Week 10 Mobile Communication (a) Theory

Mobile Images
Okay well firstly to get the ball rolling, I have a crappy/old Nokia 3200 so my use of other media functions on media converged mobile phones is limited. I don't even use the camera anymore it is that bad and pixelated compared to modern mobile phones and their 3.0 megapixel camera (hint the jealously). Although I do agree with Goggin that photography and the reduced value of pictures is changing due to mobile phone cameras. I mean with new mobile phone data capacities, hundreds of pictures can be stored in one device and can easily be deleted and shared with others. This is true as back in the day of film cameras you only had one shot and you didn't know how it turned out or who had their eyes closed until you developed the film. If the photo is bad, you can now easily delete and start again on mobile digital camera phones. While i don't usually take many pictures, i do regularly receive them from a friend who sends me random photos of anything they find interesting. The portability of mobile phones has allowed anyone to take photos anywhere and easily share them which makes for good socialising and is a good conversation starter, but this also has implications on security, personal space and journalism which for the sake of boring everyone again, I'm not going there.

Text messaging
I love using text messages. I so prefer using it to actually calling someone which i find a little invasive and too personal. Text messaging allows you a little more time to think and plan your answers which is great for someone like me so i don't accidentally put my foot in it. Its shorter than an email which is great because as in typing right now, it can be a long process. Text messages are short and therefore sweet! lol. Also i love the fact that text messaging requires a slightly different slang language which is also helpful that my parents don't understand it. this i guess leads into the generational gap of the use between SMS and calling. My parents don't know how to use it and therefore prefer calling which is more familiar to them, from telephone use. This as well as the other awesome feature of SMS which i have already described is what makes me prefer texting to calling. Texting is also described by Goggin as being more closely connected with teenage identity and culture but this will eventually change as those teenagers such as myself get older (scary thought I know). However, I do call people like my family and work as calling to me is a little more formal and personal, whereas I text my friends which is more casual. My calling and texting preferences I guess changes on the relationship of who I am trying to communicate with.