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They are tiny and only weigh a few grams. Their appearance in society almost three decades ago revolutionised our lives. They made us omnipotent and omnipresent. With a 3G mobile phone we get almost unlimited portable instant communication and can find out what is happening in the world in seconds without moving from where we are. With permission from the hated battery, of course, because is it true that, as bad as it may seem, all superpowers from Superman downwards have their Kryptonite; it is an unwritten yet inevitable law. Today, the mobile phone has become a vital tool and an expression of identity that affects all spheres of the individual's life. Imagining life without them is, for most, almost impossible.
DynaTAC 8000X. This was the first marketed mobile in history. Motorola spent 15 years and 100 million dollars on its development. It went on sale on the 6th of March 1983 for a whopping $3,995, completely inaccessible to the majority of people. In the 80's, having one of these contraptions was synonymous with social success. Just a few millionaires, several top executives of large multinationals and a similar number of brokers had them. Cinema echoed this tendency. Who can forget the ruthless Gordon Gekko, the greedy capitalist played by Michael Douglas in the Oliver Stone film, Wall Street (1987), using those antediluvian phones to manage his malicious trading operations?
But by the end of the decade, when the 90’s dawned and nanotechnology was in full swing, it was only a matter of time until companies saw the huge demand and brought out products suitable for all budgets. Overnight it became common to see executives in the streets running to and fro in search of reception. Models such as the Alcatel One Touch Easy and the Nokia 3210 soon appeared and the mobile phone boom exploded with a power greater than the Krakatoa volcano. The world changed forever, no exaggeration. Now even children have them. The spread of mobile communication has been larger than any other technology in history. In 1991 there were 16 million subscribers. The most recent figures talk of 2,600 million. If we add in a very moderate multiplication factor, since in poor countries a mobile phone can serve for an entire village, we see that between 50 and 60% of humanity is connected in some way by mobile communication.
From the DynaTAC 8000X to the Mini N97
The DynaTAC 8000X (abbreviation of Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage), the first mobile in history, weighed 0.79 kg, its dimensions were 33 x 4.45 x 8.9 cm, it allowed you to speak uninterrupted for 30 minutes and its battery could run for 8 hours on standby. It needed 10 hours to recharge. Its price, $3,995.
26 years later, the presence of the mobile revolution can be seen in the features of today's most advanced mobile, the Nokia N97 Mini. It measures 113 x 52.5 x 14.2mm and weighs 138 grams. It has a touch screen of 3'2 inches, with an aspect ratio of about 16:9 and 16 million colours. With 3G connectivity, the N97 has a 5 megapixel digital camera (2584 × 1938) with Karl Zeiss optics, auto-focus and dual LED flash. The lens aperture is f2.8 and the focal length 5.4 mm. It also records video in MPG-4 format at VGA resolution and 30 frames per second. Its internal memory is 8 GB and can be increased by 16 GB with the use of the SD memory card port.
HSDPA, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP. The Mini N97 also integrates A-GPS with a digital compass and supported by OVI Maps with navigation software, both for cars and pedestrians. It also carries a 1,200 milliamp battery that provides a range of 430 minutes of talk time (240 if on 3G networks) and 320 hours on standby (down to 310 on 3G networks). Music playback is 28 hours and video playback 210 minutes. Its price, 450 euros.
Mobile phone abuse
The introduction of mobile phones in society has brought consequences other than rapid technological development. Manuel Castells, a prominent sociologist and Professor of Sociology and Urban Planning at the University of California at Berkeley and Director of the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, has spent the last decade exploring the Information Society in depth. In one of his most recent books, Mobile Communication and Society: A Global Perspective, Castells highlights the role of young people as those truly responsible for the mobile boom whilst claiming at the same time that they are "inventors" and "innovators", since they have discovered new uses such as SMS and missed calls that have revolutionised the industry. The new trends that can be seen in Asian countries like Japan and Korea, pioneers in the use of the mobile, point to the increasing personalisation of these devices that have become an expression of identity among adolescents and young adults. Castells's study shows that the majority of mobile users use them primarily at home, at the office or at school, places where there are already telephones, but where mobiles are preferred for the autonomy they provide, thus increasing individualism. Dependence is most sharply observed in these Asian countries, where some young people are already reluctant to leave home and do other things. These are dangerous symptoms.
