07-07-2003, 12:06 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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The Lure Of Data: Is It Addictive?
This NYT article raises some interesting questions about how mobile and wireless devices might be causing us "psuedo-ADD"...
"THIS is Charles Lax's brain on speed. Mr. Lax, a 44-year-old venture capitalist, is sitting in a conference for telecommunications executives at a hotel near Los Angeles, but he is not all here. Out of one ear, he listens to a live presentation about cable television technology; simultaneously, he surfs the Net on a laptop with a wireless connection, while occasionally checking his mobile device � part phone, part pager and part Internet gadget � for e-mail. Mr. Lax flew from Boston and paid $2,000 to attend the conference, called Vortex. But he cannot unwire himself long enough to give the presenters his complete focus. If he did, he would face a fate worse than lack of productivity: he would become bored."
I have to admit -- I myself have used Wi-Fi during long meetings. But, in my opinion, that's often because the presenter isn't being efficient or holding my attention. Very often, I've been stuck in presentations where the presenter is reading his own slides. I can do that too, thank you very much.
On the other hand, I've noticed that I've played with my Pocket PC in presentations where I'd look up and have to "catch up" to what the speaker is saying.
What do you think? Have you used your Pocket PC in meetings or presentations? With Wi-Fi? And how did it turn out?
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07-07-2003, 12:28 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,049
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When I was working on my undergrad, I remember in one class being so bored that I got online to check my email. I as well, if the information is broing, or if it is something that I already know, then I am easily bored with the speaker.
It is the speakers responsibility to keep my attention.
I dont think that someone is addicted if they are using the net during a meeting or a like situation.
However, I do feel that we must be able to function without having to costantly be online. At the same time, so much informaiton is online that it is so easy to go online to get it just in everyday life. It is as simele as saying, "wonder what movie is playing", check my bank and investments", I wonder if there is such a thing as", "what is the latest in teh news or current top story", I need to enter my company info", "check my email", "compare prices on stuff", and etc
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"Do not try. Do or Do Not. There is no try"Yoda, Empire Strikes Back
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07-07-2003, 12:41 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 90
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I am a Junior in college and last semester I had to take a class that pure computer terminology. Not only did I know the majority of the information, but all the teacher did was read the slides that we could download from the Internet word-for-word. So I ended up playing FF4 on my Axim or reading a book throughout the entire class.
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07-07-2003, 12:48 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,041
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Raynne
I am a Junior in college and last semester I had to take a class that pure computer terminology. Not only did I know the majority of the information, but all the teacher did was read the slides that we could download from the Internet word-for-word. So I ended up playing FF4 on my Axim or reading a book throughout the entire class.
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And it was slides that he's been using for the last few years too I bet. How nice.
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07-07-2003, 12:51 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 706
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There have been more than a few boring presentations and meetings where my PPC has save me from falling asleep :sleeping:
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Get your Pocket Mojo. Anthony Caruana is the Mojo master. |
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07-07-2003, 01:01 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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I think we are just less obvious than others. I can look pretty interested in the reading material with my Pocket PC in a continuing education class. The guy next to me with USA Today spread out all over the table is a bit more obvious he doesn't give a flip. :rotfl:
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07-07-2003, 01:15 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
I think we are just less obvious than others. I can look pretty interested in the reading material with my Pocket PC in a continuing education class.
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Totally.  One positive side-effect about reflective screens is that they're very hard to see from oblique angles, unlike transflectives which have a better viewing angle. I could play Pocket Entertainment Pack games in class on my 3870 without a fear of getting watched.
--janak
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07-07-2003, 01:23 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,264
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
I think we are just less obvious than others. I can look pretty interested in the reading material with my Pocket PC in a continuing education class. The guy next to me with USA Today spread out all over the table is a bit more obvious he doesn't give a flip. :rotfl:
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Wow, didn't realize that we work at the same office.
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07-07-2003, 01:41 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,213
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Last year, the university I went to began the first stages of what will eventually be a campus-wide wireless LAN. Right now it only covers several buildings and a few large outdoor communal areas, but word is, it'll be expanding this fall to include several more areas. Too bad I left three years ago! Actually, knowing me, it's not too bad... I'd have been surfing instead of listening to lectures.
I've used the WLAN when going back to visit and it's not too bad except for a couple things. You can't just hop on and go. You must first enter your student login and password into a Web page to authenticate to the network. Until that's done, any Web page you try to visit just takes you to the authentication page. That's not too bad on a desktop or laptop, but is a little unpleasant on a Pocket PC.
They have also disabled all common insecure protocols except HTTP. That means no POP3, no SMTP, no IMAP, no FTP, and a few others, as well. Since the Inbox app on the Pocket PC can't connect to secure severs, that means I cannot check e-mail unless I use a Web-based service which is often painful with Pocket IE. It just boggles my mind that something as basic as the ability to connect to secure e-mail servers still isn't included even in WinMobile 2003. :roll:
--Dave
__________________
Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
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07-07-2003, 01:46 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 55
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When I was in college I had only one or two classes where I wouldn't "multi-task" during the lectures. Some recent studies have shown that people in the last couple of generations are able to process multiple simultaneous inputs more efficiently than previous generations. Those previous generations learned primarily from reading and lectures. The later generations learn better with multi-media approaches. Unlike the author of that article, I don't assing good or bad to either generation's learning and processing abilities. It's just the way they're wired.
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