URBAN :: THINKING

exploring technology, social media, education, art & urban lifestyles

Mobile :: Making The Web Accessible to The Urban Community

The iPhone is probably one the single most important inventions in my lifetime, It has had a direct effect on my lifestyle. I have done 35% of the writing and updates for this site on my 2G version. I think it's a game changer because it allows me to access information I need in a way that no other device has. I can be in a important meeting and hear a tech term or acronym that I am unfamiliar with, (this has really happened to me) and I can quickly and discreetly look it up and speak on it in detail. This type of access to information is vital for the modern professional and these types of rapid information retrieval and synthesis skill are vital for your children and the uban community in general community to understand and embrace. The democratizing ability of this tool is unparalleled (Google Android cell phone has potential as well, but that's another article). For $199 you can access the full power of the web anytime and any place in Urban areas around the country.

To hear my wife tell it-- I'm a "screen addict". But I believe I can more accurately be labeled a information addict. The iPhone feeds this addiction by allowing me to have access to my email at all times while allowing my to transition seamlessly from a link to the web. And not a "cellphone version" of the web. A full featured web environment that includes video (minus Flash). I am a video addict as well so i have reached a geek nirvana with this tool. Apple captured about 15% of the cell phone market in the first 8 months or so, the phone was available, that is unheard of in the cellphone industry and it speaks to the superiority of the product's design and UI (user interface).

I am still using my iPhone 2G, I have had it for a year and I have not upgraded yet to the 3G because it works fine, but I will probably upgrade soon because the lure of GPS is too much for me. I'm a google map enthusiast as well (but I will save that for another article). I purchased one for my wife though, so I have tested it and it is definitely and improvement for half the price I
paid.

I have used Windows Mobile Smart Phones for 3 or 4 years before getting my iPhone with very little enthusiasm. They had badly designed UI's, and they crashed constantly-- usability was less than mediocre. The iPhone in the other hand was designed with Apple's signature attention to detail in the areas of UI and usability. Screens slide away with the touch of a finger and the things you do most often are a breeze. It has a few issues so I'll jump on the band wagon and agree that leaving out "cut and paste" was a mistake. And another strange glitch happens if you are writing long passages-- it sometimes begins erasing them automatically, forcing you to immediately save. But all said, I love the product so much I take these quirks in stride-- rarely does a product capture that type of loyalty from me.

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Comment by M Lewis on March 17, 2009 at 5:09pm: you are so right about telecoms posing biggest threat to broadband expansion.
they've used guaranteed funds that we as citizens have paid for many years as
universal service fees to do everything but what the funds we set up to do.

it's funny how they're now crying that they should get the bulk of funds from obama's
broadband expansion fund and that only they can ensure that, in partnership with state
government, that funds goes to making sure everyone gets access. but they are
part of the problem in the first place and we should make sure this is reversed...

twitter.com/wirelessharlem
www.wirelessharlem.org

Comment by Urban Universe Productions on March 17, 2009 at 3:06pm: Point taken, as we know, telecoms pose the biggest threat to broadband expansion. Urban Communities want it but Telecom money is big... Mesh networks like Meraki are making moves, but organization and community minded sharing of resources is the key to this method, and how often does this happen when times are tight.

It's a tough battle, let's see what Obama can do. Bush sold the farm to the Telecoms, can Obama buy it back?

BTW, Can you post a link to your site so the community can see what Wireless Harlem is all about?

Comment by M Lewis on March 17, 2009 at 11:23am: great discussion and this is why i think urban:universe is such an important forum.

it seems to me that a smarter grid is in our immediate future. this grid will surely be built
on an open wireless grid. there will be no distinction btwn handsets, "plans",
etc.; instead, what will dominate our culture is access to information and ideas. (shouldn't that
be the ultimate goal)

information travels at an almost perfect speed today but we still have a great deal of
work to expand this access hence my work w our non profit and as our moderator suggested
leveling the playing field for urban dwellers.

the president has set out the most ambitious and game-changing agenda for expanding broadband.
we should know that this doesn't only mean access for the under-served. it means the complete
expansion of access to information for all. he couldn't have asked for a larger idea, though he seems
to understand the reality of new ideas.

the question is: can we get to this place and in our lifetimes, the next five years?

Comment by Urban Universe Productions on March 17, 2009 at 10:35am: I agree completely! Open networks are important in order to allow truly equal access. In the short term 2G and 3G will do as a start to leveling the playing field for urban dwellers. We need to get Wireless Harlem to weigh in on this one.

Comment by Digitaldreus on March 16, 2009 at 11:32pm: That's an interesting angle but with The Wireless Harlem Initiative and other community wireless grids around the country you have the open network that's needed to allow the hardware advances the industry has experienced to have a viable network to thrive in. Allowing smart phone users the necessary access to the use, testing, and growing the applications that Windows Smartphone’s and Apple's Iphone are developing. A legitimate and open network will give the ease of use and bridge the digital divide which hampers development of on the software end that takes advantage of the incredible and fast processor and network speeds. Wireless networks that we have today like 3G and Wi Bro, which allows users to move and still keep a connection need playing fields period.

So let's build networks, open networks and groom them to really take advantage of wireless technology and all it's cross platform applications.