Compulsive telephonitis
It's no joke. There are people suffering anxiety, palpitations and sweating when they leave their phone at home, can not get reception or run out of credit or battery. This is the flip-side of the coin that many new technologies have brought. According to experts, 1 in 1,000 people who use mobile phones suffer from mobile addiction, and they say that it is affecting mainly young people and adolescents. Other recent studies have shown that those "addicted" to using their phones can suffer from "physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms", like addicts of so-called hard drugs do.
There are many effects of addiction. The most obvious are:
- Isolation from others and loneliness
- Changes in behavior
- Mood swings
- Compulsive behavior
- Communication problems
- Problems with language, not writing properly, since speed is the most important aspect.
- Danger of making unwise contact with people, for example with strangers, which can bring negative consequences.
- Addictive behavior makes them very sensitive to the judgment and evaluations of others and increases feelings of insecurity
- Possible failure in school or aggression.
In severe cases, stealing and lying just to have access to a mobile, addiction is capable of wiping out all of our control as individuals.
TEST: Are you addicted to your mobile?
- 1. Do you spend more than 25-30 euros a month?
- 2. When you talk on the phone do you act differently to when you talk face to face with someone, for instance, do you feel less shy?
- 3. Do you always have your mobile with you? For example; during lunch, at school, at the cinema?
- 4. Are you always waiting for people to call?
- 5. Do you sometimes wake up at night and, besides going to the bathroom, look to see if you have received a message or a missed call? Do you stay up late talking on your mobile and sleep less due to this?
- 6. Do you feel nervous or anxious when you don't have the phone with you or when it is turned off because you have run out of battery?
* If you answered “yes” to all these questions do not be alarmed, but we recommend that you seek help from specialists.
"The family that communicates by mobile stays together"
Castells has noted, however, that the mobile can also help to maintain family ties, as well as other social networks. "The family that communicates by mobile, stays together" he recently explained in an interview. It could not be more true! Now we can be available and operational 24/7 like the casinos in Las Vegas. Fabulous news for our mothers and partners, but primarily for businesspeople, who by means of company phones and BlackBerrys can have their employees on alert at all times. However, how we use our phones is a matter for the individual. According to a survey by Yahoo HotJobs, a third of American workers frequently check their emails on their BlackBerry during meetings. Nancy Flynn, director of the ePolicy Institute and expert of etiquette in the use of new technologies, says that however much we trust our ability to combine tasks, the use of mobiles in meetings is a source of distraction. "If you're busy with the BlackBerry you're not paying attention", she explained recently in an interview, reminding us that before mobile phones were commonplace, we all managed to wait until the end of a meeting to check the answering machine. "Writing messages on the phone during a business meeting is distracting and disrespectful to the rest of the attendees", says Flynn. "It's like talking to the person next to you."
For this reason, many companies and talent agencies such as Creative Artist Agency and United Talent Agency prohibit the use of the BlackBerry during meetings and some offices of the U.S. bank Wells Fargo have introduced a curious rule: anyone who looks at the screen of their phone during a meeting pays one hundred dollars to charity. The inappropriate use of mobiles is even causing layoffs; 6 percent of U.S. companies have sacked an employee for inappropriate use of mobile phones and 3 percent of displaced workers lost their jobs due to the inappropriate sending of text messages.
Other surveys and studies, however, show a different vision of reality, for example the one carried out by Nokia over a year and a half on five continents. Of the more than 5,000 respondents, 80% believed that having a mobile allowed them to obtain a balance between work and social life. And, while 63% believed that not having a mobile made them less productive, 74% reported feeling more capable of performing various tasks at the same time if they did have one. Dom Fried-Booth, Director of Nokia devices and the person responsible for the survey concluded in the final report that "the functions that current mobiles include, like calendars, email and text messages, mean the user does many other things with their mobile, they don't just make calls. This helps many users to be more productive in their work as well as to balance it with family and social life. Mobiles are designed to help people get to where they want to be." This is compounded by measures such as that recently launched by CNN through its new WAP portal for mobile devices at CNNMoney.com, through which the businessperson can compare real-time information about world markets, investments, analysis and news. The smartest can even make money in real time thanks to this fabulous invention.
