The mobile phone - A medium in itself

Matkapuhelin - media itsessään Matkapuhelinta on mediatutkimuksen alalla pidetty pitkään muita medioita täydentävänä välineenä ja internetin jatkeena, jota käytetään vain poikkeuksellisissa olosuhteissa, kuten matkoilla tai kesämökillä. Kuitenkin viime vuosina matkapuhelimen käyttö mediana on lisääntynyt. Matkapuhelimella on ollut myös vaikutusta muihin medioihin. Esimerkiksi television interaktiivisuus nojaa Suomessa pitkälti tekstiviestintään. Myös monet sanomalehdet julkaisevat tekstiviestipalstoja, koska niiden katsotaan mahdollistavan välittömämmän kontaktin sanomalehden ja yleisön välillä kuin perinteiset mielipidepalstat. Kamerapuhelimien yleistyminen on kiihdyttänyt tätä kehitystrendiä ja usein lukijoiden ottamia kuvia julkaistaan merkittävistäkin uutistapahtumista. Globaalisti tarkasteltuna monissa maissa matkapuhelin on ensimmäinen ja ainoa tietoyhteiskuntaväline, jotka on mahdollista hankkia kotitalouteen. Se on usein myös ainoa väline internetin käyttöön. Matkapuhelin on ulottunut lukemattomille elämänalueille ja saanut erikoisiakin piirteitä kuten esimerkiksi puheajan käyttö maksuvälineenä epävakaan valuutan maissa. Matkapuhelimella on omat piirteensä mediana. Matkapuhelinta on käsitelty paljon henkilökohtaisen viestinnän välineenä, vaikka sen käyttö on laajentunut henkilökohtaisen viestinnän ulkopuolelle. Uutisvälineenä matkapuhelinta kuvaavat välittömyys ja nopeus. Matkapuhelinta voitaisiin kehittää kriisitiedottamisen välineenä, mikä edellyttäisi yhteistyötä viranomaisten ja palveluiden kehittäjien välillä. Toisaalta tekstiviestiuutisiin liittyy tietty epäluotettavuus, jos tekstiviestin lähde ei ole todennettavissa. Luotettavuusongelmiin voidaan kuitenkin löytää teknisiä ratkaisuja. Väitöskirja käsittelee matkapuhelimen nopeaa omaksumista suomalaisten arkeen ja sen kehittymistä mediavälineenä. Aineisto koostuu mm. 1600 eri-ikäisen suomalaisen haastatteluista, mediapäiväkirjoista ja valokuvamateriaaleista, kuten kamerakännykkäkuvista. Lisäksi kenttätutkimuksien avulla on kerätty lokitietoa erilaisten palveluiden kuten mobiili-television käytöstä.The mobile phone - a medium in itself In media studies the mobile phone has been perceived as a sub-media to traditional media. As a medium it has its own specific characteristics and social functions, although its uses may vary in different contexts and cultures. However, this argument does not mean that the mobile phone is a medium without user involvements. The role of user innovations has been important in constructing the mobile phone´s role in the media field: for instance, text messaging has brought a new kind of social interaction and media form with it. Indeed, the mobile phone has influenced the ways in which we can interact with other media. The mobile phone is located between personal, social and mass media, and can serve personal, peer-to-peer and mass communication purposes in different communications situations. The mobile phone is not only a developing tool for citizenship journalism and participatory media making, but also a channel between traditional and new media, as it, in some cases enables the interactivity of television. Text messaging has been incorporated into television and, in some cases, also into newspapers. It seems that the mobile phone as a personal and ubiquitous technology may lower the threshold for participating in media making. The role of the mobile phone as a tool in digital storytelling has become more important as the number of reader´s own photographs as news material in newspapers has increased. The newspaper offices and other media have to find a solution for how to act with the increasing content produced by their audience; for instance, how to find the important news and verify the reliability and originality of the material. Yet, the physical user interface of the mobile phone is quite different from other media. This means that in the media production stage, the media content has to be tailored so that it can be accessed with a mobile phone and read on their small-screen user interfaces. Currently, there are problems related to the immature technology, such as mobile web browsing problems. Usability issues regarding small-screen user interfaces are particularly important. The mobile phone enables an instantaneous news, information and discussion channel for the mass media. Indeed, the role of the mobile phone in participatory media making could be further developed in media companies. Furthermore, the possibilities of mobile phones are not yet fully utilized in crisis communication. More likely, the role of the mobile phone as an interactive link between the personal user and social and mass media will increase in the future. The dissertation examines the integration of the mobile phone into every day life as a communication device and as media. It focuses on the uses of the mobile phone as a pervasive multimedia tool and its relationship to other media in the changing media landscape. The empirical material of the dissertation consists of 1,600 interviews of Finnish people conducted between 1997 and 2007. The research sample includes teenagers, young adults, families and senior citizens from different socio-economic backgrounds. In addition, media diaries and photographic materials, such as 1200 mms messages were collected. Log data was collected to reveal the time and duration of actual occurrences of mobile media service such as mobile TV use

