Tuesday, July 28, 2009

whose in your pocket; whats on your mobile phone?

Vodafone adverts have had us folding our lovers into tight little packages to fit in our pockets...
telecom similarly, had us with our best friends everywhere, together...

Stefana Broadbent studying SMS describes this medium as the intimate channel.
A sphere in which our attachments to friends and family are managed through 'Grooming' messages - thank you, endearments... - that keep relationships alive.
Her (2006) research shows over 50% of grooming communications happen through SMS.
In her (2009) tedtalk, she describes it as a medium for democratising intimacy.

However has ubiquity altered use? My bank now reminds me of visa accounts due, my uni library lets me know when books are available...might the range of services coming through your SMS have broadened, but is it still predominantly intimate? What do you keep?

Whats kept or deleted involves choices.
I need more memory for such things :)
I look at mine, it's full of the trivial details of everyday life: I'm free for coffee, I'm 5 mins away, Doing O'K?, yes the majority of messages sustain relationships.
And then i look at what i save: well wishes, love u's, reminders I'm cared for.

A pocket full of affirmations.

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