The thing that makes this story really noteworthy is that Vonage is undercutting Skype’s international long distance rates by an incredible 30%. It’s similar to the tact Vonage took with their home phone service, coming in at a price that is nearly impossible for competitors to compete with. It will be interesting to see if this puts any pressure on Skype to lower their rates for calling internationally.

Any calls made are charged through credits purchased within the application. Because these credits are added through iTunes or Android, there is no need to give Vonage your credit card information.

For the launch of the app, users will get free calls to any phone in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. This is a limited time offer, so if you want to take advantage you will need to get the application right away.

Here’s the application links:

• Android Link
• iTunes Link

Source: Venture Beat

Losing the data – or the phone itself – can prove difficult to deal with, depending on how highly you rate the phone and what importance you place on the data stored therein. Having a backup plan in case of emergency is certainly recommended. But to have a plan of action, you need to know what the threats are. Fortunately there are competent, free solutions available on all four popular smartphone platforms.

Anti-Malware

Let’s be realistic – modern smartphones offer more threats to your personal safety than a computer.

Skilled hackers can use malware to scrape personal data off your phone, leaving you in debt when they take credit out in your name a few minutes later. With an always-on Internet connection in your pocket you might get an email from your bank informing you of the huge overdraft you didn’t apply for, but by then it will be too late.

Although such cases are currently rare, you obviously need to be aware of the possibilities and protect against these types of threat. The best answer here is to avoid visiting unsafe websites and installing untrustworthy apps from unofficial sources onto your phone, but if you absolutely must do this, make sure you protect yourself with some anti-malware software.

Lookout Security & Antivirus for Android phones is a suitable response, while iPhone and Windows Phone owners should ensure their devices are not unlocked or jailbroken. Concerns about transferring data to your phone from your computer can easily be addressed by installing anti-malware software for Windows or Mac OS X.

Encrypting Data

Both remote threats and those closer to home (such as having your phone stolen) can be partially addressed by encrypting data. Personal data stored on your phone can then only be accessed by the person with the encryption key – you. Should your device be hacked remotely or stolen it will prove next to impossible for the perpetrators to be able to read the data you have stored on your smartphone.

Android owners can use SecureMemo to keep data, passwords, and other data secure while SecurePhoto, meanwhile, provides security for photos stored on your phone.

If you use iPhone 3GS or later, you will have the advantage of native encryption while the My Eyes Only – Secure Password Manager app is a popular choice for storing notes, passwords and credit card data.

BlackBerry also offers native encryption and you might choose to secure your data using an app such as iLocker Lite to lock specific software, preventing unauthorized access.

Windows Phone users meanwhile don’t have the advantage of native encryption but unlike Android handsets don’t have an (easily) removable MicroSD card. Hidden Pass is the most popular app for encrypting personal data on this platform.

Tracing A Stolen Phone

As we’ve already discussed, smartphones are increasingly popular targets for thieves who might be looking for personal data, a quick way to make a phone call or hardware that they can sell to support their chosen lifestyle.

Whether you have been able to protect the data on your phone or not, you should be prepared to trace the device in the event of loss or theft. This is something that can be achieved using native software or third party apps.

Android users can take advantage of the Plan B app which will email your phone’s location to your Gmail address when you use another device to text the word “locate”.

Apple iPhone’s Find My Phone tool will locate the device on a map and allow you to remotely play a ringtone, display a message, remotely lock and even wipe it. Windows Phone users have a similar option also called Find My Phone which offers the same functionality but is native to the platform.

BlackBerry doesn’t have a such a system, although lost devices can be wiped by your BES administrator.

Backing Up To The Cloud

If you have concerns over the safety of data on your phone you can store it online or at the very least save a backup to the cloud. This can then be accessed via a web browser from another device or computer, allowing you to at the very least keep your data if your phone is stolen.

