Mobile Phones

Is the Mobile Phone a Disruptive Technology? A Partial Review of Evidence from Developing Countries

by Simon Columbus

Columbus, S. (2012). Is the Mobile Phone a Disruptive Technology? A Partial Review of Evidence from Developing Countries. In N. Ekekwe & N. Islam, Disruptive Technologies, Innovation and Global Redesign: Emerging Implications. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

The authors of this chapter provide an inter-disciplinary review of studies on economic impacts of mobile telephony in... more The authors of this chapter provide an inter-disciplinary review of studies on economic impacts of mobile telephony in developing countries, giving particular attention to the disruptive potential of the technology and its associated social practices. Four major areas of impact are identified: the emergence of a mobile phone economy around retail and service provision, including mobile banking; a significant reduction in search costs with profound impacts on market efficiency and, possibly, welfare distribution; changes in the formation and maintenance of trusting relationships between market actors as face-to-face contact is replaced with remote communication; and facilitated organisation and cooperation within and among firms, as well as changing credit procurement practices. While the mobile phone has been hailed for its transformative power, the authors tentatively conclude that its impact in most areas is not primarily disrupting, but rather amplifying existing structures.

“I have seen the future, and it rings"

by Mick Winter

in T. Brabazon (ed),  Digital dialogues and community 2.0: After avatars, trolls and puppets, (Oxford: Chandos, 2012)

User experience on mobile video appreciation: How to engross users and to enhance their enjoyment in watching mobile video clips.

by Savvas Papagiannidis

Participation – In what? Radio, convergence and the corporate logic of audience input through new media in Zambia

by Wendy Willems

Forthcoming in: Telematics and Informatics, 2012.

Recent literature has pointed to the way in which new media such as the internet and mobile phones have the capacity... more Recent literature has pointed to the way in which new media such as the internet and mobile phones have the capacity to enable more participatory and interactive communication, either through user-generated content or through a broader participation of audiences in mainstream media’s content production. This potential is celebrated even more in contexts in which there is deemed to be a lack of political accountability or limited consultation of citizens by government. This article investigates the extent to which new technologies have changed the quality of audience participation in radio content production in Zambia. Engaging with literature on participation in media studies as well as development studies and based on interviews with station managers, producers and presenters of six radio stations in Zambia, the article examines both the opportunities and limits of the use of internet and mobile phones in audience participation. It argues that there is a need to situate these practices within a broader corporate logic in which participation is not merely about adding more voices but also feeds into radio stations’ commercial strategies of increasing revenue and accessing personal data of listeners through SMS and social media.

HTC Wildfire S Cases for Next Generation are here finally

by Loveneet S

Keywords:HTC Wildfire S covers, HTC Wildfire S cases UK, best HTC Wildfire S cases,HTC Wildfire S Cases,

Looking for HTC Wildfire S cover or case?at the most affordable prices in UK we offer you with wide variety of best... more Looking for HTC Wildfire S cover or case?at the most affordable prices in UK we offer you with wide variety of best HTC Wildfire S cases UK Cover your HTC Wildfire S with our selection of HTC Wildfire S cases and covers. One Stop online store for all your HTC Wildfire S Cases, Wildfire S Cases including Belt Clips, Fashion Cases, Hard Cases .

From zero to hero – is the mobile phone a viable learning tool for Africa?

by Jacqueline Batchelor

Ford, M., & Batchelor, J. (2007). From Zero to Hero - Is the Mobile Phone a Viable Learning Tool for Africa? Paper presented at the Education and Information Systems, Technologies and Applications: EISTA, Orlando, Florida.

In many countries mobile phones are being banned from schools amidst growing concerns regarding their inappropriate... more In many countries mobile phones are being banned from schools amidst growing concerns regarding their inappropriate use during school hours.  However, the mobile phone is the de-facto most important networked knowledge exchange technology used in Africa and the most powerful universally-accessible computing device in the hands of Africans.  How do we change the perception of the mobile phone as a disruptive influence in schools to one where it can be used to pragmatically support the learning process?  MobilED (Mobile EDucation) is a 3-year international collaborative project aimed at creating meaningful learning environments using mobile phone technologies and services.  The MobilED project was initiated in South Africa and the first two pilots consisted of exploratory research into the use of mobile phones in an advantaged private school and in a poor government school in Tshwane, South Africa.  This paper examines the viability of the mobile phone as a learning tool in schools in Africa by using the MobilED project as a case study.  It discusses the current anti-mobile phone situation in many schools in South Africa and suggests possible strategies to harness the potential of the mobile phone in practical ways as a pedagogically-appropriate learning tool in schools in Africa.

