The Impact of Smartphones on Young People’s Social Life

Nowadays, phones have outgrown their status as simply technological tools as society entered a new era of electronic communication. Young people use their smartphones to socialize, which is why the majority of interactions between adolescents occur online. Washington Post reports that teenagers’ tech habits are a source of concern for parents. Since 2015, the amount of time kids spend watching videos on the Internet has doubled (Siegel). Young people manage to integrate their mobile devices into every part of their life, which explains why so many teenagers use smartphones to organize and maintain their social networks. Despite the phones’ helpfulness, they can lead various negative effects in terms of young people’s peer relationships. These often include social exclusion and cyber bullying, as well as changed family dynamics. It is crucial to acknowledge the threats of cellphone use related to socializing and maintaining relationships at a young age. Despite that, there is no denial that smartphones can be a vital instrument of easy and convenient communication with family and friends, which is why this paper aims to develop a reasonable compromise.

Firstly, phones are an excellent opportunity for adolescents to micro-coordinate their relationships and generate extensive networks with peers. By allowing kids to maintain contact with their peers without worrying about physical proximity or social immobility, smartphones have revolutionized the culture of social interaction (Campbell). Phones enable young adults to form meaningful relationships with peers, and, therefore, bring a sense of belonging into a kid’s life. However, smartphones also provide children with an opportunity to hide behind a screen, voluntarily ostracize, and become a participant in cyber bullying as a result (Rather and Ratner). Young people’s collective tendency to avoid awkward interactions by texting leads to them failing to develop a full capacity to interact with each other.

Without much experience of socializing, adolescents have trouble with not falling victim to peer exclusion. The popularization of texting transformed the nature of communication by making it brief and lacking in social niceties (Campbell). Social media networks have also contributed to the rise of cyber bullying, which implies harassment via messages, video chats, and other tools of online communication. Bullying inadvertently leads to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, according to recent studies (Campbell). Phones have enabled young people to message something nasty without any real-life repercussions for their words or actions.

Apart from peers, family is one of the most important social institutions that young people rely on as they are growing up. Although people’s attitudes towards phones have been reported to be largely positive, it remains apparent that children experience numerous negative effects of smartphone use in terms of their family life (Gupta and Kumar). Parents often cite safety as the reason for purchasing their kid a phone. However, the issue of security and protection is a part of the double-edged sword since phones often become a source of children’s alienation and ostracism (Silver). On the one hand, a cellphone enables young people to call their parents when they are in trouble and need help. On the other hand, excessive use of smartphones, which is common among teenagers, serves as a threat to existing family dynamics as kids become more inclined to spend their time online instead of socializing with their parents and siblings.

In conclusion, it is evident that young people can benefit greatly from using cellphones as a tool to build and maintain relationships with peers. Additionally, they can use their devices to get immediate help or urgently call their family. However, it is important for parents to monitor their children’s online activities, preferably without intruding their privacy too much. Adults have to encourage young people to socialize in real life and engage in offline communication.

Works Cited

Campbell, Marilyn. “The Impact of the Mobile Phone on Young People’s Social Life.” Social Change in the 21st Century Conference, 2005. Web.

Gupta, Sunil, and Navin Kumar. International Journal for Research in Education, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 50-56, 2016. Web.

Rather, Mudasir, and Shabir Ratner. Library Philosophy and Practice, no. 2384, 2019, Web.

Siegel, Rachel. Washington Post. 2019, Web.

Silver, Laura, et al. Pew Research Center, 2019, Web.

Using Smartphones in Learning

Introduction

According to Madden (2011), smartphones were introduced into the market in the year 1996, and quickly spread to all parts of the world. This is contrary to other technologies like landline telephones that took longer time before reaching the local and international market.

Before the introduction of smartphones into the market, most people including students could not believe that it was possible to use the gargets in learning. Later after it had been introduced, teachers and learners were able to accept the fact that smartphones can easily be used in various studies (Madden, 2011).

Additionally, people had been using the computer before for their studies and doing other jobs on the internet. This topic has been chosen following its relevancy, immensity, and vastness, which communicational gadgets and aspects enjoy in the current world. Additionally, these communication gadgets (Smartphones) are known globally following their competitiveness, novelty, modernization, variability, and appropriateness in the communication industry.

Individuals who need multipurpose gadgets, which can operate multiple tasks simultaneously, engage the mind, provide extreme entertainment services, possess other exiting provisions and appalling features should resort to these products. Precisely, the global fame, distinctiveness, technological variability, and convenience that these smartphones possess have necessitated the choice of the topics in the context of learning among students.

Mobile communicational and learning gadgets (smartphones) differ significantly globally and this claim is notable in the chosen topics. Globally, numerous students have introduced and embraced the use of these products despite the challenges. The aspects of competition, cost, convenience, and variability have played massive roles in the disparities noticed amidst these gadgets. Appropriateness similarly contributes to the choice of the topics (Nielsen & Webb, 2011).

The topic is understandable by majority following its suitability and relevancy indicated before. Additionally, the three Smartphone gadgets are comparable with one another. This provision gives opportunity to handle the assignment as demanded.

Since the gadgets differ significantly in various aspects, it is possible to compare and contrast them in the context of learning. Evidently, numerous touch-screen phones/Smartphone have rocked the mobile phone’s market. Nonetheless, this category of phones has outstood others in the learning arenas.

Recent history about the use of smartphones in learning

Currently, most students and teachers have embraced the use of smartphone devices to improve their learning standards. According to Shelly, Vermaat & Quasney (2011), the use of this garget has proved to be more convenient and reliable compared to other technological methods that can be used in learning.

It has been discovered that most students who are using smartphones are able to make a steady improvement in their studies compared to those who use ordinary learning materials in their studies (Shelly, Vermaat & Quasney, 2011). Besides, it was discovered that students from rich backgrounds were able to access the mobile device compared to those from poor families.

Learners were able to use their mobile applications to organize for group discussions. Moreover, applications like drop box were used by teachers to post assignments where students could also post back their homework. Consequently, this saved a lot of time since the students are able to submit their assignments online and at any time (Frederick & Lal, 2009). This is a critical provision in the context of learning and technological advancements.

Statement of the problem

There are a number of challenges that had been faced by teachers and students in their learning process. According to Stair & Reynolds, learners could spend a lot of money on producing copies of their assignments while teachers could also spend some money when printing out assignments or various exam tests (Stair & Reynolds, 2012).

Additionally, students took a lot of time before handing over their assignments simply because they did not have adequate facilities or equipment to do their homework. Both teachers and students entirely relied on the information from the books or journals hence they were not able to get enough information for their studies.

Learning institutions also had to spend increase their budget for buying computers that were used for studies. Consequently, introduction of smartphone usage in learning has reduced the costs that could have been spend on buying the computers as students can now obtain the vital information for their learning.

Purpose of the study

The study was majorly carried out to establish the importance of using smartphone devices as a learning tool. For instance, it should indicate how it has changed the learning standards of students using mobile devices in their studies as compared to other learning methods that had been used before.

Additionally, the other reason for carrying out the study is to find out the rate at which learners and teachers use the smartphones and how it has changed their learning abilities. The study was also carried out to determine the historical background about the usage of smartphones in learning.

This will eventually show how it was introduced into the market and the way it has been accepted as a vital learning tool (MobileReference, 2007). Besides, the study majorly focuses on the technologies employed when operating smartphones and how to use various phone applications to enhance learning.

The other reason for carrying out the study is to determine the challenges being faced by students and teachers who are using smartphone devices in learning. It also indicates how it has affected the performance of students who are using the smartphones in their learning compared to those relying on learning materials provided by their teachers (Stair, 2011).

The study also tries to give a clear description of smartphone and its features. The other purpose of the study is to understand the recent developments that have been made to the smartphones and how people are able to adopt the changes. This is a critical provision in the context of learning and technological advancements.

Recent statistics regarding the use of smartphones in learning

According to various statistics, the use of smartphone devices in learning has greatly and inevitably changes the student’s behavior. Consequently, learners using this mobile device have improved in their performance at a faster rate compared to those who are not using smartphones (Stair, 2011). The number of learning institutions that have accepted the use of mobile devices in learning is steadily increasing.

Currently, most students cannot do their homework without the use of their smartphones. Most students do not only use their smartphones for learning but also checking into social websites like Facebook and twitter. According to various researches carried out, 60 percent of learners use smartphones for their learning purposes where 70 percent have the feeling that they are hooked to their phones (Chao, 2011).

Additionally, 90 percent use the mobile device for social networking where as 50 percent of the students were found to be using their mobile devices to study for exams and tests. According to Shelly, Vermaat & Quasney (20011), Institutions have also reduced the cost that could have been used in buying computers for studies by allowing students to use their smartphones in school for their learning purposes.

Moreover, most of the learning institutions have adopted the use of smartphones in doing their operations. For instance, an individual can get information regarding an institution through their internet enabled smartphones.Conversely, the use of mobile devices in learning has not been fully implemented hence most schools still do not allow their students to use the phones.

New and advanced technologies such as WI-FI offer very fast and steady connection. The rate of data transfer is much quicker compared to 3G. This technology can be a predicament to all other investments in education as well as content providers within the intervention of mobile network.

The mobile phone builder Nokia and Cisco, wireless network creator, are already adopting this technology to make the Wi-Fi phone to enhance learning provisions. WiMax is another good technology that will help smartphone users to get into the industry at a cheaper cost. This is a wireless connectivity system that enables two operators to have an uninterrupted communication with no routing over a central switch.

Besides sending data, the operator on the other end can also act as a repeater or a router. Lastly is the Power line broadband technology. It provides fast internet connection through electrical grids. All these technologies are appropriate for mobile network operators.

Research questions

During the research, various questions have been raised about the effectiveness of using smartphones in learning. Additionally, the research is trying to find out the effectiveness of the mobile applications and how the students are ready to learn on how to use the applications. The other question is whether the use of smartphones in learning will make the students improve in their performance or not.

Precisely, major questions incorporate;

  • How do smartphones influence the behaviors of young students in the context of learning?
  • Which age group majorly use smartphones in learning
  • What are the impacts of the smartphones on learning among students?
  • What are the smartphone techniques employed by students to learn in schools?

