{"id":26613,"date":"2011-07-30T15:59:56","date_gmt":"2011-07-30T14:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=26613"},"modified":"2011-07-30T16:06:00","modified_gmt":"2011-07-30T15:06:00","slug":"mobile-devices-%e2%80%93-a-matter-of-balance-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/mobile-devices-%e2%80%93-a-matter-of-balance-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Mobile Devices \u2013 A Matter of Balance, Style"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The following is by G. A . “Andy” Marken, President of Marken Communications<\/span><\/a> Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/strong><\/span><\/span> \u2013Mark Poppin,<\/span> ABT Senior Editor<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Gadgets<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201c<\/em><\/strong>They are mature, actually. You just have to get to know them better.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Stu Price (Ed Holmes), The Hangover (2009), Warner Bros<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Just got back from a family holiday and no one even knew we were gone.<\/p>\n

The phone was always on\u2026just in case.<\/p>\n

Handled the emails first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s surprising how many things you can handle\/resolve in an hour when there\u2019s no one to interrupt you!<\/p>\n

Also did a Skype conference call that was scheduled \u2026it\u2019s so cool to be in a meeting in the Pacific Basin and not have to fly there!<\/p>\n

The only time we were really unavailable was while flying (too cheap to pay for the in-air Wi-Fi) and when we were scuba diving.<\/p>\n

Maybe sometime?<\/p>\n

Nope, never\u2026diving really is our time!<\/p>\n

The wife was happy she could monitor our stock portfolio while we were away.<\/p>\n

And the kids had their computers, tablets, smartphones, game systems\u2026so they were good to go!<\/p>\n

Everyone has their mobile devices today to be available because\u2026<\/p>\n

People in all generation categories (male and female) are never out-of-reach, out-of-touch — mobile phones, laptops, MP3 players and increasingly, eReaders\/tablets.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>Device Mania \u2013 <\/strong>iGeners may feel the most comfortable, the most natural being connected all the time, but men\/women of all ages and around the globe choose and use the devices that meet their wants\/needs.\u00a0\u00a0 Above is the percentage of American adults in each generation that own each device.\u00a0 Source \u2013 Pew Research<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Traffic across the devices is growing\u2026dramatically!<\/p>\n

Of course, when it comes to putting someone in charge of your device(s), \u00a0remember what Stu Price said, \u201cDon’t let Alan drive, because there’s something wrong with him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>Devices, Traffic \u2013 <\/strong>Laptops dominate the traffic growth through 2015, but tablets are expected to drive 3.5 percent of the traffic by 2015.\u00a0 Other portable devices are forecast to account for 0.7 percent of all mobile data traffic.\u00a0 Source \u2013 Cisco Visual Networking Index<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The data traffic growth rate varies by region, but the devices are having a heck of an impact on our global communications infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The CAGR (compound annual growth rate) is expected to grow 92 percent between 2010-2015.<\/p>\n

Traffic Drivers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mobile devices generate a lot more data traffic compared to the POMP (plain old mobile phone):<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Smartphone, 24X more traffic<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Handheld game system, 60X the traffic<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tablet, 122X more traffic<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Laptop, 515X the traffic<\/p>\n

Young adults are the most mobile, only having a laptop (no desktop) and using their phones for almost everything \u2013 iNet, email, music, TV, games and shooting video that\u2019s cleaned up and edited with products like muvee before they\u2019re sent somewhere.<\/p>\n

For working stiffs like us, the good news about mobile technology is you can be anywhere and still work.<\/p>\n

The bad news is anywhere you are, you are at work.<\/p>\n

Some people have learned how to handle it\u2026others haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Lonely,\u00a0 Lost \u2013A<\/strong> growing number of people \u2013 male and female \u2013 tend to feel disconnected from almost everything when their mobile devices are off, if they are taken away or if they are not immediately close at hand.\u00a0 Many say they can take it or leave it but\u2026they prefer to take it.\u00a0 Source \u2013 Burst Media<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There\u2019s a compelling, almost irresistible siren song from the devices people carry and the information they can deliver.<\/p>\n

Then too, there\u2019s the pressure of living in a world where many feel \u2018immediately\u2019 really means immediately.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s probably why Alan Garner said, \u201cDon’t touch it. Don’t even look at it. Don’t look at me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Love it or hate it, you have to figure out how to survive with mobile technology and make it work for you.<\/p>\n

Because promotions often seem scarce, many worry someone going to be more connected and outclimb them on the rickety corporate ladder.<\/p>\n

Even if your career is solid or you\u2019re self-employed, there\u2019s an over-inflated feeling that some business need\/opportunity must be handled\u2026now!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Home Invasion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pew Research Center came to the illuminating discovery that the home has invaded work and work has invaded the home.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no going back, so it\u2019s up to you to control it, manage it, use it\u2026properly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Smartphone Ramp \u2013 <\/strong>Smartphone user growth in numbers and growth percentage through 2015.\u00a0 The results show all individuals \u2013 regardless of age \u2013 who use a smartphone.\u00a0 Source – eMarketer<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It all started with the old BlackBerry.<\/p>\n

Smartphones made it easier and you were able to rationalize it more easily because you soon were texting the kids at school and tracking family activities\/events at work because you could.<\/p>\n

In between\u2026work!<\/p>\n

That\u2019s increasingly why employees want to\/demand to use their own smartphones, notebooks, tablets, other devices to connect with corporate e-mail, applications and data wherever they happen to be \u2014 at home, on the go, on vacation.<\/p>\n

Not Phil Wenneck though, he looks at his devices and says, \u201cIt’s the weekend, you don’t exist to me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Being plugged in or unplugged is a personal decision; but for a growing number of us, the mobile devices give us the flexibility we want to balance the work and our personal lives.<\/p>\n

The key is that the routine needs to feel natural so you\u2019re not stressed-out but available on those business occasions when things need to be \u201chandled.\u201d<\/p>\n

If they aren\u2019t\u2026let\u2019em slide!<\/p>\n

Today, being committed, connected, responsive is a business, family, personal responsibility few can ignore.<\/p>\n

The Right Ones<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019re learning balance and how to put the devices\/information to work to your advantage you begin to realize that not all mobile stuff is created equal.<\/p>\n

Sure, if you\u2019re a real geek, an iPad can make you seem really exciting. \u00a0For most though, it\u2019s like Shania Twain sang, \u201cThat don\u2019t impress me much.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

According to a Retrevo Gadgetology study, an iPad \u2013 or tablet — doesn\u2019t compare with you carrying a book around.<\/p>\n

No, not a book on your tablet or a Kindle … a real book!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the devices \u201cattracted\u201d:<\/p>\n