MobiDiction and the Holidays

MobiDiction will no doubt affect your holidays this year. No, it's not a cardinal sin to check your pocket for texts every five minutes at the table during Thanksgiving dinner, nor is it entirely shameless during Christmas mass to snap and send a picture of the stuffy priest to one of your friends. These aren't desecrations of sacred custom, but creative new pieces to add to the holiday tradition. Pretty soon, buying last-second gifts with your iPhone on Christmas Eve will be just as precious a holiday ritual as putting that last ornament on the tree or making the first cut into the Thanksgiving turkey.What we need is for somebody to make one of those Norman Rockwell holiday paintings, but instead of a group caroling or a family opening gifts, it will be someone pretending to listen to their uncle's endless meanderings while really devoting their attention to that Tetris high score on their phone. Let's face it, MobiDiction is fast becoming as American as preemptive warfare. Shouldn't we allow it to become a part of our holiday traditions as well?

Crackberry

For those who seek additional tales of mobi-diction beyond my weekly dose, here's some very good news. Blackberry Made Simple, whose products my company KnowledgeShift is a licensed dealer of, recently released a 'true-crime' style book geared toward mobile addicts. It's called CrackBerry: True Tales of BlackBerry Use and Abuse, but from what it looks like it speaks to all mobi-addicts, not just BlackBerry users. You can purchase it directly into your device here. It's also available in regular print edition, though if you're a frequenter of this blog you probably forgot long ago what a paperback book is. In other news, hope everyone had a very mobi-Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for new stories in the next couple days!

Powerfulwomen

Powerfulwomen
http://www.knowledgeshift.net

MobiDiction, pt4: Phones for Felons

Today's post again comes from the news. A friend recently alerted me to this innovative new program that a correctional system has implemented in the Southeast. Here it is:

"Repeat offender rates have always been awful in our state, but in the last year they've gotten so desperate that we've had to start taking new, 'outside-the-box' measures. The most recent one is a locally funded program to give inmates well-equipped mobile devices upon their return to society.

There was considerable public outcry at first ('Why reward criminals with items that most tax-paying citizens can't afford?'), but much of that has now been silenced by the program's success. Of course it's too early to make a complete judgment, and other factors may be at play, but the fact remains that this month's repeat offender rate is considerably lower than expected.

What's the link between lower crime and mobility, you ask? We believe that the busier and more distracted ex-convicts are, the less time they'll have to commit crime. We've equipped their devices with an assortment of games and stupid videos, and limited browsing and communication abilities. Thus, now instead of masterminding heists, stealing from the weak, or murdering for pleasure, they're beating Frogger and watching 'Knock Knock.' The results are there for all to see.

Is this finally the nationwide solution we've been looking for? It stands to reason that so long as ex-cons are wasting their lives away they can't ruin others'. But only time will tell."

MobiDiction, pt3: Mobile Potty Joker

I'm able to take today's installment straight from the headlines. The following story, which comes from France, proves that mobidiction is indeed a worldwide phenomenon. Without further ado:

"A passenger on a French train had to be rescued by firemen after having his arm sucked down the on-board toilet.

The 26-year-old victim was trapped when he tried to fish out his mobile phone, which had fallen into the toilet bowl, and fell foul of the suction system.

The high-speed TGV train had to stop for two hours while firemen cut through the train's pipework.

The man was carried away by emergency services, with the toilet still attached to his arm.

"He came out on a stretcher, with his hand still jammed in the toilet bowl, which they had to saw clean off," said Benoit Gigou, a witness to the man's plight.

The incident happened on Sunday evening, aboard a train travelling in western France between La Rochelle and Paris." (Source: the BBC)"

Tales of MobiDiction, pt 2: Texting Waitress

I received this story a couple of days ago:

"I'm not ashamed to say that I am mobi-dicted. It's the best way to stay connected to friends and keep current on news. But what happened to me the other day borders on embarrassing so I thought I'd share it with you.

I wait tables in a busy restaurant. Naturally, it's a management rule that servers can't have phones with them during a shift so that we stay focused on our tables. I always follow this rule, but one day last week I got so involved in texting a friend before work and didn't want to stop when my shift began. So I kept my phone on me and covertly typed a quick message whenever I had a spare moment. Multitasking was a little tough, but the diners stayed happy and my managers had no idea about the texting, so I figured it was all running smoothly.

A little later, when I had a spare moment, I checked to see what my friend had just texted me. He'd written: 'What are you talking about? Turkey club, filet, side of mashed potatoes? Is this a joke I'm not getting?' I didn't understand, so I checked the message I'd just sent. Indeed, I'd accidentally texted him my most recent table's order instead of sending it back to the kitchen. I froze for a second. If I'd sent him the order, what did I put into the computer to go back to the kitchen?