Naturally Apple iPhones have access to the iCloud service which effortlessly backs up apps and data, while Windows Phone owners have SkyDrive. Meanwhile Android offers data synchronization with Google for standard data such as calendar, contacts and emails.

Dropbox apps are available free for all platforms, meanwhile, including BlackBerry.

Conclusion

With suitable responses in place to deal with any of these possibilities, you should find that in most cases you can overcome data loss and phone loss. There is even a chance that your device can be retrieved or returned to working order.

In the meantime, don’t leave anything to chance. Keep your phone safe at all times, use the apps suggested above to pre-empt any threats or misuse of your handset and remember to take insurance on the device. Your mobile phone network will be able to refer you to their favoured broker, although you should check if you have any suitable cover already via other insurance policies.

In a press release, the health care organization wrote that “patients will have 24/7 access to lab results, diagnostic information, direct and secure email access to their doctors, and will also be able to order prescription refills”.

Being able to access medical records can be a huge advantage to patients, particularly the elderly, carers and patients with chronic conditions who need to get updates on lab results, fill prescriptions and communicate with the doctor’s office.

The Android app contains sections for medical records, pharmacy center, appointment center, message center, and a Kaiser location facility finder. Your secure, electronic medical record includes your health history, information about allergies and immunizations, details about prescriptions and any ongoing health conditions, health care reminders, and most test results.

The app for the iPhone has not been released yet, but users can in the meantime access their records on a mobile-optimized version of kp.org and save the site as a shortcut icon to their iPhone device.

Kaiser said that in “2011 alone, more than 68 million lab test results were made available online to Kaiser Permanente patients. The mobile-optimized site and the new app make that information, and much more, securely available at members’ fingertips”.

Source: Marketwatch

So, imagine how surprised I was to find the official AutoCAD WS Android application is available for free in the Android Market. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But it’s real, so it’s well worth getting your hands on the AutoCAD application before Autodesk changes their mind and starts charging for it.

Trying Out AutoCAD WS

AutoCAD allows you to access files stored on your AutoCAD WS account online, which you can create for free using the application. This means you can upload files to your online AutoCAD WS account using your desktop and automatically sync to your smartphone and to the accounts of your clients and co-workers. It’s a simple process to email an invitation to share documents and this ensures everybody has the latest version.

If you want a wider variety of example files than the applications offers, Autodesk have plenty of example files here.

Other than using AutoCAD WS online, the next easiest way to get drawing files on your phone is probably to email the file to yourself and save it to your SD card, but if you prefer some other way then suit yourself.

Editing Files With AutoCAD WS

Obviously, a phone CAD application is never going to be as easy to use as a desktop version. Screen size on a phone is limited, so your document view is smaller and tool options are harder to reach. Keep in mind that small edits are the intention of the application, rather than this being your primary document editor.

Android’s pinch zoom and pan gestures are perfect for viewing large and detailed drawings, such as are normal in AutoCAD. You might find yourself wishing your desktop had a touch screen so you could do the same there.

Limitations Of AutoCAD Android Application

My main gripe with the AutoCAD application is that it’s huge, taking up just under 20MB space on my phone upon installation. Even after moving it to the SD card, it hogs a huge amount of space on your phone. Which, for some Android phones, is just not feasible.

Alternatives & Complementary CAD Applications

Droid 2 CAD allows you to take location points with your GPS and export them for use in a CAD document later, which could be extremely useful when surveying sites. AndCad, RedStick Site CAD and AutoQ3D CAD are all CAD applications which allow you to edit DWG files, but are only available as either a demo or paid application. However, with the official AutoCAD application available for free, paid alternatives look far less attractive as options.

For a desktop CAD alternative, take a look at LibreCAD and make sure you check out our guide on how to convert DWG files to PDF.

What do you love or hate about the AutoCAD application? How well does the mobile application suit your line of work? Let us know in the comments.

