In recent weeks, I have found myself in several social situations where the evolution of the mobile telephone was discussed. From the chunky "bricks" of the 90s, to the exceptionally popular, and decidedly more svelte, Nokia 5110, and then the indestructible 3310 (sans an external aerial, might I add) the mobile phone has had its fair share of extreme makeovers over the last decade or two.
They flipped open, slid open and had a battery that lasted for several days. It is hard to believe that not so long ago, one of the most impressive things you could do with your cellphone, aside from getting a high score on the game Snake of course, was strategically arrange a series of commas, brackets and dashes to create a cool picture.
Today, one of the least advanced things our phones can do is actually make a phone call. This mobile device has become a portable computer with maps to aid navigation, advanced audio to play music, a built-in camera, and easy Internet access.
In my mind, many of the above-mentioned improvements can be attributed to convergence, which has seen manufacturers scrambling to make these gadgets as feature-rich as possible. A move driven by increased consumer demand for a single device capable of doing multiple things.
It's always better when we're together
In the 80s cult classic Back to the Future series, protagonist Marty McFly travelled to the year 2015 where he encountered an array of rather impressive futuristic technology. In the second instalment of the series, McFly donned a pair of self-lacing Nike sneakers. With 2015 nearly upon us, Nike has announced it plans to make McFly's smart shoelaces a reality. A perfect example of convergence, should Nike deliver on its promise, this marriage between fashion and tech is set to result in some pretty fancy footwear.
Few could argue that some of the most interesting happenings in the tech space at the moment are a result of collaborations between companies or individuals with different specialities and from varied fields. This sharing of expertise fosters new ideas and sees existing products and services becoming smarter, more efficient and more user-friendly; all of which is intended to make our lives a little easier.
One proponent of these interdisciplinary mash-ups is the globe's most popular search engine, Google. Last year, the Internet giant released a series of high-altitude network connectivity balloons into the atmosphere as part of its Project Loon initiative. Through partnerships with telcos in the developing world, Google wants to create a connected global Internet community by providing Internet access to underdeveloped regions across the world.
But Google's interests extend beyond connectivity. Several months ago, Google showed its support for a project using drones to curb elephant and rhino poaching in Namibia. Similarly, the company has developed an online tool called Global Forest Watch, which allows users to track and monitor global deforestation in real-time.
Moving on to the healthcare sector, at the beginning of 2014, a prototype for a contact lens that could help diabetes patients keep track of their glucose levels, possibly replacing traditional finger-pricking blood glucose tests, was unveiled by, you guessed it ... Google. An innovation Jack of all trades it seems.
Collaboration on SA shores
Before his passing at the end of last year, University of Cape Town (UCT) professor Gary Marsden was a local proponent of smart collaborations that promote innovative uses of technology to solve common societal problems. As the director of the Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) research centre at UCT, he worked on a multitude of projects that aimed to address problems in African and other developing regions.
Today, one of the least advanced things our phones can do is actually make a phone call.
Some of his work includes supervising a PhD student between 2009 and 2013, who developed Mobile Job Search, a system that allows job-seekers to create a PDF-format CV in the cloud using a feature phone. Around the same time, he worked with another student to create a mobile system to help Kenyan, Namibian and South African labourers find work and contact potential employers.
At the time of his passing, he was working with several students on projects ranging from a music-making application to a graphic design-focused mobile phone-based "bridging course" and a mobile tool to create and distribute health education content to rural villages in Lesotho. And, according to his peers, in order to ensure these innovations held some social relevance, and addressed actual needs, Marsden always attempted to get community members involved in the creation process.
So going back to the evolution of the mobile phone, perhaps my previous descriptions of how far we have come were a little modest. Not only can we use our phones to navigate and snap a few pics, we can also make music, create a CV, improve our design skills, learn more about our health and find a job.
I don't know about you, but I'd take these innovations over battery life and Snake any day.
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