I raced to the kitchen. The cooks were laughing and smiling at me. "So Jenny told Maria that she was fat?" one cook said, trying his best to keep a straight face. My managers didn't find the 'mixed message' quite as funny, but fortunately it only amounted to a slap on the wrist. It's the only time mobi-diction has crept into my job, but my coworkers won't let me forget it anytime soon."

Please, keep sending your stories in!

Tales of Mobi-Diction, pt1

The weekend is nearly upon us, which I think calls for a more relaxed, anecdotal post. A friend, who due to the sensational nature of this story will remain nameless, related this to me a few days ago:

"I just upgraded from a pretty basic phone to the new iPhone. Having used mobile devices for years with a commendable degree of sanity and moderation, I thought I could adapt to my new one without any problems. But the iPhone's just got so many features, especially GPS, that I've gotten accustomed to and have come to rely upon it more than I should. This was made clear to me the other day.

Since the iPhone has GPS, I never bother to look up the address of where I'm going before I leave the house, since I can just do it on the fly. So when I found out that my girlfriend's parents were in town for a surprise visit, I suggested we all eat dinner. It was my job to choose the restaurant, but I'd just left work and didn't have time to go home first. So I grabbed my trusty new iPhone, pulled up the GPS and looked up the address for a hip new restaurant, 'Liza,' that a buddy had told me about. I called my girlfriend, told her the address, and let her know I'd be a little behind them and that they could go ahead and grab a table.

As I approached the restaurant a few minutes later I saw my girlfriend and her parents standing outside the front door. They looked a little annoyed. I asked if there was a long wait inside, to which my girlfriend curtly replied, "There's no wait." "Well, you didn't need to wait up on me." My girlfriend looked at me in a way no one's ever looked at me, like she was choking for air. In the same curt tone, she spat out: "Why don't you go in and check it out for yourself?"

I stepped inside. Music blared. Lots of red lights and mirrors. This was not the restaurant I'd heard about. And then I connected all the dots. The stage, the pole in the center? I'd invited my girlfriend and her parents to a strip club. In utter panic and confusion, I stumbled outside again.

I was screwed either way. If I lied and told them I purposely sent them to a strip club, they wouldn't have seen the humor in it. And if I told them that I just plugged something into my iPhone they'd think I was irresponsible and uncaring. Needless to say, the only thing I've been using the Internet on the iPhone for recently has been reading articles on how to correct relationship mistakes.

It was much later that I found out I'd misheard my friend. Riza, not Liza, was the restaurant he'd recommended. Of course, if I'd never allowed myself to become so reliant on my device, I'd never have been in this situation, would I?"

That's a pretty good one. I know that you or someone you know's had a similarly funny, embarrassing, or downright frightening experience arising from your addiction to a mobile device, and I'd love to hear about them. Feel free to post below!

The Silver Anniversary

If you're a mobile buff you've been and will continue reading this everywhere you look this month, but it's momentous enough to repeat here as well. 25 years ago this week, the world's first commercial cell phone call took place right here in Chicago. From inside a convertible at Soldier Field, Bob Barnett, then president of Ameritech Mobile, phoned the grandson of telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell. The content of Barnett's conversation with Bell's grandson, who was in Berlin at the time, is now the stuff of legend. Many speculate that the two men hailed the achievement and spoke of all the good it could do for mankind. Other bystanders report that Barnett spoke only one sentence: 'It's cold as $!&# here, Alex.' Whatever the case, it was the start of a revolution.

So what are some ways to commemorate the Silver anniversary of the commercial cellular phone? One idea I've heard Motorola is toying with is a reissue of their original model, the DynaTAC. If this is true, they'll probably want to adjust the original's sticker price ($4000) and do something about its infamous girth.
If it were up to me, we'd see a limited-edition sterling silver iPhone to mark the occasion. Rather than wait for this highly unlikely occurrence, however, how about we simply take a minute's silence to reflect on everything our mobile devices have done for us in the last 25 years?
Now that was nice. If you're like me, your silence was interrupted (or, as we might say, blessed) at least once by the dulcet ringtone of your beloved device, and perhaps that is the ultimate testament: in 25 short years the mobile phone's gone from a clunky luxury item to something that pervades every aspect of our lives.

The Biggest Question

Some questions are so big, so probing, so crucial to our humanity that debate on them rages for centuries. The mere mention of these questions at social gatherings provokes shouting, tears, and all too often even physical violence. But within this group of big questions, there is one of such great magnitude that it stands alone at the top. The answer to this question is the very fabric of existence. That question, of course is: do mobile devices cause cancer?The two images above are infrared. The first, on the left, is of a man who has never used a mobile device in his life. The blue, green and yellow indicate healthy tissue. The second image, on the right, is of the same man after a single five minute cell phone conversation. See all that red? Those are persistent cancer cells in his brain. He won't live past two weeks. And that's the rule, not the exception. So, basically, every single time you use your device, no matter how briefly, it's like playing a high-tech version of Russian Roulette with yourself. Mobile devices will bring about the Armageddon.