One of these is the rarely-trumpeted provision of free music, provided to Windows Phone users either via third party apps or services intended for specific models. Along with countless Internet radio apps on Windows Phone, users have the advantage of using Last.fm for free (Android and iPhone users must pay a subscription for this service) while Nokia Lumia owners can access the Nokia Music service.

Radio Apps For Windows Phone

As you might expect, there are many free Internet radio apps for Windows Phone, each offering free music or talking, depending on your preference. Free apps like TuneIn radio provide access to a huge selection of Internet radio webcasts from around the world, covering all tastes.

You’ll also find single-station or dedicated network apps, designed for you to enjoy a favoured radio station wherever you might be. If radio is your thing, however, you might prefer to use the built-in FM band radio that comes with most Windows Phones.

Last.fm

One of the main reasons to enjoy free music on a Windows Phone is the provision of Last.fm, the popular service which allows users to stream tunes that have been selected based on previously listened to and appreciated (signified via the “Like” button) tracks direct to their phones.

The desktop/browser version has always been free but in 2011 Last.fm announced that the mobile apps for BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices would become paid services. Only Windows Phone (and the version for Xbox 360) would remain free, thanks to a long-standing agreement between Last.fm and Microsoft.

Windows Phone owners can install Last.fm via the Marketplace on their phones, online or through the Zune desktop client. If you don’t already have an account with the service you can create one when the app is launched.

When you sign in, use the music search box to find one of your favourite artists and browse through the various entries in the results; these will detail the number of other users with the same taste and by selecting the relevant entry you can check which artists are similar (and which might as a result be played), read a bio of the artist or commence playing the dedicated channel for that artist.

As you listen to the tracks that are streamed to your phone you can decide whether you Like a song or wish to stop it or skip. This information is then used to select the next track, creating a personalised radio station playing only the music you like and informing you of any local gigs featuring the currently playing artist.

Nokia Music

If you are in a territory where the Nokia Lumia 710 and Lumia 800 handsets are available, the Nokia Music app will allow you to stream random-but-relevant tracks (think Spotify) to your phone and download as many as 50 to listen offline.

Like all of the best things featured on MakeUseOf.com, this is a free service, the only cost being the price of the handset.

Using the app is a simple case of launching from the Apps List, selecting Mix radio, choosing a genre (classical, rock, reggae, soul, etc.) and tapping to play one of the pre-selected mixes (offline play is available via the tap-and-hold gesture). If this isn’t your cup of tea, meanwhile, you can use the Create option to select one or more favourite artists; Nokia Music will use these choices to play recommended tracks. You can also use the Personalise option to play personalised mixes, using data stored on your computer to determine the right choices..

Conclusion

Sadly Last.fm is currently only available in the UK and Europe. Windows Phone owners in the USA have access to the similar MetroRadio which is a Pandora app for the platform. Meanwhile the Nokia Music service is available in the USA but Nokia’s Windows Phone devices (the Lumia 710 and 800) aren’t due to be launched in North America until 2012.

For some readers, you’ll be able to summon free and legal music to your WP7 device in seconds – you might have done so before reaching this conclusion – but for others it might be a while before you can get the quality of service you expect.

Before you get carried away, however, spare a thought for the data usage plan as specified by the contract with your carrier or network. Overuse can lead to high charges!

Image Credit: Microsoft

The increased connectivity that is afforded by mobile phones and tablets has a distinct dark side – many of the apps and games that we use can reveal our location, one way or another. This is done explicitly – think of the “check in” function on Facebook – or done in a more underhand manner, and if used unchecked can cause serious personal safety and privacy issues.

How does this happen? It’s all thanks to localization, the name given to the way in which mobile phones collect and share data about your location to the apps that you have installed.

Localization – Friend Or Foe?

Included as a feature on all of the currently used mobile phone and tablet platforms, localization doesn’t just rely on GPS to provide your location to an inquisitive app.

Along with GPS, localization can determine your location by triangulating your position from mobile phone towers and even wireless hotspots that you might be connected to. During 2011 we saw how this information can be used by the mobile phone operating system to record your position, and similarly apps use the data to provide a richer mobile experience.

