CELULARPHONES
JUST HOW SMART WILL
THEY GET?
The pace of technological advancement in the cell
phone industry is nothing short of astonishing. Ten years ago, cell phones were
just about making calls today; they are rapidly becoming the uber -device-the
one device that has it all. Cell phones are cameras, video recorders, PDAs,
portable media players, and much, much more.
The top-end phones
available today have as much processing power as the average desktop computer.
Now that it’s possible to surf the internet from our phones, many expert
predict we will soon spend more time online on our phones than on laptops. How
else might cell phone technology advance in the future? High-speed internet connections on cell
phones make it possible to watch TV and also play interactive games. The
problem is size of the picture. Who wants to watch a movie on 1 ½ inch screen?
The solution will be built-in projectors. Televisions may soon become a thing
of the past thanks to technology that will allow people to create a big-screen
experience on their living room wall with their cell phones.
Another development
we’re likely to see in the next few years is the flexible screen. Scientists
have already developed the technology that would allow cell phone screen to
take on various forms. Imagine being able to roll out the screen from your
phone so it is closer to the size of a
laptop, then roll it back up to fit in your pocket.
This kind of
technology can make laptops and desktops obsolete. Cell phones could also replace
our wallets, turning us into a cashless society. Technology will turn our
phones into credit cards, IDs, keys for our cars and homes, and more. In Japan,
many cell phones users already purchase products with their phones. In Kenya,
millions of people are registered with a service that lets them send text
messages to make payments. Smart phones will soon be able to inform us of goods
and service we might like wherever we are. Phone users will need to be
comfortable with putting large amounts of information about their lifestyles
into their phones for this to happen. But the rise of social networking
websites suggests that people would agree to do this.
Technology originally
developed for NASA will soon let us talk on our phone without making a sound. Advanced
speech encoding detects the physical signs associated with speech-specifically
the movement of muscles in the throat-so soon we will be able to communicate
silently when in libraries or movie theaters.
Further down the line
experts predict we will be able to send text messages simply by thinking. By
wearing glasses with sensors that analyze brain waves and convert them into
digital signals, we will be able to create a form of electronic telepathy.
Looking further into the future it is certain that cell phones will incorporate
highly advanced technologies such as nanotechnology, allowing us to use our
phones to do tasks such as our food for harmful toxins. In short, the cell
phones of the future will not just be a device. It will be the ultimate do-anything
gadget. In the words of Eric Schmidt Google’s chairman and CEO-“it will be our
alter ego-fundamental to everything we do.
As amazing as the latest Smartphone’s are, the cell
phone industry is really just getting started. The predicted capabilities of
future-generation cell phones are simply mind-boggling!
Assessment Activities check list:
a)
In your
notebook:
·
Write the
Vocabulary (new words in red, and translation in blue)
·
Write the
glossary (use the words written in the
chart below)
b)
Write a summary.
(7 main ideas)
c)
Explain,
what did you learn? ( 150-160 words)
d)
Answer
the questionnaire below.
|
1.
The reason people may use TVs less in the future is
A.
Cell phones
will have bigger screen displays
B.
TV programs
will be made especially for cell phones.
C.
Cell phones
will be able to project images onto walls.
D.
TV programs
will all be watched on PCs.
2.
Cell phone screens will soon be
A.
Unbreakable
B.
Rigid
C.
Expandable
D.
Exchangeable
3.
In the future, paper money and coins could become
A.
More valuable
B.
No longer
necessary
C.
Use in only
some countries
D.
Made of
plastic
4.
In order for our phones to suggest goods and services
to us, we would have to
A.
Make changes
to our lifestyle
B.
Join a social
network site
C.
Provide
location details
D.
Sacrifice some
privacy
5.
The nanotechnology of the future may
A.
Replace cell
phones
B.
Release
harmful toxins
C.
Be used in a number
of gadgets
D.
Revolutionize cell
phones
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