I received a message today from someone at infoDev announcing that in early 2009 they will be announcing a discussion-format of some sort addressing low-cost information and communications devices for the poor in developing countries. While I'm all in favor of such announcements (even if they are merely announcing the intention to later announce), I do think that train is pretty far out of the station: Growth in Internet access in China using mobile devices has begun to outstrip growth in Internet access using desktop computers and the like.
The rapidfire adoption of mobile / low-cost / dedicated devices to access the Internet will be parallel to the rapidfire adoption of the mobile phone for voice communications.
Off Topic...
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- another day, another low-cost device
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egaible- December 19th, 2008
Keeping an eye on the poor ...
2009-02-06 11:16 pm (UTC)
More work ahead...
Meddie
Re: Keeping an eye on the poor ...
2009-02-11 06:46 am (UTC)
(I'm reminded of that guy from Canada, damned if I can remember his name, who was saying--in 1997 for sure, at GKD in Toronto--that mobile telephony was THE thing. Bugger computers. He was right, but mobile telephony isn't the ONLY thing.)
Simon's research apparently also shows that the addition of a 2nd mobile phone doesn't do much in re productivity. Apparently the guy with Phone One shares whatever the relevant information is or is _closely_ observed.