Only apps that have previously been assigned permission can utilize the data. That’s right, the apps have permission. Assuming you are downloading apps from the official store for your mobile device, they will be enjoying your consent to share details of your current location to services such as FourSquare or Google Maps. Permission is generally granted when installing the app, but it might also be given when the software is run for the first time.

The Effects of Disabling Localization

You can of course disable localization, particularly if you have concerns about the way in which the information is being used or shared. Twitter in particular can prove troublesome if you have it configured to share your current location with every Tweet that you send.

The most important thing is to be aware of the risks and advantages that localization can bring to the day-to-day use of your chosen mobile device. For instance, using the Facebook check-in feature can help you to meet up with friends, family or colleagues at a particular location just as easily as it can reveal your whereabouts to stalkers (obviously this can only occur if your Facebook profile isn’t private). On the other hand a game or map tool is unlikely to share your location with just anyone (although Google Latitude will divulge your whereabouts).

Control the Information Your Cell Phone Shares

Taking control of the data that is shared by apps means spending a few moments with your mobile phone and checking the current localization settings. You can use the guides below to help – notice how they are all quite similar.

Android

Altering your Android’s settings so that localization information is not collected is relatively easy. Open Menu > Settings > Location & security and clear the Use wireless networks and Use GPS satellites options under My Location.

BlackBerry

The process can differ between BlackBerry OS versions, but this is generally made possible by opening Options > Advanced Options > GPS and altering the Location Aiding setting to Disabled.

iOS

On iPhone, open the Home screen and find Settings. From here, select Location Services and switch to Off. For disabling localization for specific apps, these are listed on the same screen and can be configured as required.

Windows Phone

On Windows Phone, open Settings > Location to disable all localization data sharing; alternatively if you only wish to disable a specific app from sharing data collected from GPS or cellular triangulation, go to Settings > Applications and find the app in question, flicking the Use my location switch to disable.  If the app you’re looking for is not listed, open it as normal and use the app’s own settings menu.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why you might wish to keep your whereabouts under wraps, depending on who you are, where you live, what your career is, etc. The tips above work for each of the mobile platforms listed and can be used to your advantage, but remember that localization services are provided to make life easier for you.

Thankfully, disabling localization isn’t irreversible, so if you decide at a later date that you would like to take advantage of this functionality simply reverse the steps!

Image Credit: Nachoman-au, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Telstra_Mobile_Phone_Tower.jpg

Microsoft has since resolved these shortcomings with the latest release of its successor to the clunky old Windows Mobile. Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” is currently shipping on new devices from HTC, Nokia and Samsung and first generation devices can be upgraded to run this version of the software, which includes wireless tethering. This will enable you to share your mobile Internet connection with other devices.

Why the Big Deal?

News of this feature came late in the day (release day in fact!) thanks to Microsoft being cagey about some of the details of the Mango release. Despite being a much-requested function there was never any confirmation (although plenty of denials) that tethering of any kind would be included.

Fortunately for Windows Phone users, wireless tethering is now a possibility. The benefits of this are considerable. For instance, you might own a tablet, netbook or laptop and have no wireless functionality or access to any nearby wireless networks. Thanks to wireless tethering you can easily use your Windows Phone as a Wi-Fi router and connect to the Internet!

There are a couple of things to bear in mind, however. The first is that if your mobile phone contract does not have suitable Internet usage terms you could easily end up being billed for more than you can afford, so before proceeding, check the small print.

The second point to consider is that using wireless tethering can be quite draining on your mobile phone battery, so it is advised for only short-term use unless you are able to keep your Windows Phone charged.

Activating Internet Sharing

Microsoft’s inclusion of wireless tethering was done with so little fanfare that you might be forgiven for not realising that it is included on Windows Phone Mango. To get started using this function, you will need to open the Settings menu. This can be found on the Start screen and is also available by swiping left or tapping the arrow in the top-right corner of the screen.

