Mobile communications and entertainment is probably the most written-about topic that exists right now. But most of what I read is about the frenzy of content deals or from the few brave doomsayers of a convergence ‘bubble’! Why isn’t anyone writing about the consumer perspective?

If you look back in time, Consumer Culture in each new decade of the twentieth century was defined by a ‘killer technology’, which, by creating a paradigm shift in social and consumer behaviors, defined the aspiration, social culture and even fashions of the age. Consider the automobile in the 1920’s, TV in the 1950’s and mass air travel (and space travel) in the 1960’s.

For early 21st century consumers, mobile technology applications, represent a similar kind of ‘killer technology’. ModelPeople’s deep insights research for our mobile phone, consumer electronics and entertainment clients indicates that, as before, brand value will be driven by consumers themselves creating new social, cultural and lifestyle paradigms. Apple, and ad agency Chiat Day, got it about right with their early iPod campaign which focused on the sheer freedom and joie de vivre of mobile music: in my recent Consumer Workshops and Ethnographies, I heard Urban trendsetters rhapsodize about what they saw as a new and intensely empowering lifestyle paradigm: "life [literally] without cords attached". Consumers, especially urban teens and young adults are already using mobile applications to:

• Enrich social interactions. Have you ever watched a group of teens sharing text messages or sending snapshots as a way of involving absent friends in a social occasion? Social networks are now truly global.
• Express style and status. 18 months ago, my work on plasma TV’s as the new lifestyle accessory was covered by the New York Times (http://www.modelpeopleinc.com/press) : now it’s a Razr or a white PSP.
• Inspire new creative forms. In London, ‘grime’, a garage/hip-hop inspired music genre (http://www.dizzeerascal.com), has spread via impromptu street rapping to music downloads from MP3 players and mobile phones. In Japan, an ancient form of epigrammatic poetry called Tanka is being adapted for mobile phones.
• Inhabit game space 24/7. EA and Vodafone in Europe and Australia have just struck a deal to download popular games to their phones, and one recent forecast (from Ziff Davis) predicts 40% of US gamers will go portable within a year. (http://www.mobilemag.com)
• Stay informed and [pop] culturally connected, via news and entertainment content on, for example Verizon’s V-Cast or Sprint’s new MTV offering. The current debate about how many consumers really want to watch TV on their phones is irrelevant. These services will be successful because they emotionally empower consumers with the feeling of being permanently ‘connected’ to what’s happening.

Another irrelevant debate from the consumer perspective is whether mobile media devices will replace other forms. They won’t, because advancements in consumer electronics (plasma and LCD TV’s, new generation gaming consoles, TiVo) are high status and provide incomparably rich, personalized experiences. However mobile communications and entertainment applications will continue to shape new forms of social and cultural interaction: in sound bites and on the move. Brands which can respond and add value to how consumers use these technologies for emotional, social and cultural self-empowerment will, like Apple’s iPod become the true killer applications.

Claire Brooks is President of ModelPeople Inc., a Southern California-based Deep Insights Consulting group specializing in cultural anthropology and qualitative research projects for Fortune 500 brand clients.

Chicago
The Illusion of Being "In the Know"
To be interested in and even possess cutting edge technology are no longer qualities solely reserved for serious "techies." Instead, the average consumer has access to everything on the market as soon as it is introduced, particularly with the proliferation of mega-outlets such as Best Buy and Circuit City. Nonetheless, there is still a sense of excitement and novelty about owning the latest device, giving the average consumer a feeling of being "in-the-know" for having discovered something before everyone else. This sense is particularly heightened if the new gadget is sleek and small with some type of entertainment feature that other items have not yet mirrored.

In a city such as Chicago, it is important to have portable entertainment for urban commutes on foot and in public transportation. Whether the device be a music player, PDA, or even laptop computer, urbanites display a veritable "fashion show" of gadgetry with every commute. For the most part, iPods are still the object du jour. Yet, interspersed among the plethora of white Minis with white earphones (and now Nanos) are those objects that wow everyone else and inspire them to venture to the local technology store to check out what’s new and available to them.

Some objects that have Chicagoans talking include the musical cell phone Motorola Rokr E1, the mini-computer OQO Model 01 and the Sony HMP-A1 portable video player.

