If you ask my kids, I’m a Luddite. Totally out of it when it comes to technology, in spite of all evidence to the contrary — the cell phone, the iPod, the iMac and the digital camera. Not to mention my mad TV remote skills.
In truth, many of us are loosely anchored between two emerging forces, Facebook nation and the 3G mobile world. We’re older and wiser, but not ancient. We spend plenty of time online, but don’t live there. We have cell phones, but they don’t double as umbilical cords. We depend on technology, but don’t gasp for breath without it. We’re tech-savvy, but weren’t exactly weaned on it.
Strangely enough, because we grew up in the Dick Tracy era, we have a longstanding fascination with mobile devices and can fathom their potential maybe even more than our Boomer kids can. Indeed, we stand in awe of the possibilities of mobile technology, not only in the U.S., but in countries where mobile is blooming in the absence of a suitable infrastructure for more traditional communications technologies.
Even as mobile apps flow freely into the market and devices amaze us with their capabilities and interfaces, it’s clear there’s still plenty of room for growth.
Where’s mobile headed and what do we want out of it? For users, the answer is more. More ways to connect. More ways to search. More ways to share. More ways to download. More ways to operate on the fly. For marketers, it’s smarter ways to reach and engage users. Smarter ad-funded content. Smarter targeting and analytics. Smarter viral advertising. And rock-solid protection for users who don’t want to receive mobile ads.