Significance of the topic

The topic reveals various applications that are fitted in the smartphone and how they can be used. It also shows the rate at which students are able to use the smartphones in their studies. The topic is relevant since it shows how people are much involved in improving the academic standards.

Otherwise they could have not bothered to carry out some research concerning the use of smartphones in learning. Another significance of the topic is that it provides more information on regarding the people’s views concerning the usage of smartphones in learning.

Key definitions

The meaning of smartphone and its applications are some of the key definitions in the topic. The other definition is how the various applications of the smartphone are used for different purposes.

Key assumptions

There are numerous assumptions that had been made regarding this study. It has been assumed that the smartphones are only being used by the students for their learning and not to do any other work. For instance, it has not discusses how students can use them to communicate to each other.

It has not discussed how smartphones have negatively affected students. For instance, students can use their smartphones to cheat in exams and eventually affect their academic standards. The other key assumption is that the phones are not internet enabled hence it has not discussed about how to connect the phones with internet. The realization of the absolute scope of the project requires immense resources that most students are deficient of.

Key assumption is that, learning would only succeed or meet its target if computer literacy is enhanced among students, proper planning is executed, right software(s) is/are procured, adherence to timelines maintained, and appointing a responsible leadership executed. As assumed, learning might fail if proper performance strategies and identification of pertinent learning provisions are not embraced in regard to smartphones.

Limitations of the study

One of the disadvantages of the study is that most of the students are not able to afford the smartphones hence a research on using smartphones in learning will not be accurate.The study also needs some enough money to carry out various researches concerning the smartphones.

The study does not include non-students who are also using smartphones for their learning purposes like finding some relevant information they require. Additionally, the study does not include the disadvantages of using the smartphones as a learning tool. The regulation of technology in learning can be attained through different avenues.

Some of these may not be instituted by the concerned institutions. This study concerns itself with how students use Smartphones in learning. When policies are enacted, they ignore other governmental actions that could influence the use of smartphones in schools.

Historical background on the use of smartphones

Smartphones are cellular telephones that are fitted with some important applications and internet access. Besides, the current smartphones do not only provide digital voice services to the people across the world but also e-mail and sending text messages.

Through the phones, people can listen to their favorite music, watch videos, take cameras and make calls. Over the recent years, the number of people using smartphones has drastically increased across the world. Additionally, people of different gender, young and old are able to use the smartphones.

Conversely, most individuals using this type of phone are not able to understand how the technology has advanced. Specific technologies designed to develop the product had been invented. For instance, the know-hows has introduces some clear presentation that shows how the phone has steadily evolved since it was introduced into the market.

In addition, it also shows some of the old mobile phones that had existed before. In the early days, phones were considered to be huge machines that slowly evolved to become smaller with time. The introduction of iphones has created a massive change of mind as people have now put more focus on the phone’s screen.

Besides, phones have increasingly become bigger than before to accommodate larger displays. Mobile phones were invented in the year 1973 by Martin cooper. Moreover, smartphones were later introduced into the market in the year 1996. Since its introduction into the market, people were able to easily communicate with each other without any challenges.

Different smartphones were introduced into the market at different times. For instance, Blackberry was introduced into the market in 1999 while the standard Motorola was introduced in the year 2004. This is a critical provision in the context of learning and technological advancements. This is a critical provision in the context of e-learning and promotion of technology in the learning arenas.

This has greatly improved people’s living standards as many individuals can now read and write using their mobile phones. Consequently, smartphones have now become a device that can be used for both private digital help and a mobile phone.

Various mobile phone manufacturing companies have been introduced into the market hence there is a stiff competition within the local and international markets. Consequently, most of the companies are not coming up with some unique inventions to ensure that they actively and successively compete with other organizations.

For instance, the American market has been flooded with approximately nine technologies with different products. Unlike landline phones and mobile phones which has reached their saturation points, smartphones has steadily gained popularity and is still believed to move at a faster rate. For instance, their market share has been doubling each year.

Statistics indicate that this represents more than three quarters of the total sales in the United States mobile phones sales. In addition, approximately fifty percent of the American population is now in possession of smartphones. The pace at which it has evolved in the American market can only be compared with that of the television.

Consequently, other companies and businesses have resolved to the use of the smartphones to advertise their products and carry out some transactions. Smartphones including the iPhone 4S is a derivative of iPhone 4. The phone has additional features added to it making it exemplarily magnificent.

This gives it a massive competitive advantage over other contenders in its category. Being a product from Apple Inc., the company uses numerous segmentation variables unique to the phone in order to promote it within the learning environments and beyond. This renders the phone quite potable and convenient to use for learning purposes. For example, Apple Inc.

managed to reduce the bulkiness of iPhone 4S compared to the former iPhone 4, which is its predecessor. These features have impressed students thus giving the phone a massive market share compared to other phones in its category or below. It measures 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm in dimensions indicating how slim, portable, and convenient it was at the time of its inception.

These provisions have rendered smartphones quite competitive in the learning realms. Another notable variable in this phone is the language recognition provisions that it possesses. Most Smartphones have the software provision named SIRI (Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface), which is able to recognize and interpret voices, answer inquiries, compose recommendations, and execute actions, and connect to the internet by a set of delegated request.

For example, this feature forms the selling point of iPhone 4S. It is the only gadget with these provisions hence can be used by numerous categories of customers. The fact that it recognizes voices and interprets them into functional commands is a fascinating provision of its era. This has rendered the phone quite magnificent besides other provisions it has in its functionality.

This indicates the valuable use of smartphones in learning. Another variable used by smartphone to target its clients is memory provisions. The phone has no memory card slot but contains considerable internal 16/32/64 GB storage and a 512 MB RAM. This means that it has a faster processing unit and internal data storage capacity commensurate to storage provisions provided by the external storage devices.

In their data variables, smartphones have WLAN (Wi-Fi hotspot) making them capable of accessing wireless internet connections during learning sessions. They also possess Bluetooth for local transfer of information and a USB pot provision where they can be connected directly to computers for direct exchanges. This exhibits the important use of smartphones in learning.

Another variable that has rendered smartphones quite competitive in the learning provisions is their high resolution inbuilt camera (Touch focus, geo-tagging, face recognition, HDR, VGA, LED video light) capable of recording videos, capturing snaps, and offering image editing provisions. These factors have offered a considerable selling point for smartphones compared to other phones in its caliber and in the context of learning contexts.

These segmentation variables give the phones the psychographic and benefits sought. Students have a number of benefits they attain from the phone. This indicates the valuable use of smartphones in learning. For instance, this gives iPhone 4S a competitive advantage against other rivals in the market. The phone has a stronger brand name created by Apple allowing it to sell globally.

In features, as one of its segmentation variables that differentiates iPhone 4S from others, the phone has an operation system of iOS 5, sensors, Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9 processor, and varying messaging provisions namely iMessage, SMS (threaded view), MMS, and Email among others (GSMArena.com.).

Other features include Google Maps, Audio/video thespian and editor, and variability in colors (Black and White), which are all important in the learning provision. This demonstrates the credible use of smartphones in learning. The market is saturated with numerous products of similar category; however, these commodities still thrill the market with novelty and appropriateness required in the currently changing world.

The marketers of these products have managed to bring them to the global limelight. In the context of e-learning, the products have attained a reasonable market share, global visibility, massive customer response, and considerable returns.

Discussions of theoretical framework for the study

According to Diane D’Amico (2012), over the past years, a number of schools did not accept the fact that cellphones can be used in various studies. For instance, most schools and institutions have barred the students from using the mobile phones arguing that students can use the gargets to steal their exams.

But currently, with the improved technology, most schools and learning institutions have accepted the fact that use of smartphones is a vital technology that should be embraced by the students (D’Amico, 2012). Besides, studies reveal that the use of smartphones will reduced some costs that can be incurred by the students when using the old technology in their studies.

Consequently, the use of the phones in their studies has become part of their life as they cannot easily do their homework or any other tasks without the involvement of the smartphones. The gadgets are able to access internet, take pictures, store information, record voices, and perform other numerous tasks demanded by their users.

However, they vary considerably from the services they offer, technological endorsement, physical structure, performance, and value among other provisions in the context of learning. The mentioned gadgets have considerable disparities ranging from their manufacturers to functionality and other provisions. This has rendered them quite considerable in this write-up.

Additionally, they belong to the same industry. Mobile phones, wireless communication, entertainment, pleasure, information storage, and variety are some of the lucrative provisions considerable in these products. The smartphones have rocked the global market and learning provisions since their inception several years back.

According to D’Amico (2012), the most interesting part is that the students themselves have realized the importance of using smartphones in their studies hence most of them are able to quickly learn and operate the gargets without the assistance of their lecturers or teachers. For instance, they (teachers and lecturers) do not have to show learners how the technology can be applied.

On the other hand, teachers and lecturers in various learning institutions have also resolved to the use of phones to improve their lessons. Arguably, the issue is not about the availability of the iphones but rather how it can be used to improve the level at which students are being taught in class. Conversely, most of the students are using the phones as part of their games hence teachers have the responsibility of ensuring that the students stay focused and use the phones appropriately (D’Amico, 2012).

Otherwise, the smartphones will not serve their correct purpose. Possibly, students are able to discover and experiment themselves past the lessons that they are taught in class. Teachers are also supposed to ensure that they use online services that can be applicable to all the students as some may possess different types of phones.

Conversely, some of the schools do not allow the use of phones in normal classrooms but only when they are doing their computer studies. One of the biggest challenges is that most of the teachers had not accepted the fact that smartphones can be used by the students as their classroom tool.

Statistics indicate that most of the students are now able to do their assignments back at home with a lot of ease hence they do not find themselves on the wrong side of the school rules. Consequently, they are able to give their teachers some easy time to move ahead thus completing their syllabus on time. Most teachers and lecturers strongly believe that the use of smartphones in studies has created more opportunities and saved time that could have been wasted in classrooms when carrying out manual teaching.