A world to discover
Nobody can predict how far the mobile revolution will go. The most unlikely and seemingly impossible products are already on the market. There are phones that detect asthma, blood alcohol level, food poisoning, diabetes and lung cancer. In Japan, capital of the most bizarre inventions, some act as wallets, perform bank transactions and are used as underground and bus tickets. Others, designed for jealous couples or those who are desperately seeking a soul mate, contain a lie detector. There is even one that is designed to pray the Rosary. The keys are transformed into beads and when the tenth Hail Mary is arrived at, the mobile vibrates to indicate that the mystery has ended. It is also possible to activate invocations for the litany and other complementary prayers. This all appears on-screen as a picture cell. Meanwhile, NTT DoCoMo, the largest mobile operator in Japan, has presented its clients with a truly unusual application – the opportunity to participate in a karaoke contest via mobile. The idea is that the participant sings using the track provided by the phone and is then judged by a jury. For this operation, the phones have high quality headsets and microphones. It has to be seen to be believed.
The future: 4G or "beyond 3G"
The future is the 4G, also known as 4-G, the symbol of fourth generation mobile phone technology. Today there is no definition of 4G. In fact, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) has not yet validated the 4G name and is calling the future generation "beyond 3G". It is believed that 4G will be based entirely on IP and will be a system of systems and a network of networks achieved after the convergence between wired and wireless networks and computers, electrical and information technologies. In short, it is expected that 4G will be a collection of technologies and protocols for maximum throughput with the cheapest wireless network. In Japan they are already experimenting with fourth generation technology, with NTT DoCoMo at the forefront. The company conducted the first tests with great success (it reached 100 Mbps at 200 km/h) and expects to launch the first 4G services commercially in 2010. For the rest of the world there is talk of a 2020 launch, but we doubt that we will have to wait that long to see it in our hands.
The latest mobile phones
• Nokia N97
All the features of one of the best recent Nokia models, in a mini version giving up part of the screen and the directional pad. Access to the Internet, music player, 5-megapixel camera, 8 GB internal memory and a SD slot to expand memory up to 16 GB. Direct access to Nokia’s online store, social networking sites and other widgets.
• LG BL40
Mobile phone with a 4-inch TFT screen (only the screen of the Samsung Ommnia HD is as large), 800 x 345 resolution and 5-megapixel camera. Includes GPS with Google Maps cartography and a Dual Screen interface that supports browsing and email reading at the same time. It also has Wi-Fi and HSDPA connections.
• HTC TouchPro2
One of the first to incorporate the new Windows Mobile 6.5 OS. With touch screen and sliding keyboard, it stands out for its Straight Talk system that integrates email, voice and hands-free operation, and with powerful speakers that enable its use for conference calls.
• Sony Ericsson Xperia2
One of the best smart phones on the market. It is a perfect mix of mobile phone for leisure and work. Powered by the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, it includes a QWERTY sliding keyboard that is convenient for writing email messages and documents, Wi-Fi connection, Bluetooth modem and direct access to Skype and Google from a Slide View quick menu. 8-megapixel camera, 3.2-inch TFT screen and a wide variety of applications. It has an equaliser, stereo speakers and supports virtually every audio file format.
GSM Mobile World Congress 2010
The Fira de Barcelona will once again host the GSM Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile technology exhibition. From the 15th to 18th of February, the leading figures, operators, service providers and equipment and device manufacturers in the industry will meet in the Catalan capital to present their latest developments. This event not only enhances the prestige of Barcelona as a centre of international exhibitions, but it also will bring an economic input of about 130 million euros to the city.
As always, the lectures and seminars will be one of the highlights of the Mobile World Congress 2010. This year there will be a special emphasis on, among other things, the future of the mobile phone, the business strategies and opportunities for industry growth, broadband, advertising and entertainment on mobile devices.
The Global Mobile Awards ceremony, which is coming to be seen as the Oscars of the worldwide mobile phone industry, will also take place. The best companies will be rewarded according to different categories ranging from the “Best mobile game” to “Best mobile social networking service”. A live performance by the legendary band Duran Duran has already been confirmed for the ceremony.
In 2009, there were over 47,000 people from 182 countries in attendance, and the 2010 event is expected to break all records. It is estimated that the event will be attended by some 55,000 professionals, 1,300 exhibitors from 183 countries, and nearly 2,300 media representatives.
Once again, for four days the GSM Mobile World Congress will be the ideal platform for mobile technology companies to establish new contacts, consolidate existing relationships and meet potential partners. The sector’s newest technology will also be on show and there will be the opportunity to advertise your business and brand. It is the event par excellence of the GSM world.
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