Always on and always connected technologies are mobile phone application capabilities which are designed by mobile phone manufacturers to ensure that mobile phone users stay connected reachable always. They enable mobile phones to be connected to service providers’ network and the internet all the time so that the users are in constant communication throughout (Cartman & Ting, 2009). These applications have many implications and consequences to mobile phone users. These consequences are either negative or positive depending on how one chooses to use his/her mobile phone. Always on and always connected capabilities affects how we socialize with other members of the society, how we undertake how professional activities and how we share our cultural practices.
On the positive side, always on and always connected mobile phone capabilities enable people to keep communicating with their families, relatives and friends in all parts of the world. It is even more significant when the user of the mobile phones lives far or has travelled to a further distance from their families, friends or relatives. One can keep in touch with families and friends by calling and sending text messages to them and receiving the same forms of communications from them as well (Cartman & Ting, 2009). This practice enhances the socialization of people across the globe, hence making people happy and cheerful always without the fear of their loved ones’ safety. It enables people to know about what is going on in the lives of their families and friends who live in far geographical distances. This enables them to be available whenever their help in times of difficulties such as sicknesses, hunger and other losses. Interaction with family and friends can also be possible through the social media and the internet in general. If a mobile phone device is always connected, one can access the internet and communicate with people interactively across the world.
Always on and always connected mobile phone capabilities also enables people of the professional class to communicate with their clients, agents and other stakeholders to advance professional deals or engage in a professional talk. Nowadays, professional use video conferencing technologies to share information and participate in conferences and workshops online (Cartman & Ting, 2009). This is possible through “always on and always connected” enabled mobile phones. Commercial transactions can also be made by professionals through always on and always connected mobile phones. Exchange of culture among communities of the world is also possible through mobile phones enabled with the always on and always connected capabilities.
Negatively, mobile phones with always on and always connected technologies can be used by individuals in the society to cause chaos and fracas though hate speech, incitements and threats. When one is always on and always connected through their mobile phone devices, he or she may be urged to engage in illegal actions by issuing threats to some people online, abusing them through text messages and propagating kidnaps and other malicious actions. Even though these individuals can be tracked by the service and network providers, the fruits of trucking them may be realized only when they have caused a lot of harm to the society. Mobile phones may also be used be used to commit cyber crimes (Cartman & Ting, 2009). Whenever one finds himself idle he/she may use his/her always connected mobile phone to invade the internet with cyber crimes, harming other people’s websites and internet connections. Finally, “always on and always connected” enabled mobile phones may also be used to access immoral materials on the internet such as pornographic films which may affect children’s behaviour negatively.
Generally, Mobile phones enabled with always on and always connected capabilities can be both beneficial and detrimental to the users. However, one can always be careful in how he/she uses the internet so as to avoid negative effects of the features. When use carefully, such mobile phones are capable of giving the best benefits for their users.
