My iPhone and a Personal Exploration of Mobile Computing

Image via CrunchBase

I’ve always liked communication devices. As a child, we made “tin can telephones” by tying two cans together with a length of string. We pulled the string taught and our voices were magically transmitted to the other can, which served as both a speaker and a microphone. I’m sure we were the forerunner of the Verizon ad, which asks, “can you hear me now?” Using a real telephone to communicate with my grandparents and friends was a real privilege. Advancing to a dial phone was high technology and gave me control. My big dream was to someday have a Dick Tracey watch. Radio transmission and reception were considered magic. I experimented with making a crystal radio and eventually, my parents bought me a Citizen’s Band Radio. Mobility was the next move. My Dad got the bug and he installed a CB radio in the car. We could talk to others while driving and get local information while on trips. We even got walkie-talkies so we could communicate while camping and during other escapades. Little did I know that some day I would have a cell phone and a computer.

With the advent of the internet, my communication options have continued to grow. The ability to e-mail, text, Skype or even transmit video to anyone with connectivity was the next dream come true. But, mobility was not forgotten. That dream was realized with acquisition of a laptop. Connectivity and mobility have changed my life and the way I think about my work, access to information sharing and education. It even changed my understanding of where I might be engaged in educational programs and aided my pursuit of an MSEd. from CSU Eastbay.

I’ve been attracted to the notion freedom and mobile communication all my life. I now live in a time when these various modes of communication and information sharing have converged into handheld devices, and I can see that experimenting and learning to use these devices effectively is the next step in my evolution. I have to learn how this technology can be leveraged to enhance learning and teaching. Hence, the iPhone cometh!

In coming weeks and months, I intend to use this blog to document my experience with the iPhone, mobility and exploration of opportunities to transform my own learning and teaching.


Note:
My iPhone was actually purchased on April 11, 2009. My blogging practice has been on the back burner for some time, but with this post, I hope to resume sharing my learning and thoughts on a more regular basis.

I’ll collect my notes and share some specifics in the next few days, but I do want to state that the iPhone has already changed me. I no longer think of the device as a telephone, but a Mobile Computing and Communication Platform (MCCP). I’m searching for a clever name, but even that process makes me think deeply about what this device does, can and will mean to me as my experience unfolds. It’s not just a phone; that’s actually a very small part of it’s function. It is not just about communication, because I clearly can do computing functions. It’s not just about what I can do between myself, and someone with another device, because it has already changed the way I converse at the dinner table. The option to do research on the spot or share information with others at the table is transforming my face-to-face experience as well.

Welcome along for the ride.