Design criteria for Mobile Phones: A Teenagers Perspective

by Jacqueline Batchelor

Co-authored with Adele Botha, Meraka Institute (CSIR)

This study reports on design criteria for mobile phones as developed and implemented by students during a school... more This study reports on design criteria for mobile phones as developed and implemented by students during a school research project, tasking them to create resources for their disadvantaged peers who have with no access to educational resources and traditional internet capabilities via desktop. Teaching strategies utilized, and events leading up to and culminating in students being critical creators of educational material, factors that influenced their decision making process as well as design features of the artefacts will be covered. Design criteria were negotiated, and articulated and used as a rubric for assessing and scoring entries. Findings indicate that even though they were very competent mobile phone users, they were not confident in their more traditional ICT skills but were very willing to learn. The transfer of concepts and skills from phone to desktop applications was observed.

Mobile phone parenting: Reconfiguring relationships between Filipina migrant mothers and their left-behind children

by Mirca Madianou

co-authored with Daniel Miller
Published in New Media and Society (2011), vol. 13(3): 457-470, doi: 10.1177/1461444810393903

The Philippines is an intensely migrant society with an annual migration of one million people, leading to over a... more The Philippines is an intensely migrant society with an annual migration of one million people, leading to over a tenth of the population working abroad. Many of these emigrants are mothers who often have children left behind. Family separation is now recognized as one of the social costs of migration affecting the global south. Relationships within such transnational families depend on long-distance communication and there is an increasing optimism among Filipino government agencies and telecommunications companies about the consequences of mobile phones for transnational families. This article draws on comparative research with UK-based Filipina migrants — mainly domestic workers and nurses — and their left-behind children in the Philippines. Our methodology allowed us to directly compare the experience of mothers and their children. The article concludes that while mothers feel empowered that the phone has allowed them to partially reconstruct their role as parents, their children are significantly more ambivalent about the consequences of transnational communication.

The Impact of Mobile Technology on Low Income Communities

by Samir Hamade

Digest of Middle East Studies DOMES,(Spring 2012), volume 21, Issue 1,P. 4-16.

This paper attempts to study the impact of mobile technology as represented by mobile phones on low income communities... more This paper attempts to study the impact of mobile technology as represented by mobile phones on low income communities as represented by farmers in the Bekaa valley of Lebanon. It aims to identify areas where the mobile phone has positive impact on farmers' life, family, friends, work, finance, and health; and areas where the mobile phone has negative impact. It also aims to find some associations or independence among the variables.
The results show that more than 38 percent of farmers own a mobile phone. They use the "missed call" most, followed by the SMS and to a less extent by making a call. The benefits of having a mobile phone are improved work, better income, improved family and social ties, more freedom and independence, better health and better finance. High cost and accessibility were the two major drawbacks.
Owning a mobile phone is associated with education, better work, better income, better health and better finance. It is independent of gender and income; phone usage is independent of gender and age.
The study recommends that telecommunication companies in the area should expand their services to low income communities, improve coverage, and reduce cost.

Enhancing English Vocabulary Learning Using SMS in Rural Areas

by IOLC Conference

Ebrahim Ezati
A faculty member of Payam-e Noor University of Guilan
E_ezati@pnu.ac.ir

Kiomars Kimyayi
Payam-e Noor University of Guilan
k.kimyayi@gmail.com

"Mobiltelefonen - förändrade kommunikationsvanor och ökande kostnader"

by Marcus Persson

Publiserat i: Konsumtionsrapporten 2011

Learning informal science with the aid of mobile phones: A comparison of two case studies

by Denise Bressler

Mobile phones: A new way to engage teenagers in informal science learning

by Denise Bressler

IJILTH01.02: Susanna DAVIS, "Mobile devices in the classroom: Phoning in to literature" (pp. 57-61))

by IJILTH Innovation and Leadership in the Teaching of Humanities

¿Bajo las riendas del teléfono móvil? Control social, normalización y resistencia

by Felipe Corredor Álvarez

Corredor, F., Tirado, F., & Iñiguez, L. (2010). ¿Bajo las riendas del teléfono móvil? Control social, normalización y resistencia. Picologia & Sociedade, 22(1), 60-69.

