mobile phones

Being wired into the Internet and mobile technology here at UBC, I wonder how my life would be different if I grew up with mobile phones, digital cameras, and the Internet. Would I be able to multi-task better, would I be a more critical thinker, and would I view my mobile phone more as a fashion accessory rather than a practical device?

Last weekend I came across articles and studies that discuss how mobile phones companies are beginning to focus on the 'tweens market (those between 8 - 12 or 9-13 years) as the current market penetration for this segment of society is quite small. Mobile telecommunication companies may see this as an opportunity to instill brand loyalty at an early age.

For mobile phone users, cost is often everything. In Canada and the U.S., owning and maintaining a mobile phone plan - while not nearly as expensive as it used to be - is still out of reach for critical market segments, notably teenagers (possibly the most important driving force of consumption trends in the mobile space, according to a recent industry report).