• Motorola Rokr E1: Stylish multifunctional device that provides on-the-go entertainment
  Motorola Rokr
  http://www.apple.com/itunes/mobile/
  With the ubiquitous popularity of the iPod, the Motorola Rokr E1 is a much anticipated device in the Chicago area, particularly as Chicagoans love to listen to their music and talk on the phones while walking or taking public transportation to their destinations within the city. Unlike other cell phones with MP3 capabilities, this phone specifically uses the iPod software and interface, and is about the size of a mini. It holds up to 100 songs (same memory size as the iPod shuffle). Consumers can listen to their music on stereo quality built-in speakers or on special headphones. Receiving a call does not interfere with the music -- the music just pauses and resumes without skipping a beat after the phone call has ended. One young urbanite, Missy 24, stated, "I’m just excited that I can use the songs that I worked so hard to collect for more than one thing without having to transfer them to another program. Plus, since I can’t leave home without my cell phone, I’ll be able to free up space in my purse!"
  Nonetheless, while consumers may be somewhat deterred by the bulkier design of the product (compared to the Motorola Razr), its memory size and cost, at $250 along with a two-year service plan from Cingular Wireless, they are still excited about the novelty of the fact that this is the first iTunes-compatible portable music player, allowing consumers to synch their phones with their pre-downloaded music. Perhaps this is the first iteration of the model, but it is nonetheless a very exciting predictor of future like-products. It will inevitably be interesting to see what happens to the cachet of the Rokr once such competitors as the Nokia 3250 P hone is released early next year, holding up to 750 songs, without the feature of iTunes compatibility.
  


• OQO Model 01: Small "handtop" computer with an unbeatable cool factor
  www.oqo.com
  This is an extremely small fully functioning laptop, or rather, "handtop". Just 4.9 inches long, 3.4 inches wide, 0.9 inches thin, and weighing only 14 ounces, the model 01 can fit in a pocket or purse. The 01 also features integrated Bluetooth and WiFi, and portable docking station. At one of Chicago’s most popular niche technology retail outlets, Escape Chicago, the OQO Model 01 has been at the top of consumer’s list, particularly as this is the only place this particular item can be purchased in the city. One young user (29) stated, "Commuting to school, work, and back to my apartment I have a lot of time to kill on the trains. Also with it being WiFi compatible I can get it out when I am relaxing at Starbucks to surf the internet, check my e-mail, or just talk to my friends. It’s definitely cool and convenient and is so light and small you can take it anywhere you go!" Ultimately, the implication of such a tiny device is that it further blurs the line between in-office productivity and remote working environments, as the device can be used freely in any location for access to important documents.
  


• Sony HMP-A1: Fashionable, small and novel portable video player (PVP)
  http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review1794.html
  http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/HMP/
  Sony’s HMP-A1 media player is tiny and fashionable. As one of the first portable video players (PVP’s) on the market, this is the video equivalent of the iPod. With a simple interface, the device is not made for tech junkies, but instead for the average enthusiast. This was evidenced by the reaction of one enthusiast (26) who stated, "I bought this a few weeks ago and it’s great. I can download all of my music and movies from the computer and play them while I’m going to work everyday. I can also hook it up to any computer or TV and show my friends what’s on it!" Of course, the high cost of $700 eliminates the common person, but makes having this gadget even cooler particularly when being spotted walking down the street or riding the El.
  

Urban Correspondent, Shannon Sindici

Los Angeles
Consolidation Gets it Done
I, like just about everyone else I know, cannot imagine life without mobile technology. That is, not a pleasant one. Some may still view mobile technology and its devices as superfluous accessories of the elite or trendy youngsters, but for me and my peers they are absolute necessities. Mobile technology is an enabler and has completely affected the way we work and socialize.

My personal messiah of mobile devices is The Blackberry; or "crackberry" as it is endearingly referred to by my friends. It has almost erased my need for a laptop. And, trust, I will rejoice the day when its functionality reaches that level. Some still view it as a "leash" or invasion of personal time. But, I couldn’t disagree more. Instead of searching for an internet connection and then being tied to a computer until I have read and replied to all my e-mails, I can go to dinner and take a "crackberry" restroom break, or tend to business in a taxi on my way to the airport, or party for that matter. Whatever, whenever, if I have my Blackberry, I can get it done on my time

In a day when people are being increasingly consumed by work, mobile technology is empowering my generation to re-claim our personal time. The flip-side is that it is so empowering, everyone suddenly feels like Donald Trump without a second to spare. Standing in line at the register? Text! Waiting for a dressing room? Text! Waiting for a plane to take off? Text! But, if you’re waiting for food at a dinner table, please don’t text! Hopefully, one day soon our social norms will catch up to all of this technology.

Socially, I’ve noticed something interesting. It seems that now, those acquaintances not important enough to warrant a phone call now have access to us via texting. I find myself engaging in [text] conversations with people who I would otherwise not be communicating with. It’s the absolute non-invasive-no-strings-attached way to communicate.