It has also reduced costs that would otherwise be used to print out some papers for studies as teachers can now transmit all the needed information electronically. According to Bolkan (2012), most students using smartphones in their studies are majorly interested in STEM subjects. Arguably, there is a huge gap between the number of people using their smartphones back at home and in school.

According to various surveys that had been carried out, it was evident that a number of students (approximately 40 percent) use their smartphones to do their assignment back at home (Bolkan, 2012). In addition, approximately 30 percent said that they use their tablets to do their homework. Among the students questioned, 60 percent believed that they were able to acquire more knowledge in mathematics and science through the use of laptops and tablets.

The same tendency was seen with the students that were using smartphones in their classrooms. Conversely, 60 percent of students using tablets said that they were not allowed to use them in their classrooms. 80 percent gave similar report concerning smartphones.

Most student studying STEM lessons have easy access to the job market in the united states hence most students are using their mobile devices to improve their concentration in STEM studies (Bolkan, 2012). Consequently, the number of scholars graduating with a degree in STEM has steadily increased over the past years.

According to the interviews carried out, most of the students who were using smartphones and laptops in their classroom studies had more inclined to the study of STEM subjects. Additionally, they said they were happy and felt clever to go for the STEM lessons. Conversely, 80 percent of the students coming from poor families were not able to purchase the smartphones or laptops hence they entirely relied on what they were being taught in class (Bolkan, 2012).

Among the students who were interviewed 60 percent accepted the fact that the application of the smartphones has made them to have the desire of learning more. According to Cathleen, Hossain and Elliot, the use of computers and smartphones had changed the whole learning curriculum that had been used before they were introduced.

Consequently, the application of the mobile devices in their studies has led to a 40 percent improvement in their final grades. The market price of the smartphone and tablets is steadily decreasing hence most of the students are able to purchase the devices. Consequently, schools will only have to organize on how to provide internet to the students and not how to purchase computers.

This will eventually reduce the costs that could otherwise been used to purchase computers for students. Arguably, a number of students preferred using the smartphones compared to laptopssince they considered it to be readily available and cheap compared to other gargets that they can use in their studies.

Additionally, smartphones are able to actively cope with the rapid improvement in technology. Unlike computers, students preferred using the smartphones as it was portable and always obtainable. Additionally, students were able to switch the gargets off and on easily thus it were considered as a time consuming mobile device.

It was discovered that most students who had smartphones were able to use them both at home and in school hence it they were able to improve in the way they carried out themselves academically. Besides, the mobile device has assisted the teachers to organize a comprehensive lesson. It has also helped the students towards improving their lessons.

Cathleen, Hossain and Elliot believe that most schools are supposed to encourage their students to adopt the new technologies to make them cope with the daily changes in the learning patterns. According to Carey (2012), a number of students use the smartphones cheating in their examinations and cyber-bullying. Conversely, they believe the mobile device can be an important learning tool.

Smartphones have an unbelievable computing power and hence are most preferred by a number of students who are ready to improve in their studies (Carey, 2012). Statistics indicated that if the students are not able to properly use their smartphones, then there is high possibility of them using them inappropriately. Therefore, teachers should direct the students on how to appropriately use the smartphones in their study rooms as learning tools.

Jennifer acknowledges that she teaches in an independent school where most of the students come from rich families. Consequently, all of her students possess some brand of smartphone device. This does not apply to all the teachers. Most students are able to carry out their discussions in groups where they can only use a single device in each group.

Smartphone devices are being used by the students and teachers for supporting their lessons and any academic activities within and outside the school (Carey, 2012). For instance, the tools make the lessons to become more captivating and productive. Consequently, students will not be intrinsically captivated with the mobile device they continuously use when out of school.

If they are not able to enjoy using the smartphone devices during their studies, then they can be desirous to use them in a wrong way. The use of the phones has given weak students a chance to express themselves as they are now able to ask questions during their lessons (Carey, 2012). The use of smartphone is growing rapidly in the learning arenas. The technology has revolutionized the education sector in regard to learning behaviors.

This might in turn influence their behaviors as students in the realms of decision making and learning preferences. Notably, colleges and universities are some of the areas that have adopted the use of smartphones in learning. Research indicates that the use of smartphones for learning provisions has grown tremendously over the past years.

Discussion of learning theories in regard to Smartphones

Students and teachers have used smartphones in a number of ways during their studies.They (Students and teachers) are able to install software called poll everywhere which they can use to carry out class polling of quizzing. According to Rai (2011), the software is free hence every student using the smartphones is able to access it.

Quiz questions can be generated using the software whereby students will be able to deliver their respective answers by sending text messages using their phones. The process is very cheap and convenient therefore students do not need to purchase, set up or maintain the sticker systems (Rai, 2011). As a requirement, students should register their smartphone numbers with their class teachers.

Consequently, the teachers will be able to check their answers for some of the unprepared quizzes or reviews. This will also help teachers identify the academic records and trends of their students and find possible solution to areas with weaknesses. Students have also used the smartphone devices for in-class back-channeling (Rai, 2011).

Through this process, students and teachers are able to use their internet systems and social media to ensure that there is a constant online spoken remarks. In addition, there will be an easy communication through the social media. Baldauf & Stair (2011) states that, through social media like twitter, teachers are able to give homework to the students.

Consequently, students are also able to submit their homework online hence it saves time since they do not have to wait until they reach school. Due to the improved technology, students can now study and do their exams online by using their smartphone devices (Baldauf& Stair, 2011). Moreover, people are able to use some common programs like Today’s Meet to create some provisional rooms to organize for some student discussions.

Students can also use Poll Everywhere to organize for their group discussions and control some of the comments. According to Balacheff (2009), students can use the smartphone devices effectively in their reading rooms as e-Readers for handouts and their study books. They can always find some of the needed information for their assignments using their internet enabled smartphone devices.

Consequently, this will improve their reading and learning skills hence they are able to make an outstanding academic improvement (Balacheff, 2009). Students and teachers can use their Drop Box accounts to attach their handouts, assignments or recorded articles on their phones (Rosen, 2009).

They can use their internet enabled smartphones to access reference materials in their drop box accounts without having to photocopy them out. Additionally, they will not ask for fresh copies of the references since they can always obtain them in their Drop Box space. Learners can use their smartphone applications like Nook applications and iBooks to obtain their traditional reading materials (Rosen, 2009).

Besides, a number of the mobile applications have free information and students can easily upload the necessary information they need. Consequently, they are able to save a lot of money they could have spent in buying the books and making photocopies. By using mobile applications, students are able to highlight and annotate their work.

According to Morley, Parker & Parker, learners can always use their smartphone devices to carry out research. They can take notes and data that are useful for the research. Besides, the power of carrying out successful research is in the mobile applications. They can use the smartphone’s fitted camera to capture some information that is important for the research (Cho, 2013).

Applications like Genius Scam+ can always be used to take pictures of books with large volumes, make them smaller and improve them for easy reading (Morley, Parker & Parker, 2010). They can always generate notebooks of documents by copying some pieces of books that contain the important information they need. Consequently, they can keep the information in their smartphones in a photo image or PDF format (MobileReference, 2007).

Learners can also use applications like Evernote to consolidate their class work and images. Stanza applications found in a number of smartphones can be used to change notes to word or PDF format. Generally, the dependence on investigation of most effective strategies would be applicable in enhancing the critical research outcomes of the study (Anderson & Little, 2004).

The appearance and perception of the teaching or instruction method when in application of the concise or accurate mathematical vocabulary within students’ written or outlined solutions would also be critical. The study will also analyze the effects of application of diverse proposed strategies in teaching the mathematical vocabulary.

There will be consideration of the most affected classroom grades within the education systems, most probably, the high school as well as the eighth grades. The proposed study remains of great importance to most other instructors, even those within other subjects. There will be provision of adequate information to these teachers, regarding the effect of basic languages on the particular subjects by the end of the proposed study.

Several studies in the past have majored and discovered basically the particular literacy methods that can be applied by instructors and teachers in the instruction and learning processes. These investigations have also majored on the ways of strengthening the conviction that literacy remains vital when students get to know the critical skills and comprehend the e-learning provisions. The students suffer difficulty in the application of concise language of smartphones.

Sections related to research question background

Numerous researches carried out indicate that approximately 80 percent of students from wealthy background are able to access and use smartphones. This is contrary to those coming from poor background whose figure was approximately 32 percent. Additionally, learners using smartphones were able to improve in their class work compared to those who entirely relied on their class work.

It was also discovered that a number of students preferred using the smartphone devices for doing their assignments and carrying out research. Conversely, more research should be carried out to establish how smartphone applications directly affect students who use them at school compared to those using them only at home. Research should also be carried out to establish the effectiveness of using smartphones.

Conclusively, given chapter one and two, it is necessary to carry out this research (Cho, 2013). Firstly, producers of the chosen smartphones have to deal with suppliers proficiently to ensure that they manage their production, operations, and marketing activities adeptly. Additionally, any hindrance in the supply chain process can cost the company massively in the realms of business and promptness.

Another issue is the raw ingredients/raw materials needed to prepare the concerned smartphones. These should be adequate, reliable and of higher quality enhance e-learning provisions. The providers of microchips, software, batteries, and assembly materials must be prompt in their services. The third aspect to be considered is the distributors in the sales and marketing chain to help student access smartphones in the market.

This must conform to the educational demands. Considerably, lives of individuals have been influenced positively through mobile phone infrastructures. Currently, mobile phone communications is quite prevalent and is applied in almost everywhere from businesses to government institutions and private entertainments. The applications are not only limited to elementary calls rather; different products and services are provided.

In all the applications, e-learning through smartphones has become very vital and feasible. The evolution of e-learning is influenced much by the progress and advancements in modern e-learning applications. Also, progression of main substructure constituents like fast wireless data networks like 3G plus mobile communication devices with multiple applications contribute immensely to improvements in the e-learning through smartphones.

This has numerous of benefits as already outlined in the above summery. The major factors that drive attractiveness to the e-learning through smartphones include easy usage, accessibility, and convenience. The implementation or integration of new IT systems in the learning institutions requires proper planning, coordination, and acquisition of the right software(s).

