The benefits of using smartphones

The Benefits of Using Smartphones

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

            Mobile phones and smartphones are both used with the primary function of being able to make and receive phone calls and send and receive text messages, but the smartphone has certain qualities that distinguish it from any usual mobile phones. Smartphones have additional features such as online gaming, online video watching, route tracking, GPS system and several other added features, which differentiate it from other usual mobile phones and, are more preferred than mobile phones. There are different kinds of smartphones in the market, which are produced by different mobile manufacturers such as the Android which is produced and sold by Google and the iPhone, which is produced and sold by Apple Inc. A very huge percentage of the population has shifted towards smartphones from their usual mobile phones. The PEW research center has reported that in the US alone over 35% of the adult population is currently using smartphones (Smith 1). The research center further figured out that there are various benefits that can be obtained through smartphones, and these benefits are the primary reason for the high demand of smartphones in the US. Smartphones are not limited to the access of adults; they are even owned and used by several teenagers and the younger generation. Smartphones have gained immense popularity among the youth population because of the several benefits offered by these phones. On one end are those who propose that smartphones are a smart invention and are assisting the society in several ways; on the other end are those who are against the use of smartphones due to various negative effects associated with these phones. This writing will focus on the argument of whether the smartphones are beneficial for the society or not while defending the stance that smartphones have several more benefits to offer than costs. The writing will especially focus on the benefits offered by smartphones to both the adult as well as the youth population. Smartphones benefit both the adults and the youth in obtaining both formal as well as informal educations. They have become a major tool of in distance learning. They are used by users to satisfy their personal need, helps employees in remaining involved with their businesses, are assisting in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of health care services, and are elevating the quality of health care, and can even help in increasing voter turnout during different elections.

THE USES OF SMARTPHONES

            A very huge population of the youth as well as adults is currently utilizing smartphones to satisfy various daily needs, and their mobile phone usage is consistent with their everyday lives. Both the adults as well as the younger generation are involved in using smartphones in accordance to the situation they are in. For example, Different individuals tend to text message other mobile phone users for various reasons and situations. Certain individuals may use text-messaging services in order to send reminders to their team members and in order to provide update regarding the status of a project.  Similarly several individuals even tend to use text messages in order to remain in constant contact with their loved ones and in order to feel closer to them even while they may be far away from each other. Polichar et al. figured out that individuals tend to prefer using smartphones over other mobile phones in order to satisfy their need of remaining online through free Internet provided by different outlets such as coffee shops (629).

Smartphones on Education

            Devices that are recognized as handheld devices have been utilized in conducting both formal as well as informal forms of learning. These devices are being used by educators in order to supply as well as obtain knowledge and information, while students are using it to obtain information. In cases of formal forms of learning, the smartphones are being used within the classroom, and they are even being used externally. For example, instructors as well as tour providers use these phones in order to provide information regarding attractions at different museums. These phones have replaced tourist guides in museums and theme parks and are providing the same services that were being provided by tour guides. Learning activities that are informal in nature are even conducted with the use of smartphones. Clough et al. figured out that students were using smartphone devices in order to satisfy their need of obtaining knowledge in an informal manner, and those individuals who owned a smartphone automatically indulged in the practice of informal learning (369). This means that smartphones have motivated individuals in obtaining knowledge through informal means and obtaining informal knowledge. Individuals even tend to get involved in the process of informal learning when they do not even intend to indulge in the activity. They tend to use internet obtained through Wi-Fi and GPRS while they are travelling in order to look up for certain areas, places of interests, eating outlets, and this results in the enhancement of their knowledge about different places. Education has crossed the boundaries of educational institutes and is being provided through online means. This means that any individual who has a computer or a device from which Internet can be accessed can obtain education while being anywhere and at any point in time. Distance learning has even gained immense popularity because it is not restricted by time and place. Individuals who are employed and who have families hardly find time to visit an educational institute in order to pursue their higher educational needs. Due to this, distance learning has become popular as it is not restricted by time and place, and individuals can be at their workplaces or houses and obtain higher education. According to Manoj, smartphones allow users to use Internet through Wi-Fi or GPRS, and this has encouraged people to participate in higher education through the means of distance learning (39). He figured out that in India over 40 million individuals are using Internet on their mobile phones and out of this 40 million, 22 million are students. This shows that in India alone, 40 million individuals can engage in distance higher education through their smartphones.

