So much of who we are can be found on our phones… Who we talk to, which people we ignore, are we faithful to our spouse, what we are doing this weekend, etc. It is almost as if our phones are mini individual time capsules.

The Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC is putting out a play next month titled Dead Man’s Cell Phone. Playwright Sarah Ruhl had the same idea: How much could someone learn about you if they found your cell phone – and started answering your calls?

Want 25% off your ticket? Share a slightly outrageous, funny, or completely inappropriate conversation you overheard someone saying on their cell phone. Text “get woolly” to 24421 for instructions.  All stories can be heard on DeadMansCellPhone.com or at the theater just before the show.

I was out to dinner a few nights ago and from time to time my dinner guest felt the need to check-in on his blackberry and make sure his world was not falling apart. He apologized and apologized for checking and asked if I wanted him to just turn it off. Truth be told I didn’t. I wanted to check my mail and text messages just as badly. So, about every 15 to 30 minutes we took a break from being in the here and now with each other to check the wired-self.

A great article on Forbes.com discuses this change in society. Professor Sherry Turkle at MIT points out:

Contemporary professional life is rich in examples of people ignoring those they are meeting with to give priority to online others whom they consider a more relevant audience. Students do e-mail during classes; faculty members do e-mail during meetings; parents do e-mail while talking with their children; people do e-mail as they walk down the street, drive cars or have dinner with their families. Indeed, people talk on the phone, hold a face-to-face meeting and do their e-mail at the same time. Once done surreptitiously, the habit of self-splitting in different worlds is becoming normalized. Your dinner partner looks down with a quick glance and you know he is checking his BlackBerry.

It’s true; many of us have become addicted to our wired-selves and whether we want to or not, have become so engrossed in the connectivity we have forgotten what its like to disconnect. Turkle goes on to say:

BlackBerry users describe that sense of encroachment of the device on their time. One says, “I don’t have enough time alone with my mind”; another, “I artificially make time to think.” Such formulations depend on an “I” separate from the technology, a self that can put the technology aside so as to function apart from its demands. But it’s in conflict with a growing reality of lives lived in the presence of screens, whether on a laptop, palmtop, cell phone or BlackBerry. We are learning to see ourselves as cyborgs, at one with our devices. To put it most starkly: To make more time means turning off our devices, disengaging from the always-on culture. But this is not a simple proposition, since our devices have become more closely coupled to our sense of our bodies and increasingly feel like extensions of our minds.

I highly suggest you read her entire article. The unexpected changes in society that have come about because of our always-on devices is a topic worth exploring the implications of.  Often you find our greatest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses, technological advances are no exception.

Why is it that Hispanics in the US are strong mobile phone users? M:Metrics attempts to explain:

“M:Metrics, the mobile market authority, reports that with 70.9 percent of English-speaking Hispanics consuming mobile content in the United States, they are among the most active, engaged mobile content consumers. The measurement firm finds that the percentage of English-speaking Hispanics who consume media and information far surpasses the market average of 47.9 percent.

Youthfulness is a key characteristic of this demographic. Overall the Hispanic cell phone users skew much younger than the average user, particularly among the coveted 18-34 age group which comprises more than 51.5 percent of the total Hispanic mobile population. In comparison, the 18-34 age group only accounts for 31 percent of the entire U.S. mobile population. ”

Sources: MoCoNews & M:Metrics

There was one 10-digit number I knew by heart in college, Wings Over Albany (pdf), 518.862.9464. Let’s just say, they kept me from staving for four years. Of course, three years AFTER I graduate, they start accepting orders via SMS. I so COULD have been ordering my dinner while still IN class, but no. Because I could not text to order, I had to wait.

Campusfood.com, the nation’s leading online network of restaurants (one of which is Wings Over… ), bought a shortcode after much demand from the students. 

Give it a try. Oh, and I recommend DC-10, all honey mustard with an extra large side of honey mustard (the small is just too small).

While mobile phones in the US have not hit penetration levels of other countries like India, Germany, or Japan, the mobile phone still remains and interracial part of American society. According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project (pdf) study:

– 74% of the Americans who own mobile phones say they have used their hand-held device in an emergency and gained valuable help

– 24% of cell-using adults report they often feel like they have to answer their cell phones even when it interrupts a meeting or a meal.

