Technologies Affect on Communication Research Paper

Technologies Affect on Communication - Research Paper Example To begin with, it is important to note that traditional modes of communication such as telegrams, letters, use of human messengers to deliver messages, have continued to lose popularity save for special circumstances, even though they are still being used in societies that have not invested on modern infrastructure (Bucy, 2004). Cell phones for example have become a major necessity in the human life due to their mobility and portability, which in turn creates convenience. This is as opposed to the wired communication devices such as the landline telephones, which are static in nature by the virtue of the fact that a person waiting for an important call has to remain within an audible range, so as to receive a call once the telephone rings (Atkin, 2006). In this context, mobile technology has enabled people to call and reach their intended recipients from any location and during any time of the day, without having to interfere with their day to day activities. For example, a person wo rking in the field can reach his or her spouse by calling them on their mobile, may be to check on how they are doing or to pass an important message. They make it possible for parents to enquire and confirm on the safety of their children especially in these uncertain times when children are vulnerable to numerous physical and psychological threats in the society. By doing so, one can perform his or her duties without distraction, knowing well that their families are safe wherever they are. Cell phones have also enabled users to deliver themselves from tough predicaments such as mechanical breakdowns on their vehicles while on transit (Atkin, 2006). One only needs to call a towing company or an expert to come to their aid. Without these gadgets, such an occurrence would necessitate walking long distances in search of help, which could also be dangerous especially if it occurs late in the night when there are few motorists on the roads and when the chances of being attacked by armed gangsters are real. It is also observable that most of the mobile handsets in the current markets have built-in cameras, which enable users to record videos and take pictures of their surroundings. In light of this, a person can use his or her phone to record evidence or an occurrence such as an accident or criminals in action, which can later be used by insurance companies or security personnel in building their cases. This is an important aspect since it is not always possible to have security and traffic officers in each and every corner of the nation. Witnesses to such occurrences would be in an excellent position to explain the details to the officers, after they use the same cell phones to call the authorities as well as ambulances depending on the situation at hand (Atkin 2006). However, it is not always easy to communicate vocally through cell phones especially if a person is in a noisy environment. In addition, some details in a phone conversation may be delicate in nature such that they require a lot of privacy. For example, personal information such as bank and other financial details, access codes to important online accounts or even delicate family issues are not supposed to access the public. To counter this, mobile phones are equipped with short messaging systems, which enable one to send information in form of text (Bucy, 2004). The recipient needs only to access the message, read it and if it is too confidential, he has the option