So you think you know Social Media?
I harbour this sneaking suspicion that Social Media is a communist plot hatched by mad former KGB scientists slaving away in some mine shaft deep in the Urals.
The only reason everyone is using things like Facebook is that we are trying to keep up. Just like the Abilene Paradox - one day we will all wake up out of our 1984 like trance and go... say why did I do that?
Well it seems that teens may have it about right. I try and keep up with some teens and find out what they think. (Alert this is bar stool type research). I have noticed that Facebook and others have become less of an attraction. But teenagers are not just abandoning FB - rather they are lessening their degree of usage. The slow decline is occurring at the less and less use inflection point. But I see no less use of texting. I do see more and more people using Smart phones. Particularly iPhones.
The research from emarketer seems to confirm this fact.
What really is interesting is that the driving force of using the smart phones is not a utility or even the voice side of things - rather it is the fun and "something to do with my hands" sort of use.
If you dont believe me... just sit in a public place - sidewalk cafe - Micky Ds or some other high traffic area. You will be amazed at how many people are either using their phones but surprisingly a lot of people - especially teens touch and handle them. And lord knows its not good to see people using especially texting while driving.
During this week's D8 Conference - Alan Mulally head of Ford had an onstage session with Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal. He had some interesting perspectives on processing information while driving. He quoted that "Eighty percent of accidents involve taking your eyes off the road. So we're convinced that the mind has the cognitive ability to do other things while driving as long as you continue to watch the road. So we minimize anything that's a distraction: keyboard, certain confusing apps, etc. We are definitely going to be a gatekeeper with regard to apps because it's crucial that you not be distracted. "
Mulally said the need for a system like Ford's was demonstrated on his drive to the (D8)conference. He saw a woman driving with both arms extended through the steering wheel so she could text with both hands. "I was going, 'Oh, my goodness,' " Mulally said.
I would have thought Holy Crap and just got the heck out of there. Just think if she was driving a Toyota (He didn't reveal the brand of car she was driving nor her age).
So think about it.
Cheers
No comments:
Post a Comment