Young People and Seniors in Finnish 'Mobile Information Society'

What is the significance of the mobile phone in the social relationships of young people and seniors? What kinds of informal and formal learning strategies do young people and seniors have in acquiring mobile phone and other ICT literacies? Young age groups have for long been the most active mobile phone users, but in the last few years the mobile phone use of over 60-year-olds has also been growing very rapidly in Finland and in other countries. This article presents research findings based on several research projects conducted at the University of Tampere on the use of mobile communication and the Internet among young people, families and seniors since the late 1990s. The research aims to explore the spread of mobile and Internet trends through study of communication and social networks among young people and seniors. The main methods have consisted of group discussions and thematic interviews among young people and seniors. By 2006, over 1500 Finns have participated in the study. The research indicates that for older generations, for whom it still constitutes a relatively new aspect in their personal histories and daily lives, the meaning of the mobile phone is highly different than for young people who have grown up into ICT citizens. Knowing the actual use contexts and user experiences of technology among different generations in their daily life can provide important insights on how to improve design and services associated with the technologiesEditors: Ann Jones, Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Daisy Mwanza.Reviewers: Brian Joyce (Finland), Teresa Dillon (Futurelab, Bristol)

Towards sustainable energy culture in the industrial sector:introducing an interdisciplinary method for understanding energy culture in business industries

Abstract Background There have been numerous research papers focusing on improving energy consumption and energy behaviour in domestic and residential contexts. However, workplaces and especially industry settings have gained less attention in scientific literature, even though the industry sector is one of the largest energy consumers in the world. This article introduces a methodological framework that utilizes the energy culture concept, to support understanding the factors that influence energy culture at business industry companies. Methods Building on the concept of energy culture, we introduce an interdisciplinary method, which assesses organizations’ energy culture from different perspectives and recognizes the possibilities for sustainability transitions. To validate this method, the developed energy culture survey has been verified by 27 expert participants from different industry-related companies located in Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany France, and Austria. Results Our analysis highlights the need to consider diverse, interdisciplinary aspects to create a successful method for enhancing energy culture in the industrial sector. This will take into consideration human aspects, related to cognitive norms, beliefs, and aspirations, as well as to human interaction with the material world. Conclusions Industrial energy cultures context differs from domestic and residential contexts, and the knowledge from one context cannot be transferred to another context as such. Based on investigated studies undertaken for residential, office, and other sectors and the lessons learned, we developed a systematic method for energy culture understanding in industries. Energy managers may use it, as well as other individuals involved in energy culture issues in the industrial business sector, to evaluate the state of energy culture and engage employees towards new energy-related practices

Screening techniques : clinicians\u27 views and approaches to assessing alcohol and substance use in older adults

