Caron, Andre & Caronia, Letizia. (2001) Active Users and Active Objects: The Mutual Construction of Families and Communication Technologies, Convergence: the Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, University of Luton Press, UK, Volume 7, No 3. pp. 38 – 61.
This article was written after extensive research into the 'subjective construction of the meaning (that) people give to technologies and their uses within the family'. The technologies specifically concentrated on include the telephone, television and the computer/internet. The introduction contains a general historial aspect regarging the development of these technologies, the issues that have arisen and the different approaches into research that have previously been taken in order to truly establish the implications and effects of these technologies on daily household life. The article itself outlines the methodology and research tools, along with a detailed analysis of the findings. This article is particularly interesting as it contains excerpts of dialogue between the family members and the interviewer which provide amusing but very informative real life examples of how families have adjusted and adapted around such things as the computor and mobile phones.
Huotari, Allen. What Wireless Means to Every Day People, [Online], (2004) Available: http://www.linksys.com/products/wp_wireless.asp, [Accessed 2 August 2004].
This simple but informative website contains a range of information regarding wireless technologies. There is a brief history on the numerous forms of wireless technologies, like radio, television, telephones and also cooking. Technical terms like wireless LAN are broken down and there are diagrams explaining Ad Hoc and Infrastructural Mode. Using question and answer format the reasons why LAN is good for networking is given and an explanation in point form of how it meets the requirements together with examples of other real world applications for the technology. This makes this site highly beneficial for 'everyday people' to gain a definite understanding of basic wireless technology. It also outlines where the future of wireless could lead.
Black, Uyless. (1996) Mobile and Wireless Networks, Prentices Hall, New Jersey, U.S.A.
This whole book contains extensively detailed technical information about wireless technology, and how and why it works, however the date it was published and the technological advances that have occured since this time need to be taken into consideration in context with this topic. (Both the 'new' technologies on the market and society have changed dramatically in eight years eg: the book refers to 'advanced mobile phone systems'). The book discusses the basics of wireless and mobile infrastructure looking particularly at the U.S., as well as the fundamentals of cellular systems, global systems for mobile communications, personal communication services, satellite-based systems, data over the moible link security and privacy and network management. This book has been written from more of a design and engineering perspective, than a social and cultural one, however contains the basic fundamental knowedge for an understanding of this topic.
Mackenzie, Adrian. Untangling the Unwired: the cultural implications of wireless infrastructures, [Online]. Available: www.lancs.ac.uk/staff/ mackenza/papers/mackenzie-wifi.pdf, Lancaster University, England, pp: 1-24 Accessed: 11 August 2004.
This extensive article looks at the new wireless networking technology of WiFi and discusses in detail its cultural relevance. After an explaination of what WiFi acctually is and how it works, concerns about access control and lack of security are raised, the Physical Layer is analysed and a discrepency between the term 'community', in an 'sociogeographical' manner which arises from this type of vitual/real technology is also brought up. Spatial practices affecting WiFi are discussed and examples of companies that are adopting the wireless revolution are outlined. The idea of community is also mentioned. Finally implications for WiFi technology in today's urban society are outlined.
Nilsson, Andreas., Nulden, Urban. & Olsson, Daniel. (2001) Mobile Media: The Convergence of Media and Mobile Communications, Convergence: the Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, University of Luton Press, UK, Volume 7, No 1. pp. 34 – 39.
This short and concise article looks at three case studies to show how mobile technology can 'be used as media channels and demonstrate users' experiences of mobile media'. The Swedish Rally, The Roskilde Festival and The Swedish Match Cup, scenarios are used to illustrate the strengths, and weaknesses available to consumers since thanks to the convergence of mobile media. The article particularly focusses on the dominate wireless technology at the moment, mobile phones with WAP, 3G and SMS abilities and highlights the importance of such technologies for consumers personal safty and convenience. Attention is also drawn to the fact that such technologies are only beneficial to individuals if they are regularly and continuously updated with up-to-date and accurate information.
Smith, Marc. (2000) Some Social Implications of Ubiquitous Wireless Networks, Microsoft Research, Redmond USA, pp: 22 - 36. Volume 4.
This extremely interesting article discusses wireless computer networks, cell phones, portable voice/data services (associated software) etc, and the social implications of such technologies becoming ubiquitous. It looks at the formation of social groups/structures that are being shaped by these technologies and how it will affect our individual way of life. It brings up questions about what life will be like with a future containing a never-ending Power/Knowledge debate, not to mention ominious threats of panoptic power, social dilemmas and horizontal panopticanism, and how the authorities are reacting. Finally, Smith talks about how our social interactions are being fashioned, and uses examples from the real world to outline the results successful or otherwise of the social and business uses for these technologies.
Baldwin, Thomas., McVoy, D. and Steinfeild, C. (1996) Convergence: integrating media, information and communication, Chapter Two: Existing Telephone, Cable TV and Wireless Technologies, Sage Publications, California, U.S.A. pp: 21 - 45.
Chapter Two of this book contains specific technical information regarding today's wireless technologies. Written in 'textbook' or 'handbook' language Balwin et. al. outlines the technologies associated with the wireless media, including broadband, digital, cable television and telephone networks. The chapter details the electromagnetic spectrum, MMDS and direct broadband satellites to explain the scope of these devises. The publishing date and recent technological improvements also need to be taken into account with this book.
Meyrowitz, J. (1999) Shifting World of Strangers: Medium Theory Changes in 'Them' versus 'Us', in K.B Massey (ed.) Readings in Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, Mayfield Publishing, California U.S.A.
This article looks into the effects that oral, print and electronic/wireless technologies have had, and are having on society. There is brief look at why wireless technology was originally invented, followed by a discussion on the shifting connections and disconnections of our traditionally oral societies, in terms of our traditionally oral societies and what we perceive as 'familiar insiders and distant outsiders', the homogenized segregation which developed from print and the spread of literacy, and finally the global reach and effects of the 'postmodern electric society'. This article is of particular interest due to the way in which the author differentiates the between the effects that the print and oral media have had on society, to that of electronic and wireless inventions. The idea of familiarity as opposed to 'faceless others' and the boundaries which have been generated both globally and in our own homes. The idea of the world becoming a collection of 'glocalities' is highlighted to further explain this concept, accessibility, mutual understanding and sharing.
CNN.com Special Report: Wireless Society. [Online], (2004). Available: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/wireless [Accessed 6 August 2004].
This interactive website is contains both entertaining and informative articles on wireless technologies, the next information age, how WiFi is changing the way people work/learn/play, mobile phones - from matchmaking services to disposing/recycling old mobiles, and the new voice activated technologies. The page has links to TIME magazine's wireless society, a glossary containing simple explanations to the acronyms and technological jargon involved with this area of study, and a survey for browsers to complete regarding their 'wireless-ness'!. There is also a gadgets section that introduces some of the latest wireless inventions such as the digital pen and the virtual keyboard.
Weiser, Mark. (date unknown) The Computer for the 21st Century, [Online]. Available: http://www.ubiq.com/hypertext/weiser/SciAmDraft3.html [Accessed: 12 August 2004]
This article discusses the notion of ubiquitous technologies and how society will adopt, use and integrate such technologies in to there everyday lives. "The most profound technologies are those that disappear" is the opening line of the document and explains alot in responce to the arguement that such technologies will take over our lives and create barriers for personal interaction. This idea, along with information overload, privacy protection, and how the networking computor system works and operates is included in this article. There is also some interesting 'dialogue' used to illustrate how such technologies as the computor are integrally incorporated into our lives, in other words - ubiquitous.
Frances Curro 09:17, 13 Aug 2004 (EST)
