Presidential Elections in the US and the role of Mobile Technology
The mobile phone is one of the most useful devices that are available to most people today. Its long range and portability, as well as other functions and services including SMS (Short Message Setting), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), and internet accessibility has made it an indispensable tool for the daily lives of almost every person. It is true that the introduction of the mobile phone has made a substantial impact to society, and mobile technology advances very quickly, making the mobile phone more flexible and arguably more useful.
The mobile phone had its beginnings as early as 1945, with the invention of 0G phones or mobile radio telephones. 0G stands for zero generation, because these types of phones are considered as the predecessors of modern cellular phones. The 0G type phones were usually attached to cars and trucks, but should be distinguished from radiotelephone systems, which do not have their own telephone numbers, and are not part of a close network like police radio or taxi dispatch systems.
The very first mobile phone which was not a feature of a vehicle was introduced in 1970. Motorola’s Martin Cooper designed the very first portable handset. The very first call made on a mobile phone was done on the 3rd of April, 1973, while Cooper was working as Motorola’s Communications Division General Manager. 1G or first generation mobile phones were introduced during the early 80’s, with the first fully automatic mobile phone system called NMT, or Nordic Mobile Telephone system. Majority of the mobile phones that were available in the 80’s were far too large and bulky to be carried in a jacket pocket, and so, these phones were featured as car phones. However, with the advancement of digital technology, mobile phones started to become smaller and lighter, making these tools a lot more convenient to use.
The growth of mobile phone users has grown exponentially. In less than 2 decades, the mobile phone has transformed from an expensive equipment used by elite businessmen, to a device that is used by almost everyone, even by children. In fact, there are usually more mobile phones than landlines in a lot of countries. Another interesting fact is that around 50% of children in the United States have mobile phones of their own.
The proliferation of the mobile phone has made it a very useful tool in many aspects. Many fields have benefited from the massive subscribers of mobile phones, after it has created a formidable market for various applications and products. Ring tones, polyphonic tones, and mobile phone accessories have become very successful products in their own right, allowing mobile phone owners to customize their mobile phones according to their own tastes and personalities
The mobile phone has also created a social culture of its own, due to its many features. Suddenly, everyone could be reached almost anywhere at anytime. This made the mobile phone an invaluable tool for the dissemination of information, which is a crucial tool in politics, especially in the presidential elections in the US. The mobile phone has made leaps and bounds from the lowly 0G phones to the latest models of 3G or 3rd generation mobile phones.
Information is a very important commodity, which makes it important for that information to be easily accessed and exchanged by those who need it, when the times call for it. One such important event is the Presidential Elections in the US. Various media such as the internet, personal polls, and even your mobile phone could be utilized for the dissemination of information.
Traditional campaigning such as campaign ads on the television and in the radio, printed media, and direct or personal campaigning have since been joined by other campaign tools such as blogging, campaigning via email, even via the mobile through SMS and MMS.
In the United States alone, there are more than 200 million mobile subscribers, and more than 350 billion text messages are sent every month. These figures alone prove that the mobile phone is a very powerful tool for the elections. You could easily get updated with facts that you need to know which can easily be delivered to the palm of your hands anytime, anywhere, with just a few keystrokes. Personalized polls for the presidential election in the US could be done in a more comfortable manner using the mobile phone, which could be done anywhere, as compared with personal polls and interactive voice response polls via the landline.
From the sheer number of mobile phone users alone, it is to be expected that the political arena will harness the mobile phone to campaign for their representatives. The Internet is already being utilized for this purpose, both as a platform and delivery medium due to its accessibility. For this same reason, the mobile phone becomes a very powerful political tool.
Now, using just your mobile phone, it is easier to find-out other people’s views on your candidates and share your own views. The mobile phone proves to be a very powerful tool to advertise your preferred candidate. The advancement of technology, such as internet accessibility using your mobile, opens a lot of doors for online campaigning. It is easy to visualize that these modern methods will soon surpass traditional campaign methods. The mobile phone has made it easer for your voice and concerns to be heard. The mobile has made a quick and simple way to check on the progress of the presidential elections in the US.
Furthermore, mobile phone users could now keep watch and be vigilant guardians of the electoral process. Mobile phones today already feature audio and video recording capabilities, which can be shared via the internet, empowering the mobile phone user and at the same time, providing him with the tools to do so.
The Mobile Phone has made a tremendous impact to our society, and may play a huge role in the shaping of our nation. Monitor the latest about the presidential elections in the US once the Federal government acquires the Kona Elect services.
Know more about the Kona Elect services by clicking on the link to the left and see what else Kona Elect can do for you.