I will be discussing
Smartphones in terms of their roles in urban planning and as health aids.
Smartphones have been inarguably the fastest growing technology in the past few
years. Built with software operating systems in them, they are capable of going
online, checking e-mail, buying and playing MP3’s, using a GPS (global
positioning system), and even watching movies and television shows, among other
applications. The smart phones that have found the most popularity among
consumers include the BlackBerry, the Droid and the iPhone, the iPhone
outnumbering the others in sales. Within these phones lie an entire other
industry in itself, with applications, or “apps.”
Smart phones seem to be
capable of performing many of the functions that people use their computers
for.
In addition to the
tasks that iPhones normally perform, are applications that are actually aiding
major city development, and serving as health aids. Boston has long suffered
from a pothole, as most cities do, and in an effort to identify key problem
areas, an application was launched that allows people to identify those pot
holes they encounter throughout the city. The application has spurred interest
from other cities, and could greatly aid urban planning throughout the country [1].
Smart phones are now
also being credited with helping people manage their health. Besides people
constantly “googling” health symptoms from pregnancy to STD’s, many
applications have now become popular that help people manage their diet, eating
and drinking habits, as well as with exercise and diabetes. Many healthcare
companies have also turned to smartphones to advertise, and the investment has
been exponential. The reason for this, according to a media company Heartbeat
Ideas, is that people now spend as much time on their smartphones as they do
watching television, or doing both simultaneously, meaning that advertising
should reach them on both spectrums [2].
In addition to
helping people monitor their day to day diets and health concerns, one health
and nutrition aid company, BodyMedia, has created a wristband that monitors
everyday vitals and works with smartphones through an application. The company
says it expects its biggest buyers will be consumers who use their smartphones
frequently, and either have diabetes or are part of a company wellness program
[3].
In conclusion,
smartphones are not only convenient and efficient pieces of technology, but
offer solutions and assistance to problems related to health and urban
planning. Many applications used on smartphones can be used to make significant
differences.
Sources
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