This qualitative study examined how New York State licensed clinicians approach the initial assessment and ongoing treatment of older adults (55+) identified to be struggling with alcohol or substance misuse issues. The research questions specifically asked: Do clinicians assess for alcohol and substance misuse in the older adult patients they serve? What are the mediating factors within this assessment and treatment process? This study was initiated in an exploratory fashion because of the limited amount of research available which investigates the relationship between clinicians\u27 attitudes and approaches to this work with the rapidly growing older adult populations they serve. Given the constricted amount of literature available on this topic, a phenomenological approach was employed. Twelve licensed mental health clinicians, practicing for at least a year in the New York City Metropolitan area, were telephonically interviewed. The demographic characteristics of each are organized in Appendix E, and further expanded upon in the findings and discussion sections of this research report. In line with a phenomenological approach, the thematic analysis of participants\u27 responses was employed. The findings produced a depiction of therapeutic practice aligned with the available research: (1) clinicians often minimize assessment of alcohol and substance misuse practices in ever-growing older adult populations; (2) clinicians report a lacking standardization of preventative protocol for the assessment of alcohol and substance misuse in older adult populations; and (3) the therapeutic methods employed by clinicians in consultation with older adults, are viewed as needing the appropriate modifications in order to better provide comprehensive mental health treatment

P2P TV: Evaluating Content Delivery and User Experience

In this paper, we present findings from empirical studies on end users' experiences of peer-to-peer (P2P) networked television services. To explore the quality of user experience and content consumption in the evolving TV system, we have developed a peer-to-peer social media service prototype, which can be used both with regular home computer networks and on mobile devices, providing users a real pervasive, ambient media experience. Our primary goal is to create an understanding of the factors that shape P2P TV experience as a basis for the future design of NextShare, a peer-to-peer social media service. Through this research, we concluded that P2P technology can provide a reliable mechanism for ingestion of time-based TV program as well as VOD content via the Internet. P2P technology is especially suitable for large media content providers. However, in order to create a real business value out of the service, new, innovative content production models and types need to be developed

