The invisible computer revolution
In a very interesting article at BBC News, the case is made that the cell phone with expanded capabilities, not the conventional computer, is going to be the dominant technology factor in Africa and other third-world areas:
Because those of us based in the developed world are always thinking of computers as things with 15-inch or 17-inch or 24-inch screens, it can be hard to see the potential of something much smaller, even if it’s right in our pocket.
I was talking with a software developer friend of mine recently and going on as I do about the potential for cell phone software to revolutionise education, literacy, and public health in the developing world.
And he said to me “but can you really create a valuable user experience on such a small screen and with such a slow processor”. So I asked him if he’d heard of the iPhone, or the Gameboy. Neither of those devices seem to have much difficulty in creating a compelling and useful user experience, and how long do you think it will it be before there’s a sub-$100 iPhone or equivalent?
The whole history of consumer electronics suggests that we won’t have to wait for long.