RESUMEN

Los teléfonos móviles son una tecnología constitutiva de las relaciones sociales, inclusiva y cuyas... more RESUMEN

Los teléfonos móviles son una tecnología constitutiva de las relaciones sociales, inclusiva y cuyas prácticas asociadas participan en la formación del sujeto común en nuestros días, por medio del control social, la normalización y la resistencia, mecanismos que no han sido suficientemente abordados y de los que pretendemos dar cuenta con este trabajo. A partir de los conceptos de poder y resistencia, tácticas y estrategias, y preformatividad, analizaremos la noción de control social para dar cuenta del objetivo. La técnica utilizada fue grupos de discusión y descripción densa para el análisis. Los resultados indican que el móvil actúa como mediador, en el sentido latouriano: en el acto de 'contactar a alguien' estos dispositivos permiten que pasen o no cosas, modificando las intenciones de su uso, redefiniendo las relaciones, propiciando así efectos de normalización, control social y resistencia. Dichos procesos reaccionan mutuamente: el funcionamiento del poder alimenta la resistencia y viceversa.

Palabras clave: control social; normalización; Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC); teléfonos móviles; Actor Network Theory (ANT).

ABSTRACT

Mobile phones are an inclusive technology immersed in social network, whose associated practices participate forming the common subject. Nowadays, they are part of social control, normalization and resistance. These mechanisms have not been studied enough, and explaining them is the aim of this paper. Using concepts like power, tactics, strategies, and performativity, we will explain social control and then account for our aim. For gathering data, discussion groups were used and the analytical approach was thick description. Results indicate that mobile phones act as mediators, in a Bruno Latour sense. It means that in contacting someone those devices allow to happen, or not, different things, for instance, they modify their original intended functions by redefining relationships, and, in turn, favoring normalization, social control, and resistance. These processes produce a mutual reaction: the operation of power feeds resistance, and vice versa.

Keywords: social control; normalization; Information and Communication Technologies (ITC); mobile phones; Actor Network Theory (ANT).

RESUMO

Os celulares são uma tecnologia constitutiva e inclusiva das relações sociais. Suas práticas associadas participam na formação do sujeito comum em nossos dias por meio do controle social, da normalização e da resistência, mecanismos que não foram suficientemente abordados, os quais pretendemos dar conta com este trabalho. A partir dos conceitos de poder e resistência, performatividade, táticas e estratégias, analisaremos a noção de controle social para dar conta deste objetivo. Foram utilizados grupos de discussão e descrição densa para a análise. Os resultados indicam que o celular atua como mediador, no sentido latouriano: no ato de contatar alguém esses dispositivos permitem que passem ou não coisas, modificando as intenções de seu uso, redefinindo as relações e propiciando, assim, efeitos de normalização, controle social e resistência. Tais processos reagem mutuamente: o funcionamento do poder alimenta a resistência e vice-versa.

Palavras-chave: controle social; normalização; Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC); celulares; Actor Network Theory (ANT)

The effect of gender, ethnicity, and income on college students' use of communication technologies

by Reynol Junco

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0357. Co-authored with Merson, D. & Salter, D. W.

Because campus officials are relying on personal communication technologies to communicate with students, a question... more Because campus officials are relying on personal communication technologies to communicate with students, a question arises about access and usage. Although communication technologies are popular among college students, some evidence suggests that differences exist in ownership and use. We examined patterns of student ownership and use of cell phones and use of instant messaging, focusing on three predictors of digital inequality: gender, ethnicity, and income. Logistic and hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to analyze results from 4,491 students. The odds that female and white students owned cell phones were more than twice as high as for men and African-American students. Students in the $100,000–$149,000 per year income bracket were more than three times as likely to own a cell phone than those from the median bracket. However, being female, African American, and/or from the highest income brackets was positively predictive of the number of text messages sent and the amount of time spent talking on a cell phone per week. We found no differences between students on the use of instant messaging. Implications of these results, as well as areas for further research, are provided.

How to be in Two Places at the Same Time. Mobile Phone Uses in Public Places

by Amparo Lasén

Chapter published in Höflich J., Hartman M. (eds) 2006 Mobile Communication in Everyday Life. Ethnographic Views, Observations and Reflections, Berlin, Frank & Timme, pp.227-252.

