Jason Griffey and I are having a discussion via our blogs regarding mobile phones and the digital divide to catch up first read my original post Why Mobile Phone Are Not the Key to the Digital Divide then read Jason’s response Why mobile phones are one key to the digital divide. This is my response to his post.

Jason states:

I believe strongly that the idea that a desktop is somehow superior to a mobile phone for Internet access is an accident of the time in which we live and the historical nature of the rise of computing. One can easily imagine that 10 years from now the then-digital-natives will look aghast at the desktops of the past. “What do you mean, you had to sit at a desk to use a computer? You pushed actual buttons?

I agree with this or at least don’t doubt the likelihood of it.  Except for one part, there are no digital natives. At least not in the sweeping generational assignments we technophiles want to apply.  You can not say all Millennials are digital natives, or that the generation after them will be, until we close the digital divide. There are too many children without exposure to the technology they would need to be considered digital natives. *

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), more than 100 million Americans don’t have broadband at home because they either can’t get it, can’t afford it, or aren’t aware of its benefits. Some 65 percent of U.S. households have broadband, a far lower adoption rate than in other technologically advanced countries such as Singapore (88 percent) or South Korea (95 percent). – PC World February 2010

The National Broadband Plan from the FCC looks to address the issues created by the digital divide today, not in 10 years.  So when Aaron Smith states he thinks mobile phones play a key role he means now, in 2010, not 2020. That is my complaint. In 10 years this may be perfectly true.

Jason points out there are some who prefer mobile access:

There are examples, even today, of people who prefer mobile access to the Internet to using a desktop: the entire country of Japan, for instance. Many of them could easily afford desktops, but overwhelmingly they choose mobile phones as the mechanism they use for accessing the Internet.

Again he is correct. However this isn’t about choice, it is about assigning a substandard option for a class of people. We are moving toward better mobile, but in the mean time we can not apply a separate but equal philosophy to the ways in which individuals access the internet.

So unless there are some actual things that can be pointed out as to why Mobile access is second-class (and I swear, if someone says Flash, I quit)….I’m calling this cultural and historic bias.

Ok so it sounds like if I can convince Jason mobile access is not as good as a PC I might start to sway him.

For smartphones to replace PCs, they would have to take on all the features of a PC — they’d need to input and edit text as easily as a PC, create spreadsheets as easily as a PC, edit pictures and presentations as easily as a PC, and manage large databases as easily as a PC. To do that in a small mobile device, you need a color folding screen (so you can work with large documents), either a full-size keyboard or perfect voice recognition, a pointing device a heck of a lot more sophisticated than a five-way rocker, enormous amounts of storage, and a fast processor. Michael Mace CEO of Cera Technology

PC World magazine looks at Laptop vs. Netbook vs. Smartphone and asks Work, school, and play: Which portable computer is the do-everything device for you? A smart phone was not their first recommendation in any of the categories.

Here is a list of the things I attempted last night from my Smartphone, HTC Evo from Sprint. I’m sure there is a much longer list but I was tired, and my battery died

• print – Government agencies are no longer issuing print forms.
• inspect page source code – How do you think I learned most of what I know about html?
• change my Facebook privacy settings – we all know why this is important
• create a Facebook page for my new small business, manage the FB page I already have
• edit the videos I recorded before uploading them to YouTube
• play World of Warcraft
• apply for a job
• spell check my comments on blogs before posting, so I don’t look any more foolish than I already do. On my PC this is something Chrome automatically does for me (thank goodness)

I was able to do somethings like check my bank account or access Google docs but good grief was it slow and if you’ve ever seen me text you know I can hold my own with most 14-year-old girls.

The screen size and lack of a real keyboard are still huge issues for me. Can you imagine trying to write a paper on one of these? In an age when being a citizen in a democratic society means participation and creation smartphones are still primarily a tool for consumption.

Battery life my netbook gets something like 10 hours and its over a year old. My phone doesn’t last the day with heavy use.

My mom lost her Blackberry last week. Who knows where, somewhere at home she thinks but its gone, as is everything on it. I know your PC could be stolen (or lost I guess) but the odds are slimmer. Even if your computer crashed you still have the hardware to rebuild upon.

