Models of communication are changing in less time than it takes to bang out a 160-character text message. This presentation examines the reasons why we're giving up the phone call in favour of a daily thumb workout.
2. When I texted a friend on a Saturday night back in
2005, he returned the message with a phone call:
"Why are you texting," he asked, "that's only for when
you're in class."
image: Oracio Alvarado (flickr)
3. image: I Am Adam (flickr)
My 2005 text message plan allowed me 150
texts per month. Today, 2/3 teens sends
more than 100 every day.
(source: Pew Research Center)
4. And 64% still text in class.
(source: Pew Research Center)
image: Kendrick Constantino (flickr)
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TODAY
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5 billion texts are sent daily.
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source: Wilson Electronics
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7. Text messaging is now often
preferred to cellular voice
communication:
2/3 teenage cell
phone owners are
more likely to text
than to talk.
(source: Defakto Group)
image: krystian_o (flickr)
8. image: 3NOD.Al8EED (flickr)
Other data-based text messaging
platforms like BlackBerry Messenger™
are also on the rise.
For the first time,
data > voice
for mobile network traffic.
(source: The Telegraph)
9. So
WHY
do we text?
image: Andrea Narita (flickr)
10. It’s fast.
No dial tone, no awkward small talk, no niceties.
Texting gets straight to the point.
image: Graham Vincent (flickr)
11. It’s convenient.
No more waiting for evening and weekend calling.
Texting is an anytime activity.
image: !STORAX (flickr)
12. It’s unobtrusive.
Phone calls are loud and imposing.
Texts are silent and leave the terms of reply to the recipient.
image: alexandrehuang (flickr)
13. A phone call is part of the
appointment consumption
media framework.
image: ▶CubaGallery (flickr)
15. Texting falls into the
on-demand consumption
model of media absorption.
image: Siuloon (flickr)
16. Text messaging allows individuals to
set the whats, whens, and wheres
of communication according to
personal preference.
image: Abdulmajeed Al.mutawee (flickr)
17. Too much choice?
It looks like we’re getting selfish.
On 05/16/11, the No. 1 Twitter trending topic was
#ignoredtextmessages
#mean
18. Texting is a symptom of the
age of customization. In this fast-paced world,
it’s our way or the highway.
image: Urbanears (flickr)
19. We all have well-defined
metrics of relevance, and short
texts force us to exchange only
what is most important.
The golden rule:
“Text unto others as you would
have them text unto you.”
20. Text messaging satisfies our modern hunger
for quick, convenient, and personal
infosnacks.
image: jayneandd (flickr)
21. image: MickWatson (flickr)
In sum
Texting gives us
what we want: to-the-point information from trusted sources
when we want it: efficient communication right now or later
22. And many of us
are certainly
addicted.
image: jackdog2508 (flickr)
24. If trends toward no-frills,
ultra-personal communication
continue, it seems that
mobile connections
will become even
more streamlined.
image: Alf (flickr)
25. But what could be
better than a text?
image: Sam Rosenbaum Photography
27. sources:
“Data bigger than voice on mobile networks.” 26 Mar. 2010. http://telegraph.co.uk
“Don’t call me, I won’t call you.” 18 Mar. 2011. http://nytimes.com
FILM240X lecture material, by Sidneyeve Matrix (@sidneyeve). Fall 2010. http://film240x.com
http://mashable.com/2010/12/03/cell-phone-mobile-infographic/
author:
Sam Rosenbaum is a student at Queen’s University in Kingston interested in psychology, consumer
behaviour, persuasion, and marketing strategy. He is also an avid photographer and graphic designer.
Visit http://about.me/samrosenbaum
image: Josh Liba (flickr)