Mobile Technology

1.  Mobile Technology

   • Most people probably think of mobile technology as a cellular phone that's able to make and receive calls. This was the primary design, but mobile technology has evolved into a much more elaborate system. Mobile technology can be anything from simple back-and-forth calls to the ability to update Twitter and Facebook posts, record and watch videos, check email and access the Internet from your phone.
     This also applies to laptops, netbooks and other Web-enabled devices. It's common for libraries, bookstores, hotels, coffee shops and even planes to offer free high-speed Internet connections to anyone with a laptop. Many common devices, such as Apple's iPod, can access the Internet as well and perform multiple tasks at once.

   Current Use

   • In certain countries, the vast majority of the population uses some form of mobile technology. In January 2008, the number of cell phone users in the United States was around 250 million, or 82 percent of the population, according to a story on SignOnSanDiego.com. PhoneReport.info reported in December 2007 that 3.3 billion people worldwide used cell phones, equivalent to 50 percent of the world's population. Since then, the number has continued to grow.

   Growth Abroad

   • Growth within industrial nations has been obvious, but it has been even more apparent in other countries. Until the start of the century, Pakistan suffered from sparse and broken landlines that were unreliable and inefficient. However, at the beginning of the century, mobile technology companies from more established nations began to enter, setting up wireless networks and providing enough competition to keep prices and data plans within ranges that any one of the country's 150 million residents could afford. At one point, Pakistan experienced the fastest spread of telecommunications in the world, with the entire country changing in less than a decade.

   Future Use

   • The future of mobile technology will only continue to bear more impressive systems designed to improve communication and make work easier. Users can already record videos and upload them to the Internet, check email from nearly anywhere on the planet and participate in business meetings while sitting on a bench or in a coffee shop. As technologies improve and mobile technology companies continue to spread, the potential is nearly limitless.

   Considerations

   • While mobile technology is spreading quickly, it's not available to everyone yet. Some countries have little success attempting to start mobile networks, and many users have difficulty synchronizing information and working with the myriad telecommunication companies available. In some areas, data plans for features such as Internet and photo/video uploads are expensive and unobtainable. Similarly, in many areas there's no coverage under certain networks, and in other areas a company may not even exist, forcing people to use other systems they may not like, or subscribe without the services they may need.
     Despite the issues, mobile technology is an incredible addition to the world's utilities, and one of the fastest growing industries this century. Its prospects look positive, and it's helping the world become more advanced and unified every day.