With the Settings menu open, first scroll down to Mobile network to confirm that both Data connection and 3G connection are activated. You will need the 3G connection active if you are to have any hope of achieving fast mobile Internet! Enable these options by tapping the switches; when active they will be highlighted to match your phone’s current accent (the color of the tiles on your Start screen).

Tap the Back button on your phone to continue. You will now need to find the Internet sharing option in the Settings menu; a single tap of the switch in this screen will enable tethering.

By activating wireless tethering you will also activate your phone’s wireless function, which is one of the reasons why battery life is affected by this feature.

The Internet sharing screen will now display a few instructions, advising you that up to 5 guests can share your phone’s mobile Internet connection. A default broadcast name will be listed along with a password that you can use on any device that will be used to share the connection. The number of connected devices will also be listed.

Connecting To Your Windows Phone Wireless Hub

You don’t have to use the default options, however. By tapping the Setup button you can configure your own broadcast name by tapping into the field and overtyping the existing name; the same can be done with the password (a minimum of 8 characters is required) and you can also switch the Security type between Open and WPA2. Remember to tap the OK button when you’re done.

With the options set as required and Internet sharing activated you will now be able to connect to your phone as if it was a standard wireless hotspot. Any tablet, e-reader, laptop, netbook, even a desktop computer or another mobile phone can take advantage of your Windows Phone Wi-Fi hotspot by simply identifying the device’s broadcast name and entering the password.

Battery & Security Considerations

Despite the excellent flexibility that wireless tethering offers, there are obvious drawbacks. The first is with the battery life; the more users you allow to connect to your Windows Phone the more data will be processed and the greater reliance on both mobile Internet and Wi-Fi. You could end up with your phone’s battery being seriously drained in under an hour!

Although an open (password-free) connection is available as an option, this isn’t recommended unless you’re in a relatively remote area. The last thing you need – especially if you’re billed on mobile Internet data usage – is to be sharing your connection with unauthorized people.

Despite the battery issues, this is a welcome addition to Windows Phone, one that is quick and easy to use and is great for providing a much-needed Internet connection to other devices.

Let us know if you have any questions or problems setting it up.

Since panic never helps anyone confront and deal with problems, it’s important for users to know what they’re dealing with. Many words have been written on this subject in the last few weeks, and it’s now, when the storm has slightly abated, that we can sanely look at this thing called Carrier IQ, and understand exactly what it is.

I want to emphasize that I am not a mobile security expert and don’t claim to be one. I am simply a concerned user like you who’s done some extensive research, which I hope you can now benefit from.

What Is Carrier IQ?

It’s been called  many things: spy software, keylogger and rootkit from hell are just a few of the scary names we’ve heard. So what is it, what does it do and how scary is it really?

Let’s start from the beginning and try to make it simple. Carrier IQ is actually a company, based in California, that developed a tool which provides carriers with analytics from various devices. You’ve probably heard that this problem only exists in Android phones, and this is partly true. While no company seems eager to admit it’s been using Carrier IQ, Apple claims it is not a part of iOS 5 and up, and according to Microsoft, Carrier IQ is not present in WP7 devices either.

So what does Carrier IQ do? According to professional security consultant Dan Rosenberg, all it does is gather metrics that have to do with coverage, battery life, applications, etc. It does have some access to your phone calls, text messages and the webpages you visit, but this access is limited. The “keylogger” part only logs keys that are pressed on the phone’s dial pad. In text messages, it can gather information about phone numbers, message length, etc., but no message content. In webpages, it can gather the URLs you visit, but not the actual webpage content. You can read the full report here.

Carrier IQ itself has also issued a report of sort, in which it admits that the tool might have unintentionally collected data it was not supposed to. However, the company maintains that the data they were intending to collect was gathered for diagnostic purposes, while protecting consumers’ information.