This is to ensure that every activity is undertaken within the scope of operation. The use of smartphones for learning among students might face the risk of poor planning and incongruence due to its expanded scope. The scope requires more time to aid the procurement of quality networks, infrastructure and strategic planning.

This is not achievable among some students and institutions they learn in. This may pose a serious risk that may compromise the expected quality standards in education. Major constraints appertain to lack of adequate resources including monetary provisions and IT specialists.

References

Chao, L. (2011). Open source mobile learning: Mobile linux applications. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.

Frederick, G. R. & Lal, R. (2009).Beginning smartphone web development: Building JavaScript, CSS, HTML and Ajax-based applications for iPhone, Android, Palm Pre, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Nokia S60. New York: Apress.

Madden, L. (2011). Professional augmented reality browsers for smartphones: Programming for Junaio, Layar, and Wikitude. West Sussex: Wiley Pub. Inc.

MobileReference,. (2007). Travel Barcelona, Spain: City Guide, Phrasebook, and Maps. Boston: MobileReference.com.

Nielsen, L. & Webb, W. H. (2011). Teaching generation text: Using cell phones to enhance learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Shelly, G. B., Vermaat, M., &Quasney, J. J. (2011). Discovering computers 2011: Living in a digital world : introductory. Boston, MA: Course Technology Cengage Learning.

Stair, R. M. (2011). Fundamentals of information systems. New York: Cengage Learning.

Balacheff, N. (2009). Technology-enhanced learning: Principles and products. Dordrecht: Springer.

Baldauf, K. & Stair, R. (2011). Succeeding with technology: Computer system concepts for your life. Boston, MA: Course Technology/Cengage Learning.

Bolkan, J. (2012). . Web.

Carey, J. (2012). . Web.

Cho, N. (2013). The use of smart mobile equipment for the innovation in organizational coordination. Berlin: Springer.

D’Amico, D. (2012). Teachers share tips for using smartphones as learning tools in class, at home. Web.

Morley, D., Parker, C. S., & Parker, C. S. (2010). Understanding computers: Today and tomorrow. Boston, MA: Course Technology Cengage Learning.

Pachler, N., Bachmair, B., Cook, J. & Kress, G. R. (2010). Mobile learning: Structures, agency, practices. New York: Springer.

Rai, P. (2011). . Web.

Rosen, A. (2009). E-learning 2.0: Proven practices and emerging technologies to achieve real results. New York: AMACOM/American Management Association.

Stair, R. M., & Reynolds, G. W. (2012). Principles of information systems. Australia: Course Technology Cengage Learning.

Smartphones and Generations: Hyper-Connected World

For the younger generation, phones provide several relevant opportunities for them. First, it is social network, the essence of which is to communicate with other people and peers, as well as to show the details of their lives (Brooks & Lasser, 2018). With the help of photos, videos and music playlists teenagers not only show off or compete in the quality of life, but also to get acquainted. Secondly, it’s taking pictures of different moments and objects that are important to the individual (Brooks & Lasser, 2018). This includes everything from homework and necessary notes to nature, animals and selfies with friends. In this way, memories and values are formed, as not everything is for social media. Third, listening to music, which is a necessity for teenagers (Brooks & Lasser, 2018). Music as an area of art makes individual feel positive emotions, to relax or distract from problems. In addition, music is an effective method of getting to know each other through, for example, shared tastes or recommendations.

However, the older generation has a different attitude towards telephones. These gadgets are not as much in demand for the following reasons:

The first reason not to innovate is a fear of everything new. Adults have been modeling their world for years (Brooks & Lasser, 2018). When something new is introduced, there is a stupor. This is due to the fact that the human brain processes new information more slowly over time, and develops new skills.

The second reason is the fear of screwing something up. Because machines that were around in the past were often faulty, people who have grown up with imperfect technology now will not trust this kind of technology (Brooks & Lasser, 2018).

The third problem lies in the loved ones, who, sometimes paying insufficient time to the older generation, believe that the proposed instruction to the smartphone is written in an accessible language and in it absolutely anyone can understand (Brooks & Lasser, 2018). It should be understood that adults need more time to master technology than young people.

It is important to emphasize that this does not apply to the older generation. Smartphones become relevant in adulthood, but are often limited to the basic functions of calling and texting (Brooks & Lasser, 2018). The information analogue for the older generation is the television.

Reference

Brooks, M., and Lasser, J. (2018). Tech generation. Raising balanced kids in a hyper-connected world. Oxford University Press.

Blackberry Smartphone Consumer Behavior

Background

This report elaborates consumer purchase behavior issue related to Blackberry Smartphone. The report seeks to ascertain the best marketing strategy that can fit the consumer behavior in the Smartphone industry.

Store Selection

Blackberry Smartphone store

Market Segmentation

The market for Smartphone should be segmented based upon the individuals’ purchasing power and the age bracket. The products should be designed to match the needs of the respective market segment. For example, the phones designed for the youth population should include interactive applications that facilitate sharing, message sending, reading of documents, access to internet and sending photos.

On the other hand, the designs for professionals should have email functionalities, QWERTY keyboard and additional business features. Users must be provided with innovative technology in addition to style. These features will provide memorable experience and promote the demand for the products.

Product Positioning

The Blackberry Smartphone devices are positioned on grounds of quality, as a company, RIM offers high quality products that are not only user friendly but also offer competitive prices to both business and personal users. The company enjoys significant competitive advantages given the global presence of its stores.

Variables under Study

A number of internal and external variables that affect Blackberry consumer behavior will be analyzed. External factors include demographic characteristics, reference groups, social status, and family. Internal variables on the other hand include personality, learning, self-concept, learning, memory, and motives.

Analysis of the Consumer Decision Process

Description of the External Variables

Demographics

The demographics of its current market indicates that it targets majorly the middle to upper income individuals aged from 30 to 35 and working in business and managerial sectors. The mainstream consumer market presents significant opportunities that the company can tap into.

The company can join this market segment through bringing in and integrating changes from the consumers’ point of view. The additional features that the company has introduced in its smart devices that include applications like Twitter and Facebook in addition to multimedia functionalities will attract the youth segment of the population including students and appeal to their interactive lifestyles.

The company should focus its marketing attention on the young generation who are well acquainted with social media, technology and can influence the consumption patterns of their parents.

Social Status

The demographics for this population are individuals who belong to the lower to the upper middle class. To this segment, ownership of a blackberry device is a symbol of status. They make use of these devices not only to communicate, but also to send emails, receive email notifications, and chat with friends.

Culture

The product targets all cultures because unlike other products, the use of smart devices is not strongly affected by culture. The product is used by individuals across all cultures.

Reference Groups

Many of the individuals falling within the 30-35 age brackets are workers in the middle of the careers. Their purchase decisions are mainly influenced by the opinions of the family members, friends, and peers.

They are equally influenced by the purchase decisions made by their closest friends and peers, who refer them to the specific stores where they bought their blackberry devices. The group also seeks information from the internet and social media before making purchase decisions.

Description of Internal Variables

Consumer Personality: the personality of the consumer especially that of the middle class has a significant influence on the purchase decisions.

Individual perceptions: a personal view of thins is very important as it dictates how this population segment interpret the appearance and feel of the products.

Learning: this population segment can be best explained by cognitive theory of learning. They learn through observation by seeing the purchase decisions made by their closest friends, family members, co-workers, and peers. This in turn influences how they behave.

Motives: consumer motives for purchasing a Smartphone (blackberry) arise mainly due to the need for self-actualization. Other motives include the type of customer service extended and the availability of after sales services.

Memory: past experience on the exemplary quality of the device influences the customer purchase decision. The attractiveness of the stores in addition to ease of navigating through the stores are equally important determinants of purchase decisions.

Statement of the Consumer Behavior Issue

Consumers are often confronted with the need to make purchase decisions on products and services almost on a daily basis. Some of these decisions are of utmost importance to consumers and involve great effort, while others are made based on impulse.

The view points on decision making vary from focus on habits that an individual develops to a focus on fresh events that involve a high degree of risk where buyers have to carefully gather and assess information before making choices (Papaoikonomou, Ryan & Ginieis, 2011). Consumer behavior issue for this project is ‘how do consumers make Smartphone purchase decisions.

The topic is of importance because individuals no longer base their purchase decisions on a phone’s functions and features alone. Every year, Smartphones’ sales increase at a faster rate. It is important to understand Smartphones’ sales drivers.

Previously, buyers focused on phones that were well designed and contained latest technology features such as GPS, Wi-Fi and high-resolution camera. However, today, the development of mobile hardware has been accorded secondary importance. Today, greater focus is on the experience that Smartphone offers, the possibilities that it makes possible and the specific needs that they meet (Zarantonello & Schmitt, 2010).

According to GFK Custom Research (2012), approximately 37 percent of individuals who own mobile phones in key global markets intent to upgrade to a Smartphone in their subsequent upgrade cycle. Similarly, a large percentage of individuals who use Smartphones (56 percent) express preference to a particular brand and very few of them have declared loyalty to their current Smartphone brand.

Methodology Employed

The project will adopt primary research methods specifically surveys. Approximately five students who identify themselves as Blackberry (RIM) users will be requested to complete a survey. The questions will be about their Smartphone preferences and it will take approximately 5 to 8 minutes to complete the survey.

Participation will be on voluntary basis and all respondents are requested to disclose as much information as possible. The responses gathered from the survey will be treated as confidential and all data will be reported in aggregate and not individually.

Analysis of Consumer Behavior Using Theory Concepts

In making a decision on whether to purchase a Blackberry Smartphone or not, consumers undergo a number of processes that include recognizing the problem before a consumer buys a Smartphone, he or she first realizes that there is a need which the phone will satisfy (Court, Elzinga, Mulder & Vetvik, 2009).

It is because of this that the consumer identifies a specific brand (Blackberry) for which s/he has developed an emotional attachment and s/he believes the phone can meet the needs identified. Because of this, people have different brand preferences for Smartphones namely: Apples, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Nokia Symbian and Android.

Once a customer has developed a brand preference based on the need s/he believes the brand satisfies, it becomes very difficult for a competitor to gain his or her patronage. In making a Smartphone purchase decision, a number of factors will influence the individuals decision.

