Smartphones, i.e. small, lightweight, mobile computers which can exchange data with the internet via cellular phone networks and integrate a telephone, a camera, a GPS receiver, a touchscreen and a keyboard (which is located in general on the touchscreen) provide resources for their users around the clock, but potentially for other people as well through user data.
Because of their potentially permanent communication with the internet, they make up a new, ubiquitous quality of incorporation of the user and possibilites of participation.
Table of Contents
1. The smartphone as a personally used, ubiquitous system
2. Retrospect
3. Prospect
Objectives and Topics
The work examines the smartphone as a multifunctional, ubiquitous resource that significantly influences social participation and personal life. It analyzes the role of smartphones in data-driven personality profiling, their potential as human-device hybrids, and the sociological implications of their permanent connectivity in both personal and societal contexts.
- Smartphone usage and user data analysis for personality insights
- Ubiquitous computing and the evolution of "human-smartphone" integration
- Sociological perspectives on "appropriation" and "eigensinn" in technology
- Forecasts for future technological developments and "tipping points"
- The societal impact of ubiquitous, data-driven management systems
Excerpt from the book
The smartphone as a personally used, ubiquitous system
Smartphones, i.e. small, lightweight, mobile computers which can exchange data with the internet via cellular phone networks and integrate a telephone, a camera, a GPS receiver, a touchscreen and a keyboard (which is located in general on the touchscreen) provide resources for their users around the clock, but potentially for other people as well through user data.
Because of their potentially permanent communication with the internet, they make up a new, ubiquitous quality of incorporation of the user and possibilites of participation.
E.g. that the president of the US sends or, at least, lets send in his name the, as to say, “people out there in front of their smartphone screens” a joyful commentary from his personal Twitter account after his reelection – this potentially direct link of each human being to each other human being in every place where they are (integration and participation) wasn’t imaginable ten years ago (2005). This fast development creates new, unprecedented resources for the individual and, at the same time, new, unprecedented possibilities for other people to get data about him.
Summary of Chapters
1. The smartphone as a personally used, ubiquitous system: This chapter introduces the smartphone as a powerful, multifunctional tool that enables constant internet connectivity and deep user data collection for personal profiling.
2. Retrospect: This section looks back at the early 2000s, contrasting the original vision of ubiquitous computing—which required pervasive micro-sensors—with the current reality where smartphones fulfill this function.
3. Prospect: The final chapter discusses ongoing developments in ubiquitous systems, such as autonomous vehicles and AI, and contemplates the potential for managing society as a whole through smartphone-generated data.
Keywords
Smartphone, Ubiquitous Computing, User Data, Personality Traits, Big Five, Social Participation, Human-Smartphone Hybrid, Appropriation, Eigensinn, Digitalization, Tipping Points, Social Physics, Artificial Intelligence, Surveillance, Mobile Communication
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The text explores the smartphone as an ubiquitous system that serves as a central resource for users, enabling permanent connectivity and facilitating new forms of social participation.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The key themes include the analysis of smartphone usage data, the psychological profiling of users, the historical evolution of ubiquitous computing, and the potential future of society managed by pervasive data systems.
What is the central research question?
The work investigates the extent to which the smartphone acts as a "human-smartphone" hybrid and how this integration transforms individual experiences, social interaction, and societal structures.
Which scientific approach is applied?
The author employs a socio-technical analysis, combining existing sociological concepts with current developments in mobile technology and digital survey data.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main part covers the role of smartphones in daily life, the feasibility of deciphering user personality via sensor data, and the comparison between early ubiquitous computing visions and modern smartphone functionality.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Ubiquitous Computing, Big Data, Personality Profiling, Social Participation, and the socio-technical "human-smartphone" hybrid.
How does the smartphone function as a "resource"?
The smartphone serves as an open system that provides various functionalities, from cheap communication to gaming, which are then appropriated by users for their specific purposes.
What does the author mean by the "human-smartphone" hybrid?
It refers to the deep connection between the individual and the device, suggesting that this integration is the predecessor to a cyborg, despite the lack of a permanent physical connection.
What is the significance of "tipping points" in this context?
Tipping points mark the stage where a technical development, such as "smart tattoos" or advanced miniaturized sensors, reaches the masses of consumers, fundamentally changing social norms.
What ethical concern is raised regarding future developments?
The author notes that visions of an intelligent material environment, combined with constant data tracking, are highly reminiscent of Orwellian concepts of permanent surveillance and control.
- Quote paper
- Steffen Schumacher (Author), 2015, The smartphone as a personally used, ubiquitous system, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/316302