Smartphones On Business

            One of the best features of smartphones is that it allows individuals such as employees to remain connected with their work anytime and anywhere they are, and they are not restricted at a particular setting such as offices or institutes to continue to produce more. Smartphones even enable employees to gain steady access to information that is required to make useful decisions. They can use the Internet applications to browse through the World Wide Web to find information, and they can even use smartphones to remotely access their office computers and databases to obtain required information. Smartphones even come along with applications that help employees in conducting problem solving activities, and this leads to increased involvement of employees with their work. Today, employers give preference to those employees who are ready to produce more and take on more workload. Due to this workload, the work life balance of employees has been disrupted. Since smartphones allow employees to even work when employees are having time with their families or relaxing at home, smartphones have assisted them in managing their work life balance. MacCormick et al. states that individuals who do not own smartphones to remain connected with their work may end up missing opportunities that can lead to their success and the success of the business they are representing (3).

Smartphones On Medicine    

            Since smartphones started gaining acceptance and popularity within society, both the professionals of the health care as well as the common population even started adopting these phones. The smartphone developers have developed various applications related to health care, and these applications have assisted both care obtainers and care providers in receiving and providing optimum quality of care in a timely manner.

Figure 1. Healthcare Applications Per Operating System. Represents the applications that are developed to be used by different operating systems of smartphones, and these applications are being developed for the professionals, students, as well as the patients. (Mosa et al. 10)

Smartphones On Elections

            Countries have recognized the increased popularity of smartphones and have established voting applications for smartphones as this helps in increasing the voter turnout. There are several voters who cannot vote and who do not vote, as they do not prefer to stand in long queues in order to cast their votes. Smartphones can be used to encourage such voters to vote as smartphones erase the use of queues and even costs associated with visiting a voting outlet.

              Figure 2. Rate of voting errors by smartphone and non-mobile owners. Shows that when the mobile voting system was used by smartphone owners, they made fewer mistakes than those who did not own a smartphone and those who did not own a phone at all. (Campbell, et al. 1103)

THE DISADVANTAGES OF USING SMARTPHONES

            Research has continuously proved that smartphones are benefiting individuals of different ages, but smartphones have some certain disadvantages associated with them.

Work Engagement

Smartphones have assisted adult employees in remaining engaged with their work at all times even while adults are at home or having a luxurious night out with friends. MacCormick et al. states that smart phones have increased the involvement of adult employees, but this increased involvement is compromising the social life of employees and is even adding up to the stress levels of employees (3).

Social Life

Individuals are constantly working with the assistance of smartphones, and due to this they have ended up forgoing their life with friends and family members. Similarly, Clough et al. states that smartphones promote students to indulge in obtaining education that is informal in nature (369).

Youth Students

Students use smartphones to search for places and events and learn about different things. The problem associated with informal learning is that these students and especially the youth end up browsing for information that is not good for their age. They end up surfing the web through their smartphones to learn about sex and pornography, and they even stalk other individuals, which leads to violation of the right of privacy of others.

CONCLUSION

            Smartphones are highly popular among individuals of different ages such as adults as well as teenagers. These devices are so popular due to the various advantages offered by these devices to the younger and the adult generation. Benefits include formal as well as informal learning, distance learning, increased quality and efficiency of healthcare, increased participation in voting during elections, and increased engagement with professional work. On the other hand, there are disadvantages associated with smartphones that come along with these advantages. These include decrease in amount of time spent with friends and family members due to higher engagement with work and access to information that is not appropriate for the age of teenagers. This does not mean that smartphone use should be stopped as this would lead to giving up the benefits offered by smartphones. Instead adults need to manage their time with their families and work in an appropriate manner, and strict supervision regarding the information that is being accessed by teenagers needs to be adopted.

WORKS CITED

1. Campbell, B. A.,et al."Voting on a Smartphone: Evaluating the Usability of an Optimized Voting System for Handheld Mobile Devices."Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 55.1 (2011): 1100-4. Print.

2. Clough, G.et al."Informal Learning with Pdas and Smartphones." Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 24.5 (2008): 359-71. Print.

3. MacCormick, J.S., K. Dery, and D.G. Kolb. "Engaged or Just Connected? Smartphones and Employee Engagement." Organizational Dynamics 41.3 (2012): 194-201. Print..

4. Manoj, Kumar M. "Impact of the Evolution of Smart Phones in Education Technology and Its Application in Technical and Professional Studies: Indian Perspective." International Journal of Managing Information Technology 3.3 (2011): 39-49. Print.

5. Mosa, A.S., I.Yoo, and L. Sheets. "A Systematic Review of Healthcare Applications for Smartphones." Bmc Medical Informatics and Decision Making 12 (2012). Print.

6. Polichar, Valerie E., and Louise Barkhuus. "Empowerment Through Seamfulness: Smart Phones in Everyday Life." Personal and Ubiquitous Computing 15.6 (2011): 629-39. Print.

7.      Smith, Aaron. " Smartphone Adoption and Usage ." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2013.