Let's have a closer look at how and when everything started.
Mobile phones came into public in 1979 with the launch of the first commercial and fully automated cellular network in Japan. Over the next few years analog cellular telephony known widely as 1G appeared in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, UK, Mexico, Canada and in the US. To cover huge areas cellular networks were intoduced. (for more info visit Wikipedia)
Year 1993, Finland. Digital cellular technology network (2G) is launched. On this date SMS text messaging was born. 2G allows to transfer voice, messages, data and money via payment systems eg. bus tickets, parking, fast-food restaurants. Be sure to check out mPay.
"The more you have, the more you want" so in 2001 3G was launched. It's offering simultaneous use of speech and data services and higher data rates (up to 14.0 Mbit/s on the downlink and 5.8 Mbit/s on the uplink). In 3G technology video calls are possible - quite handy unless your mother-in-law is calling...
A device by itself won't let you call anyone without a proper battery. First models came with nickel metal-hydride power cells, then lithium ion and finally lithium-polymer are used today for their lower weight and possibility to make them in every shape.
For several years charging batteries was a serious problem since each manufacturer had its own and unique connector plug. Thankfully on 17 of February 2009, the GSM Association announced that they had agreed on a standard charger for mobile phones. The standard connector to be adopted by 17 manufacturers is to be the micro-usb connector. Yay for us!
Now.. we have a device and a charged battery. The problem is that we can make calls only to emergency numbers like 112. To call others we need a SIM card (Subscriber Identity Module). Basically it's microchip that stores the phone's configuration data, and information about the phone itself, such as which calling plan the subscriber is using.
Now.. I'm sure all of us are using mobile phones every day. Could you exist for let's say a week without a mobile? What would you feel? Joy, anger, frustration maybe alienation?
In other words does this simple device have a big impact on your life?
That's the end of part one, please be sure to comment on the questions asked above.
As a bonus below you can see a nice video on how handhelds changed over the years.
I use my mobile nearly every day. It isn't fancy but I found it fully functional. It can dial and receive calls and smses, has camera and mp3 support. I don't listen music on it so I do not complain about little memory :)
ReplyDeleteso I think one week without my mobile is possible but I will feel uncomfortable.
Someone could call it addiction, I think it just dependence ;)
Funny thing about mobile phones, internet, online communicators, emails. I talked about it with my girlfriend some time ago and we concluded that in the past the relation between people was much intimate and it was harder to get to each other, to connect - sending a postcard or written letter took days. It was great and it's still is :)
ReplyDeleteAfter all, I think it's very useful for many to have a mobile. You want to ask somebody who is a little bit away from you about what to buy at the grocery and it's pretty simple to do so when both of you have mobile phones.
Even though we have mobile phones still it's way more fun and great to meet and talk with close person or a bunch of friends in person.
It's true that mobile phone is very useful but it doesn't have so big influence on my life.
ReplyDeleteContacts will be more difficult, of course, but there are other ways.
>does this simple device have a big impact on >your life?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, in my case it has enormous impact on my life. I am somehow addicted. I can't even imagine without my mobile. In face I have two mobile phones... .
I think that people depend on mobile phones so much that most of them would hardly live a week without them :) People are getting used to useful things such as mobile phones or Internet. I’d rather not think what happens if those things were gone one day.
ReplyDeleteFor me phone is more then calling and sending texts. I use this for work organization, sending emails when I away from computer or even for shopping lists. Now it is very difficult to imagine week with out phone;/
ReplyDeleteRafał: you should wait what will happen if everyone's got Iphone
ReplyDeleteYay for standard chargers! :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice post Adam. As for analogue cellular technology then I remember how it was always considered a luxury when you had a phone in your car. In Poland even, back in the 80's :) Most people only knew such devices from movies, at that time :D And now we got cellphones for zlotowka and from what I hear, the numbers are still rising while the use of stationary phones are declining. Some users even opt-out of their home phones in favor of having just a cellphone.
My uncle was a late convert. Just got his first cellphone last year. It's not because he's very old or something, but he just stuck to the principle that a telephone should stay at home and not as a mobile thing. Funny way of thinking, isn't it? :) And if you think about it, he was partly right about that.
Its incredible in what extent mobile phone entered our life. Then my battery runs out I feel like without a hand. On the up side I can call anyone I want instantly, which is helpful.. on the down side my boss can find me wherever I hide. ;o)
ReplyDeleteit's not a problem to live for a one week without mobile phone - when I have people around me with whom I can speak about everythink I don't need to communicate with anybody else.
ReplyDelete