The Impact of Smart Feature Phones on Development : Internet, Literacy and Digital Skills

"This novel book, motivated by the recent introduction of a major innovation in information technology, explores the possibility of the Internet being made available to millions of poor people in developing countries, who are not yet connected. The new technology, known as a smart feature phone, is based on open-source software and otherwise designed for a low-income population. The purpose of this book is to examine the origins, spread and impact of this innovation. Much attention is paid to literacy and digital skills, which determine the benefits that are actually derived."--ProQuest website Front Matter ....Pages i-viii Introduction (Jeffrey James)....Pages 1-7 Front Matter ....Pages 9-9 The Smart Feature Phone Revolution in Developing Countries: Bringing the Internet to the Bottom of the Pyramid (Jeffrey James)....Pages 11-27 Smart Feature Phones and Welfare in Poor Developing Countries (Jeffrey James)....Pages 29-43 Extending the Experience to Sub-Saharan Africa (Jeffrey James)....Pages 45-54 Front Matter ....Pages 55-55 Measuring the Second Digital Divide: Education and Skills (Jeffrey James)....Pages 57-69 Anti-development Bias in the Use of the Internet in Developing Countries. What Underlies It? (Jeffrey James)....Pages 71-83