As Rosenberg points out, we can’t expect carriers to improve their service without some information, which they opted to gather from our (their?) devices. The problem is, we did not opt in to this service. Whether these details appear in the original agreement we signed or not, most people did not know this information was being gathered. Carriers would have been wiser to inform users that these metrics are gathered – they could have easily made it look acceptable, even understandable, to the general public.

So Do I Have Carrier IQ On My Phone?

As of now, you can’t get rid of Carrier IQ unless you’re willing to completely format your device and install a different ROM, which will probably void your warranty. There are some apps out there which claim to remove Carrier IQ by killing the process, but since it is deeply integrated, these apps require some privileges which I, personally, would not like to give to any third party app. So what can you do? You can at least try to find out whether you have it or not.

iOS Devices

It’s not entirely clear whether Apple is still using carrier IQ or not, but in any case, you can opt out of sending information about your device to Apple. All you have to do is follow these steps:

1. In your device, go to Settings

2. Tap the General tab.

3. Go to the About menu.

4. At the bottom part, find Diagnostics & Usage and tap it.

5. Choose Don’t Send and make sure the checkmark appears next to it.

That’s it. This way, you can make sure you at least opted out where you had the chance.

Android Devices

As with any craze, dozens of Carrier IQ scanners have popped out everywhere. Searching for “carrier iq” in the Android Market reveals almost 50 results, many of which really are relevant. I tried out two different apps, both of which performed well. All you have to do is download the app, install it and launch it. It will do everything else automatically.

Bitdefender Carrier IQ Finder [Android 2.1+]

This app from Bitdefender scans your device and gives you a simple yes or no answer. What you want to do with the answer is entirely up to you.

Lookout’s Carrier IQ Detector [Android 1.5+]

Similarly, Lookout Mobile Security’s app performs a quick scan of your device and comes back with a decisive answer. If you’re using an older version than 2.1, this is the app for you.

Conclusion

The Carrier IQ crisis is not the first of its kind, and it probably won’t be the last. What you should remember is that as long as we’re under contract with a carrier, there are certain elements that will never be completely private. It is also important not to panic and to keep informed, and maybe even to try reading that ominous contract next time you enter one with your carrier.

What do you think of the whole Carrier IQ debacle? Is it really a serious breach of privacy or were people hasty to jump to conclusions? Share in the comments!

Image Credit: Shutterstock, Trevor Eckhart’s Video

Textfree is available for both the iOS and Android platform. Both applications are completely free. I’ve got it installed on my iPod touch and it works just like any iPhone texting plan should.

Textfree usage and features are outlined on the application download pages, and there really isn’t much that is too unique or special about the app. It simply works. Download the app and you are able to choose from a few numbers. With that number, you can send and receive an unlimited number of texts. With a subscription, you can even use this number to send calls from. One huge feature that I really enjoy is that you’re able to send picture messages, something most other similar applications won’t allow you to do.

With a paid subscription, you can also hide ads. Textfree comes with a lot of configurable settings. You can add a signature, change your tones, and set email notification preferences. It’s very extensive and is definitely my recommended app of the niche.

The feature that has me completely sold on Textfree has not much to do with their iOS app at all though. Textfree has a web version of this application. With Textfree Web, you can sign up for a brand new Textfree texting number or login to your existing Textfree account and go from car to desk like nothing ever even changed!

Once logged in, sending texts from your desktop is just as easy as it was from your mobile app. It’s a whole different approach when compared to the 10 other sites to send texts from that we’ve reviewed because of the synchronization between desktop and mobile. You have your own dedicated number, also. It’s more like Google Voice than anything else.

The interface is a lot like Meebo and it truly behaves no differently than a web-based instant messaging client. This is the perfectly solution to simple and synchronized, desk-and-mobile texting and I can promise that it’ll eventually find way into your list of never-to-be-closed tabs in your browser. Not to mention, 100% free? Count me in, please.

