Cash, Check or Credit?...or Cell Phone?

Andrejevic's fourth chapter, "iCommerce," deals with the increasingly growing mobility of interactivity.  The author begins by pointing out early forms of this progress, such as the development of automobiles and highways.  Then came the creation of telephones, TV's, and computers.  Then came a personalization and individuality phase of cell phones, Walkmans and iPods.  Today we have cars with GPS, TVs, and iPod docks.  The world is moving fast the the technology is taking our interactivity to levels never experienced before. 

One part of the chapter that I really enjoyed was the piece of the future of the cell phone.  The future of the cell phone is unpredictable. Who would of thought we would have all the technology into phone today that is seen in an iPhone.  The author states, "the cell phone will become a bare-bones, wireless PC, streamlines to facilitate mobile consumption.  It will allow remote banking, Internet access, and with the added security of a PIN number, the ability to make remote  and on-site purchases" (P. 96).  He even uses the examples of using your cell phone to pay for a cab or top off a parking meter.  This is a world we may one day live in, and the opportunities are endless.  

Of course Andrejevic gives his two cents on this mobility in respect to our privacy being surveilled.  He states, "Within monitored space, mobility allows not just detailed forms of information gathering, but... for increasingly fine-grained forms of social sorting, customization, and surveillance" (P. 94).   Andrejevic continues to describe this futuristic world of the ultimate cell phone.  He mentions it will be like a computer constantly getting pop-up ads (they will be customized), and that users will likely have the opportunity to block them.  However, privacy will come with a price.  This type of speculation will raise a lot of eye brows, and spark many brains.  Personally, I think it is exciting to think about the technology that will be available to us in the future, and the resources our kids and their kids will have when they are our age.  Until than we can only speculate and debate on what is for the better or worse.