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in Madrid, London and Paris, this chapter discusses how mobile phone use... more Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in Madrid, London and Paris, this chapter discusses how mobile phone use in public places modifies the way we perform being a stranger in public, as well as the different ways people deals with the double presence afforded by mobile phones: in the public place where the users are and in the space of the phone conversation.

STRAND-1: USE OF A $500 SMARTPHONE AS THE CENTRAL AVIONICS OF A NANOSATELLITETE

by Christopher Bridges

Shaun Kenyon, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL), Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, s.kenyon@sstl.co.uk

Dr Christopher Bridges, Surrey Space Centre (SSC), University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, c.p.bridges@surrey.ac.uk

Doug Liddle, Bob Dyer, James Parsons, David Feltham, Rupert Taylor, Dale Mellor, Andrew Schofield, Rosie Linehan, Richard Long, Juan Fernandez, Haval Kadhem, Phil Davies, Jonathan Gebbie, Nick Holt (SSTL)

Peter Shaw, Lourens Visagie, Theodoros Theodorou, Dr Vaios Lappas, Dr Craig Underwood (SSC)

STRaND-1 is the first in a series of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL)-Surrey Space Centre (SSC) collaborative... more STRaND-1 is the first in a series of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL)-Surrey Space Centre (SSC) collaborative satellites designed for technology path finding for future commercial operations. It is the first time Surrey has entered the CubeSat field and differs from most CubeSats in that it will fly a modern commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Android smartphone as a payload, along with a suite of advanced technologies developed by the University of Surrey, and a payload from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. STRaND-1 is also different in that anyone (not just from the space engineering or space science community) will be eligible to fly their “app" in space, for free. STRaND-1 is currently being manufactured and tested by volunteers in their own free time, and will be ready for an intended launch in the next four months.

This paper outlines the STRaND pathfinder programme philosophy which challenges some conventional space engineering practises, and describes the impact of those changes on the satellite development lifecycle. The paper then briefly describes the intent behind the design of STRaND-1, before presenting details the design of the nanosatellite, focussing of the details of the innovative new technologies; including two different propulsion systems, an 802.11g WiFi experiment, a new VHF/UHF transceiver unit and a miniature 3-axis reaction wheel assembly. The novel processing setup (which includes the smartphone) is discussed in some detail, particularly the potential for outreach via the open source nature of Google's Android operating system. A step-through of the planned concept of operations is provided, which includes a possible rendezvous and inspection objectives, demonstrating equal or improved capability compared to SNAP-1 with a reduced total system mass. Finally, data from the test campaign is presented and compared against other notable CubeSats known for their advanced capabilities. Rendered images of STRaND-1 are shown in Fig. I and are discussed later in the paper.

STRaND: Surrey Training Research and Nanosatellite Demonstrator

by Christopher Bridges

C. P. Bridges, S. Kenyon, C. I. Underwood, M. N. Sweeting

As pico and nanosatellites gain popularity with space educators and institutions, Surrey Space Centre (SSC) and Surrey... more As pico and nanosatellites gain popularity with space educators and institutions, Surrey Space Centre (SSC) and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) have collaborated together to build STRaND-1, a nanosatellite based on the 3U-CubeSat standard. The aim of STRaND, or ‘Surrey Training Research and Nanosatellite Demonstration’ programme, is:
• To provide rapid hands-on training experience for academics and less experienced engineers at both centres in designing and building new satellite technologies,
• To challenge the current industry standard development processes and discover new ways of managing developments, and
• To demonstrate novel space technologies or the use of existing but modern terrestrial commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies in space.

This paper will outline the processes that Surrey, the collective team of SSC and SSTL engineers, went through to design STRaND-1’s mission requirements, and through to the final system design. To cater for a range of new mission requirements, including a new high performance computer, a modern smart-phone with Android operating system, and a novel electric propulsion system. Many custom parts were designed to accommodate a new 3-axis stabilised attitude/orbit control system (AOCS) of micro-wheels, micro-magnetorquer rods, Sun/Earth sensors together with a bespoke payload bay for non-CubeSat standard boards.

Electronic dictionaries for language reclamation (presentation)

by Aidan Wilson

Presentation with James McElvenny at the University of Sydney in 2008