Textfree (or at least the iOS version) does come with a few small bugs. When switching to the mobile version from the web version, sometimes you’ll see duplicates of the same message being sent. You also won’t see your own replies to messages from your desktop on your mobile client. It makes conversation histories close to useless. Every now and then, your app might freeze due to loading the huge amount of “new” messages if you’re switching back to mobile from the web. These are annoying, but a small price to pay for all of this functionality.

If you’re looking for a slimmed down, simpler version of some of Textfree’s features then check out GizmoSMS.

Try out Textfree. Let us know in the comments if you use any other messaging app.

However, sometimes even the coolest inventions in the world bring negative impacts, and although it doesn’t take away from how great these inventions are, it is our irresponsibility that puts a bad mark on them. So let’s take a look at how mobile phone culture has ruined the world.

We Have Gotten Lazy

It’s true, isn’t it? The mobile phone isn’t just a way to communicate to people. Oh no. It’s your go-to device for everything. You can shop online stores, map out trips, and read the news all from one device. Heck, with the right armchair that’s near an electrical outlet, you would never have to even leave your seat.

What I am getting at is that we tend to become very dependent on our phones. When’s the last time that you actually mapped out a trip? How often do you use your mobile phone as a calculator. Have you ever tried figuring out the time using only the sun? Don’t get too defensive, for it’s true that we should use technology to make our lives easier, and I recognize that. However, we mustn’t forget our roots in the event that technology ever fails us.

We Have Given Up Privacy

No longer can you have a moment to yourself in this day and age. If you ignore a phone call and post something on Facebook from your phone right after, the person who called is going to see it, and said person  could quite likely become offended (which is kind of silly when you think about it). I am curious as to when we decided it was okay to let everyone know exactly where we are. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with it, but I would consider it to be a faux pas in the category of societal evolution.

Using apps such as Foursquare, Facebook, and Twitter, we have successfully made the world our mother, letting it know where we are going, who we are going with, and what exactly we are doing while we are there. I’ve been told by a reader that I have missed the point of social networking, but wouldn’t sharing valuable information such as worldwide, local, and even personal news be a more proper way to utilize social networking? By constantly sharing our location (keyword is “constantly”), we set ourselves up for an invasion of privacy.

We Have Also Become Too Private

Ironically, in this supposedly open source world, it seems as though that as soon as we get away from the computer, we become a privacy-hungry individual. Granted, I do not have a solid foundation for this argument – it’s merely an opinion and currently based upon experience – but how often do you find yourself avoiding face-to-face interaction these days? Surely there will be one of you who comments on here, “Joshua, I don’t have a problem at all with talking to people face-to-face,” and to that, I say good for you.

However, there are people who do struggle with this due to mobile phone culture, and you must recognize that I do not believe all my points apply to everyone. I do ask this – how many people do you know that would rather send a text message than make a phone call? There is something troublesome about a human being more open to an electronic device than a fellow human being.

We Have Forgotten Social Skills

Moving on along with this privacy nonsense, I believe that we can assume that all the former rules of privacy have been turned around into something totally unrecognizable. We don’t mind Tweeting that we’re about to use the toilet, but we refuse to say much more than “hello” to a friend on the street.

Furthermore, we tend to make the world our place for private conversations, venturing out into public and having loud discussions that would have made my grandmother blush – alas, the death of the phone booth. The street, dear people, is not a place to have conversations about your sexual frustrations, your diarrhea, or your most recent hit-and-run victim. Save that for at home. Or the car. Somewhere else. Anywhere, really.

Conclusion

It’s very easy to communicate using only text on a screen, and even though actual voice conversations are more closely related to face-to-face interaction, it’s just not the same as two people connecting with each other.

I don’t think we should stop using mobile phones, and with that being said, I don’t think we should stop using social networking or fancy apps that let us order a pizza online. We’re residing in the future, and we should live it up as much as possible! However, there’s something that we need to retain in this mobile phone culture – our humanity.