* Can I just add on a personal note that I hope whatever we’re doing in 10 years is more comfortable than sitting at a keyboard all day because my back is killing me.Similar Posts:

• Post at Broadband for America: Libraries Are Essential for Bridging the Gap
• Mobile Phones Are Not The Key to Bridging the Digital Divide
• Why Mobile Phone Are Not the Key to the Digital Divide

Earlier this week  I tweeted

I whole heartedly, unequivocally disagree with this! Mobile access helps agencies break past digital divide 

Which linked to this article from, Pew Internet and American life - Mobile access helps agencies break past digital divide | Interview with Aaron Smith. In which Smith says

“I think mobile is playing a key role in bridging those gaps between people who have that broadband connection at home and people who don’t. It really gives people an economically viable opportunity to tap into the online world that they wouldn’t normally have,”

I got some responses back on Twitter including from Jason Griffey and Tiffini Travis disagreeing with me, Jason suggested dueling blog posts.  Earlier this year I wrote a post entitled Mobile Phones Are Not The Key to Bridging the Digital Divide in response to an NPR story, A Digital Revolution In The Palm Of Your Hand.   Since this is actually my second attempt at addressing this issue on my blog I hope I am more elegant, articulate and successful in delivering my message.

Reports and studies show that  minorities and lower-income households rely on mobile access because they do not have access at home.

Other cultural forces aside, minorities, lower-income households and younger adults access the Internet at higher rates on mobile devices because they often do not have computers at home. – NYT, 2010

According to the FCC’s National Broadband Plan

Like electricity a century ago, broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life. It is enabling entire new industries and unlocking vast new possibilities for existing ones. It is changing how we educate children, deliver health care, manage energy, ensure public safety, engage government, and access, organize and disseminate knowledge.

I agree with Jason, mobile technology is improving at a rapid pace.  However, it is not on par with a computer with a high-speed internet connection.  There are many things you still can not do with a mobile phone, even a smart phone.  Are we really willing to say that this less robust point of access is acceptable for minorities and the economically challenged?

As I said before:

I firmly believe that this will result in the sort of second class citizens that the Knight Commission warns us about. Please don’t make me point out the problem of accepting a sub-standard option for minorities.

We must acknowledge that, while mobile access is better than no access, it is still not the equivalent of high-speed access from a computer. It is not acceptable for privileged, economically sound, techno savvy people to state that these two forms of access are the same. When you look at the reasons for the National Broadband Plan:

• education
• health care
• public safety
• civic engagement
• access, organize and disseminate knowledge.

How is a separate and inferior point of access acceptable for a different socio-economic group of people?

Read more:

• Twitter Usage In America: 2010
• MySpace and Facebook: How Racist Language Frames Social Media (and Why You Should Care)
• Mobile Access 2010
• A Digital Revolution In The Palm Of Your Hand
• Minorities Favor Phones in Using Web
• Technology Trends Among People of Color
• The Not-So-Hidden Politics of Class Online
• MySpace and Facebook: How Racist Language Frames Social Media (and Why You Should Care)

Similar Posts:

• Mobile Phones Are Not The Key to Bridging the Digital Divide
• Post at Broadband for America: Libraries Are Essential for Bridging the Gap
• Mobile Phones and the Digital Divide Part 2

My personally selected top 10 from the links I shared on Twitter from 5/14/2010 thru 5/20/2010

1. NYTimes: Cellphones Now Used More for Data Than for Calls – Phones are becoming indispensible tools, so more than just phones. Even better the people interviewed for the article aren’t teens or even in their 20s.

2. how ubiquitous computing & mobile devices will shape learning, working, socializing in 2020 via @dmlcentral

Kids who have grown up stealing free views of recent movie releases online or regularly chatting with a friend in Bangalore or Atlanta will be working adults in a world where the notion of “work” has changed because of digital technology. But it’s no longer “technology” in 2020 anymore–it’s just how we get things done.

This article makes the interesting point that  when technology truly does become ubiquitous, meaning we don’t even think about it we’ll turn our attention to things like art and science.