Okay.

It's not nearly that bad. The red and orange in the image above are actually just signs of thermal heating, which may well have no negative health consequences whatsoever. But there are those out there who have feelings that aren't too far off from what I just described. Then again, there are those who are equally convinced beyond doubt that devices present no health risks. Both sides have 'studies' to reference, but thus far there has not been a single, all-encompassing study to tip the scales one way or the other. The American Cancer Society has done a few studies over the last few years and determined that there is 'no consistent association between cell-phone use and overall risk of brain cancer.' But those studies only tested people who used cell phones over a three year period, so there is certainly still a possible risk of health hazards for long term users.

Perhaps the real question we ought to ask is how we came to a situation where 3 billion people use a device that may or may not kill them in a decade or so. While at this point I'm pretty skeptical of a link, the people raising the alarm bells are respected doctors, not crackpot conspiracy theorists. Shouldn't who's ever in charge of public health have looked into all of this at some point? As it stands now, we may not know we have a problem until it's too late. Sounds a lot like another worldwide crisis that's been receiving a lot of press lately...

The Dangers of Googling Google

For those of us whose pulses beat to the rhythm of the mobile industry, there have been a few notable developments this week centered, not surprisingly, around Google. Google's recently taken more than a passing interest in the mobile industry. First it was the announcement of their open-source mobile platform Android, for which companies like Visa, Namco and PacketVideo are already lining up applications. But what good is a shiny new platform without a correspondingly shiny new device on which to run it, you ask?

Well Google, trendsetters that they are, thought ahead on that one as well. Last week in New York, Google and TMobile debuted the G1, an iPhone-esque device that will be the first mobile to run on Android. It'll hit stores on October 22nd, brimming with unique new apps. Is this is all too much excitement to compute at one time? Let's take a breather and look at the pretty picture while we catch our breath.







Whewwww..... The final piece of mobile news from those Google rapscallions is their continued insistence that there is vacant space on the airwaves of this great nation which could, nay, should be used to improve wireless internet speeds. According to Larry Page, Google cofounder, there are open 'white spaces' between channels on American TV that are effectively dead air and could be channeled toward computers and mobile devices. Page is so gung-ho about it that he's formed the White Spaces Coalition, which includes big hitters like Microsoft, Dell and Intel, all united toward the common purpose of utilizing white spaces. That all sounds great to me: mutual benefit for consumers as well as a love-in for big tech companies. The problem is that the FCC, who has the ultimate say in this, won't give the Coalition rights to use the space. Why? The FCC fears that using empty TV channel space for wireless internet will create interference for TV viewers. They tested a device recently which ultimately failed, but later the results were questioned because the testing device was faulty. These inconclusive tests, coupled with the vehement opposition from the National Association of Broadcasters, mean we'd better not hold our breath on this. Who's in the wrong between the big bad government, big bad tech giants, or big bad TV executives is really a blind guess.

So that's a wrap for today. This has been quite informative, but for those of you who think I failed to deliver on my promise of seedy, gritty stories of MobiDiction, check back later in the week.

A new sheriff in town

New apps for hand-held devices

I have to say I have seen more and more iPhones these days and it's not surprising why. Have you seen all of the new apps being created?

How about creating an app that lets you instantly know how to handle yourself in certain situations.

For example:
Say you're on public transportation and you feel someone is being impolite- quick whip out your hand-held device and get three options for how to react.

Or what about one that combines map navigation with avoiding a speeding ticket? The device will detect where there are highway patrol cars and provide you with an alternative route to your destination to avoid speed traps (not that I'm speaking from experience :)

And what about people with low self-esteem? How about an app that at various times of the day will send them positive affirmations --- like Stuart Smalley from SNL

Who wants to Win an iPod -- or a cool T-Shirt

KnowledgeShift wants to hear or see- your Mobi-Dicted stories or pictures. Each week all submissions will be entered into a weekly drawing to win a T-Shirt and once a month all submissions will be eligible to win a new iPod!



So post a comment to us with your Mobi-Dicted Stories and be sure to subscribe to this
Blog so you can keep up on how others are addicted to their mobile device.

Mobi-Dicted

Are you addicted to your mobile device -- we know a lot of people who are. As long as you are using them why not learn something in the process.

This blog is designed to understand how people use their mobile devices and how we can expand the use of mobile devices to increase knowledge.

Stay Tuned for our ongoing stories and contest to see who can share with us the best mobile addications and the best examples of what people are learning with mobile devices.

If you want to send us your story or picture please email to admin@knowledgeshift.net and we will post them on our blog.