These include the brand performance of the Smartphone, availability of the product, personal emotions, normal depletion and individual development.

Information search; once the need for the Smartphone has been identified, the consumer embarks on the search for information. This is done both internally and externally to get a product that can address the identified need on an ongoing process.

The Smartphone customers develop relevant criteria for solving the problem. As information search advances, external information search tends to gain more importance. Market features that influence the choice of the product include: the Smartphones price, availability and distribution of the companys stores, available substitutes and price.

Product features for example, the level of differentiation and the price have a significant influence on the external search for information.

Evaluating the choices and selecting an alternative after gathering sufficient information about the available Smartphones that can meet the identified need, an evaluation of the various brands (Apples, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Nokia Symbian and Android) is done and the on e best fit to address the need is selected.

A consumer evaluates the products based upon the features that can best respond to his problem and the criteria differs from one consumer to the other. Smartphone consumers base their decision criteria on the quality of the device, the price, the incentives, and the applications it supports.

Smartphone selection and purchase; the selection criteria that the consumers employ in selecting a brand is almost the same with the one they use in selecting the retail outlet. For many Smartphone buyers, the manner in which the products are displayed (store image), the type and volume of retail advertising significantly influences the evaluation criteria adopted by the customer.

Store image does not only include the display of the Smartphones but also the service delivered, merchandise, physical facilities, level of convenience, store atmosphere, promotional campaigns and the number of clientele. Smartphone consumes tend to exhibit a shopping orientation which is the approach the consumer adopts in acquiring both the non-purchase satisfaction and brand preference in different retail outlets.

In some cases, consumers may end up purchasing a Smartphone brand when in fact they did not have that plan in mind before they entered the store. This is called impulse purchase and this can be the result of the customer processing additional information induced by in store attractiveness. With the brand and the specific outlet in mind, a consumer makes a purchase of the Smartphone device.

After purchase process, it is a common experience that after making some purchases, consumers tend to question the wisdom behind the purchase. Whether or not the consumer experiences dissatisfaction with the product, the purchase of the Smartphone will most definitely be followed by use to fulfill the need identified in the first stage (Keinan & Kivetz, 2008).

However, a negative evaluation may result from the use. It is at this stage that the marketing aspects become more relevant. Through a consistent follow up on how consumers make use of the product, the company can device new methods of using their current products, they can develop catchy advertisements, create demand for new products, and change their existing products to conform to the customer requirements.

Some consumers of Smartphone devices may not be satisfied with the devices and they may end up disposing them. When a product fails to meet the expectations of the consumer post-purchase, dissatisfaction follows and this will have a significant influence on how the individual evaluates his next purchase process.

Because of this, they may decide to take no action at all, switch between stores, brands or products or warn their friends about the demerits of the product. These represent the effects of a negative purchase evaluation process. Some companies offer companies some level of repurchase motivation following a negative evaluation process.

Recommendations for Marketing Actions Based on Analysis

Need for Change in the Marketing Strategy

Price; a company that offers the most competitive prices in the market can capture a significant portion of the current market share especially during the hard economic times. If the prices of Smartphones can be set based upon the pricing strategies pursued by the competitors, consumers can benefit immensely.

Place; as noted earlier in the analysis one of the factors that determine the type of a Smartphone brand that consumers purchase is the availability of the product. Because of this, Smartphone companies must expand their regional, national and global presence.

Promotion; product promotions influence the demand for Smartphone devices. For companies in the industry to capture the market and convince consumers with their innovative technologies, they must explore modern ways of promoting the products to the mainstream consumer segment (Lee & Liqiang, 2010).

The new marketing styles should be formulated in a manner that attracts the younger generation by promoting interactive lifestyle applications.

Product; to effectively market the products and attract the masses, phones must have detailed features and trendy. Phones should have enhanced capabilities that include functions like multimedia capabilities and redesigning the phones to attract the consumers and capture substantial market share.

Penetrating the Market

Producers of Smartphones must focus on boosting their share in the Smartphone industry at both consumer and enterprise levels. The marketing team must formulate strategies aimed at creating and increasing brand awareness by selling the benefits of the brand. In the same way, firms should improve their delivery efforts and launch more service stations. This will provide them with an upper hand in entering new markets and capturing the market share.

Application of the Recommendations to Blackberry

From the above analysis, it is clear that Smartphone is a global leader in the cell phone device industry. Companies like Research in Motion (RIM) should redefine their target market from the traditional focus on business users to include even student customers. By redefining its target market, the company can easily increase its revenues.

To achieve revenue expansion, the company must undertake a number of marketing initiatives that include repositioning itself to cater for the diverse needs of the consumers. The company needs to produce lower-end phones but with similar capabilities like the high-end Blackberry Storm that will appeal to the younger population more so students.

Smartphones are associated with business professionals who need to communicate quickly regardless of whether they are on the move or in the office. However, given the increased popularity of smart devices and a decline in the price of mobile technology, Smartphone companies have been forced to expand their product lines to include features such as communication, data transfer and entertainment.

These companies must move ahead and market the aesthetic aspects of the phones as an integral component of selling the Smartphones. In addition, the number of applications that a Smartphone has dictates its sales market boundaries.

References

Court, D., Elzinga, D., Mulder, S. & Vetvik, O. (2009). The consumer decision journey. McKinsey Quarterly, (3), 96-107.

Gfk Custom Research. (2010). The Smartphone market is there to be won. Web.

Keinan, A. & Kivetz, R. (2008). Remedying Hyperopia: The Effects of Self-Control Regret on Consumer Behavior. Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 45(6), 676-689.

Lee, S. M. & Liqiang, C. (2010). The Impact of Flow on Online Consumer Behavior. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 50(4), 1-10.

Papaoikonomou, E., Ryan, G. & Ginieis, M. (2011). Towards a Holistic Approach of the Attitude Behaviour Gap in Ethical Consumer Behaviours: Empirical Evidence from Spain. International Advances in Economic Research, 17(1), 77-88.

Zarantonello, L. & Schmitt, B. H. (2010). Using the brand experience scale to profile consumers and predict consumer behavior. Journal of Brand Management, 17(7), 532-540.

Smartphone Blackberry Company

Technology has come a long way since early man invented modes of communication. People are in constant need of keeping in touch for various reasons since they cannot always be together at one place at the same time. Reasons for communication vary from family matters, business issues, and global communication. There is a lot of information flowing each second, which needs to be shared with other people. With the coming of globalization, new methods have been invented to stay on top of issues and make the world a global village. It is for this reason that people try to make communication easy by coming up with various ways to transmit information faster and more conveniently (Ilyas, 2006). The first phones only catered for the single purpose of calling, they were big and immovable. The appearance of the mobile phones has changed the world very drastically. Mobile phones have become a necessity in each household, that is why their portability and applicability are the determining factors. You might be far from your family, friends or work place but still feel connected to them. This is possible because you can exchange e-mails, photos, videos, texts and calls with their help.

Mobile phone functions seem to be increasing each day because it is hard to move with computers around because of their size and weight; and even with laptops, it is still tedious. This is why the mobile phone has taken over virtually every function of the computer. It is no longer just used for calling and texting. What is a Smartphone then? This is a kind of the art gadget that has advanced computing features, uses an operating system like a computer and has enhanced and multiple connectivity abilities. Features integrated in a smart phone include high resolution cameras, media players, bluetooth, touch screens and wireless internet connection ability (Al-Ubaydli, 2006). These types of phones are essentially mini computers. The mobile operating systems include iOS used by apple’s iPhone, Nokia’s Symbian, Google’s Android and the BlackBerry’s OS. Other third party applications can be installed; e.g., Java applications and games, and entertainment applications. With these applications, you can manage almost everything in your phone, which include day to day schedules, managing contacts, arranging business meetings and Internet access. Another important feature of the smart phone is the QWERTY keyboard, which is the same as that of the normal computer. The keyboard can be physical or integrated onto a touch screen. This makes texting and e-mailing very simple. Since the invention of the smart phones, mobile phone companies are trying to outdo each other by producing different models with different capabilities.

The popularity of a smart phone has been elevated by its function capabilities. Other gadgets, such as the Personal Data Assistant (PDA), laptops, palm tops and the normal feature phones, are either bulky or have limited capabilities. Consider a scenario where you have to carry around a digital camera, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile phone, a notebook, diary and a media player. Managing all these items can prove to be a cumbersome task, and there is also the bulk factor to consider. A smart phone encompasses all these capabilities in to a single gadget that is portable, small and easy to manage. Taking into consideration the cost factor, it proves that buying all those gadgets will be expensive. Smart phones are cost effective and offer the functions of all other gadgets in one. For example, you can take high resolution photos, plan your schedules, connect to the internet on high speed connection networks (3G and 4G) and even engage in a meeting via video conferencing.

There are many models and brands of smart phones in the market today. Different mobile phone companies are producing high-end mobile phones. The choice of a smart phone depends on the function capabilities and the price tag and to some extent, to the preference on colour, design and size. One of the smart phones in the market is the Blackberry. It is a smart phone designed by a Canadian company. The Blackberry is one of the most popular brands in the market. This phone has a sleek design and comes in many colours. The price tag also depends on the design, model and features that the phone has incorporated. The Blackberry can be used as a personal digital assistant and has a high speed connection to the Internet. Other models have touch screens while some have the physical keyboard. It can also be synchronized with a personal computer for data transfer and other computing functions.

The developers of the Blackberry have ensured that it stays competitive in the smart phone market by ensuring that the phone is durable. This means that it can survive drops without losing any data that are stored. The battery life is also long, which makes it even more popular because one needs a mobile phone that can go for hours or days without charging all the time. The Blackberry is also affordable, and various designs offer customized satisfaction to different individuals. Mailing and managing office work is one of the selling factors of this phone. With the long battery life, you can use it as an entertainment garget to take photos, chat, and listen to music. The blackberry OS makes it easier for one to navigate through the menu (Jipping, 2007). You can enjoy a program or switch to another one without having to closing the other just like a computer, and it also allows other program applications to be installed. The phone has an internal drive that can be used to store data, and also offers another option of using an external storage.

