South Africa as opposed to those who one might refer to as the 'digital elite'.
The "Health Phone" (pictured) is able to release a scent of one's choice whenever a particular person calls it!
The most striking (and perhaps most frightening) ideas are to create cellphones that come closer to human nature than we might like to believe. A recently published article revealed that Samsung is planning to create cellphones that have “artificial chromosomes” built in them, and will be able to ‘think’, ‘feel’, ‘evolve’ and even ‘reproduce’. The concept seems close to the earlier invention of the Tamagotchi – a digital creature that adjusts its ‘life’ according to the personality and actions of its owner.
Other companies express ideas about customising phones for MySpace, which will effectively allow you to “carry your social life in your pocket”. If this materialises I’m certain it won't take long to get hold of a phone customised for other social networking sites such as Facebook - which is already possible to a certain extent with current cellular technology.
The notion that we are living in a visual culture is becoming more apparent by the development of such technologies. Perhaps the most exciting cell phone feature that manufactures are focusing on at the moment is video. Several companies are talking about making it possible for millions of people to simultaneously stream live video and TV channels via their cell phones. Music fans may receive the most recent music videos by their favourite bands instantaneously – a concept being coined as ultrareality.
As exciting as these developments sound the luddites (technology pessimists) will tell us that this is not all cream and cake. And no, these are not all hippies that protest against technology, but clued-up intellectuals who know what they are talking about. An article published in the Washington Times describes how digital experts in the Middle East are making use of cell phones to trigger off bombs!
The pace that such developments in digital technologies are taking do have the danger of blinding one to their negative possibilities. However, the idea of getting a whiff of your significant others scent through your phone every time he or she calls is both crazy and exciting.
Links
Mobbed by Mobile Media
Top popped on what cellphone technology can do for us
Cell-phone technology - an explosive tool for insurgents
