English 11 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English 11 - Article Example Together with the portability of these devices, the computational capability of smartphones have made the devices increasingly become popular with 42% of all mobile subscribers in the US using smartphones, where 37% and 60% of adults and teens respectively acknowledge their addiction to the devices (Sarwar and Soomro 218). In fact, Boulos, Wheeler, and Jones observe that the devices have offered immense competition to personal computers in their market and have impacted â€Å"not only on the manner in which we communicate, but also on our sense of culture, community, identity and relationships† (2). Thus, this paper articulates the positive and negative effects of smartphone technology with regard to how it has transformed people’s way of communication, conducting and transacting in business and entertainment. Smartphone technology has changed the way people communicate, making it even more convenient. Other than its portability, a smartphone offers Internet connectivit y capabilities which open up the device to various ways through which communication, whether formal or informal could be undertaken. One of the weaknesses that e-mail communication had before the advent of smartphones according to Derks and Bakker was accessibility. E-mails would only be accessed in the presence of a computer. But smartphones offer wireless Internet connectivity such that users receive and respond to e-mail communications whenever, wherever. This makes people available whenever needed, hence more appreciation of e-mails as communication tools. Other than instant communication, smartphones provide various options through which people communicate. The devices have transformed people from using the traditional modes of communication, particularly e-mails and phone calls, to other modes such as WhatsApp, an application that allows for instant messaging. Such applications have transformed group communications such that people no longer have to meet physically to communic ate. Rather, through group communication platforms, such as applications like WhatsApp and social media platforms, groups interact conveniently. If need be, these people could see each other as they communicate through the web cameras on the devices which bridges the distance (Boulos, Wheeler, and Jones 4). This has greatly reduced on the time that was initially spent to make decisions, thus people not only enjoy the convenience of the technology but also the promptness with which it allows for decisions to be made. The portability and greater functionality of smartphone technology have transformed the way entrepreneurs conduct businesses and execute their transactions, hence giving business greater capabilities, which in turn generate more business opportunities. In a study conducted in Malaysia, Osam et al. (274) acknowledge the advancement in computing power and connectivity of smartphones compared to contemporary mobile phones. Businesspeople appreciate this capacity and use sma rtphones to conveniently and promptly access the required information, be it on stocks, market prices of commodities or foreign exchange rates among others. This enables them to make prompt and informed business decisions whenever needed, regardless of their location. Moreover, marketing being an important component of business has greatly transformed with the introduction of smartphones to the market. Marketers use the various communication