– Some 41% of cell phone owners say they fill in free time when they are traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls.

– Among cell phone users, men (32%) are more likely than women (25%) to admit they sometimes don’t drive as safely as they should.

– 82% of all Americans and 86% of cell users report being irritated at least occasionally by loud and annoying cell users who conduct their calls in public places.

– 8% admit they themselves have drawn criticism or irritated stares from others when they are using their cell phones in public.

– 36% of cell owners say they have been shocked from time to time at the size of their monthly bills (this was me last month!).

I was going through my news today and came across a very interesting article on TelecomWeb…

According to executives with Russian wireless provider MTS, its average subscriber doesn’t use his or her handset much.

“Russians don’t talk much and they don’t send many messages or use the Internet a lot,” MTS Marketing Director Garrett Johnston told local reporters said at a briefing. “Despite the high level of penetration, there’s a low level of usage.” The average western European sends between 100 and 150 text messages a month, while Russians send only around 10, he added.

So, after much thought as to why this might be, I have decided it is because it is hard to do those things with gloves on. With the average winter temperature in Moscow at 10 degrees and 12 degrees in St. Petersburg, I am not sure I would brave freezing hands to text a friend. 

I’ll give you a hint… it wasn’t price. According to a recent study by the NPD Group, “desired capabilities” and “a flip-phone form factor” came in at motivational purchase reasons one and two.

Other interesting facts include:

• Men are more likely than women are to care more about having the latest technology, a highly regarded brand, long battery life, and the key capabilities and features they want.
• Women more so than men, tend to be motivated more by easy-to-use flip phones and price considerations.
• Young buyers look for “cool,” middle-aged look for a wide range of capabilities, while people past middle aged want a flip phone.

You can check out the report here.

When Harry Met Sally might be the cutest movie ever.  Just listening to the stories of how the old couples met each other is heart warming and always brings a smile to my face.  But things were different back then.  You met your mate at a dance or through a family friend.  Today, people must take these things into their own hands, quite literally, and make their fate happen through on-the-go romance tools.    

A popular mobile dating company, Trilibis Webdate Mobile, boasts over 91,000 mobile US singles!  Webdate Mobile lets subscribers search for singles in their area, view members’ photos and full profiles, check messages in the Webdate inbox, and send messages to any members. Users also can choose to send virtual gift messages rather than an ordinary message to other members. Ages of singles range from 18 to 77 and while the sex ratio is still dominated by men (58/42), women are coming in greater numbers to the mobile dating scene over the virtual. So why is the mobile dating service so successful?

From the most recent September Issue 14.09 addition of the print version of Wired Magazine p053…

… would it have been that cheesy to just call it Wiredless Mobile or Wireless or something like that

Introducing Wired Mobile. Text now…For exclusive invitations. special offers and editorial features - all delivered to your phone or mobile device. How it works: Text the word “Wired” from your mobile device to 94733 [Wired]

You are now connected - and will be automatically be kept up to date on what’s next through WIRED mobile.

More on WIred Mobile? Thats all I could find. Not sure if its an SMS pull updater (get up to date info from Wired via SMS) or something you subscribe to. Sending the text just asks you to reply with the word “win” to enter a sweepstakes to win a BeoSound3 from Bang & Olufsen

Welcome 2 WIRED Mobile - your connection to What’s Next. Text reply “win” 4 chance 2 win a BeoSound 3.

Relevant Article:

Cell Phones Make Magazines Interactive Again

Visit Wired Mobile on your palm, at least.

Technorati Tags: 94733, mobile, sms, txt messaging, wired, wired mobile

Interesting article in Forbes on Six Innovations That Will Change Your Life. I wont rehash the article only to say that if you are interested in such subjects as m-commerce (maying by stiff with your phone), social networking and issues of presence, the mobile web, ubiquitous media, health supplements for your mobile phone and or GPS then check it out.

[read]

Technorati Tags: forbes, mobile , mobile web, m-commerce, gps, presence, social networking, ubiquitous