Journal of Media & Cultural Studies
Editors: Larissa Hjorth, RMIT University;
Jerry Watkins, Swinburne University;
Ilpo Koskinen, Aalto University
This issue of Continuum explores the impact of smartphones on
individuals, families, communities and organisations. A smartphone is a
mobile phone which uses 3G and/or WiFi networks to connect to
internet-based applications and services. Popular operating systems
include Android, Blackberry OS, OS X iPhone, and Windows Mobile. Online,
the smartphone can function as a social media portal, a games console, a
navigation device and an app platform. It can connect users to services
including banking, e-commerce and health. Offline, the smartphone can
function as an entertainment deck, a multimedia capture and editing
device, and a mobile office. Traversing the online and offline
seamlessly, the smartphone represents a new generation in ubiquity and
Web 2.0 practices.
The ubiquity, usability and processing power of the smartphone can
stimulate a range of innovative interactions and experiences for
consumers, businesses and content providers. Whilst global sales of
mobile phones are in decline, smartphone sales are growing. A
corresponding growth in mobile data is attributed to video traffic from
smartphones. Content shares such as YouTube and social networks such as
Twitter are experiencing increases in content uploads from smartphones.
We are interested in papers from a range of disciplinary approaches
which critically examine the current and future contribution of
smartphone devices and related applications, portals and networks. We
are also interested in papers which discuss the wider socioeconomic,
sociocultural or sociotechnical policies that are impacted by, and
shaping, smartphone practice. Contributions should be consistent with
the journal's overall focus on media and cultural studies. Papers could
be related - but not limited - to the following questions:
* What is the impact of cultural context upon smartphone usage?
What part do lifestyle practices play in smartphone adoption?
* How, if at all, do smartphones help to mobilise people in times
of disaster or political unrest?
* How do smartphones and context-aware services change the
experience of place and co-presence? What do they contribute to everyday
modes of communication conducted on the run?
* What types of media literacy and creativity are emerging through
smartphone practices?
* How can smartphones be applied to developing economies and
regional and rural environments? Are smartphones just a device for
developed countries?
* What types of ideological and image-making processes are going
on behind the iPhone versus Android competition?
* Is a policy focus on fibre-based broadband network provision
appropriate given the capabilities of smartphones? What policy and
regulatory challenges and opportunities do smartphones present?
* Will smartphones facilitate alternative modes of communication,
or will network tariffs, premium content prices, Managed Device
Platforms or other barriers to participation mean that they remain 'too
smart by half' for those without sufficient digital literacy or economic
means?
Timing, length, style
Please send abstracts of no more than 200 words and a brief bio by May
2011 to larissa.hjorth@rmit.edu.au Articles will be due by October 2011.
They will be evaluated by the editorial committee and anonymously by
external referees. The maximum length is around 6000 words.
Jerry Watkins, Swinburne University;
Ilpo Koskinen, Aalto University
This issue of Continuum explores the impact of smartphones on
individuals, families, communities and organisations. A smartphone is a
mobile phone which uses 3G and/or WiFi networks to connect to
internet-based applications and services. Popular operating systems
include Android, Blackberry OS, OS X iPhone, and Windows Mobile. Online,
the smartphone can function as a social media portal, a games console, a
navigation device and an app platform. It can connect users to services
including banking, e-commerce and health. Offline, the smartphone can
function as an entertainment deck, a multimedia capture and editing
device, and a mobile office. Traversing the online and offline
seamlessly, the smartphone represents a new generation in ubiquity and
Web 2.0 practices.
The ubiquity, usability and processing power of the smartphone can
stimulate a range of innovative interactions and experiences for
consumers, businesses and content providers. Whilst global sales of
mobile phones are in decline, smartphone sales are growing. A
corresponding growth in mobile data is attributed to video traffic from
smartphones. Content shares such as YouTube and social networks such as
Twitter are experiencing increases in content uploads from smartphones.
We are interested in papers from a range of disciplinary approaches
which critically examine the current and future contribution of
smartphone devices and related applications, portals and networks. We
are also interested in papers which discuss the wider socioeconomic,
sociocultural or sociotechnical policies that are impacted by, and
shaping, smartphone practice. Contributions should be consistent with
the journal's overall focus on media and cultural studies. Papers could
be related - but not limited - to the following questions:
* What is the impact of cultural context upon smartphone usage?
What part do lifestyle practices play in smartphone adoption?
* How, if at all, do smartphones help to mobilise people in times
of disaster or political unrest?
* How do smartphones and context-aware services change the
experience of place and co-presence? What do they contribute to everyday
modes of communication conducted on the run?
* What types of media literacy and creativity are emerging through
smartphone practices?
* How can smartphones be applied to developing economies and
regional and rural environments? Are smartphones just a device for
developed countries?
* What types of ideological and image-making processes are going
on behind the iPhone versus Android competition?
* Is a policy focus on fibre-based broadband network provision
appropriate given the capabilities of smartphones? What policy and
regulatory challenges and opportunities do smartphones present?
* Will smartphones facilitate alternative modes of communication,
or will network tariffs, premium content prices, Managed Device
Platforms or other barriers to participation mean that they remain 'too
smart by half' for those without sufficient digital literacy or economic
means?
Timing, length, style
Please send abstracts of no more than 200 words and a brief bio by May
2011 to larissa.hjorth@rmit.edu.au Articles will be due by October 2011.
They will be evaluated by the editorial committee and anonymously by
external referees. The maximum length is around 6000 words.