The experience of using a Blackberry smart phone has its limitations as well. The most visible let down of the Blackberry is that in most models, the screens are small. This makes reading of documents or enjoying the use of other applications very difficult. Just like a normal personal computer, opening of multiple programs slows down the processing performance of the phone. Opening a number of programs also disrupts other functions of the phone, like when there is an incoming call; sometimes it can go unnoticed.

Some model sizes are also not pocket friendly due to their bulky nature. The replacement of the physical keyboard on some models to touch screens also reduces the user friendliness of the screen as it serves all the functions. The price range is also unaffordable to many people in the developing world (Ni Lionel, 2006).

Looking at the Blackberry brand in the line of smart phones, it still leaves one to wonder what is going to come in the next generation of smart phones. However, a lot still needs to be done on the design and applicability. Most smart phones are designed for the developed world; new models should also include the applications that are most suited for the developing world.

References

Al-Ubaydli, Mohammad, 2006.The Doctors PDA and Smartphone Handbook: A Guide to Handheld Healthcare. London: Royal Society of Medicine Press.

Ilyas, Mohammed, 2006.Smartphones: Research Reports. Illinois: Professional Educational International.

Jipping, J., Michael. 2007. Smartphone Operating System Concepts with Symbian OS. West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Ni Lionel, Zheng Pei. 2006. Smartphone and Next Generation Mobile Computing. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.

How Smartphones Changed Society and the World

Social Issue/Event

  • Introduction of the smartphone to mass public
  • Driven by iPhone created by Apple and Steve Jobs in 2007
  • Revolutionized the world of communications and information exchange
  • Smartphone went from being a tool to the center of every person’s life (Eadicicco, 2019)
  • Primary social issue: extreme dependence on smartphones for daily function

Impact on Society

  • Benefits of enhanced communication, exposure to information
  • Tool to help various aspects of life, brings joy and entertainment
  • Contributed to a pattern of behavior centered around smartphones
  • Significant portion of society feels helpless or anxious without a device
  • Virtually all aspects of life are commanded by, come through, or associated with a smartphone device (Bhattacharjee, 2019)

Society Impacts

  • Technology is market-driven first and foremost
  • Consumers influence what they want from and on smartphones
  • Certain groups promote healthy moderated use of technology
  • Certain locations have restrictions in place
  • Smartphone is a tool created to fill a need – widespread adoption (Peeples, 2018)

Individual Framework of Perception

  • Analyzing the issue has highlighted my own reliance on smartphones
  • Smartphone provides much information but limits perspective
  • Found myself missing out on experiences
  • Brain function has changed due to smartphone influence
  • Smartphone should be a tool but not a solution

Field of Study or Profession

  • Technology is a significant part of accounting
  • Accounting – language of business – has become highly digitized
  • Technology advancements enhance ability to interpret data
  • Ability to analyze large data and statistical values
  • Increases accuracy and ability to interpret and predict future business trends (Pepe, 2011)

Society: Interaction

  • Technology such as the smartphone – primary methods of modern interaction
  • Shifted the patterns and behaviors of human communication (Wardynski, 2019)
  • Technology can increase accessibility to communication
  • Can also limit its viability, particularly in-person interactions
  • Social patterns are forming around technology in the 21st century (Peeples, 2018)

Society: Strategies

  • Critical analysis drives comprehension
  • Allows to perceive certain patterns, behaviors, trends
  • Through this, decision-making can improve
  • Technology used correctly can enhance the ability to attain personal and professional goals
  • Accounting requires broader thinking, awareness of business trends, and a methodological approach

Benefits and Challenges

  • Helps to understand the influence of technology on society • Provides potential for improvement or correcting of course
  • Context of modern technology increasingly complex
  • Issues can only be resolved through collaboration of various entities
  • Social and ethical issues arise that have no simple solution

Adds Value

  • One recognizes modern patterns of communication
  • Identifying which medium of interaction is most appropriate for various contexts (Wardynski, 2019)
  • Finding common grounds of discussion in either context
  • Contributing competently to the professional discourse in the field of accounting

References

Bhattacharjee, Y. (2019). National Geographic. Web.

Eadicicco, L. (2019). The first iPhone changed the world forever — see how Apple’s iconic smartphone evolved over the past decade. Business Insider. Web.

Peeples, L. (2018). NBC News. Web.

Pepe, A.A. (2011). The evolution of technology for the accounting profession. CPA Practice Advisor. Web.

Wardynski, D.J. (2019). Brainspire. Web.

Smartphones Affect and Change Modern Life

Modern life is characterized by multiple inventions and technological progress that facilitate human interactions and promote positive changes. Smartphone technology has shaped the modern world in various ways, and, as any achievement, it has certain advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, people enjoy available convenience, connection, and many services available at hand. On the other hand, distraction and constantly changing price policies promote financial and ethical concerns. In this essay, three ways of how smartphones have changed modern life will be discussed. The invention of smartphones allows people to communicate, exchange information, and develop new designs, which contributes to economic development and creativity, but it is insensibly becoming not just a device but another reality for society.

The quality of communication is one of the most evident contributions of smartphones today. The citizens of developing and developed countries continuously use smartphones for different purposes, but immediate contact and information exchange are primary goals. Modern people need to stay informed about recent changes, achievements, and states of affairs. They deserve a chance to access and share information in the most convenient way, and smartphone technology makes it possible. WhatsApp is a popular chat app that unites users from different parts of the world (Hern). It does not take much time to find a person, send a message, or make a call. People like smartphones to exchange photos, deliver visual or audio files, and stay in touch all the time.

Another way smartphones have changed human life is the necessity to introduce new designs, services, and products that people are eager to buy together with a new device. Someone could say that the Internet is the major invention of all time, and they would be right. Still, smartphones have made the Internet convenient and available from any place. It is possible to use smartphone apps to take care of the elderly, check on health, organize business meetings, send photos, and make inevitable separation with siblings less painful (Hern). Companies offer new models, improve international trade relationships, and strengthen the economic situation by appropriate price policies and directions.

Despite a number of positive changes and improvements associated with smartphones, it is important to understand that this innovation is just another device to be used for everyday activities but never to replace them. According to recent anthropological studies, the smartphone has already become the place where people try to live (Hern). Instead of organizing real meetings and communicating face-to-face, society prefers to turn on smartphones and send visual information online. Human relationships are seriously damaged today because instead of experiencing true feelings and emotions with one person, it is easier and more beneficial to share the same with the whole world. Smartphones have become a dangerous psychological addiction with no cure and a poor understanding.

In conclusion, it seems to be wrong to impose one definite opinion about smartphones. However, there are many ways this technology has already changed people and shaped their interests and priorities. Connection, communication accessibility, and the promotion of convenient usage attract people’s attention. Not to turn this innovation into the plague of the 21st century, it is expected to set the boundaries between the smartphone environment and the real world. The initial purpose of smartphones is to facilitate personal communication, and this change was successfully achieved several decades ago. Now, it is time to manage technological addiction and enhance the benefits of using smartphones for new creative designs and high-quality data exchange.

Work Cited

Hern, Alex. The Guardian, 2021, Web.

Exposure to Smartphones on Learning Development in Preschoolers

Introduction

Personal computers and smartphone devices have become increasingly accessible to preschoolers, especially with the release of occasional upgrades and more powerful devices. However, there are several arguments about the potential implications of these technologies on their cognitive and learning development due to problematic smartphone use. Although some researchers associate smartphone exposure with positive effects like access to information and educational tools, the excessive use of these devices puts preschoolers at risk of disrupted sleep patterns and reduced concentration. In addition, it can expose children to inappropriate content or cyber-bullying that can affect their behaviors and social development. A term related to smartphones’ extensive use among children is known as Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU). By inspecting the risks associated with it, this paper aims to answer the question of what effects PSU has on the physical and mental health of preschoolers and identify some possible causes for the matter.

Sleeping Patterns Disruption

The PSU-caused sleeping pattern disruption is acknowledged by various studies. According to research conducted in South Korea, PSU is notorious for poor sleep quality, neglect of other activities, and eyesight problems (Park and Park, 2021). A possible reason for that is the caregivers’ treatment of their children’s smartphone use as a negotiation tool. Parents might allow their children to use smartphones not to be distracted during work, to put children to sleep or to make them eat during the appropriate time (Park and Park, 2021). Consequently, children might decide to entertain themselves instead of going to sleep right away. Vaterlaus and Dawn associate sleep disturbance with the use of smartphones at night (16). Among the individual complaints collected during the smartphone usage survey, “not getting enough sleep” occurred rather frequently (Vaterlaus and Dawn 13). Meanwhile, Camerini et al. connected sleeping disruption with social media use (2492). In particular, “smartphone use is associated with a consistent increase in social networking and entertainment activities,” which in turn affects other individuals’ areas of life, including sleep time (2492). Overall, preschool children seem to disrupt their sleeping routines by using smartphones in bed, thus interfering with their sleep patterns.

Sleep patterns disruption presents itself as a side effect of increased screen time due to PSU. Many school-going students find it hard to put away their devices, encouraging them to use them while in bed. However, problems with sleep are not the only detrimental side effect of night-time smartphone use. In this context, many preschoolers use smartphone devices at night when their rooms are dark. Therefore, their eyes directly absorb all the light emitted by the screen (Chibi et al. 621). This light is harmful to the pupil and can affect eye health, resulting in headaches and associated conditions. Consequently, children with insufficient sleep time and health issues can start to experience difficulties in other life areas, studying among them.

Diminished Concentration Level

Preschool children between three and six years undergo significant cognitive, linguistic, and psychosocial developmental processes. Based on gathered statistics, Park and Park’s study shows that smartphones are generally first used at the age of four to five years, with the period of first exposure decreasing gradually (2021). Inappropriate smartphone use patterns formed in early childhood due to PSU can severely impact children’s future. Contemporary studies report that preschoolers’ average daily screen time (approximately four hours per day) substantially exceeds the recommended time (Park and Park, 2021). Unfortunately, preschoolers’ excessive screen time does not contribute to their development and might increase the risk of inattention issues.