The mobile phone - A medium in itself

Matkapuhelin - media itsessään Matkapuhelinta on mediatutkimuksen alalla pidetty pitkään muita medioita täydentävänä välineenä ja internetin jatkeena, jota käytetään vain poikkeuksellisissa olosuhteissa, kuten matkoilla tai kesämökillä. Kuitenkin viime vuosina matkapuhelimen käyttö mediana on lisääntynyt. Matkapuhelimella on ollut myös vaikutusta muihin medioihin. Esimerkiksi television interaktiivisuus nojaa Suomessa pitkälti tekstiviestintään. Myös monet sanomalehdet julkaisevat tekstiviestipalstoja, koska niiden katsotaan mahdollistavan välittömämmän kontaktin sanomalehden ja yleisön välillä kuin perinteiset mielipidepalstat. Kamerapuhelimien yleistyminen on kiihdyttänyt tätä kehitystrendiä ja usein lukijoiden ottamia kuvia julkaistaan merkittävistäkin uutistapahtumista. Globaalisti tarkasteltuna monissa maissa matkapuhelin on ensimmäinen ja ainoa tietoyhteiskuntaväline, jotka on mahdollista hankkia kotitalouteen. Se on usein myös ainoa väline internetin käyttöön. Matkapuhelin on ulottunut lukemattomille elämänalueille ja saanut erikoisiakin piirteitä kuten esimerkiksi puheajan käyttö maksuvälineenä epävakaan valuutan maissa. Matkapuhelimella on omat piirteensä mediana. Matkapuhelinta on käsitelty paljon henkilökohtaisen viestinnän välineenä, vaikka sen käyttö on laajentunut henkilökohtaisen viestinnän ulkopuolelle. Uutisvälineenä matkapuhelinta kuvaavat välittömyys ja nopeus. Matkapuhelinta voitaisiin kehittää kriisitiedottamisen välineenä, mikä edellyttäisi yhteistyötä viranomaisten ja palveluiden kehittäjien välillä. Toisaalta tekstiviestiuutisiin liittyy tietty epäluotettavuus, jos tekstiviestin lähde ei ole todennettavissa. Luotettavuusongelmiin voidaan kuitenkin löytää teknisiä ratkaisuja. Väitöskirja käsittelee matkapuhelimen nopeaa omaksumista suomalaisten arkeen ja sen kehittymistä mediavälineenä. Aineisto koostuu mm. 1600 eri-ikäisen suomalaisen haastatteluista, mediapäiväkirjoista ja valokuvamateriaaleista, kuten kamerakännykkäkuvista. Lisäksi kenttätutkimuksien avulla on kerätty lokitietoa erilaisten palveluiden kuten mobiili-television käytöstä.The mobile phone - a medium in itself In media studies the mobile phone has been perceived as a sub-media to traditional media. As a medium it has its own specific characteristics and social functions, although its uses may vary in different contexts and cultures. However, this argument does not mean that the mobile phone is a medium without user involvements. The role of user innovations has been important in constructing the mobile phone´s role in the media field: for instance, text messaging has brought a new kind of social interaction and media form with it. Indeed, the mobile phone has influenced the ways in which we can interact with other media. The mobile phone is located between personal, social and mass media, and can serve personal, peer-to-peer and mass communication purposes in different communications situations. The mobile phone is not only a developing tool for citizenship journalism and participatory media making, but also a channel between traditional and new media, as it, in some cases enables the interactivity of television. Text messaging has been incorporated into television and, in some cases, also into newspapers. It seems that the mobile phone as a personal and ubiquitous technology may lower the threshold for participating in media making. The role of the mobile phone as a tool in digital storytelling has become more important as the number of reader´s own photographs as news material in newspapers has increased. The newspaper offices and other media have to find a solution for how to act with the increasing content produced by their audience; for instance, how to find the important news and verify the reliability and originality of the material. Yet, the physical user interface of the mobile phone is quite different from other media. This means that in the media production stage, the media content has to be tailored so that it can be accessed with a mobile phone and read on their small-screen user interfaces. Currently, there are problems related to the immature technology, such as mobile web browsing problems. Usability issues regarding small-screen user interfaces are particularly important. The mobile phone enables an instantaneous news, information and discussion channel for the mass media. Indeed, the role of the mobile phone in participatory media making could be further developed in media companies. Furthermore, the possibilities of mobile phones are not yet fully utilized in crisis communication. More likely, the role of the mobile phone as an interactive link between the personal user and social and mass media will increase in the future. The dissertation examines the integration of the mobile phone into every day life as a communication device and as media. It focuses on the uses of the mobile phone as a pervasive multimedia tool and its relationship to other media in the changing media landscape. The empirical material of the dissertation consists of 1,600 interviews of Finnish people conducted between 1997 and 2007. The research sample includes teenagers, young adults, families and senior citizens from different socio-economic backgrounds. In addition, media diaries and photographic materials, such as 1200 mms messages were collected. Log data was collected to reveal the time and duration of actual occurrences of mobile media service such as mobile TV use

Young People and Seniors in Finnish 'Mobile Information Society'

Abstract: What is the significance of the mobile phone in the social relationships of young people and seniors? What kinds of informal and formal learning strategies do young people and seniors have in acquiring mobile phone and other ICT literacies? Young age groups have for long been the most active mobile phone users, but in the last few years the mobile phone use of over 60-year-olds has also been growing very rapidly in Finland and in other countries. This article presents research findings based on several research projects conducted at the University of Tampere on the use of mobile communication and the Internet among young people, families and seniors since the late 1990s. The research aims to explore the spread of mobile and Internet trends through study of communication and social networks among young people and seniors. The main methods have consisted of group discussions and thematic interviews among young people and seniors. By 2006, over 1500 Finns have participated in the study. The research indicates that for older generations, for whom it still constitutes a relatively new aspect in their personal histories and daily lives, the meaning of the mobile phone is highly different than for young people who have grown up into ICT citizens. Knowing the actual use contexts and user experiences of technology among different generations in their daily life can provide important insights on how to improve design and services associated with the technologies Editors: Ann Jones, Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Daisy Mwanza. Reviewers: Brian Joyce (Finland), Teresa Dillon (Futurelab, Bristol). <!--No demo--