Wireless communication offers another avenue for technologies to converge and provide audiences with an interactive platform. The biggest wireless device of this generation would have to be the mobile phone. When introduced, it provided consumers with the ability to phone and SMS, the “transmission of short text messages between cell phones� (Curran, 2003: 123), from a device that did not need to be connected to anything. However, this market has evolved rapidly with consumers never being satisfied with the amount of features one mobile phone can have. Ericsson (in Sacher and Loudon, 2002) believed that by 2002, the number of mobile phones would exceed the number of landline phones. This is proof that consumers are drawn to devices that are continually offering technologically advanced features.
Driving new developments in the wireless communication medium is Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANS). The download speeds attainable by WLANS are significantly larger then those achieved through 3G technology (Noam, Groebel and Gerbarg, eds, 2004: 125). This technology allows consumers to access the Internet from their mobile phones without physically connecting to power points or phone lines. Along with this, phones that once could only produce static text-based information, can now present colour images, text and audio files for consumers. Audiences can simply download favourite MP3 music files and listen to them from their mobile device or send a photograph to a friends phone. Similarly, the Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are continuing to develop as a wireless form of interactive communication. These devices will soon be identical to mobile phones in features and capabilities. Jupiter research (in Blackwell: 27) says that by 2003, the number of people who used Web-ready mobile phones would reach 79 million, with an additional 12 million using wireless palm styled devices. Blackwell believes that this is “opening the way for interactive services beyond simple messaging and shopping� (Blackwell: 27). Bluetooth technology is becoming increasingly popular through allowing consumers to send and receive data through a wireless connection. As well as this, infrared (IR) technology is allowing more and more devices to be connected without wires, including computer keyboards and game controllers.
The system that has unleashed the interactive power of wireless devices would have to be reality television shows. The shows that allow audiences members to somewhat determine the outcome of the production through voting, is seen to be a growing craze across the world. For example, Big Brother encourages the audiences to SMS vote, which determines who gets kicked off the reality show. Wireless devices have greatly promoted interaction within these television shows and encouraged telecommunication, media and information technology companies to converge and produce new ways for audiences to participate.
The future of wireless technology is driven by consumers and their desires for new, innovative ways to interact with technology. Soon mobile phones or similar devices will provide consumers with all their communication needs, allowing them to phone, message, download, order, receive, record, produce and access.
Alison Costello 10:54, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