Having access to the internet and the learning opportunities it offers does not necessarily mean an increase in children’s academic performance. According to Camerini et al., access to knowledge does not imply children’s ability to turn it into an educational benefit (2492). Moreover, only the use for solely educational purposes can positively impact school performance, which is not always the case considering the internet entertainment availability (Camerini et al. 2492). In this regard, studies on multitasking uncovered unpleasant tendencies: preschoolers who occasionally use smartphones may exhibit poor concentration. Smartphone use for social media and instant messaging during class or homework has adverse short-term effects on academic performance (Camerini et al. 2492). In addition, constantly dispersed attention leads to obtaining scattered learning habits, which further lowers children’s performance. Finally, PSU can affect children’s attitude to studying – they might not want to pay attention to learning, concentrating on fun, games, social networking, and media instead.

In this context, diminished concentration level on the matters positively contributing to the children’s development is accompanied by increased concentration on distracting topics. Rodrigues et al. conducted a survey on screen time among children and concluded that PSU increases the odds of preferring social isolation to interaction with family or peers (8). In addition to social isolation, the concentration on device use contributes to the development of other adverse behaviors, such as passive eating or a sedentary lifestyle. The most common content preference was found to be TV and video (Rodrigues et al. 6). Screen time increases significantly in the case of PSU due to children’s ability to choose the viewed content.

It leads to another issue connected to poor children’s academic performance – the simplicity and intuitiveness of information accessible through the internet. Smartphones make access to information even more straightforward, fast, and intuitive. As a result, preschoolers can get used to quick solutions and applications that limit their drive to learn and advance their knowledge. With time, these students may not see the need to master complicated arithmetic and scientific concepts that are available on the internet in their completed state, which might affect their eagerness to gain knowledge (Chibi et al. 628). Subsequently, diminished motivation to learn can adversely impact their development.

Exposure to Explicit Content and Cyber-Bullying

Although age restrictions and parental control settings significantly limit explicit content, it is impossible to control the information children access over the internet and the people or content they interact with. That being said, some children have access to content that robs them of their innocence and interferes with their behaviors (Chibi et al. 630). In addition, they may be introduced to extreme violence, which may foster negative behaviors.

One possible issue might be explained by the nature of contemporary screen media’s means of entertainment. Beyens et al. characterize it as “violent, arousing, and fast-paced” (9875). In this regard, they imply the mutual relationship between children’s media use and negative behavior patterns, such as excessive inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and carelessness. Fast program pacing belongs to the indirect effects media has on children. Its impact has mainly been explored in experimental studies providing mixed results.

On the one hand, children who viewed a fast-paced program did experience more attentional problems after viewing the program in comparison to children who watched a slow-paced program or children who engaged in drawing (Beyens et al. 9876). On the other hand, the children’s attentional problems could be caused by the fantastical content rather than the program’s pace. To address that ambiguity, Beyens et al. reviewed a study that relied on a sample of 4-year-olds. Children at this age cannot yet distinguish between fantasy and realistic content (Beyens et al. 9876). Unfortunately, some of the content used in that study might have been excessively complex for sampled children. It leaves the question of whether the increase in concentration problems can be caused by the fantastical content or the children’s inability to comprehend the content material. Overall, it seems that the program pacing role requires more specific studies to come to a clear and definitive understanding.

Unlike research on program pace effects on children’s behavioral patterns, studies regarding violent media content have primarily relied on correlational surveys rather than experiments, which makes their results more consistent. For instance, it was confirmed that exposure to violent content is positively related to attention problems and hyperactivity (Beyens et al. 9877). However, most studies into the connection between media violence and behavioral patterns are cross-sectional, discouraging any conclusions about the causality of the relationship.

Cyberbullying presents another danger that children might encounter on the internet. It can be defined as the behavior conducted in cyberspace via digital communication, which is intentionally aggressive (Budnik et al. 4). Among its manifestations are receiving offensive or threatening messages by a child, demonstrative child’s removal from social networks or communities established there, or creating such communities of hatred for an individual child instead. Since learning to socialize is significantly important in the case of preschoolers, exposure to cyberbullying can provide a poor experience and an example for the child to learn. Consequently, the more smartphone uses children’s display, the more likely they are to face cyberbullying.

Thankfully, not all of the online content can be considered detrimental. For instance, Silva Piola et al. studied applications available on online platforms that tend to motivate users to practice physical activity (665). They confirmed the reciprocal relationship between the quality of applications and provided behavior change techniques (Silva Piola et al. 673). However, the choice of applications for their study was subjected to certain limits; the major limitation was the fact that these applications were not recommended based on their physical activity promotion. Consequently, their overall positive contribution might be lower than anticipated.

Conclusion

These days, preschoolers readily have access to smart devices and phones without the required supervision on how to use them. As a result, they adopt PSU habits that are detrimental to their growth and learning development. The inappropriate use of smartphones is damaging to physical and mental health because it alters normal body functioning. For instance, the improper use of smart devices at night can lead to eye damage and diminished concentration in class. In addition, PSU can tarnish children’s innocence by exposing them to societal immorality. Thus, smart devices are high-risk innovations that should be checked to limit diversities. Moreover, the uncontrolled use of smartphones can expose preschoolers to cyberbullying or strangers who may lure and harm them. Therefore, it is important to investigate the levels of PSU among preschoolers, potential causes, and how to limit adverse outcomes.

Works Cited

Beyens, Ine et al. (2018). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 115, no. 40, 2018, pp. 9875-9881.

Budnyk, Olena, et al. Revista Tempos e Espaços em Educação, vol. 15, no. 34, 2022, pp. 1-11.

Camerini, Anne-Linda et al. “The Social Inequalities of Internet Access, Its Use, and the Impact on Children’s Academic Performance: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study in Switzerland.” New Media & Society, vol. 20, no. 7, 2018, pp. 2489-2508. doi.org/10.1177%2F1461444817725918

Csibi, Sándor, et al.International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol. 19, no. 3, 2021, pp. 616-631.

Park, Jeong Hye, and Minjung Park.PubMed Central (PMC), 2021.

Rodrigues, Daniela, et al. “Social Inequalities in Traditional and Emerging Screen Devices among Portuguese Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.” BMC Public Health, vol. 20, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1–10. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09026-4.

Silva Piola, Thiago, et al. “Smartphones Applications to Stimulate Physical Activity in Brazilian Children and Adolescents.” Saúde e Pesquisa, vol. 13, no. 3, 2020, pp. 665– 673. EBSCOhost. Web.

Vaterlaus, J.Mitchell, and Dawn Tarabochia. Marriage & Family Review, vol. 57, no. 2, 2021, pp. 143–164. EBSCOhost.

Smartphones and Dumb Behavior

The development of technology has been regarded as something really positive. However, many researchers claim that people often become technology addicts. The use of smartphones has become one of the most burning issues. Notably, researchers agree that smartphones have made people’s lives a bit easier as they enable people to stay in touch irrespective of distance. Some people praise smartphones for making their lives easier and more informative.

Many people think that such gadgets as smartphones fit the contemporary world which suggests enormous amount of information every minute. However, it is necessary to understand whether people need all that amount of information available. Thus, researchers argue that excessive use of smartphones can make people less productive, more stressed and even dumber.

For instance, Mithas (2012) claims that lots of people have become addicts as they cannot imagine their lives without these gadgets checking their messages and email all the time. This may seem quite a harmless addiction. However, it is far from being so. Hoppel (2012) notes that this addiction negatively affects health care professionals.

The author provides results of a survey which confirm that perfusionists used smartphones during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures: 49.2% sent messages, 21% checked their email, 15.1% surfed the Internet, 3.1% posted on social networking sites (Hoppel, 2012). Of course, this kind of distraction often leads to negative outcomes.

In the first place, the health care professionals may make mistakes as they miss details while using their smartphones. Secondly, these people do not develop their professional skills as they are distracted by gadgets instead of being focused on procedures and treating patients.

Apart from this, surveys held at the University of California (San Francisco) suggest that excessive use of smartphones negatively affects people’s cognitive abilities (Richtel, 2010, B1). On the one hand, the use of smartphones negatively affects development of short-term memory in people.

Admittedly, people do not try to memorize any information (dates, arrangements, names, etc.) as they can simply use their smartphones to develop their schedules. On the other hand, it is also found that the abundance of information negatively affects people. Thus, an individual perceives certain amount of information, and some time is needed to create “a persistent memory” (Richtel, 2010, B1).

However, now people do not have any breaks and the cognitive process is distorted. More so, Clifford Nass argues that people “are not built to do a multitude of tasks at one time” (Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2011, n.p.). However, smartphones overload people with various tasks like speaking, watching, texting, etc. All this leads to a great deal of fatigue. People get stressed. Fatigue, in its turn, results in low productivity.

Therefore, it is obvious that smartphones can be regarded as false friends. It is quite easy to become a smartphone addict and this can bring various problems to the fore. People should be aware of the dark side of the use of these ‘smart’ gadgets. Some people are still asking whether smartphones make people smarter.

However, the question is already answered and the answer is negative. Smartphones can make people’s life easier. Nonetheless, this simplification leads to reverse effects as people become unable to use their own brain to the fullest. Therefore, it is important to be careful with the gadget that promises to do any work for you.

Reference List

Hoppel, A.M. (2012). Smartphones and dumb behavior.

Mithas, S. (2012). Digital intelligence. North Potomac, MD: Finerplanet.

Richtel, M. (2010, August 25). Digital devices deprive brain of needed downtime. New York Times, B1.

Stanford Graduate School of Business. (2011). Why your smartphone makes you dumb.

Social Networks Application in Smartphone

In the recent years, researchers have expressed concerns over the alarming rate in the spread of the use of social network applications. Most researchers agree that the issue deserves attention, which could be attributed to the widespread use of mobile phones due to their availability. With the recent developments and innovations on mobile phones, more social networks applications have come into use.

With Smartphone being one of the recent mobile technologies, widespread use of various social networks applications has been inevitable. In addition, the technology through the utilization of social networks applications has eased our day-to-day operations in various ways.