A friend of mine just entered the 21st century by purchasing a Sidekick. In one day, her entire existence changed. She was texting people she hadn’t spoken to in months with ease! Days before she had started chanting the "When is he going to call?" mantra about a special someone who must have lost her number. The problem was she couldn’t bring herself to call him for fear that he actually hadn’t lost her number and just wasn’t calling. But now, with her nifty new phone, she sent a seemingly casual text and ... poof! The lines of communication were open again.

Of course, I cannot comment on mobile technology without mentioning the iPod- another necessary accessory. Whether it’s status or convention, no one can deny its popularity. It’s every adult’s favorite toy. I call it the "party in my purse." LA is know for its house parties (because that’s the only place you can party after 2 AM), and I, like many, am putting DJ’s out of business every time I whip my iPod out of my purse, fully loaded with playlists for every mood, and connect it to a stereo.

I can’t deny that mobile devices have become status symbols and create never-ending ways for people to express their individuality. Bedazzled phones, custom ringtones, Gucci holsters- I mean, really, when will it end? But when it comes down to it, I find that I, and those that are true slaves of the technology, rely on it for its functionality and will follow wherever that leads us. I’ve successfully consolidated my phone and e-mail, but still have to lug around an iPod and laptop. Find a way to consolidate all 3 of those, and I’m sold!

Urban Correspondent, Nicco Ardin

New York
Multitasking Music Players
Unless you are Rich Medina spinning classics at Table 50 in NYC, there’s no need for you to have 10,000 songs on your iPod. Ordinary Joes with less time on their hands and space in their pockets are looking for, and using, devices that not only enhances their cool factor but their entertainment value and antsiness. Case in point is the newly released iPod Rokr, a combination mobile phone by Motorola and Apple iTunes. On subways, where time drags like a wet cigarette, the hipsters on their way back to Williamsburg are scrolling the phone’s color screens looking for songs to shorten their 3 minute rides from Union Square to Bedford Avenue. An iPod, or even an iPod shuffle with its limited song capacity, is too much work on the fingers and the eyes, it seems.

Ultra thin and uber-stylish, the iTunes phone, né the GSM Rokr, out just two weeks ago, retails for about $250.00. At the Apple store and local cellular shacks, the unit has sold out. No wonder: it offers convenience and space and serves a dual function, the way busy New Yorkers like it. The phone holds 100 songs and (thanks iTunes) is a tri-band phone and weighs a mere 3.77 ounces. It also has 9 hours of talk time, has a color display, is Bluetooth ready and sports a VGA camera.

Also on the music tip is Version 2 of the Oakley Thump, the sunglasses with a built in MP3 player. The Thump 2 is just within the same price range as the Rokr but offers hands free mobile rocking. Whereas the Rokr is geared toward the MAC crowd, the Thump is for the PC crews as most of it’s formats are based in the Windows Media for songs, the .wav. I spotted Boudicon, a freelance writer and editor sporting a pair on the way to an editorial meeting at an influential metropolitan lifestyle magazine. According to Boudicon, the sound reproduced is good but with the change dropped on the device, you might as well buy a 6g iPod. "It’s a cool looking thing," Boudicon said. "It holds about 8 albums, but I wouldn’t wear it while riding my bike in NYC traffic. What I really want is a pair of sunglasses with a telephone with music and a built in TV with voice activated remote control."

Urban Correspondent, Rachel Ayala

San Francisco
San Francisco Cellular Culture
Cellular communication technology has certainly changed social dynamics among young people in San Francisco, but not all for the better. Text messages are being used for varied types of communication: flirting at bars, inviting groups of people to parties, and even sending secret messages in class (the new wave of passing notes under the table.)

However, with all of this social "enabling" comes with an annoyance that you can be reached anywhere/anytime. I sense a backlash to cell phones and wireless PDAs in san Francisco that comes from a frustration that now people expect you to be available at a drop of a coin. The increased connection imbedded in cell phone use also comes with a disconnection of personal interactions and people in San Francisco are extremely wary of this downfall. Rarely does someone not have a cell phone in SF but you’ll hear (more than other cities) that someone just "succumbed" to getting their first cell phone here. People in this city have a laid-back attitude and would rather live in the moment rather than be on the phone, planning their next move. Perhaps this is why the Blackberry (or any other kind of PDA) is not very popular and even scorned upon by young people in the city. It appears to be a symbol of corporate, mover/shaker types that just don’t sit well with the neo-hippie lifestyle of the city.

While San Francisco does seem wary of cell phones, PDA devices and the like, artistic types are taking quickly to the new technologies offered to enhance their creative practices. The new Motorola Rokr phone, for instance, is popular among music lovers and techie types who want to be able to compose their own ringtones. People are lining up at the Apple store for the newest, smallest iPod version. Visual artists are also using cellular technology. For instance, Tristan Perich (NYC) reconfigured an old telephone with cellular technology. This project exemplifies the kind of nostalgia for the lo-fi and resistance to new technology that is also apparent in San Francisco.

