When Mobiles Go Media: Relational Affordances and Present-to-Hand Digital Devices

Abstract

This article argues that the reasons people adopt-or resist adoptingmedia capabilities on their mobile devices are largely concerned with their experience of control over technology. In particular, the ever-present, ready-to-hand nature of media on mobile devices plays a strong role in establishing and mediating these relationships of control. To substantiate this argument, I draw on findings from a qualitative research study undertaken of Canadian users of digital screen devices. This work is significant not only in helping us to understand why certain technologies fail to catch on, but also to shed light on our continued concerns about technology. These concerns may be voiced as worries about our needs, our pleasures, our identity or our status, but they boil down to our ability to feel in control of our technologies.Keywords: Mobile; Media; Present-to-hand; Actor-network theory; Technology; Culture; Phenomenology; Affordance; Resistance; Control Résumé : Cet article soutient que les raisons pour lesquelles les gens adoptent-ou résistent à adopter de nouvelles fonctions sur leurs appareils mobiles ont grandement trait à leurs expériences de contrôle par rapport à la technologie. En particulier, le fait que ces fonctions soient toujours à portée de la main joue un rôle important dans l'établissement et la médiation de ces rapports de contrôle. Pour appuyer mon argument, j'ai recours aux résultats d'une étude quantitative portant sur des utilisateurs canadiens d'appareils comportant des écrans numériques. Cette étude est signifiante non seulement parce qu'elle nous aide à comprendre pourquoi certaines technologies sont des échecs commerciaux, mais aussi parce qu'elle peut nous éclairer sur nos préoccupations à l'égard des technologies. Ces soucis peuvent se manifester comme des inquiétudes par rapport à nos besoins, nos plaisirs, notre identité ou notre statut, mais au fond ils ont souvent trait à notre habileté à contrôler ces technologies.

Effect of Automation of Payment System on Customs Performance at the Port of Mombasa in Kenya

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Questioning Technological Determinism through Empirical Research

“…Although technological determinism is often criticized and few serious thinkers seem eager to lay claim to the view (Hofmann 2006), scholars often observe that technological determinist assumptions persist in the popular mindset and common discourse (Best 2009, Burnett, Senker, and Walker 2008, Carr-Chellman 2006, Friesen 2008, Hofmann 2006, Leonardi 2008, Lievrouw 2006, Selwyn 2010b, Wyatt 2008, Yang 2009). Broadly, technological determinism is the philosophical perspective that assumes that technology causes inevitable change in society (Leonardi 2008, Leonardi 2009), exerting a control over human society with technology considered in some way to be an autonomous force operating outside of social control (Feenberg 2010, Hofmann 2006, Leonardi 2009).…”

Becoming-Data, Becoming-Mountain

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