Rheingold

My blog for class on Monday is similar to the concept that Rheingold talked about with people overseas and especially in China and Singapore being able to use their cell phones to purchase items from a vending machine. The concept hit very close to home for me because I once had a similar idea, let me explain. I go to Florida quite regularly on breaks and have always gone to the same place, Naples. My family has a place down there that we have had for quite some time and it is nice to go down to relax. If you are familiar with the area Naples has quite a few wealthy individuals that fly in on private jets or sail their yachts. I usually go down with one of my friends and we always see these planes flying in and boats out in the Gulf. We always say "some day....some day" We sit on the beach and for hours on end we will try to think of different business ideas that could get us in that position to be that person flying in on that jet. About a year ago we finally hit on an idea, and that was using your cell phone to be able to pay bills, send transactions between bank accounts, send money to friends, or have your mom send you money while at college. All over the use of cell phones and text messages. Our idea actually came to us while at dinner when the check came all on one bill, it is always a hassle to have to pay your friends back or say, "ill get you on the next dinner." We thought why not be able to do this on your cell phone, somehow access your bank account and transfer money on your cell phone to your friends cell phone. Or when you go into Sports on a Friday or Saturday night, why not being able to send them a text message in order to pay the cover. Another example, what about being able to pay your rent out of your account while sitting in class because you forgot to mail the check. All of these ideas go right along with Rheingold speaking on the cell phone being able to help your purchase things or pay for things. Turns out, this technology is actually out there (I can't seem to find the link right now, but I'll keep searching) and it is available almost exactly as how I described it. This technology is just creating more of a mobile atmosphere and taking away from the human aspects of these tasks. What happened to just calling your mom and asking her to drive to the bank, deposit money, then you do laundry. This disappears with the use of this mobile technology, just a text and a transfer and no words even have to be spoken.

I know this post is different than a link or a YouTube video, but I thought it was really relevant to an idea that I had quite a while ago about the same types of technology. Just goes to show how much this mobile technology is affecting our lives and how much it is making us rely on mobile technology and not human interaction. Like I said I will continue to search and then post on twitter the link to this technology (as far as I know this was the only one out there in the US at the time).