Thumb Culture : The Meaning of Mobile Phones for Society

Mobile communication has an increasing impact on people's lives and society. Ubiquitous media influence the way users relate to their surroundings, and data services like text and pictures lead to a culture shaped by thumbs. Representing several years of research into the social and cultural effects of mobile phone use, this volume assembles the fascinating approaches and new insights of leading scientists and practitioners. The book contains the results of a first international survey on the social consequences of mobile phones. It provides a comprehensive inventory of today's issues and an outlook in mobile media, society and their future study. Cover Thumb Culture 1 Contents 6 Foreword 10 Introduction 12 Section One—Cultural Identities 22 Is the cell phone undermining the social order? Understanding mobile technology from a sociological perspective 24 The social and economic implications of mobile telephony in Rwanda: An ownership/access typology 38 Postal presence: A case study of mobile customisation and gender in Melbourne 54 The age of the thumb: A cultural reading of mobile technologies from Asia 68 Communication problems 90 From teenage life to Victorian morals and back: Technological change and teenage life 102 Section Two—Mobile Personalities 116 Emotional attachment and mobile phones 118 The mobile phone and the dynamic between private and public communication: Results of an international exploratory study 124 The role of interspace in sustaining identity 138 The mobile phone as technological artefact 150 The mobile telephone as a return to unalienated communication 162 Mobile communication and the transformation of daily life: The next phase of research on mobiles 172 Section Three—Industry Perspectives 184 Facing the future, changing customer needs 186 Loading mobile phones in a multi-option society 190 Mobile mania, mobile manners 200 Your life in snapshots: Mobile weblogs (moblogs) 212 Designing the future: Fables from the mobile telecoms industry 226 The future of mobile in the 3G era 236 Mythology and mobile data 252 Conclusion—Delphi Report 260 People, mobiles and society. Concluding insights from an international expert survey 262 Notes on Contributors 290 Mobile Phone,Mobile Media,Communication,Culture,Society,Media,Technology,Diagnosis of Our Time,Digital Media,Sociology of Media,Sociology of Culture,Media Studies Hans Geser Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze -- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze -- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi -- Lara Srivastava Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze -- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi -- Lara Srivastava -- Nicola Döring and Axel Gundolf Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze -- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi -- Lara Srivastava -- Nicola Döring and Axel Gundolf -- Laura Watts Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze -- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi -- Lara Srivastava -- Nicola Döring and Axel Gundolf -- Laura Watts -- Paul Golding Hans Geser -- Jonathan Donner -- Larissa Hjorth -- Genevieve Bell -- Leslie Haddon -- Richard Harper -- Jane Vincent -- Joachim R. Höflich -- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch -- Leopoldina Fortunati -- Kristóf Nyíri -- James E. Katz -- Raimund Schmolze -- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi -- Lara Srivastava -- Nicola Döring and Axel Gundolf -- Laura Watts -- Paul Golding -- Nick Foggin Hans Geser-- Jonathan Donner-- Larissa Hjorth-- Genevieve Bell-- Leslie Haddon-- Richard Harper-- Jane Vincent-- Joachim R. Höflich-- Michael Hulme and Anna Truch-- Leopoldina Fortunati-- Kristóf Nyíri-- James E. Katz-- Raimund Schmolze-- Peter Gross and Stefan Bertschi-- Lara Srivastava-- Nicola Döring and Axel Gundolf-- Laura Watts-- Paul Golding-- Nick Foggin-- Peter Glotz and Stefan Bertschi Cover Thumb Culture......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 Section One—Cultural Identities......Page 22 Is the cell phone undermining the social order? Understanding mobile technology from a sociological perspective......Page 24 The social and economic implications of mobile telephony in Rwanda: An ownership/access typology......Page 38 Postal presence: A case study of mobile customisation and gender in Melbourne......Page 54 The age of the thumb: A cultural reading of mobile technologies from Asia......Page 68 Communication problems......Page 90 From teenage life to Victorian morals and back: Technological change and teenage life......Page 102 Section Two—Mobile Personalities......Page 116 Emotional attachment and mobile phones......Page 118 The mobile phone and the dynamic between private and public communication: Results of an international exploratory study......Page 124 The role of interspace in sustaining identity......Page 138 The mobile phone as technological artefact......Page 150 The mobile telephone as a return to unalienated communication......Page 162 Mobile communication and the transformation of daily life: The next phase of research on mobiles......Page 172 Section Three—Industry Perspectives......Page 184 Facing the future, changing customer needs......Page 186 Loading mobile phones in a multi-option society......Page 190 Mobile mania, mobile manners......Page 200 Your life in snapshots: Mobile weblogs (moblogs)......Page 212 Designing the future: Fables from the mobile telecoms industry......Page 226 The future of mobile in the 3G era......Page 236 Mythology and mobile data......Page 252 Conclusion—Delphi Report......Page 260 People, mobiles and society. Concluding insights from an international expert survey......Page 262 Notes on Contributors......Page 290 Is The Cell Phone Undermining The Social Order? Understanding Mobile Technology From A Sociological Perspective / Hans Geser -- Social And Economic Implications Of Mobile Telephony In Rwanda : An Ownership/access Typology / Jonathan Donner -- Postal Presence : A Case Study Of Mobile Customisation And Gender In Melbourne / Larissa Hjorth -- Age Of The Thumb : A Cultural Reading Of Mobile Technologies From Asia / Genevieve Bell -- Communication Problems / Leslie Haddon -- From Teenage Life To Victorian Morals And Back : Technological Change And Teenage Life / Richard Harper -- Emotional Attachment And Mobile Phones / Jane Vincent -- Mobile Phone And The Dynamic Between Private And Public Communication : Results Of An International Exploratory Study / Joachim R. Höflich -- Role Of Interspace In Sustaining Identity / Michael Hulme And Anna Truch -- Mobile Phone As Technological Artefact / Leopoldina Fortunati -- Mobile Telephone As A Return To Unalienated Communication / Kristóf Nyíri -- Mobile Communication And The Transformation Of Daily Life : The Next Phase Of Research On Mobiles / James E. Katz -- Facing The Future, Changing Customer Needs / Raimund Schmolze -- Loading Mobile Phones In A Multi-option Society / Peter Gross And Stefan Bertschi -- Mobile Mania, Mobile Manners / Lara Srivastava -- Your Life In Snapshots : Mobile Weblogs (moblogs) / Nicola Döring And Axel Gundolf -- Designing The Future : Fables From The Mobile Telecoms Industry / Laura Watts -- Future Of Mobile In The 3g Era / Paul Golding -- Mythology And Mobile Data / Nick Foggin -- People, Mobiles And Society : Concluding Insights From An International Expert Survey / Peter Glotz And Stefan Bertschi. Peter Glotz, Stefan Bertschi, Chris Locke (eds.). Includes Bibliographical References. Mobile communication has an increasing impact on people's lives and society. Ubiquitous media influence the way users relate to their surroundings, and data services like text and pictures lead to a culture shaped by thumbs. Representing several years of research into the social and cultural effects of mobile phone use, this volume assembles fascinating approaches and new insights of leading scientists and practitioners. It contains the results of a first international survey on the social consequences of mobile phones and provides a comprehensive inventory of today's issues and an outlook in mobile media, society, and their future study. Peter Glotz is Emeritus Professor of Media and Society, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Stefan Bertschi is a researcher at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.