But if technology and the ability to be connected disappear further into the background, what will occupy our foreground? A bit of the humanity we’ve always valued in the “real world.

3. Presentations & visuals: 7 tools, tips and traps from my inbox – from my new favorite blog, The Eloquent Women.

4. the iPad all that & a bag of chips or Steve Jobs Offers World ‘Freedom From Porn’ – an interesting read, especially if you have concerns about the lock down of apple products

5. Great read, excellent tips! RT @MackCollier The introvert’s guide to speaking via @MLx

During the creation process:
1 – KNOW your material, do NOT memorize it.
2 – Tell stories.

When you arrive at the event:
3 – Find the room where you will be presenting, and get a feel for the layout.
4 – Attend any pre-show meetups/tweetups.
5 – Get to your session at least 15 mins early, so you have time to setup everything.

During your presentation:
6 – Thank everyone for showing up and MEAN IT.
7 – Let the audience know exactly what’s coming. .
8 – Move around.
9 – Realize that you WILL screw up, and likely no one will notice.
10 – Engage with the people that are engaged with you.
11 – Close the presentation by thanking the audience for coming (and mean it), then tell them how to get in touch with you.
12 – Let the audience ask questions.

After the event:
13 – Stay connected.

6. RT @hbraum: From @librarianmer: Tips for library job applicants in a tight market – great suggestion from Meredith Farkas for job hunters, includes do’s and don’ts

7. How to Become a Trend Tracker –  @pollyalida

Think you don’t have time to be that person in your library or school who sees new trends and opportunities ahead? Think again!

8. great resource! bookmarkt this! Open Thinking Wiki – seriously bookmark this! a GREAT rearouce for:

• Academic Integrity
• Canadian Educational Bloggers
• Copyleft
• Copyright and Fair Use
• Cyberbullying
• Dark Side of the Internet
• Digital Citizenship
• Digital Storytelling
• Emerging Technologies
• Inspirational Videos
• Media Representation
• Media Literacy
• Open Source, Content, Publishing
• Open Thinking?
• Research Tools
• SlideDeck Design
• Social Justice & Technology
• Tech & Media Literacy Videos
• Tools & Software

9. RT @ALA_TechSource: Lifehacker: How to Get the Best of Both Google Docs and Microsoft Office – it’s no secret that I’m a Google girl, but I do still use Office for somethings.

10. when managers use their position to bend subordinates to their will the heart is taken out of people. - its time to rethink the role of manager.  The manager of the assembly line is ineffective and destructive in today’s knowledge work place

Similar Posts:

• Top Ten Links Week 36, Calling 911 from a Mobile, Women in Tech, A Kindle Tip and More
• Top Ten Links Week 30 – Happiness, Social Media Comptency, eBooks, Digital Natives, Prezi, Facebook Privacy and More!
• Top Ten Links Week 7

The Knight Foundation has released a new report Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy. A good deal of the content either is or could be applies to libraries.  The entire report is 148  pages, you can also download a 2 page summary that includes recommendations like these

• 2: Increase support for public service media aimed at meeting community information needs.  Read more …
• 6: Integrate digital and media literacy as critical elements of education at all levels through collaboration among federal, state, and local education officials.  Read more …
• 7: Fund and support public libraries and other community institutions as centers of digital and media training, especially for adults.  Read more …
• 10: Support the activities of information providers to reach local audiences with quality content through all appropriate media, such as mobile phones, radio, and public-access cable.  Read more …
• 12: Engage young people in developing the digital information and communication capacities of local communities.  Read more …
• 14: Emphasize community information flow in the design and enhancement of a local community’s public spaces..  Read more …
• 15: Ensure that every local community has at least one high-quality online hub.  Read more …

The Foundation has also taken actions that affect libraries:

$3.3 million to improve free, public Internet access in libraries in 12 communities

$2.28 million in broadband access projects in underserved neighborhoods in three cities

Similar Posts:

• Librarians Play a Vital Role in 21st Century Literacies
• Video from Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy
• KLA Libraries and Transliteracy Presentation