One art endeavor using cell phones to their advantage are "flash mobs" (sudden performance art interventions in the public realm.) The flash mob coordinator sends a mass text message which relays to hundreds of participants the secret site where the performance will take place. To the left is a picture of the "Zombie Flash Mob" that happened in downtown SF in July.


Urban Correspondent, Dina Pugh

Tokyo
Mobile Back in the Day: First Define What Culture Difference Is!
Japanese young adults are more accustomed to using mobile devices than American young adults. People in the U.S. have been chatting and emailing via their computer for a while, even before the release of the popular movie "You’ve Got Mail" (Warner Bros./1998). Meanwhile, Japanese teenagers and young adults, were already using 2G mobile technology to communicate with each other via text message and email. They also had been photo sharing and picture writing through their mobile devices. They knew that the mobile devices would be the easiest way to communicate in the future. As a result the consumer in Japan, was more conscious of mobile phone and network use, than the U.S. consumer. These differences affected multiple areas such as business structure, marketing and branding. Most companies started to create upgrade mobile devices and network environments to follow the trends of mobile business.

i-mode
Presently, more than half of Japanese carry mobile phones, NTT DoCoMo presented i-mode and FOMA for next generation service, which is the mobile Internet service through the DoCoMo’s data base or related site. Users can easily get necessary information, download and send email. Why has the i-mode become such a popular service in Japanese mobile market? What has made their campaign successful is the targeting of teenagers and young adults including their family members; describing new technologies in familiar situations and creating new family plans because teenager never pay for themselves, their parents would pay for everything. Another reason for the company’s branding success is most of existing users do not switch their service because of the brand image and high quality service.

Accessorize your Mobile!
Now the mobile phone has become a status symbol brand and because of the increasing the market demands for individuality, people do not want to have the same style phone (even it’s cool enough). The mobile accessory market, as a result is the most unique and fastest growing market of its kind. Accessories created in the market are mobile straps, custom antenna, custom body (clear body or painted body), and unique cover seal and instant charger using battery. Especially, the strap merchandize has so many varieties, for example, the most famous character "HELLO KITTY " has distinct model, exclusive city models for nation wide Japan beside regular models, and various drink companies sell their drink with their original and exclusive mobile straps together. This kind of marketing is now very popular to provide company image and merchandise itself, original and exclusive items for their consumers. It is easy to customize and differentiate from your other friends!

Now 2G>>>3G
40% of mobile consumers are using 3G functional mobile technology in Japan. Here is the one of the new models called "P701iD" for FOMA (DoCoMo). This is the collaborated model with DoCoMo, Panasonic and graphic designer known to Taku Satoh. Satoh says, "The design is connecting something else, person and person, person and product, person and company..." The mobile itself is very simple and has neutral form, but the identity and detail is very strong and unique. He designed the entire product working with developers and all of the content as well. Total art direction creates good atmosphere and strong attitude to new users. Recently, I am seeing with the countless design peculiarities of product I would prefer to use one of the simpler models because of its ease and aesthetics.

http://panasonic.jp/mobile/p701id/special/index.html

3G>>>SUPER 3G: Communication Meets Broadcasting
Mobile companies are trying to provide for next generation of 3G by 2007, Super 3G. They will be able to provide optical fiber Internet service though the mobile devices, and if the companies can serve new contents using that system, there will be more opportunity to increase business. Now broadcasting content direct to consumer will be available, people can download the original TV show to their HD card. In future, when the user watches TV shows with mobile capabilities, they can have access to buy the products that are visible in the shows like food, movie tickets and varied assortment of products. No more mass appeal!? I would love to watch the original TV show when I go home by the subway.

No More Wallets? "FeliCa + i-mode = EZ FeliCa"
Due to the growing demands of personal technology devices the following companies have made huge strides in the industry. NTT DoCoMo’s Internet service, i-mode and EZ web by au, and Sony’s contact less IC technology FeliCa are examples of companies that have foreseen growing consumer needs. For example, FeliCa’s speedy and secure data transmission technology combined with i-mode and EZ web enables communication wherever the user may be. After charging electronic money online to your i-mode FeliCa-equipped handset, paying at a cash register just takes a simple wave of your handset. This combination is the birth of a new mobile tool that makes such convenient and fast shopping a reality. Using i-mode FeliCa will reduce the bulky content in your wallet. It can be your cash, credit card, membership ID, and house key all in one.

Urban Correspondent, Ken Ikeda