Just as the name suggests, social networks applications are sort of programs that enable or even enhance communication among individuals regardless of the geographical distance separating them (Goldenberg et al., 2006). However, these social networks applications have had impacts across various aspects of the society in general. This paper shall be based on the application of social networks in Smartphone coupled with my personal social media experience.

Apart from the aspect of interacting with friends, the social media technology can be utilized to achieve many other goals that include soliciting funds and an avenue through which one can find a job among other aspects. My social media experience will be based on the use of social media applications to maintain a long distance relationship. The paper shall also highlight some of the implications of utilizing these applications both to an individual and to the society.

After John, my closest friend, went to Australia for studies, I could not stand the loneliness. The available few modes of communication were quite expensive and inefficient, especially for the long distance communication. At times, I felt as though our relationship was falling apart as communication was curtailed by the geographical distance between us.

Notably, for a relationship to remain steady, communication should be put into consideration and should be consistent. However, we kept on exchanging gifts and communication was through phone calls and other means such as emails and telegraphs. These modes were quite expensive and unreliable at times. For instance, it would take such a long time for John to reply my fax messages and emails, especially if I had sent them without informing him first.

On the other hand, we spent a lot of money sending parcels through air couriers. Telephone calls also proved to be expensive since they were international and the call rates were quite high. It even came a time we had to stay for weeks without communicating due to unavailability of funds since we had no jobs and thus we depended on parents for our upkeep.

Currently, the trend has changed a great deal and we can communicate any time we want. With the latest development of Smartphone among mobile technologies, communication has been eased significantly. Smartphone is a type of mobile phone that has additional features and programs, thus making it better than other mobile phones.

A Smartphone can perform different functionality at the same time, which is missing in other normal phones. For instance, a Smartphone comes with a feature that lets the user to divide the screen into different portions and run different tasks on those compartments at the same time.

With the introduction of these smart phones into the market, communication between us eased as we were in a position to utilize both free and paid social networks applications that come along with a smart phone (Goldenberg et al., 2006).

Apart from G-chats and short messaging applications, we also learnt to utilize other social networks applications to enhance our communication, thus, shortening the distance between us. Through invitations for TV nights, we were able to watch our favorite shows through the Skype together. Through this application, John remained updated on commercials that were being aired back here at home. Meeting new friends and introducing them to each other was quite an easy task.

For instance, through the Google hangout application, we managed to arrange for double dates. With social media applications, life seemed normal for us as we were in a position to do most things together.

Playing games as scrabble was not such a big deal, as we could still communicate as the game proceeded as though we are physically together. Boredom is one aspect that creeps in when repetitive activities happen for quite a long time, and thus to break away from the monotony of social networks, we could send manual packages to each other.

Many couples and friends find themselves in a dilemma due to geographical distance separating them. Appreciably, it can be quite cumbersome to maintain a long distance relationship. With the emergence and widespread use social networks applications, the challenge of distance should no longer be a hindrance in a relationship, especially in the wake of Smartphones.

In addition, various Smartphones support these applications, hence making communication easier. Social network applications are sort of programs that enable communication through additional modifications that include sharing of pictures, status updates, playing games, and sending messages among many others. Face- to- face communication can be enhanced through Skype, which is an application that allows you to see the other person as you communicate.

Many other activities can be performed through the application, viz. preparing meals together and having dinners through the Internet. In addition, other applications let the communicating parties to send voice notes and video messages if they are not available for a chat. Facebook and Twitter are other types of network applications that allow people to share their feelings through status updates, photographs, and comments among others. However, these applications do not allow face-to-face communication, as they do not support such features.

Currently, a myriad of social networks can be utilized to keep a long distance relationship. In addition, social networks can be utilized for other purposes other than maintaining relationships. For instance, in the political arena, politicians utilize social networks to launch their manifestos and make them available to citizens.

In the field of medicine, there exist social network applications that can be utilized by medics to treat patients in other countries and regions. On the part of education, social networks are used to convey reading materials and other academic information to students; therefore, enhancing electronic learning (Goldenberg et al., 2006). In maintaining long distance relationships, the concept of creativity on the usage of social media plays a key role in ensuring effective and exciting communication.

Although social networks have played a significant role in enhancing communication, they have had both positive and negative impacts to individuals and the society in general. Conventionally, social networks have helped in making the world a global village. With just a click, information can be relayed to persons quite far away from each other.

Through these social networks, people have been in a position to create identities whereby people can search a person’s profile through the social media. Connecting with people in the community has been enhanced through these social networks, hence maintaining relationships (Hill et al., 2006).

Although conversation could take place through phone calls, connecting to many people at the same time was such a difficult task. In addition, one could only speak to people familiar to him or her, since not all people were willing to share their numbers. With the emergence of social networks, the idea of friendships changed as one could make many friends within a short time and communicate with multiple individuals simultaneously.

Researchers have established that loneliness can result into people taking actions that lead to destruction of their own lives in addition to stress and depression. However, through social networks, people can socialize and thus do away with loneliness (Boyd, 2008). Through social media, people share life experiences, hence depicting a sort of group therapy.

The point is, by people sharing their experiences, they can empathize with each other and one can easily find solutions to his or her problems. One person may have gone through such an experience previously and can inform the other on how he or she went through the whole situation. Social media enhances the speed of communication, thus ensuring speedy and efficient communication. Currently, time is never enough to most people because of work and commitments to family.

Social networks offer a chance to this class of people to communicate with other efficiently and effectively. For instance, it takes an individual less than a minute to post updates to one social network, say Facebook, and with the help of a feature that allows cross posting to other social networks, the updates reaches all intended parties instantly.

The social media opens up the world to an individual through making it a smaller place as opposed to the earlier days when these applications were inexistent. Social networks have also created the aspect of equality towards everyone regardless of the geographical location. For instance, families living far apart can remain in touch with the rest of the family members living in the hometown. One can also connect with school friends that have relocated to other towns or states.

Sharing one’s interests is one of the ways through which social networks can be utilized to create identity (Goldenberg et al., 2009). For instance, some social networks allow a person choose people with similar interests for friendship. On the other hand, others like Twitter will let a person follow those with statuses of interest, thus making connections with people with similar interests, which would be hard to establish if socializing offline.

The aspect of socialization can be viewed in different dimensions including the economic dimension through marketing and other aspects of commerce. Social network applications enhance network-marketing techniques that help marketers identify influencers and predict variables affecting the behavior depicted by various consumers (Hill et al., 2006).

Depending on how people behave on various social network sites, marketers can easily identify characteristics of various individuals, demographics of a certain state or region, and any form of existing constraints, hence leading to identification of market gaps that depict a marketing opportunity.

Just like most issue in life, social networks also have positive and negative impacts attached to them. On the part of education, the social media has a direct impact on the value of information (Acquisti & Gross, 2006). For instance, friends usually influence the shaping of mind especially for children and teenagers. Currently, there has been an array of social media that when utilized can influence a person’s way of thinking and perceptions.

From the analysis of my experience, both of us were in a position to influence each other negatively, which could happen through video clips shared through various sites such as MySpace. The same information could be extended to other friends back at school. The same information is also made available in social media through blogs, video clips, and audio in the form of songs.

Currently, children have access to social media, hence exposure to apparent dangers associated with social media. When children log into these social websites, they might end up disclosing crucial information to child predators and scammers (Acquisti & Gross, 2006). They are also subject to cyber bullying in addition to getting access to unsuitable sites and pages.

For instance, a child may arrange for a meeting with a stranger through social media, only to be found dead after the meeting. This threat calls for parents to put stringent measures on their children against the utilization of social networks. On the other hand, social media is a time-waster among starters as quite a significant proportion of time is spent on these sites while ignoring other constructive chores and tasks.

Researchers carried some surveys and disclosed that more than a third of interviewees confessed to spending time on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace among other social network applications. Time spent is usually spent on editing profiles, posting photographs, and comments, which are not necessarily urgent or necessary (Boyd, 2008).

Through social networks, the subject of privacy is highly compromised (Acquisti & Gross, 2006). For instance, people post photographs into these sites and can be accessed by different people who log in into the site. Sharing of information with friends also depicts a compromise of one’s privacy.

The future of social networks applications is quite promising despite the many controversies surrounding the utilization of these sites. Information technology specialists should engage in various innovations in a bid to come up with competitive packages that suit different user needs in the market. These specialists also need to understand that consumerism is not only limited to cloud services and mobile devices, but also social network applications (Hill et al., 2006).

Social network applications can be utilized for other purposes apart from communication, especially in the business world. Currently, business organizations are shifting towards enterprise social applications that best suit their needs. For instance, a company may have trouble in distributing information especially to mobile employees. Innovations should be incorporated into social applications to make them useful.

For instance, the incorporation of news feeds and real time technologies into social applications can help employees to remain productive and stay in the loop (Goldenberg et al., 2006). Unlike when business organizations used blogs and intranets to pass messages to their employees, they have shifted to sleek and fun -filled options that are found in social networks applications (Goldenberg et al., 2009).

This aspect forms a platform for IT specialists to incorporate enterprise collaboration software into various social networks to be utilized. In a bid to enhance efficiency in the utilization, specialists should be in a position to advise various organizations on the best packages for their organization.

Reference List

Acquisti, A., & Gross, R. (2006). Imagined communities: Awareness, information sharing, and privacy on the Facebook. In P. Golle & G. Danezis (Eds.), Proceedings of 6th Workshop on Privacy Enhancing Technologies (pp. 36-58). Cambridge, UK: Robinson College.

Boyd, D. (2008). Why youth (heart) social network sites: The role of networked publics in teenage social life. In D. Buckingham (Ed.), Youth, Identity, and Digital Media (pp. 119-142). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Goldenberg, J., Han, S., Lehman, D., & Hong, J. (2009). The Role of Hubs in the Adoption Process. Journal of Marketing, 73(2), 1–13.

Goldenberg, J., Lehman, D., Shidlovski, D., Barak, M. (2006). The role of expert versus social opinion leaders in new product adoption. MSI Working Paper, Report No.06-124, 1-16.

Hill, S., Foster, P., & Chris, V. (2006). Network-based Marketing: Identifying Likely Adopters via Consumer Networks. Statistical Science, 21(2), 256-276.